I like the negative numbers idea. I think that is a good call.
Consistency of symbols makes for easy learning. Apply a few simple concepts in your design and the reader can quickly understand something new. Ergo:
I avoided colored text. All of the icons have different color palettes and a lot are in dark tones. No one color would work on all, but white should work on everything except Freeze (even the special buff/debuff icons like ASI/CTR/MSI work with white). We could do Freeze in black or use white text with a black outline.
All of the circular status effect icons have that red-purple ring around them. That's what made me think of the red ring on debuff icons. More consistency.
Is there a better idea? Maybe! I'm just defending this one because I think it could work. :)
Making the icons is a non-issue. I can crank them out in an hour.
What would we need?
Normal 1-10, Ele 1-9, Pierce 1-9, Shad 1-9
The seven status flavors -4 to +4
Six monster types -3 to +3
Eight trinket icons 1-3
Cartoony Sword/Bomb/Gun 1-3
Negative Hourglass -1
Positive Hourglass 1-8
Running Man -1 +1
Heart 1-10
Did I forget anything?
Shield status should use a blank type icon since the bar is a binary full or empty.
Should we do a Normal 10 icon for Volc Plate/Ancient Plate since we know they have a normal bar that goes beyond the visible?
A column opinion:
I don't think we need two bonus columns. I think the Ancient Plate two-debuffs-one-cell looks fine. And odd bonuses are so uncommon--just a handful, really--we might be better off with two icons. Or text?
--Cheshireccat
heeeeee
I have an idea, and I'll fix it up soon. I'll come back with a comment edit >:3