Maintenance for the week of December 15:
· [COMPLETE] PC/Mac: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
· [COMPLETE] Xbox: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
· [COMPLETE] PlayStation®: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
· [COMPLETE] PC/Mac: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
· [COMPLETE] Xbox: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
· [COMPLETE] PlayStation®: NA and EU megaservers for maintenance – December 15, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
A List of Abilities That Need a Balancing, and Why
I don't use all of these abilities, but perhaps the most overpowered combo in here is Reflective Scales + Standard of Might + Impulse spam, which is my DK's bread and butter. These abilities shouldn't lose their functionality, but be balanced in relation to comparable spells. Impulse and Whirling Blades shouldn't outstrip every other aoe, for example.
I posted this in a reply below, but I'll put it up here so it's seen: I know 1.6 is addressing many of these abilities. However, 1.6 is not out yet. Player input matters. Whether you agree or disagree with the planned changes of 1.6, your opinion doesn't matter until Zenimax actually hears it. I agree that there should be nerfs, but not how Zenimax has, or plans, to implement those nerfs. So I'm posting my opinion!
Bolt Escape: The "bubble hearth" of ESO. It's been nerfed once, already, but the nerf was ineffectual. Any Sorc with a mana pot can escape the field of battle in seconds, mid-combat. It's bull that they can move fast enough to get away from mounted players, with enough spare time leftover to stealth. If it's overpowered to survive large groups with defensive abilities, it's just as overpowered to survive through mobility.
The Solution Diminishing returns. Each use of bolt escape, within 'x' seconds after the first, covers less ground. Also, remove the first nerf of bolt escape. Since it eats at the sorcerers mana, it actually disincentives turning around and fighting. That way they can use Bolt Escape to get out of AoE, siege, etc. They can't, however, fly across the map. Additionally, they can still fight after using Bolt Escape, encouraging real pvp.
Standard of Might My standard is overpowered because I can use it non-stop. This is addressed in 1.6, with the upcoming changes to ultimate gain. As it stands, however, DK's under fire from multiple enemies can drop their standard back to back. Using Vet Wayrest as an example, I can drop my standard of might every time the nightmare bats spawn. While I'm healing. That's insane. It's arguably the best ultimate in the game, so there's no reason we should be able to use it consecutively.
The Solution Changes to the ultimate gain in 1.6 are a better solution than anything I came up with. Just posting my support of those changes.
Veil of Blades A rival to Standard of Might, it's overpowered for the same reason. It can be used consecutively in combat, as attested to by my Nightblade guildmates.
The Solution Changes to the ultimate gain in 1.6 are a better solution than anything I came up with. Just posting my support of those changes.
Reflective Scales I doubt this one needs an explanation, but here we go: three dk's can hold back two full groups, relying primarily on reflective scales and CC (to keep enemies from getting into melee). It's cheap and a mana-build DK can pop their Scales consecutively; when used correctly, one's sure to live as long as they have reflective scales up.
The Solution Attackers still take full damage, but the Dragon Knight takes a portion of the damage too. For example, a Sorcerer strikes a Reflective Scales Dragon Knight with Crystal Shards. The Sorcerer takes 100% of the damage they would have dealt, but the Dragon Knight also takes 25% of the damage they would have received. Couple this with diminishing returns: if a DK uses reflective scales a second time, 50% of the damage reaches the dk. If used a third time, 75% of the damage hits the DK. That way, reflective scales serves its purpose, but doesn't guarantee the DK's survival.
Blazing Shield Blazing Shield is for PvE what Reflective Scales is to PvP. In my guild, most Templars build their specialization around blazing shield. With blazing shield, Templars just need aggro. The more mobs attacking them, the stronger the shield, and the more damage it returns. The only content that a couple Blazing Shield Templars can't do unassisted is a group dungeons and pvp.
The Solution Edit: Cap the bubble at 62%% of the player's HP. It wouldn't get any more powerful beyond the 8th mob.
Impulse Again, does this really need an explanation? It's by far the best aoe when considering both cost and damage dealt, plus it reduces total health of every target affected. Impulse spam has become a taboo in pvp... not that it's stopped people from abusing the spell.
