I did not know that bit about the flames lasting longer but not dealing more damage. Interesting.
I made a big long post elsewhere about all the reasons I don’t like necromancer, but I think the big thing it comes down to is that it doesn’t feel all that different from any other Sienna class despite the fact that she’s the only class that has minions. They had to basically invent a ton of new systems just for NecroSienna’s skellies, but then they decided to make them be so underwhelming that they hardly change how you play. More of her skills are about critical hits than about minions. Doesn’t anyone else think that’s kind of boring? A lot of them aren’t even about things dying. Like what’s the point of her even being a necromancer?
Maybe they could make Cold Flames do no damage at all, but the damage bonus debuff stacks multiple times, and is much bigger for skeletons. As in, Sienna deals like 10% bonus damage to burning targets, and skeletons deal 200% bonus damage to burning targets. This would let the skeletons actually contribute some killing power, but they wouldn’t be able to kill everything on their own without Sienna’s input since they’d only be able to kill things that she’s setting on fire.
Would require some rework of Barrow Blades. Maybe Barrow Blades could switch it back to the way it is currently: skeletons ignite enemies, flames do damage over time, flames don’t give skeletons a much bigger damage bonus. Or maybe just a smaller one. Like, down to 50% instead of 200%.
A change to the flame like this would let players pick between focusing their own damage on enemies and letting skeletons assist them, or focus on setting as many enemies on fire as often as possible so the skeletons can do lots of damage.
Could also have a talent that makes burning enemies deal less damage to skeletons and/or Sienna.