Werewolf Transformation Ultimate [Suggestion]

Solariken · June 2016

The werewolf transformation animation is great and the skill line feels really powerful. However, the transformation mechanic has always been plagued by high activation cost and an overly limited duration.

I generally keep the ultimate slotted on the back bar for the extra stamina regen, but almost never transform. This is very sad, because I would like to use it more. In order to feel like I can use it consistently, it needs to become a dynamic ultimate that is as reliable in its availability as Dawnbreaker.

My suggestion is as follows:

1. Allow the player to store up ultimate (a la sorcerer Overload).
2. Set a minimum activation cost of 100 ultimate. Activation itself does not consume any ultimate.
3. While transformed, your ultimate pool continues to generate via normal means but ultimate is drained continually at a rate of X per second.
4. All of the abilities that modify duration (Devour, Blood Rage, Call of the Pack, Pack Leader, Feral Pounce) no longer increase time directly, but instead restore/generate additional ultimate (achieving the same end result of more time in WW form).
5. Assuming they have enough ultimate to activate, the player may transform in and out of WW form at will, but is forced out of WW form when their ultimate pool reaches zero.

The beauty of this plan is that it can be designed/balanced such that the base duration is approximately the same as on live, but the ultimate becomes more reliable in availability. Additionally, it allows players who use it less to stay transformed a bit longer while ALSO synergizing more with the rest of the game, such as affording players the option of buffing their transformation time with ultimate-modifying set bonuses (such as Bloodspawn) and class passives such as the Sorcerer's Power Stone and Templar's Restoring Spirit. A true child of Hircine should be able to transform (mostly) at will, but not maintain transformation indefinitely.

Community thoughts and comments are always appreciated.

@Telel, as an anointed pack leader, is this suggestion preferable to the current mechanic?

@Wrobel

Chrlynsch · June 2016

My pack of werewolves spent an hour plus in Werewolf form last night in IC, I devoured 3 times... find a pack and you will want for nothing.

kinggingernator · June 2016

actually sounds really good. I like the ability to transform in and out too. I play solo and small scale pvp and often can't wait for that much ult especially with leap being so good.

Telel · June 2016

Telel thinks that it would be a nice change but can see why ZOS won't implement it now.

Werewolf form as it stands is fairly powerful in the right hands with its only weaknesses being

1) Howls being reflectable

2) Short duration unless grouped with other werewolves or you have constant time to feed on fresh kills.

3) Poison weakness.

4) Sheer cost of both the ultimate and WW skills.

Now the problem with duration while soloing and or ungrouped is something that needs to be looked at. But if they turned it into a toggle we'd quickly return to the days when everyone got WW just because it was a high reward/low risk endeavor.

This one thinks that a better balancing point would be to have kills increase the timer without needing to use devour, and or give some of the lesser used morphs a buff that increases the timer for other WW's in your group.

For example one of the howls could increase duration by 10% with a 3 second coolw down. Combine this with a small increase per kill and you could get a murder train rolling that'd last for quite some time unless it ran into a well prepared opponent.

This one will note that is basically what the OP is also wanting. However Telel will point out that they'd keep the ultimate the same, and not make it a toggle.

Another option would be to have one of the passives (or the pack leader morph) reduce the ultimate cost for others to transform.

Solariken · June 2016

Telel wrote: »

Telel thinks that it would be a nice change but can see why ZOS won't implement it now.

Werewolf form as it stands is fairly powerful in the right hands with its only weaknesses being

1) Howls being reflectable

2) Short duration unless grouped with other werewolves or you have constant time to feed on fresh kills.

3) Poison weakness.

4) Sheer cost of both the ultimate and WW skills.

Now the problem with duration while soloing and or ungrouped is something that needs to be looked at. But if they turned it into a toggle we'd quickly return to the days when everyone got WW just because it was a high reward/low risk endeavor.

This one thinks that a better balancing point would be to have kills increase the timer without needing to use devour, and or give some of the lesser used morphs a buff that increases the timer for other WW's in your group.

For example one of the howls could increase duration by 10% with a 3 second coolw down. Combine this with a small increase per kill and you could get a murder train rolling that'd last for quite some time unless it ran into a well prepared opponent.

This one will note that is basically what the OP is also wanting. However Telel will point out that they'd keep the ultimate the same, and not make it a toggle.

Another option would be to have one of the passives (or the pack leader morph) reduce the ultimate cost for others to transform.

Well thought, @Telel. I guess I like the toggle alternative because it truly uses ultimate as a resource pool, which feels more organic to me, and makes WW more available as an "oh-***" button as most other ultimates are.

I think overall WW strengths and weaknesses are appropriate and well-balanced. Changing the transformation mechanic to be a little more flexible would be all that's needed to make lycanthropy perfect in my opinion.

Celas_Dranacea · June 2016

Good thoughts Solariken/telel/prothwata

I've always likedthe idea of a toggle for solo play, but have also discovered recently how crazy long you can stay in wolf form when you run as a pack, which I like