The Solution Instead of dealing burst damage, turn impulse into a short duration DoT ability. Say, 3-6 seconds long. Allow the dot to stack up to 'x,' and no further, resetting the duration with each new application. Equate the health reduction's duration with the DoT's duration. Finally, 'x' stacks is the maximum a single player can receive at a time, no matter how many enemies are using impulse. No longer could groups spam impulse exclusively. Instead, they'd supplement Impulse with other aoe abilities. In turn, the need for other AoE abilities costs ability slots otherwise used for survivability, or crowd control.
Whirling Blades Sharing Impulse's propensity for spamming, this could use a small nerf. Though Whirling Blades doesn't do excessive damage, it pays for itself and then some.
The Solution Reduce the player's Whirling Blade damage for the duration of the stam regeneration, and compress the stam regeneration (perhaps 20 stam every 1 second for 5 seconds). Maybe buff the abilities raw damage, though, so that it's still worth using every 5 seconds. Just needs to change so that it's not viable by itself. After all, it's one of only two aoes that are viable without supplementary abilities.
Siphoning Skill Tree This is a bit different from the others, because I'm not targeting a specific ability. Groups of Siphoning Nightblades can substitute the need for healers entirely, while still dpsing. This means that those groups can do more damage than any group that needs a healer in their midst.
The Solution Diminishing returns. If a player is being healed by Soul Siphon or Funnel Health already, healing from another Soul Siphon or Funnel Health is reduced significantly. That way, every group needs designated healers; no more homogeneous Siphoning Nightblade groups.
Edit:
Jumping Abilities Looking at you, Dragon Leap and Ambush. Because these abilities go vertically as well as horizontally, players can clear the pvp gates without actually opening it. Get a group of nightblades and/or dragonknights together, and you can get a large group past the gate without taking any keeps.
Solution Put a height cap on ambush and dragon leap, one that's below the second floor of the gates in pvp.
Edited by Earthwardzilvox_ESO on February 15, 2015 1:28AM I posted this in a reply below, but I'll put it up here so it's seen: I know 1.6 is addressing many of these abilities. However, 1.6 is not out yet. Player input matters. Whether you agree or disagree with the planned changes of 1.6, your opinion doesn't matter until Zenimax actually hears it. I agree that there should be nerfs, but not how Zenimax has, or plans, to implement those nerfs. So I'm posting my opinion!
Bolt Escape: The "bubble hearth" of ESO. It's been nerfed once, already, but the nerf was ineffectual. Any Sorc with a mana pot can escape the field of battle in seconds, mid-combat. It's bull that they can move fast enough to get away from mounted players, with enough spare time leftover to stealth. If it's overpowered to survive large groups with defensive abilities, it's just as overpowered to survive through mobility.
The Solution Diminishing returns. Each use of bolt escape, within 'x' seconds after the first, covers less ground. Also, remove the first nerf of bolt escape. Since it eats at the sorcerers mana, it actually disincentives turning around and fighting. That way they can use Bolt Escape to get out of AoE, siege, etc. They can't, however, fly across the map. Additionally, they can still fight after using Bolt Escape, encouraging real pvp.
Standard of Might My standard is overpowered because I can use it non-stop. This is addressed in 1.6, with the upcoming changes to ultimate gain. As it stands, however, DK's under fire from multiple enemies can drop their standard back to back. Using Vet Wayrest as an example, I can drop my standard of might every time the nightmare bats spawn. While I'm healing. That's insane. It's arguably the best ultimate in the game, so there's no reason we should be able to use it consecutively.
The Solution Changes to the ultimate gain in 1.6 are a better solution than anything I came up with. Just posting my support of those changes.
Veil of Blades A rival to Standard of Might, it's overpowered for the same reason. It can be used consecutively in combat, as attested to by my Nightblade guildmates.
The Solution Changes to the ultimate gain in 1.6 are a better solution than anything I came up with. Just posting my support of those changes.
Reflective Scales I doubt this one needs an explanation, but here we go: three dk's can hold back two full groups, relying primarily on reflective scales and CC (to keep enemies from getting into melee). It's cheap and a mana-build DK can pop their Scales consecutively; when used correctly, one's sure to live as long as they have reflective scales up.
