For people to keep up with my side conv with States...

I'm going to throw a lot into this response, and I know you don't like that, so I'll appologize in advance, but I'll also ask that you read over it a few times too...

I'll be honest I have a few key problems that you're mostly glossing over at this point that worry me.

First is that for what is literally the most common damage types in game, Smashing and Lethal, the Invuln Scrapper still does fundamentally better overall. And I can't wrap my head around that.

An Invuln Scrapper comes as taking around 50% of the Smashing/Lethal damage that an Ice Tanker does. That's insane, my Tanker with Smashing damage is not doing twice the damage of that same Scrapper. There's just no offset.

Please note that I would not mind if that same 50% were set for an Invuln Tanker, but instead I see the Invuln Tanker taking only 15% of the Damage the Ice Tanker is for Smash/Lethal.

Realistically the Invuln Scrapper should be be down around 0% difference (taking the same damage as) and the Invuln Tanker at the 50%.

And this is with a 25% Recharge Reduction and a 25% Damage Reduction on Chilling Embrace. Which means that even those alone will not be enough, because I can't realisitcally see you giving more out in that area than those numbers (in fact I'm guessing it will be 20% and 20%).

However, that said, I wouldn't want to see either of them weaker vs Smash/Lethal than they are right now, so I really think something needs to be done in the area of the Smash and Lethal damage.

Second is the Fire hole. Its too harsh, considering that on top of it the Ice Tanker also has the Psi hole, and the Toxic hole.

Now yes the Ice Tanker is very well protected vs Cold, but Cold is also the least prevalent damage type in the entire game, Winter Lord event not withstanding. So its hardly compensatory for a weakness to Fire which is the 3rd most prevalent damage type in game.

Sure a Fire Tanker is flipped having a lot of Fire RES (more than an Ice Tanker can muster for Cold RES), and almost no Cold RES. But they don't have any missions where this is a major concern for them either - except perhaps the Frostfire mission - because Cold simply is not a prevalent damage form (in fact, its the least). So they are in fact at an advantage in this repsect.

All that said, you need to be more giving for 2 of the 3 of those holes I think. I'm figuring you're putting 9% Toxic RES into Permafrost (to match Unyielding), because that also puts the enhanced values nicely into sync.

If Fire is to truly be the weakness for Ice Tanks, then why comparitvely to Invuln are they so weak vs Smash/Lethal as well as Fire, and they're passingly better at Psi, and with that 9% mostly equal vs Toxic.

I think you need to consider coming some distance (I'd like to see 2/3 of the distance, but I'd settle for that 50% number vs the 15% that it is now) for Smash/Lethal if you're to leave Fire the way it is. But your damage debuff, while nice (and even kind of cool), isn't going to get you there.

Right now I'm looking at the following build for I5, and I seriously want you to look closely at what I'm saying, because if I post this you can bet most Ice Tankers will follow my lead (because many already do).

I'm dropping Hasten and Stamina for starters. I think the End Recovery on EA is that good, that I won't need Stamina anymore.

Also, in addition to not slotting WI for DEF (which you're giving to us), I won't be slotting EA for DEF anymore. I'll instead slot it for 3-6 recoveries. As recovering End with it will be far more important than getting that extra 7 DEF.

Why?

Because I can get it elsewhere.

In place of Stamina and Hasten, I'll be picking up Stamina, and Tough. I'll also pick up Weave (for the 4.5% people are measuring it at). And I'll switch Jump Kick to Combat Jumping to get 3% there. Not even slotting Weave or Combat Jumping I pick up same 7% I'd get with EA and that DEF is *always* there. I don't need mobs to get it therefore its more reliable.

6 slotted FA, GA, Hoarfrost, and Health.

Picture more or less complete.

Yes its worth it for me to run 6 toggles 100% of the time to get the same DEF. And again most people will come to this same conclusion.

Now with that said, I have a suggestion, that I think you should strongly consider...

Keep the 14 mob cap and the End Drain/Recovery on EA as is for I5, but instead of us pulling 0.5% (enhanceable to about 1.1 with +3s) from each of the 14 mobs. Change EA to be a flat unenhanceable DEF buff of 12.5% and make it to everything. Basically if it hits even 1 mob you get the full buff.

It solves a few things with the set as it stands on test:

(a) the problem of a lack of sustainable useful defense for an Ice Tanker - which is a huge issue for the set and always has been even prior to these changes

(b) your fear of us being able to over-enhance the power because we wouldn't be able to

(c) helps with the too many hole issue (you have no idea how much people will cheer you for the small concession of vs everything) (yes I know you're operating within very strict guidelines for changes overall)

(d) helps with the vs. "badder" mobs issue, though we still wouldn't be able to floor a boss or elite boss or AV or Monster.

(e) you won't have to play games with wither FA or GA and could leave them alone

Two last things...

1) Put End Drain Resistances into either EA, WI, or both. One thing we've lost is being the only Tanker who could reliably Tank Sappers, it was one of our few redeeming graces. And the only way to get it back is End Drain Resistance.

2) Reneg on allowing old DEF enhancers to function in Wet Ice. It creates a have and have not situation that you will come to regret. It will also, if I understand how your tables work, allow for HOs with a DEF component to work in the power if their other component is slottable. Just give a "I'm sorry, but on further inspection, we've decided against this."

Drop its End Costs by half, its twice the cost of Blazing Aura from all testing and it does less damage per hit.

And the change it to Cold damage, to make it more unique from Spine Burst which is basically the same power with a different sfx. Give Ice that bit more of uniqueness.

Thx again.