BLM and Scathe and Blizzard

[Archwizard]

Just add a trait to make Blizzard instant in UI around the level we'd get Scathe, make Paradox either instant or only change Fire's button, and replace Scathe with Drain.

(Not the version we had in Stormblood; amp up the conversion ratio considerably so it's a semi-passable self-heal, like 150-200 potency healing per cast. Hell, you could even give it Sharpcast's "double damage" effect if that affects the healing.)

Kill two birds with one stone on Blizzard's front, and even if you don't use Drain on bosses and raids, it'll still have personal utility for solo and open-world content. No worse than SAM getting four different self-heal and mitigation tools. BLM's the only caster with just one.

[Ferrinus]

I think it'd be most elegant to give Blizzard a trait that makes it instant in Umbral mode at the same level you get Firestarter (while Scathe is replaced with Drain). That way both basic spells get a cast speed related passive of some kind, maintaining loose symmetry between the elements, and there's more consistency with the unique traits of umbral vs. astral Paradox.

[FoxCh40s]

Why can't Umbral Soul just set us into Umbral Ice? Just make it overwrite Astral Fire and be essentially a drop of timer if you don't pay attention to what you're doing? The big issue I've always had is needing to re-set up as a Black Mage, it's not like this change would suddenly remove skill from Black Mage; it would just make death or bad healers more tolerable. Shift into Umbral Ice when you get up and start regaining Mp.