The Solution Attackers still take full damage, but the Dragon Knight takes a portion of the damage too. For example, a Sorcerer strikes a Reflective Scales Dragon Knight with Crystal Shards. The Sorcerer takes 100% of the damage they would have dealt, but the Dragon Knight also takes 25% of the damage they would have received. Couple this with diminishing returns: if a DK uses reflective scales a second time, 50% of the damage reaches the dk. If used a third time, 75% of the damage hits the DK. That way, reflective scales serves its purpose, but doesn't guarantee the DK's survival.
Blazing Shield Blazing Shield is for PvE what Reflective Scales is to PvP. In my guild, most Templars build their specialization around blazing shield. With blazing shield, Templars just need aggro. The more mobs attacking them, the stronger the shield, and the more damage it returns. The only content that a couple Blazing Shield Templars can't do unassisted is a group dungeons and pvp.
The Solution Edit: Cap the bubble at 62%% of the player's HP. It wouldn't get any more powerful beyond the 8th mob.
Impulse Again, does this really need an explanation? It's by far the best aoe when considering both cost and damage dealt, plus it reduces total health of every target affected. Impulse spam has become a taboo in pvp... not that it's stopped people from abusing the spell.
The Solution Instead of dealing burst damage, turn impulse into a short duration DoT ability. Say, 3-6 seconds long. Allow the dot to stack up to 'x,' and no further, resetting the duration with each new application. Equate the health reduction's duration with the DoT's duration. Finally, 'x' stacks is the maximum a single player can receive at a time, no matter how many enemies are using impulse. No longer could groups spam impulse exclusively. Instead, they'd supplement Impulse with other aoe abilities. In turn, the need for other AoE abilities costs ability slots otherwise used for survivability, or crowd control.
Whirling Blades Sharing Impulse's propensity for spamming, this could use a small nerf. Though Whirling Blades doesn't do excessive damage, it pays for itself and then some.
The Solution Reduce the player's Whirling Blade damage for the duration of the stam regeneration, and compress the stam regeneration (perhaps 20 stam every 1 second for 5 seconds). Maybe buff the abilities raw damage, though, so that it's still worth using every 5 seconds. Just needs to change so that it's not viable by itself. After all, it's one of only two aoes that are viable without supplementary abilities.
Siphoning Skill Tree This is a bit different from the others, because I'm not targeting a specific ability. Groups of Siphoning Nightblades can substitute the need for healers entirely, while still dpsing. This means that those groups can do more damage than any group that needs a healer in their midst.
The Solution Diminishing returns. If a player is being healed by Soul Siphon or Funnel Health already, healing from another Soul Siphon or Funnel Health is reduced significantly. That way, every group needs designated healers; no more homogeneous Siphoning Nightblade groups.
Edit:
Jumping Abilities Looking at you, Dragon Leap and Ambush. Because these abilities go vertically as well as horizontally, players can clear the pvp gates without actually opening it. Get a group of nightblades and/or dragonknights together, and you can get a large group past the gate without taking any keeps.
Solution Put a height cap on ambush and dragon leap, one that's below the second floor of the gates in pvp.
Bright light casts a long shadow
15
-
timidobserver✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭It is almost like you are completely clueless to the ongoing 1.6 patch since the majority of your complaining is about things that are already nerfed. Go an read the patch notes. Ultimate generation is being severely nerfed, which takes care of all of your complaints about ultimates. Reflective scales is already severely nerfed. The cost of banner is increased. Veil of blades is nerfed. Standard is nerfed.
Also, this is the first time I've seen anyone complain that blazing shield is OP in PVE. In PVE, the best use for it is tanking. You will get much more dps using other abilities.
Why does whirling blades need a nerf? It does garbage DPS when compared to what Elemental Ring builds can do.V16 Uriel Stormblessed EP Magicka Templar(main)
V16 Derelict Vagabond EP Stamina DK
V16 Redacted Ep Stam Sorc
V16 Insolent EP Magicka Sorc(retired)
V16 Jed I Nyte EP Stamina NB(retired)7 -
technohic✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Blazing shield. LOL. great for a bunch of trash, but anything that hits hard will break it unless someone stacks a bunch of health, but then they really are relying on it for their damage, but who cares? Still could do a lot more with other abilities.
