Suggestion: "Smart Ground Abilities" Option

Taril

So, ground target abilities can be annoying, given that for the most part you will be looking at enemies in order to sling abilities/LA/HA's at them - With particularly large enemies you might even be looking up.

Meanwhile, for ground target abilities, you need to target the ground beneath the enemy. Which can be annoying to do (Especially with those aforementioned large enemies).

As such, I suggest an option to go alongside the options for the Ground Target Range Lock and Quickcast whereby using a ground target skill while targeting an enemy will cause the skill to be placed down centred on the enemy.

katanagirl1

This is a problem for melee toons for sure. It might be easier for keyboard and mouse, but for controller you are constantly adjusting the camera up and down so there is definitely room for improvement.

Credible_Joe

I was just thinking of this the other day. Definitely agree, it would make a lot of rotations much less obtuse.

For that matter, it even balances itself because you'd have incentive to very tactically tab-target, or else misplace your ground AOEs. Sometimes you need to lead moving targets, sometimes you need to pre-emptively place ground effects.

Soarora

You don’t often actually have to look at the enemy, just the hitbox. That said, I wouldn’t mind this. I wouldn’t use it personally but I am terrible at aiming AoEs so I know the struggle of missing completely.

I_killed_Vivec

I've also been thinking about this. It makes it very difficult to "lay a trap" with skills like eruption, when you prime an attack with a heavy and then want to launch your aoe. Hit them with the HA and they have already moved out of the AOE circle unless you point it at your feet.

magnusthorek

The super slow to cast Blazing Spear would appreciate that

jaws343

This would be interesting, but I think they'd have to make sure that the AOE effect lands where the enemy was when you cast the spell rather than where the enemy ends up once the spell lands. Because the AOE effect tracking enemies movement would break the purpose of these spells, which are meant to be well positioned by the player.

My only concern is, there are a ton of times where positioning of an AOE is important, and having this active could ruin that capability. Like, maybe I need the AOE to be to the right side, just clipping the boss, because I need it to hit other enemies.

tsaescishoeshiner

Targeted ground abilities take extra time even with Quick Cast slotted, and sometimes cast twice for me (especially Winter's Revenge). I run destro backbar for all my DPS just because Arrow Hail distracts me because I have to check to confirm that it actually went off properly, or didn't cast twice and eat up a global cooldown or make me miss a skill. Improvements to them would be nice, but they function well enough as-is.