5 Changes to help mDK open world PvP

Kilandros

Magicka DK struggles in its current form relative to other classes because it lacks burst, mobility, and defensive utility beyond blocking. Many of us are frustrated with the mDK permablock builds that ZOS is (rightfully) trying to kill off. But those builds are part of a larger problem--mDK defensive utility has been significantly nerfed over the last several years. This has pigeonholed mDKs into permablock builds which are neither fun to play nor to fight. Obviously reliance on blocking is only further compounded when you factor in that DKs have an average at best escape mechanic in Mist Form, and that DKs rely heavily on defense as the attrition class--that is, wearing opponents down via DoTs.

The suggestions that follow are aimed at making Magicka DK less reliant on block. Full stop. With more build-in defensive mechanics, Magicka DK can begin to really explore build options outside of S/B.

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability. Furthermore, DKs already have a superb single-target ranged CC in Fossilize--we don't need another one with slightly more range and more damage. Adding the "Off-Balance" effect will allow for an immediate Power Lash follow-up attack instead of the more drawn out Stone Fist -> Flame Lash to Off-Balance -> Power Lash follow-up. Allowing a direct and immediate Power Lash follow up will create that one-two burst combo punch that DKs desperately need. Removing the ranged component is, I think, a good compromise for the buff off adding the Off-Balance effect, and would make this ability feel like a unique melee ability that can deal good damage, stun, and prep a target for Power Lash.

Cinder Storm - Ash Storm morph
In addition to current damage and snares, while standing in your Cinder Storm negative effects have their duration on you reduced by 50% and enemies damaged by your Cinder Storm have a 50% chance to be set Off-Balance. Ability is now cast at your feet.

Reasoning
Cinder Storm used to be one of our best defensive abilities but both morphs were converted into placeable DPS abilities when Miss Chance was removed from the game. This was a big mistake by ZOS as removing defensive abilities from a stand-your-ground class just makes that class more reliant on whatever defense is left (in this case, block). Reducing the duration of negative effects on you while standing inside your Cinder Storm would go a loooong way toward allowing DKs to stand their ground without just trying to block everything. The reduction duration is the same as Efficient Purge, so I don't think it's too much. The addition of Off-Balance I think also helps a lot as it allows the DK to proc Power Lash more often. Making Off-Balance more available to DK helps both their sustain (because Power Lash is free to cast) and their defense (because Power Lash procs a short HoT).

Magma Shell - Magma Armor morph
Duration increased by 30%;
Damage increased by 150%.

Reasoning
A duration increase is warranted because this ability costs 200 ultimate and is, frankly, less effective a defensive ult than Spell Wall which costs only 100 ultimate. Increasing the duration to about 14 seconds makes it double the duration (and double the cost) of Spell Wall. The damage increase would make the DoT tick for around ~2,500 damage in PvE, so about ~1,250 damage per tick in PvP. The damage is currently laughable, and since its outclassed by Spell Wall the ultimate really doesn't make sense to use in any scenario. Compare it to Corrosive Armor which is very useful because it adds a significant damage buff in addition to making you very tanky. Buffing the damage of Magma Shell by about 150% would make this ultimate do decent damage and you would start seeing mDKs pop this to jump into the fray and go ham for ~14-15 seconds. Again, opening up build options for DKs to soak up and dish out damage without standing there holding block.

Volatile Armor - Spiked Armor morph
Continues to grant Major Ward and Major Resolve for 20 seconds;
No longer provides a 10-second DoT activation;
Damage return on melee hit changed to deal Flame damage, melee attack return damage increased by 100%.

Reasoning
Let's make this a true Thorns type ability that really punishes people for spamming melee attacks on mDK. A weak reactive DoT paired with a weak active DoT is still weak. A ~100% damage buff to the damage return would put the tooltip around 2k, or 1k damage return in PvP. This helps mDK defensively because people will be punished for just spamming melee attacks on you. Removing the DoT on activation balances the ability around these buffs and keeps it mechanically distinct from, say, Hurricane or Boundless Storm.

Flames and Oblivion and Cauterize - Inferno Morphs
Both abilities changed to 9m AoE

Reasoning
This one is pretty obvious. Inferno used to be an AoE and was a super cool skill. Now it's just some weird magelight. The biggest problem with Flames of Oblivion is that you can't control who it hits and it only hits once every 5 seconds. As a mDK I need to keep up constant DoT pressure and I need to be able to control who those DoTs hit. Changing this ability to an AoE solves that problem. Another benefit of making this an AoE is that it gives DK access to a DoT they can keep on enemy players that that player cannot purge. I am not a fan of unpurgeable DoTs, but DK needs more AoE DoTs that can't be purged off.

