Given that stunning enemies for long periods of time would basically ruin the game, Superfuse has repurposed the classic frost caster from other games to focus more on abilities that slow rather than freeze. Some players might not appreciate that the Frost Elementalist will need to be mobile to avoid getting killed.
However, Superfuse does give the class some other perks. Defense is surprisingly high for the tree, enough that players will feel like a ranged Berserker. And there are some mobility elements that allow the Frost Elementalist hero to always stay a step ahead of her slowed opponents.
This article was written during the Early Access period. Updates and patches may have altered the overall experience.
10 Permafrost
- Increase maximum energy.
The Frist Elementalist focuses on slowing enemies down and whittling their health down to nothing. That means the character will be in battle longer than most other specializations. If the character runs out of energy, the enemies close the gap and it's all over from there. Permafrost gives players so much energy that running out should never realistically happen.
9 Chill
- Chance to cause chill.
There are two talents called 'Chill' and both are on this list. They are somewhat exclusive to one another; the active skill chills opponents while this passive skill gives players a 100% chance to chill opponents with any spell. Either choice is valid, but players should definitely pick up one of the two. If players don't want to think about reapplying a debuff, fuse some skills with area-of-effect fuses and slow down mobs with other spells.
8 Sleet
- Increase cast speed.
Casting speed is a big deal in Superfuse. Melee enemies can get off an attack if players stop to cast a spell, forcing the hero to trade blows, a situation that benefits the mobs of opponents. With some increased casting speed, players will feel the same benefits as though they had received improved gear. For the Frost Elementalist, because it is so good at slowing down enemies, this can translate to multiple attacks before having to run around.
7 Quick Freeze
- Decrease cooldowns by 5% when using 2-handed staves.
Staves are the ideal choice for the Frost Elementalist who will receive benefits to their casting statistics. Since they're going to be in use anyhow, Quick Freeze simply enhances the player's advantage on all spells with a cooldown, shortening the time between casts. The Frost Elementalist's best skill has a cooldown tied to it, so Quick Freeze becomes all the more valuable.
6 Deep Freeze
- Increase ice penetration.
Spell penetration isn't the most exciting skill and it's usually not noticeable for most of the game's battles. Weaker units hardly have any resistances, so mobs don't require additional ice penetration for the Frost Elementalist to wipe out. But players that don't get Deep Freeze may want to pick up a respec before taking on bosses and elites, who do resist spells. This talent makes a difference against the game's toughest opponents.
5 Cool Headed
- Increase ice spell damage.
Considering that every single attack from the Frist Elementalist will be an ice spell, Cool Headed will never be irrelevant. Getting new fuses can sometimes help increase the character's power, but this is applicable all of the time. With five talent points, the player's damage increases by 25%, no small benefit considering how early this passive can be picked up.
4 Ice Superiority
- Increase ice penetration, ice resistance, and ice damage.
The biggest issue with Ice Superiority is how far down the tree it is. The game takes a while to beat and even longer to max out the talents. But Ice Superiority is indeed worth the wait. With one, single talent point, players get three benefits, two of which are always useful for dealing damage. When it comes to value, this is the strongest passive the Frost Elementalist has access to.
3 Ice Shard
- Shoot a shard of ice in your targeted direction.
Players will want to get new skills quickly for the Frost Elementalist. Her initial ability is a melee skill and, while the class is tanky, going melee is not the best idea as it will get less and less viable as the game progresses. Ice Shard doesn't require too many levels and it gives the Frost Elementalist a spammable move to use at range. This is especially effective for this character who can keep enemies slowed down, setting them up to be peppered down by Ice Shards from afar.
2 Chill
- Create an area around you that applies chill to all enemies.
Most classes get access to a semi-unique debuff. However, these debuffs are applied by chance. Chill, the active ability, guarantees the chill application to all opponents nearby without needing to fuse the skill further. Being able to guarantee that opponents can't reach the Frost Elementalist is a benefit that is difficult to parallel.
1 Comet
- Jump and form a comet, slamming down and shattering the area in an area of ice.
While the Frost Elementalist isn't often considered one of the game's best heroes, the Comet skill makes the case for how the character could top the chart. Granted, the skill is toward the end of the tree, but getting some brief immunity, area damage, and a mobility port from the same skill is hard to contend with. Comet is the Frost Elementalist's strongest active or passive skill.
Superfuse is available in Early Access for PC.