NA: Is ice witch still good after the debuff nerf?

[Wiccan]

Im new and I wanted to roll an Ice witch but I heard that the ice stacking debuff got nerfed to a flat 20% damage. Is she still as good as Pyro/WM?

[Gladiator]

Yes Elestra has been changed from supporter to DPS
She currently does alot of damage.

[miki]

ice witch *

[Echelos]

Debuff change was like. 2 years ago? Also in the future debuff stacking is going to be reduced to a flat 20% per type of debuff making ice witch and adept's freeze effect highly valued so if anything IW is still going to be higher priority than Pyro.

[Axxon]

Debuff change was like. 2 years ago? Also in the future debuff stacking is going to be reduced to a flat 20% per type of debuff making ice witch and adept's freeze effect highly valued so if anything IW is still going to be higher priority than Pyro.

Dual Class is not a problem anymore in raids (except if you want a particular Base class buff), Pyro burst and Hot Rod are too good to let go just because there's already an IW in the party

But Overral, IW had been nerfed 2 years ago, but they got buffed alot in 93 update. The +20% Dmg from ice layer is permanent if you play IW correctly and the Ice Witch herself has +45% dmg (total) with her ice stack thanks to an awakening passive. All sorc classes have good and very similar DPS, Pyro jut have it easier since they have time to read the situation before doing DPS while other Sorcs need to be fast and agressive.

[iCerulean]

It's good, but most will learn towards Awakened Adept for Burst DPS/Ice, to make up for the huge dps drop from the EX stacking removal. IW will still be taken, but will have to fight Awakened Adepts for the spot (that class has Tier 1 Burst too). Ice Witch's ability to maintain perm freeze is only theoretical, due to the Glacial Field bug. Among the Awakened classes, IW's DPS is a bit above average. Ice has the ability to freeze the hurtbox of an enemy in place, which is a definite plus, even though it's still only +20% .


Edit:
Losing the ability to pierce HP protection was the real nerf and viability wise, IW's was also nerfed at the start of 90. It was changed to a dps, but didn't have the means to back that fact up like other classes, so their population tanked (most rerolled WM and Pyro)

[Arctiic]

It's good, but most will learn towards Awakened Adept for Burst DPS/Ice, to make up for the huge dps drop from the EX stacking removal.

OMG! When the EX stack will be removed? Was it a bug and then is going to be fixed, or they just want us to play without debuff setup (again...)?

Also, all kind of EX debuffs wont be stackable anymore, or its only to dmg increase debuff?