Hope you guys consider some if not all of these changes. I think they're pretty balanced for the most part. I also think they would go a loooong way toward breaking mDK's reliance on 1h/S.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_BrianWheeler @Wrobel

Xvorg

I haven't tried my mDK since last month, but last time I checked, he was doing it OK with a 2H sword, though I had to build it towards burst, which means "say good bye to DoTs".

What I dislike about mDK are the offensive passives in the Ardent Flame skill line. I've said it a couple of times and I repeat it again: 3 out of 4 of those passives DO NOT HELP mDK playingstyle (neither StamDK). Combustion is crap, Searing heat in PvP is crap (easily purged, though in PvE is nice), Warmth is Crap in PvE, but useful in PvP, while WiR is weaker than Ancient Knowledge (destro staff passive).

An mDK build towards AoE dmg does more dmg with a lit staff than with WiR. Better save thos points into smething useful.

Scyantific

An execute would really help DKs in general. Make it a passive one like Sorcerer's Implosion, and give the bonus to Combustion.

When you deal Flame/Poison damage, you have a [x]% chance to instantly incinerate/putrefy enemies under [y]% health, dealing [z] Flame/Poison damage

Zvorgin

Minus an execute I disagree that mDK struggles in open world.

PainfulFAFA

Zvorgin wrote: »

Minus an execute I disagree that mDK struggles in open world.

lol nice one
They are the least mobile with the highest ability/ultimate costs than any class/playstyle in the game. They are designed to "stand their ground" but they forgot to mention "for only 10 seconds then die" lul. mDKs were amazing back then when we could generate ultimate fast enough to cast and was truly a "stand your ground" design but now (and since 1.6) its the least used play-style in pvp because you can truly stand your ground with all the poisons, procs, block nerfs, and ability cost nerfs that they added over the years.


imo, DKs need faster ultimate regen along with all, if not some, of the changes the OP is presenting

Sheey

Invasion -> magica morph

Lokey0024

Just need a defile or execute, or both.

GeorgeBlack

I want a Stamina Stonefist (not even asking for fossilize..) and you mDKs can have executes and defiles and anything else you want.

DRXHarbinger

Magdk is awesome in pvp. L2DK seriously. What ultimate are you referring to as the highest cost? Flame leap is cheap and actually powerful and 99% of mag players use destro ult anyway. Magdk 1v1 is very very hard to kill. I'd rather fight a good sorc any day over a dk.

Kilandros

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

Magdk is awesome in pvp. L2DK seriously. What ultimate are you referring to as the highest cost? Flame leap is cheap and actually powerful and 99% of mag players use destro ult anyway. Magdk 1v1 is very very hard to kill. I'd rather fight a good sorc any day over a dk.

I know that reading is hard, but the point of this post is to make mDK less reliant on block.

Trashkan

How dare you talk about my Vulcanatron like that! We will seek revenge! F you cow and chicken!!!!!!!!!!

Xvorg

Sheey wrote: »

Invasion -> magica morph

Stampede -> magicka morph

Savos_Saren

@Kilandros

Yeah, it's interesting to reread all the DK skills and realize how many of them do magic damage intertwined with flame damage.

Volatile Armor:
Release your inner dragon to gain Major Resolve and Major Ward, increasing Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 5280 for 20 seconds. You also release a spray of spikes around you, causing any enemies hit to take [y] Magic Damage over 10 seconds. While active, the armor returns [x] Magic Damage to melee attackers.

Burning Talons:
Call forth talons from the ground to deal [x] Flame Damage and immobilize nearby enemies for 4 seconds.
Talons also burn enemies for [z] Flame Damage over 4 seconds.
While enemies are held, an ally can activate Impale, to deal [y] Magic Damage.

Inhale:
Channel Draconic energy to suck in the air around you, dealing [x] Magic Damage to nearby enemies and healing you for 100% of the damage caused. After 2.5 seconds, you exhale fire, dealing [y] Flame Damage to nearby enemies.

Stonefist:
Slam an enemy with solid rock, dealing [x] Magic Damage and stunning them for 3 seconds. Deals 100% more damage if you successfully stun the target.