Why do I feel like there is one thing or so that is really bothering you but you are masking it by including it with a bunch of others so people cannot pin point what you really want here?4 -
I pointed out that the changes in 1.6 address some of these issues in the main post. A point I've moved to it's own paragraph, for clarity. However, 1.6 is still in the testing stage. Nothing's set in stone, and player input has influence. Thus, I'm giving my input.
Blazing Shield can be very powerful - when used with lots of mobs. Since the bubble and the damage returned increase with the number of mobs nearby, it's great for large pulls in solo play.Edited by Earthwardzilvox_ESO on February 14, 2015 8:09AMBright light casts a long shadow5 -
Varicite✭✭✭✭✭
✭Earthwardzilvox_ESO wrote: »I pointed out that the changes in 1.6 address some of these issues in the main post. A point I've moved to it's own paragraph, for clarity. However, 1.6 is still in the testing stage. Nothing's set in stone, and player input has influence. Thus, I'm giving my input.
Blazing Shield can be very powerful - when used with lots of mobs. Since the bubble and the damage returned increase with the number of mobs nearby, it's great for large pulls in solo play.
Check out the patch notes, maybe hop on PTS and test these abilities in the new environment.
Complaining about things that are already in the process of being changed (w/out even having touched the newer versions or in the framework of the new game in 1.6) is the epitome of pointless.3 -
Cody✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭Blazing shield is not OP. without it Templars would not last long in combat in PvP and possibly endgame content. Yes it is difficult to beat Templars that use this effectively; but most Templars not using blazing shield go boom; dead, gone, destroyed, nuked, disintegrated, vaporized, whatever you want to call it. once Templars actually become powerful; then blazing shield can be taken down a notch.
Did not even read the part about reflective scales; just send in a melee player or two and boom; you have solved the reflective scales problem. If its one on the keep balcony using it... then stop shooting him/her!!! ZOS SHOULD NOT be nerfing this ability, and its a shame that they are.
To be honest most-all of these issues are being fixed in 1.6 Veil of blades is no longer "OP" one morph has the DoT effect, the other has the damage reduction effect. Its now one or the other, not both. Standard of mights cost has gone up; I highly doubt it will be used every 15 seconds once the change goes live.2 -
Markaeus✭✭Another thing with 1.6 I believe you left out is the change to Reflective scales.. Now DK's can only deflect 4 <I believe> projectiles. but it still holds for the 30 seconds IIRC?0
-
Sord✭✭✭Not to be rude but have you read the patch notes or played on the PTS? Check out the changes because a good chunk of it is already being changed. If you haven't played on the PTS or even watched some of the more recent YouTubes or watched and listened into some of the TWITCH streamers you need to, because you are a bit behind the times.www.fateslegacy.com Share your build or find a build here at Fate's Legacy!
-This is your life and its ending one moment at a time-0 -
TheLaw✭✭✭✭You can't be serious, have you actually played the game? Do you read the patch notes?Edited by TheLaw on February 15, 2015 5:52PM-= Shahrzad the Great |Sorc| =-1 -
pmacisback✭✭Earthwardzilvox_ESO wrote: »I don't use all of these abilities,
Bolt Escape: The "bubble hearth" of ESO. It's been nerfed once, already, but the nerf was ineffectual. Any Sorc with a mana pot can escape the field of battle in seconds, mid-combat. It's bull that they can move fast enough to get away from mounted players, with enough spare time leftover to stealth. If it's overpowered to survive large groups with defensive abilities, it's just as overpowered to survive through mobility.
The Solution Diminishing returns. Each use of bolt escape, within 'x' seconds after the first, covers less ground. Also, remove the first nerf of bolt escape. Since it eats at the sorcerers mana, it actually disincentives turning around and fighting. That way they can use Bolt Escape to get out of AoE, siege, etc. They can't, however, fly across the map. Additionally, they can still fight after using Bolt Escape, encouraging real pvp.
