Make cyclone-like skills drain mana over time

Problem:

The way cyclone currently works is the same as it was in D2(barbarian whirlwind): you spend the same amount of mana regardless of how far you've cast your cylone: 10cm away from you or 10m. So it somewhat encourages long-shot cyclone swoops and what's most importantly greatly discourages curved trajectories when following single erratically moving targets.

Major problems start if you have mana enough to cast 2-3 cyclones(which's by far enough with mana leech/regen for almost all cases) and are facing a fast-moving single-target. Since it's almost impossible to hit them with long swoops you're forced to cast cyclone directly on them which causes a burst of really short(about half a meter) cyclone casts that eat up mana very quickly. When doing so your position may coincide with target's and instead of cycloning, your character just stops.

And the worst possible scenario is facing another character with cyclone: exile, unique voidbearer in docks or pvp. What happens is you hold the skill button directly on the target and when you reach your cycloning endpoint they cyclone away from you to point where you have been before. Then you cast cyclone again to their current position and they cyclone to the point you are currently at. As a result of this periodic process none of you hit each other but you run of mana pretty quickly and they don't.

Situation worsens even further if you add desync problems which are far too common with cyclone and happen way more often than with any other skills. It was so bad I was forced to use both kaom's roots to deal with stagger desyncs and vaal cyclone to deal with moving single-targets.

Suggestion 1:
Cyclone could eat mana with time just the same way arctic armor does. This would greatly balance mana consumption and increase predictability. It's not a buff and it's not a nerf: it's just the only right way. Basically this is the way whirlwind(and other attack-moving skills) works in d3 and it feels right.

Suggestion 2:
Instead of moving with cyclone from one point to another, make the trajectory continuously adjustable while moving just the same way you move your character regularly to finally get rid of those frustrating long swoops.

Suggestion 2.5:
If properly implemented, suggestion 2 adds a bonus of cycloning without moving if you point directly under your character(apparently still consuming mana). It would help a lot to cyclone on stationary targets.


All points above apply to shield charge as well but not to whirling blades because they have significant casting time.


Implementation direction:
I think all necessary mechanics are already present in the game. Cyclone should be just made similar to arctic armour in terms of mana consumption and targetting.

What do you guys think?

PS: damn the post was too big so I had to highlight the key points. is that gay?

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Suslik wrote:

If properly implemented, suggestion 2 adds a bonus of cycloning without moving if you point directly under your character. It would help a lot to cyclone on stationary targets.

But it should still consume mana otherwise this skill can easily be abused. Cyclone is supposed to be a cost intensive skill and if one of the most costly skills has a method to avoid its cost, then it should have no cost at all.

Cyclone and Shield Charge should consume mana or life while in use, regardless of movement. If it only incurs cost by movement, then the costs of all skills should be based on movement only.

Looks like I wasnt clear enough. Apparently cyclone should consume the same amount of mana regardless of you're moving or not. Edited zero post.