Can we have a new Backfire spell?

[RDarken]

I love Backfire, but I'd like to see another version of the spell. We've already got two Mesmer hexes against melee: Empathy, which does average damage over an average time, and Clumsiness, which does a lot more damage for a very short time. Backfire does a lot of damage over a short time. But the duration is so short that it's pretty easy to just ignore while it's on you.

I'd like to see a longer-lasting Backfire that does a LOT less damage. Make it something more like Empathy: Maybe lasts 8-17 seconds, and deals 10-25 damage each time foe casts a spell. I don't know exactly what numbers to use, but I think it should be low damage over an average time.

[Aiiane]

An interesting idea, although I'd wonder if it would see much play due to the fact that in general, both players and mobs do not cast as many spells over the same period of time as the number of attacks they would do in the same amount of time.

[RDarken]

Right, but it allows you to reapply sooner.

Personally, I'd prefer to pack this and Empathy as opposed to Backfire and Clumsiness. Of course, it does raise the problem of someone who brings Backfire AND this spell. Would have to make one overwrite the other, like a stance.

[BahamutKaiser]

I don't like this idea at all, attacks are purely offensive, so Empathy and Insidious parasite only deal damage to the enemy if he continues to attack, or cause them to cease their attack. Backfire and Soul Leech are much more devastating, because spell casting pretty much sums up anything a spell caster does, whether it is offensive or defensive.

There are hexes like clumsiness to stop casters as well, they are called Guilt and Shame. There is no lack of skills to disrupt and deal damage to enemies who cast spells then there are melee. With interrupts, it is much easier to not only punish a spell caster for casting a spell, but stop the spell as well, redering damage on the enemy wile he is disabled.

And to top it off, there are 2 mesmer skills which allow you to copy your last spell in order to cast it again, allowing you to have a second Backfire after the first one ends, or even better, using Soul Leech and Archane Echo as well as backfire to put utterly lethal amounts of back damage for casting as well as a double Soul Leech.

There is certainly no shortage of counter spell hexes available to keep casters from casting, just learn to use the ones you have proficiently and make sure you use proper hex covers to keep them from being removed, you will create some very unfortunate casters.