IMHO besides being an "i'm tired of spamming incinerate" spell, it's just another CD to keep track of to me. The damage, as noted, is almost identical if not less, and it's "piercing" effect has little to no value- so how is it anything other than a pretty filler right now? It's not.
The spell itself seems to be the biggest issue at the moment- that is evident. Time vs. Cost vs. Quality. Each spell in the arsenal should be good in two of those areas. Cheap and quick but weak (fel flame anyone?), Strong and cheap, but slow (Soulfire?), Quick and strong, but expensive. That's where I feel like CB should be. Quick and Strong, but expensive.
(Not that any of this will ever happen but since we're pretending)
Base Spell
Current ------------------------------- Proposed
7% base mana -------------------- 12% base mana
2.5 sec cast/12 sec CD ------------ 1.5 sec cast/12 sec CD
X amount of damage ---------------- X + 25% more damage if target is afflicted with immolate (or +50% crit chance if target is under the effects of immo)
Secondary Effects
Current -------------------------------------------- Proposed
Pierces through LOL ------------------------------- Actually pierces through stuff (and/or destroys the immunity or shield but delivers no damage?)
Not affected by SoulBurn ------------------------- Soulburn, adds dispel protection to Immolate for X duration (maybe 10 seconds?)
Benefits from conflagrate via haste bonus -------- Conflagrate makes next CB Instant but costs X more mana (total of 18% base mana?)
Thoughts?
SIDEBAR: Besides that, how come there still that gap of time between Immo landing and Conflag activating? Am I wrong in throwing a Corruption, or Bane, or Curse during that gap?