Fragmented Shield:
Call the earth to your defense, granting a damage shield for you and nearby allies that absorbs [x] damage. Your own damage shield absorbs 100% additional damage.
When your own shield is removed or expires it shatters, dealing [y] Magic Damage to nearby enemies.

Petrify:
Encase an enemy in stone, stunning them for 20 seconds and dealing [x] Magic Damage when the effect ends.
Affected enemies can take [y] damage before the stun is broken.

It almost makes me want to push more toward Burning Spellweave than Silks of the Sun after reading that...

I like the idea for some of your changes. Maybe swap out some of those magic damage abilities for flame damage... (especially the heal from inhale). I 100% agree that DK should get an "execute passive". I'm not sure why Sorcs get an execute passive AND an execute (Mage's Fury).

Our healing allies abilities are absolute trash, though. Obsidian shard: Oh, I can heal ONE ally? Wow. Cauterize: I can heal ONE ally every five seconds if I give up Inner Light? No thank you.

Finally, I whole-heartedly agree: #MAKEINFERNOGREATAGAIN

IlCanis_LupuslI

Kilandros wrote: »

Magicka DK struggles in its current form relative to other classes because it lacks burst, mobility, and defensive utility beyond blocking. Many of us are frustrated with the mDK permablock builds that ZOS is (rightfully) trying to kill off. But those builds are part of a larger problem--mDK defensive utility has been significantly nerfed over the last several years. This has pigeonholed mDKs into permablock builds which are neither fun to play nor to fight. Obviously reliance on blocking is only further compounded when you factor in that DKs have an average at best escape mechanic in Mist Form, and that DKs rely heavily on defense as the attrition class--that is, wearing opponents down via DoTs.

The suggestions that follow are aimed at making Magicka DK less reliant on block. Full stop. With more build-in defensive mechanics, Magicka DK can begin to really explore build options outside of S/B.

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability. Furthermore, DKs already have a superb single-target ranged CC in Fossilize--we don't need another one with slightly more range and more damage. Adding the "Off-Balance" effect will allow for an immediate Power Lash follow-up attack instead of the more drawn out Stone Fist -> Flame Lash to Off-Balance -> Power Lash follow-up. Allowing a direct and immediate Power Lash follow up will create that one-two burst combo punch that DKs desperately need. Removing the ranged component is, I think, a good compromise for the buff off adding the Off-Balance effect, and would make this ability feel like a unique melee ability that can deal good damage, stun, and prep a target for Power Lash.

Cinder Storm - Ash Storm morph
In addition to current damage and snares, while standing in your Cinder Storm negative effects have their duration on you reduced by 50% and enemies damaged by your Cinder Storm have a 50% chance to be set Off-Balance. Ability is now cast at your feet.

Reasoning
Cinder Storm used to be one of our best defensive abilities but both morphs were converted into placeable DPS abilities when Miss Chance was removed from the game. This was a big mistake by ZOS as removing defensive abilities from a stand-your-ground class just makes that class more reliant on whatever defense is left (in this case, block). Reducing the duration of negative effects on you while standing inside your Cinder Storm would go a loooong way toward allowing DKs to stand their ground without just trying to block everything. The reduction duration is the same as Efficient Purge, so I don't think it's too much. The addition of Off-Balance I think also helps a lot as it allows the DK to proc Power Lash more often. Making Off-Balance more available to DK helps both their sustain (because Power Lash is free to cast) and their defense (because Power Lash procs a short HoT).

Magma Shell - Magma Armor morph
Duration increased by 30%;
Damage increased by 150%.

Reasoning
A duration increase is warranted because this ability costs 200 ultimate and is, frankly, less effective a defensive ult than Spell Wall which costs only 100 ultimate. Increasing the duration to about 14 seconds makes it double the duration (and double the cost) of Spell Wall. The damage increase would make the DoT tick for around ~2,500 damage in PvE, so about ~1,250 damage per tick in PvP. The damage is currently laughable, and since its outclassed by Spell Wall the ultimate really doesn't make sense to use in any scenario. Compare it to Corrosive Armor which is very useful because it adds a significant damage buff in addition to making you very tanky. Buffing the damage of Magma Shell by about 150% would make this ultimate do decent damage and you would start seeing mDKs pop this to jump into the fray and go ham for ~14-15 seconds. Again, opening up build options for DKs to soak up and dish out damage without standing there holding block.

