Shadowbringers RDM Wishlist

[Archwizard]

That's because caster autoattacks are based on STR.
So are melee autoattacks, so melee autoattacks are a significant portion of their dps, and that's why casters have DoTs to compensate.

But yeah, a mechanic tied to black/white mana would have been cool.

Something like:
Verwater/blizzard, a DoT that increases white/black mana by 3 for each tick for 24s. Shares a recast timer with Verblizzard/water. 45s cooldown.
This could be used to force an imbalance, and to maintain mana regen during downtime from mechanic dodging.

Something I came up with earlier: Have one DoT, but attacking a target with the DoT active grants access to your choice of Verwater or Verblizzard. Each time you swap between the two, the properties of the DoT change, causing it to give mana of the respective type, with a bonus on the first tick to encourage swapping frequently.

All numbers being examples:

[Verbio? Verscathe? Jolt III? Rattle?] (2 sec cast): Deals unaspected damage over time to the target and nearby enemies.
Potency: 30
Duration: 30 sec
Additional effect: Increases both Black Mana and White Mana by 3
Additional effect: Verfire and Verstone casts against an afflicted target have a chance to grant Aether Saturation.

Verwater (5 sec cast): Deals water damage to the target with a potency of 330.
Additional effect: Increases White Mana by 9.
Additional effect: Consumes Void Essence on the target to increase Black Mana by 4.
Additional effect: Applies Pearl Essence to the target, increasing White Mana by 1 every time [DoT] deals damage to the target.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Aether Saturation.

Verblizzard (5 sec cast): Deals ice damage to the target with a potency of 330.
Additional effect: Increases Black Mana by 9.
Additional effect: Consumes Pearl Essence on the target to increase White Mana by 4.
Additional effect: Applies Void Essence to the target, increasing Black Mana by 1 every time [DoT] deals damage to the target.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Aether Saturation.

That, or just take the first half and have Verwater and Verblizzard each apply a buff to you that give a bonus to your next cast of the opposite.

Verwater (5 sec cast): Deals water damage to the target with a potency of 330.
Additional effect: Increases White Mana by 9 and grants Pearl Essence.
Additional effect: Consumes Void Essence to increase both Black Mana and White Mana by 3.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Aether Saturation.

Verblizzard (5 sec cast): Deals ice damage to the target with a potency of 330.
Additional effect: Increases Black Mana by 9 and grants Void Essence.
Additional effect: Consumes Pearl Essence to increase both Black Mana and White Mana by 3.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Aether Saturation.

That way you have to constantly weigh the value of swapping between the two against your Mana needs in the given moment, increasing the risk-reward factor (ie having the bonus for casting Verblizzard up when your Black Mana is already higher).

And then of course advancements can include "VerX has an increased chance to proc Aether Saturation while Y Essence is active", and/or "Casting all three spells of one mana type in sequence has a chance to proc the opposing Verfinisher".
If button bloat becomes a concern, swap Verholy/flare over to occupying Verstone/fire and then just attach these to Veraero/thunder instead.