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My suggestion to fix weapon skill lines (long).
LordEcks
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TL;DR Rebalance the game using the stamina based weapons.
NB lacks AoE? Make an AoE focused weapon skill line (that actually does comparable damage to class based AoE).
Use the weapon skills to EFFECTIVELY cover up the balance issues with the classes. NOTE - The term "effective" means to not suck in this instance. Like the pitiful damage upgrade to Path of Darkness in the recent patch.
OK, let me start off by saying I think at the core the game balance is hurting primarily because of the useless stamina weapons in the game. Due to the weapons ineffectiveness, stamina is an utterly worthless stat. Stamina being worthless in turn makes Medium armor worthless. This leaves you the option of being a defensive tank type, or a skirt wearing finger wiggler. Sadly thanks to other abilities the defensive buffs from heavy armor can be achieved in light armor, so by default its out too.
So these changes are what I feel would go a long way towards balancing the game. Why? Because unlike a class, weapons arent a permanent choice.
Anyone can pick up or put down any weapon at any time.
So I suggest you not only buff the weapon abilities damage, but also change entirely their skill lines to offer the same level of utlity as class skills do.
Make Stamina vs Magicka an actual choice. Not Magicka a requirement and stamina an option as it stands now.
Again listed below are samples / suggestions. I really could care less what weapon gets assigned what role.
AoE damage weapon skill line.
Ideally this would be either Two Handed or Dual Wield. Make 80% of the abilities in this tree focus around doing AoE damage in some form.
Make the morphs do other things that provide USEFUL utility.
Cleave is a good example of an ability that would belong in this tree. Make it do more damage. The morphs are fine, but increase the damage shield effect on Brawler to be stronger. Trick people into thinking they can almost tank with a two-hander. Lastly remove the DOT component of Cleave and increase the damage to compensate.
Single target DPS skill line.
Dual Wield? Bow? or Even 2H. Any of them work. Pick one and dedicate most of the skills in its tree to high single target DPS. Skills like Flurry work. Move away from moves that cause DOT damage because that belongs in another tree. Focus on NON AOE single target attacks with other various effects (stuns, roots, etc).
3D line (Debuff/Debilitate/DOT)
I nominate bow for this position, but you could go with whatever pleases ya.
This line is all about control, debuffing, and damage through DOTS.
Poison Arrow for example is great for this line. Now change the other 3 abilities to also be DOTS/Debuffs that can all be stacked. Make the morphs useful like an AoE ranged root or snare.
Lastly you have the defensive line.
On the whole I dont feel 1H Shield needs too much work on its defensive end. This line actually has pretty good utlity. Stuns, Charges, Reflects, Snares. Replace Puncutre or Low Slash with an actual high damage DPS ability. Dont care if its single target like Flurry or Cone AoE like Biting Jabs. Remove the taunt from it and make the taunt factor one of the morphs. That way it can be useful for PVE or PVP depending on the players choice.
These are just rough suggestions but the bottom line is this: Stamina is worthless, and it needs to be fixed. It needs to be made desirable.
You can nerf DK into the ground and then again for good measure... it wont change the fact that everyone in this game is a staff wielding skirt wearing magicka user.
So leave DKs alone. Leave Sorcs and Bolt Escape alone. Improve the OPTIONS that players have. Since EVERYONE has the option of using any weapon skill.. your not risking much imbalance outside of synergy with class skills.
I personally think your player base would enjoy the game much more given more viable options to choose from, and even more than that (because I honestly dont care about the min/maxers whining), it gives players the option to play closer to how they want. Which correct me if I'm wrong was one of the original selling points for the game ?
Edited by LordEcks on June 3, 2014 1:36AM NB lacks AoE? Make an AoE focused weapon skill line (that actually does comparable damage to class based AoE).
Use the weapon skills to EFFECTIVELY cover up the balance issues with the classes. NOTE - The term "effective" means to not suck in this instance. Like the pitiful damage upgrade to Path of Darkness in the recent patch.
OK, let me start off by saying I think at the core the game balance is hurting primarily because of the useless stamina weapons in the game. Due to the weapons ineffectiveness, stamina is an utterly worthless stat. Stamina being worthless in turn makes Medium armor worthless. This leaves you the option of being a defensive tank type, or a skirt wearing finger wiggler. Sadly thanks to other abilities the defensive buffs from heavy armor can be achieved in light armor, so by default its out too.
So these changes are what I feel would go a long way towards balancing the game. Why? Because unlike a class, weapons arent a permanent choice.
Anyone can pick up or put down any weapon at any time.
So I suggest you not only buff the weapon abilities damage, but also change entirely their skill lines to offer the same level of utlity as class skills do.
Make Stamina vs Magicka an actual choice. Not Magicka a requirement and stamina an option as it stands now.
Again listed below are samples / suggestions. I really could care less what weapon gets assigned what role.
AoE damage weapon skill line.
Ideally this would be either Two Handed or Dual Wield. Make 80% of the abilities in this tree focus around doing AoE damage in some form.
Make the morphs do other things that provide USEFUL utility.
Cleave is a good example of an ability that would belong in this tree. Make it do more damage. The morphs are fine, but increase the damage shield effect on Brawler to be stronger. Trick people into thinking they can almost tank with a two-hander. Lastly remove the DOT component of Cleave and increase the damage to compensate.
Single target DPS skill line.
Dual Wield? Bow? or Even 2H. Any of them work. Pick one and dedicate most of the skills in its tree to high single target DPS. Skills like Flurry work. Move away from moves that cause DOT damage because that belongs in another tree. Focus on NON AOE single target attacks with other various effects (stuns, roots, etc).
3D line (Debuff/Debilitate/DOT)
I nominate bow for this position, but you could go with whatever pleases ya.
This line is all about control, debuffing, and damage through DOTS.
Poison Arrow for example is great for this line. Now change the other 3 abilities to also be DOTS/Debuffs that can all be stacked. Make the morphs useful like an AoE ranged root or snare.
Lastly you have the defensive line.
On the whole I dont feel 1H Shield needs too much work on its defensive end. This line actually has pretty good utlity. Stuns, Charges, Reflects, Snares. Replace Puncutre or Low Slash with an actual high damage DPS ability. Dont care if its single target like Flurry or Cone AoE like Biting Jabs. Remove the taunt from it and make the taunt factor one of the morphs. That way it can be useful for PVE or PVP depending on the players choice.
These are just rough suggestions but the bottom line is this: Stamina is worthless, and it needs to be fixed. It needs to be made desirable.
You can nerf DK into the ground and then again for good measure... it wont change the fact that everyone in this game is a staff wielding skirt wearing magicka user.
So leave DKs alone. Leave Sorcs and Bolt Escape alone. Improve the OPTIONS that players have. Since EVERYONE has the option of using any weapon skill.. your not risking much imbalance outside of synergy with class skills.
I personally think your player base would enjoy the game much more given more viable options to choose from, and even more than that (because I honestly dont care about the min/maxers whining), it gives players the option to play closer to how they want. Which correct me if I'm wrong was one of the original selling points for the game ?