Volatile Armor - Spiked Armor morph
Continues to grant Major Ward and Major Resolve for 20 seconds;
No longer provides a 10-second DoT activation;
Damage return on melee hit changed to deal Flame damage, melee attack return damage increased by 100%.

Reasoning
Let's make this a true Thorns type ability that really punishes people for spamming melee attacks on mDK. A weak reactive DoT paired with a weak active DoT is still weak. A ~100% damage buff to the damage return would put the tooltip around 2k, or 1k damage return in PvP. This helps mDK defensively because people will be punished for just spamming melee attacks on you. Removing the DoT on activation balances the ability around these buffs and keeps it mechanically distinct from, say, Hurricane or Boundless Storm.

Flames and Oblivion and Cauterize - Inferno Morphs
Both abilities changed to 9m AoE

Reasoning
This one is pretty obvious. Inferno used to be an AoE and was a super cool skill. Now it's just some weird magelight. The biggest problem with Flames of Oblivion is that you can't control who it hits and it only hits once every 5 seconds. As a mDK I need to keep up constant DoT pressure and I need to be able to control who those DoTs hit. Changing this ability to an AoE solves that problem. Another benefit of making this an AoE is that it gives DK access to a DoT they can keep on enemy players that that player cannot purge. I am not a fan of unpurgeable DoTs, but DK needs more AoE DoTs that can't be purged off.

Hope you guys consider some if not all of these changes. I think they're pretty balanced for the most part. I also think they would go a loooong way toward breaking mDK's reliance on 1h/S.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_BrianWheeler @Wrobel

Seriously??? get some advice how to effectivly play a mag dk. unlike previous patch when "hundreds" were in pvp, it isnt easy mode anymore, you need to master the mag dk. Once mastered it is a very nasty opponent, otherwise its easy to kill.
Just as it should be in my opinion.

Kilandros

Mangeli200194 wrote: »

Kilandros wrote: »

Magicka DK struggles in its current form relative to other classes because it lacks burst, mobility, and defensive utility beyond blocking. Many of us are frustrated with the mDK permablock builds that ZOS is (rightfully) trying to kill off. But those builds are part of a larger problem--mDK defensive utility has been significantly nerfed over the last several years. This has pigeonholed mDKs into permablock builds which are neither fun to play nor to fight. Obviously reliance on blocking is only further compounded when you factor in that DKs have an average at best escape mechanic in Mist Form, and that DKs rely heavily on defense as the attrition class--that is, wearing opponents down via DoTs.

The suggestions that follow are aimed at making Magicka DK less reliant on block. Full stop. With more build-in defensive mechanics, Magicka DK can begin to really explore build options outside of S/B.

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability. Furthermore, DKs already have a superb single-target ranged CC in Fossilize--we don't need another one with slightly more range and more damage. Adding the "Off-Balance" effect will allow for an immediate Power Lash follow-up attack instead of the more drawn out Stone Fist -> Flame Lash to Off-Balance -> Power Lash follow-up. Allowing a direct and immediate Power Lash follow up will create that one-two burst combo punch that DKs desperately need. Removing the ranged component is, I think, a good compromise for the buff off adding the Off-Balance effect, and would make this ability feel like a unique melee ability that can deal good damage, stun, and prep a target for Power Lash.

Cinder Storm - Ash Storm morph
In addition to current damage and snares, while standing in your Cinder Storm negative effects have their duration on you reduced by 50% and enemies damaged by your Cinder Storm have a 50% chance to be set Off-Balance. Ability is now cast at your feet.

Reasoning
Cinder Storm used to be one of our best defensive abilities but both morphs were converted into placeable DPS abilities when Miss Chance was removed from the game. This was a big mistake by ZOS as removing defensive abilities from a stand-your-ground class just makes that class more reliant on whatever defense is left (in this case, block). Reducing the duration of negative effects on you while standing inside your Cinder Storm would go a loooong way toward allowing DKs to stand their ground without just trying to block everything. The reduction duration is the same as Efficient Purge, so I don't think it's too much. The addition of Off-Balance I think also helps a lot as it allows the DK to proc Power Lash more often. Making Off-Balance more available to DK helps both their sustain (because Power Lash is free to cast) and their defense (because Power Lash procs a short HoT).

Magma Shell - Magma Armor morph
Duration increased by 30%;
Damage increased by 150%.

