Celtic Heroes

Firstly, I should just like to say that I am all too aware that no class is perfect, and that the selection of any particular class presents a unique set of problems that are associated with it.
This post is by no means intended to detract from any other class issues or to diminish them in any way, but simply to address a problem I personally perceive with the mage class and one skill in particular.
As far as I understand it, the company's intended purpose for freeze was to improve mage survivability to the point where they should no longer be reliant on energy-shield. In this I do not feel it lives up to its billing.
Aside from the fact that it uses a not inconsequential amount of energy to cast, even if the mage is fortunate enough so that it is not evaded then it can be easily broken for a variety of reasons and thus be rendered completely redundant on those occasions.
Certainly (and with the above conditions in mind), the survivability of a fragile class cannot come to rest solely on an equally fragile and unreliable skill.
One possible solution I think would be to keep all attributes of the skill as they are presently, but with one important addition... Make a component of the freezing process, the ice, act as a sort of magical poultice which draws an amount of energy and health from the target and which in turn is released and given over to the mage at such time as the freeze is broken.
The amount of health and energy taken should deemed per cast and not per tick, as again the fragility of the skill would undermine it, and naturally the effects would be drastically nerfed for PVP so as it should not become a bone of contention.
Despite having such low armour, mages have the joint worst heal in the game, an accolade they share with the most armoured class, so I do not see this as being an overpowered adjustment.
Even if mages were given a separate heal they simply would not have points they could afford to commit to it, and this is another reason to add the effect into a pre-existing skill. This brings me back to the energy drain aspect of the proposal.
I realise that with energy boost and sacrifice, a few eyebrows might raise at the suggested need for another energy generating skill, but it is with good reason I do so.
Unless someone is content with confining themselves to the role of support mage, and completely turning aside from the prospect of added survivability, then there is neither the points to spare for a dedicated regeneration skill (health or energy) or the available lux to take up the slack.
An example of this is to be found in my own preferred build choice.
I currently run a maxed firebolt and atune, a high level freeze and energy-shield with a half maxed lure. The remainder of my points sit in a somewhat feeble firestorm, which while next to useless, it at least makes me feel better about only having one direct attacking skill maxed, and can be useful for farming.
In terms of equipment, I use a shield of the bastion (no regen), four Hrun armour rings (no regen), and shrouding bracelet (no regen). I also run in the region of 2k sigils, to use in conjunction with freeze (totally negated if broken or suffering a wounding attack effect, of course).
Despite all of the above regen and dps compromises, I still find myself burning idols whilst levelling with the utmost care in the easiest and most familiar (level appropriate) surroundings.
Hopefully this is not dismissed simply as a whinging mage post, as I have have not listed any problems here for the sole purpose of venting, but rather to lend some validation to one of many possible ways in which freeze might realise its intended purpose.

Many thanks,

Magustra.

If this was put into effect, freeze might become one of the more essential mage skills whether your a fire mage or not. This is a good idea, I like it. And yeah, bandage wounds is garbage...