Killer's Blade Buff

Kory

NightBlade's Killer's Blade
Thrust a caustic blade with lethal precision to stab an enemy, dealing X Disease Damage. Deals 300% more damage to enemies below 25% Health. Heals you for X if the enemy dies within 2 seconds of being struck. This portion of the ability scales off your Maximum Health.

For the sake of it's PvP usage, I'm sure at least a boost to the execute damage threshold would make this more useful? For example -- Deals 300% more damage to enemies below 35% Health. Up from 25.
That damage threshold is way too small for PvP, whereas it's not a problem in PVE because the Ai doesn't utilize the same damage mitigation gameplay. Health frequently fluctuates quickly in pvp which results in Killer's Blade being useless most of the time. In that case, you slot the 2h handed executioner or DW Whirlwind execute, but not the Class's own ability Killer's Blade.

Now due to how damage scaling works for these executes, Killer's Blade is great for NPC bosses and what not. But PvP isn't that simple, which is why I would suggest 35% and not 50% like the other executes have. As making Killer's blade a 50% health or below would kind of be a nerf in the PVE aspect. So I think 35% is good.

DrSlaughtr

I'd love to run it over executioner but the damage proc and damage increase are just too low.

spacefracking

35% for both morphs would amazing. Would make impale more viable in pvp, and would help balance the current parse discrepancies, while simultaneously enhancing the commonly understood role of the NB as an execute dps booster

Tommy_The_Gun

Damage threshold is too low imho. I run Executioner instead as it is far better execute. But even if, it had greater execute threshold, I would still run Executioner, as it um.. works.

I dont know if Killer's Blade is bugged or something, but often, if I move tiny inch away from the target - it interrupts the animation and cancels out the skill. Something like this does not occur with Executioner (it has same range in the tooltip).

Kory

I was thinking I'd probably still run 2H executioner as well. It's just functionally better. Animation can be canceled, way better and lenient damage scaling threshold, and it just works nicely with your combos.

...and Whirlwind is not dodgeable (because it's AoE). So that's nice.


Should probably go Deals 400% more damage to enemies below 35% Health. and see what people think in PTS for Killer's Blade.

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

Damage threshold is too low imho. I run Executioner instead as it is far better execute. But even if, it had greater execute threshold, I would still run Executioner, as it um.. works.

I dont know if Killer's Blade is bugged or something, but often, if I move tiny inch away from the target - it interrupts the animation and cancels out the skill. Something like this does not occur with Executioner (it has same range in the tooltip).

I've had the same experience. Maybe the range being 6 instead of 5 would "fix" it (totally not going to happen lol). I've looked at old threads about Killer's blade and it's always been finnicky going back to 2015

Kory

spacefracking wrote: »

35% for both morphs would amazing. Would make impale more viable in pvp, and would help balance the current parse discrepancies, while simultaneously enhancing the commonly understood role of the NB as an execute dps booster

Well that's good.
Yeah I didn't want to suggest something that would affect PVE too much.

DrSlaughtr

Here's my idea.

Enemies below 50% health take 100% damage.
Enemies below 40% health take 200% damage.
Enemies below 30% health take 300% damage.
Enemies below 20% health take 400% damage.
Enemies below 10% health take 500% damage.

Gundug

I could see it scaling up with lower target health similar to what is suggested above, but I think 400% at 35% health could be a bit high for PVE. I don’t think any PVE nightblade would complain about it, but their DPS already goes up substantially in execute, and an extra 10% of time for 4x increased damage vs. 3x for that skill on bosses would make a big impact.

DrSlaughtr

Gundug wrote: »

I could see it scaling up with lower target health similar to what is suggested above, but I think 400% at 35% health could be a bit high for PVE. I don’t think any PVE nightblade would complain about it, but their DPS already goes up substantially in execute, and an extra 10% of time for 4x increased damage vs. 3x for that skill on bosses would make a big impact.

My suggestion still weaker than executioner though. The only advantage is that killer blade is easier to land, at least for me, but as is the damage drop is too much.

colossalvoids

Honestly speaking for pvp it won't make it a deal breaker suddenly, but more damage (no matter in what exact way) in that small unreliable window might be more convincing. Or some other pvp specific utility, can't think of anything advantageous rn.