Reasoning
A duration increase is warranted because this ability costs 200 ultimate and is, frankly, less effective a defensive ult than Spell Wall which costs only 100 ultimate. Increasing the duration to about 14 seconds makes it double the duration (and double the cost) of Spell Wall. The damage increase would make the DoT tick for around ~2,500 damage in PvE, so about ~1,250 damage per tick in PvP. The damage is currently laughable, and since its outclassed by Spell Wall the ultimate really doesn't make sense to use in any scenario. Compare it to Corrosive Armor which is very useful because it adds a significant damage buff in addition to making you very tanky. Buffing the damage of Magma Shell by about 150% would make this ultimate do decent damage and you would start seeing mDKs pop this to jump into the fray and go ham for ~14-15 seconds. Again, opening up build options for DKs to soak up and dish out damage without standing there holding block.

Volatile Armor - Spiked Armor morph
Continues to grant Major Ward and Major Resolve for 20 seconds;
No longer provides a 10-second DoT activation;
Damage return on melee hit changed to deal Flame damage, melee attack return damage increased by 100%.

Reasoning
Let's make this a true Thorns type ability that really punishes people for spamming melee attacks on mDK. A weak reactive DoT paired with a weak active DoT is still weak. A ~100% damage buff to the damage return would put the tooltip around 2k, or 1k damage return in PvP. This helps mDK defensively because people will be punished for just spamming melee attacks on you. Removing the DoT on activation balances the ability around these buffs and keeps it mechanically distinct from, say, Hurricane or Boundless Storm.

Flames and Oblivion and Cauterize - Inferno Morphs
Both abilities changed to 9m AoE

Reasoning
This one is pretty obvious. Inferno used to be an AoE and was a super cool skill. Now it's just some weird magelight. The biggest problem with Flames of Oblivion is that you can't control who it hits and it only hits once every 5 seconds. As a mDK I need to keep up constant DoT pressure and I need to be able to control who those DoTs hit. Changing this ability to an AoE solves that problem. Another benefit of making this an AoE is that it gives DK access to a DoT they can keep on enemy players that that player cannot purge. I am not a fan of unpurgeable DoTs, but DK needs more AoE DoTs that can't be purged off.

Hope you guys consider some if not all of these changes. I think they're pretty balanced for the most part. I also think they would go a loooong way toward breaking mDK's reliance on 1h/S.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_BrianWheeler @Wrobel

Seriously??? get some advice how to effectivly play a mag dk. unlike previous patch when "hundreds" were in pvp, it isnt easy mode anymore, you need to master the mag dk. Once mastered it is a very nasty opponent, otherwise its easy to kill.
Just as it should be in my opinion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Perhaps it's that I'm a bad DK? I'm not. Even if I was, my suggestions could have merit beyond my ability level. Are you trying to say my suggestions are bad? You seem to be making the classic "L2P" straw-man argument.

Perhaps--and I think this is the most likely scenario--you didn't read anything I wrote at all. I'm glad you took the time to respond to my post since the whole point is to enable a discussion. But I would prefer you also took the time I read what I wrote before telling me that I need to L2P.

Perhaps you have some gameplay videos of your mDK excelling at open-world PvP in a non-block build (since that was the point of this post, just in case you missed it)? I don't know you nor do I know anything about you. But I'm fairly certain you don't play mDK. If I had to guess, stamblade? Maybe you should leave the mDK discussions to the mDK.

cpuScientist

IMO my magDK is fine as is. I do not play him heavy anymore and go for high damage and sustain now through light. And am still pretty tanky, and have a rather large Stam pool with shacklebreaker and tri foods. The most I'd say, is I wish wings would give major expedition and worked against more things but whatever, I don't equip the skill outside of duels anyway.

I will say though that most of your suggestions don't sound terribly unbalanced like the others I hear on here.

While I agree in part about making inferno an AOE. It would have to hit alot softer as if not it would be extremely unbalanced in PVE which zos intends to balance along side, so that must be kept in mind. And I don't want some noodle aoe that's only good in PVE in place of a strong single target burst I currently have. I would like cauterize to be AOE though that one needs to be AOE it's a crap heal otherwise. If they keep the damage on par though and make it AOE then sure.

Magma shell and corrosive yes needs a buff, sword and board or resto ulti is flat better.

Volatile armor yes it sucks I agree. It's good for the defense but it's secondary part needs to add damage a nice chunk more. Or give ulti or something.