Before you try to make Sorcs even less viable, think about why sorcs have this ability. Magicka Sorcs have little armor against physical attacks, even worse in 1.6, and they are one of the most inflexible classes in PVP(at least in 1.5). Bolt escape already has an increased cost for 4 seconds after it is casted. Heaven forbid your zerg can't roll over one extra player. I'm sure most sorcs hate the fact they can't stand toe to toe and fight. Resorting to Bolt Escaping away is a matter of self-preservation. Get steamrolled, or hope you have enough magicka to save face.
I'm 12, and what is this?0 -
deepseamk20b14_ESO✭✭✭✭✭
✭Seems like you haven't read 1.6 patch notes or played PTS yet. Either way, give it a look. Some of the things you mentioned have indeed changed.
As far as ambush and dragon leap goes.....don't touch them!Hey everyone! Look! It's a signature!1 -
Armitas✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭The radius of impulse has already been nerfed and in 1.6 there are anti zerg bombs to help keep people spread out, along with the removal of AOE caps. I don't think this should be touched until we see how that plays out.Retired.
Nord mDK0 -
Yes, 1.6 makes impulse spam less effective... along with every other aoe. So Impulse spam is still relatively good, though aoes are weaker in general. Maybe that's a good thing, but I was hoping for a solution for impulse specifically, not all aoe spells (many of which are weak to the point of useless).The radius of impulse has already been nerfed and in 1.6 there are anti zerg bombs to help keep people spread out, along with the removal of AOE caps. I don't think this should be touched until we see how that plays out.
I consider their bolt escape nerf a half-solution too. Since it's such a mana drain, people don't want to use it for the stun or mobility in combat. However, they still use it to flee, since they don't need mana once they escape. If BE ate less mana, but covered less ground in subsequent uses, the problem would be addressed without breaking the ability.
That's what I was hoping to achieve, anyway, with my suggestions. 1.6 does address many of these abilities, but not all of them, and not well (in my opinion).
Bright light casts a long shadow0 -
Then the solution is to make sorcs viable (which they totally are, you're doing something wrong if you can't compete) not give them the ability to run away real gud.pmacisback wrote: »Before you try to make Sorcs even less viable, think about why sorcs have this ability. Magicka Sorcs have little armor against physical attacks, even worse in 1.6, and they are one of the most inflexible classes in PVP(at least in 1.5). Bolt escape already has an increased cost for 4 seconds after it is casted. Heaven forbid your zerg can't roll over one extra player. I'm sure most sorcs hate the fact they can't stand toe to toe and fight. Resorting to Bolt Escaping away is a matter of self-preservation. Get steamrolled, or hope you have enough magicka to save face.
Edited by Earthwardzilvox_ESO on February 16, 2015 10:10PMBright light casts a long shadow0 -
pmacisback✭✭
I totally agree that they need a revamp, personally I've already shelved my sorc and have been leveling the other 3 classes to vr1 in preparation for the update. I mentioned they are inflexible, not that there isn't one or two specs that can perform in mediocrity in niche scenarios. Getting away is the only thing sorcs excel at, let's not take that away too.Earthwardzilvox_ESO wrote: »Then the solution is to make sorcs viable (which they totally are, you're doing something wrong if you can't compete) not give them the ability to run away real gud.
I'm 12, and what is this?0 -
Bane_of_Fringe✭✭✭Since when was Veil OP? Maybe the damage reduc to the caster, but nobody was stupid enough to stay in a veil to take any real damage. The ones that were deserved to die. Even a well placed veil either gets negated/pushed through/avoided. Bleh, I can't cry too much about it with the tether buff...that and grinding is done for, so it's going to be collecting dust anyways. Soul tether will be easy to avoid too, just walk in all directions... Now that sappers can't ulti farm anymore I feel like it puts the spot on my build. 250 sap damage isn't *** compared to other AE. Meh, I'll just have to wait for 1.6 to check it out.
But yeah, most of these abilities already got hit with the nerf bat. Post unneeded.Characters:RAGE
Bane of Fringe Vr-14
Casts as Hatchling Vr-5
Shinobu-chan Vr-1
Holo the Wise and Cunning Vr-5
Soft Rose Vr-1
Svaedstrom Lowbie
Man in the Fringe Vr-2
Batul Gra-Sharob Vr-1
Previous vets:
Jade Blossom Vr-1
Man in the Fringe Vr-51