Radial Sweep
Radial Sweep and all morphs are now a player-based area of effect attack that deals damage every 2 seconds for 6 seconds, to enemies within 5 meters.
Does this mean the direct damage component is gone? Difficult to judge this change without knowing the numbers. Disappointed that it didn't get a range increase.
Puncturing Strikes
Increased the single target bonus damage on this ability by 60%. Reduced the cost of this ability by 25%. Biting Jabs (morph): This ability now scales off stamina and weapon power, and now also provides the Major Savagery buff.
A pretty big boost to DPS here, and looks like Biting Jabs will be really useful for stamina builds.
Piercing Javelin
Binding Javelin (morph): This ability now scales off stamina and weapon power.
lol.
Focused Charge
Slightly reduced the post-global cooldown for this ability, making it feel more responsive.
I really hope by "slightly" they mean "greatly".
Spear Shards
Blazing Spear (morph): This ability will now continue to deal damage over time even if the spear is removed as a result of someone using the Synergy. If you are stunned by Blazing Spear, you will now gain crowd control immunity.
Nice quality of life change, and it's about time that bug got fixed.
Sun Shield
Increased the cost of this ability by 10%. Radiant Ward (morph): In addition to increased shield strength, this morph also has a reduced cost.
I knew Blazing Shield will get a nerf. I hope Radiant Ward's reduced cost isn't just the current cost, don't think it would be worth taking if that's all it is.
Nova
Supernova: Decreased the activation range to 2.5 meters. Solar Prison (morph): Increased the damage dealt by this ability by about 17%. Solar Disturbance (morph): Increased the snare component of this ability to 65% from 60%.
Is Solar Prison's damage increase for the DoT or the synergy? As for Solar Disturbance, lol. Was kind of expecting a cost decrease for Nova, I don't think these buffs are enough to justify its current cost.
Sun Fire
Increased the damage over time dealt by Sun Fire and its morphs by 30%. While Sun Fire is active on a target, the caster will gain the Major Spell Crit buff.
Interesting. I still think Vampire's Bane needs more than one extra tick (and I guess 2 extra seconds of Major Prophecy) though.
Solar Flare
Solar Flare no longer increases the damage of the next attack against the target. Instead, this ability now grants the caster the Major Empower buff. Reduced the cast time of this ability to 1.3 seconds. Dark Flare (morph): This ability now applies the Major Defile debuff to your target.
Uh... isn't Solar Flare's cast time already 1.3 seconds? Still a nice buff but I don't see it having a place in DPS rotations.
Backlash
Backlash now ignores the damage caused by other player characters using Backlash. Multiple casters can now all stack Backlash on the same target. Backlash and Purifying Light morph damage caps are now derived from your maximum magicka. Removed the cast time for this ability. Enduring Rays: This passive no longer increases the duration of Backlash. Power of Light (morph): This ability now applies the Minor Fracture debuff to your target, and the damage caps are derived from your maximum stamina.
No cast time is huge, and not interfering with other Backlashes is great news for trials. Would've liked to see a buff to Purifying Light's healing puddle but otherwise I'm very happy about these changes.
Eclipse
Added a new graphical effect to this ability when projectiles are reflected. Total Dark (morph): This ability now heals the caster for each projectile reflected by the ability. Unstable Core (morph): This ability will now explode if the affected target uses CC Break or Cleanse to remove it.
Eclipse needs more changes than this, and I don't really think Templars need more skills that self-heal. As long as Eclipse can be defeated by CC break and major mobs remain immune, it is a poorly-designed skill.
Radiant Destruction
This new ability has replaced Blinding Light. Any experience you had in Blinding Light will automatically apply to Radiant Destruction. Radiant Destruction is a channeled, magicka-based beam with a range of 28 meters and a duration of 3 seconds. It does moderate damage against enemies, but that damage increases against targets who are low in health. Radiant Glory (morph): This ability heals the caster for 20% of the amount of damage dealt by the ability. Radiant Oppression (morph): This ability will now deal more damage depending on how much unspent magicka you have. A caster with 100% magicka will receive a 40% bonus to the damage from this ability.
Difficult to judge without some numbers, but I'm excited for this.
Rite of Passage
Reduced the cost of this ability to 125 Ultimate. Increased the radius of this ability to 20 meters from 12 meters. This ability now launches projectiles to the allies it heals.
Nice buffs, but overall not that interesting. Assuming the buff for Remembrance is now the same as Nova it might start replacing it in trials.
Rushed Ceremony
Added new graphical effects to Rushed Ceremony and its morphs.
Okay?
Um... no changes to Healing Ritual?
Restoring Aura
Restoring Aura now grants you the buffs Minor Fortitude, Minor Intellect, and Minor Endurance when the ability is slotted into the ability bar. When the ability is activated, it provides Major Fortitude and Major Endurance.
Unimpressed. Overall Restoring Aura is severely nerfed, and Radiant Aura is still a pretty minimal morph. Was hoping for Radiant Aura to get Major Intellect when activated.
Cleansing Ritual
Fixed an issue where this ability’s Synergy wasn't removing the effects from Crippling Grasp. Purifying Ritual (morph): Slightly reduced the cost of this morph.
Cool.
Rune Focus
Rune Focus now applies the Major Resolve and Major Ward buffs for 12 seconds, and the buff will persist for 8 seconds after you leave the protected area. Channeled Focus (morph): Reduced the cost of this ability by approximately 40%. Restoring Focus (morph): This ability now provides the Minor Vitality buff while inside the rune.
Very nice. Was hoping Channelled Focus would provide more magicka, it already costs very little so reducing it further doesn't change very much.
Passives
Piercing Spear: This passive now provides increased critical damage when a spear ability is slotted, instead of increased critical hit.
Much more useful.
Burning Light: The damage from this passive is now derived from your highest stats (stamina or magicka based).
Good news for stamina builds.
Balance Warrior: Increased the weapon damage from this passive to 3% at Rank I, and 6% at Rank II.
Nice.
Illuminate: This passive now provides nearby allies with the Minor Sorcery buff for 10 seconds at Rank I, and 20 seconds at Rank II, when a Dawns Wrath ability is activated.
Not bad at all. Does the buff apply to yourself though?
Mending: This passive now grants your Restoring Light heals a bonus based on the amount of missing health on the target of the heal. This can be up to a 5% bonus at Rank I, or up to a 10% bonus at Rank II.
This seems... weak, compared to the Expert Restoration passive. Is this on top of the increased critical strike rating or does it replace it?
Edited by ThatHappyCat on 27 January 2015 19:18