Leave stonefist alone or make it Stam and physical damage.

Cinder sure sounds fine.

Zvorgin

PainfulFAFA wrote: »

Zvorgin wrote: »

Minus an execute I disagree that mDK struggles in open world.

lol nice one
They are the least mobile with the highest ability/ultimate costs than any class/playstyle in the game. They are designed to "stand their ground" but they forgot to mention "for only 10 seconds then die" lul. mDKs were amazing back then when we could generate ultimate fast enough to cast and was truly a "stand your ground" design but now (and since 1.6) its the least used play-style in pvp because you can truly stand your ground with all the poisons, procs, block nerfs, and ability cost nerfs that they added over the years.


imo, DKs need faster ultimate regen along with all, if not some, of the changes the OP is presenting

I main a DK and I think they are plenty strong. Fight to draws against mag Sorc since they can't kill me and I struggle to kill them but otherwise I'd say DK has no issues. DK doesn't need mobility, it's strength is locking people down and if they want to stay at range use flappers to reflect projectiles. That said, if you want to spur a "buff DK" movement, I won't complain about being made OP. You can wear 5 light with S&B and basically stand in the face of a 20 man Zerg, why do you need mobility?

Sheey

Struggeling with movement makes you drain faster resources because you can't reposition urself. 1v1 for mdk it works really well because your enemy can't move most of all time but back in cyrodiil physics work slightly different. There are actually ppl from range attacking you and from close combat, in this case when you cant avoid incoming damage it costs you way to much to survive and dk abilities are not cheap.

Sheey

So you cant rely on Scales anymore, it costs way to much and addentionally protects you for only 4 seconds from only 4 projectiles and most 'projectiles' like crushing shock, meteor, etc. go through scales.

Sharee

Kilandros wrote: »

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability.

You haven't see a mDK "one-shot" people with heavy attack+stone giant -> dragon leap, i take it. I strongly disagree with your reasoning there. It's my main attack combo in PvP, and the burst is deadly.

Avran_Sylt

Lokey0024 wrote: »

Just need a defile or execute, or both.

Certainly not both. but adding in a defile skill wouldn't be too bad of an idea, fits the whole fire theme of burning away an opponent rather than chunking them.

Bashev

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

Lokey0024 wrote: »

Just need a defile or execute, or both.

Certainly not both. but adding in a defile skill wouldn't be too bad of an idea, fits the whole fire theme of burning away an opponent rather than chunking them.

We had a defile when we were dropping banners every 20 seconds with the dynamic ulti regen.

PainfulFAFA

Sharee wrote: »

Kilandros wrote: »

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability.

You haven't see a mDK "one-shot" people with heavy attack+stone giant -> dragon leap, i take it. I strongly disagree with your reasoning there. It's my main attack combo in PvP, and the burst is deadly.

Heavy att mDKs builds hit the hardest of any class sure, but they are absolutely squishy/unsustainable and cant last outside of a zerg tbh

PainfulFAFA

One skill that i forgot to mention that also needs a buff is Fragmented Shield. This skill used to be so OP at the beginning due to how it worked zerg v zerg and it got nerfed HARD. Its been dead ever since. Fragmented shield should be a tiny bit stronger and the shield should be refreshable imo. 1 procset alone.... no, one LIGHT att alone... kills the shield and the dmg not noticeable. It used to be a great utility for mDKs i'd like to see that brought back.

Ishammael

Evasion on cinder storm
Major heroism somewhere
Inferno AoE dot like hurricane
Fix wings
Put a stun on chains or magicka morph of invasion

Solariken

I don't hate any of your suggestions and I think you have some valid concerns... but if mDk were to receive further buffs, I really hope ZOS would be delicate about it and aim to not buff sDk at all, nor buff mDk in 1v1 scenarios as they are already very very strong 1v1.

Kilandros

Solariken wrote: »

I don't hate any of your suggestions and I think you have some valid concerns... but if mDk were to receive further buffs, I really hope ZOS would be delicate about it and aim to not buff sDk at all, nor buff mDk in 1v1 scenarios as they are already very very strong 1v1.

Yeah, that's why I balanced all of my proposed buffs (e.g., like adding off-balance to stone fist) with a proposed nerf (e.g., removing the range component) to compensate. Or like buffing the Thorns damage on Spiked Armor and removing the activation DoT to compensate. mDK doesn't need crazy huge class-altering buffs--they need tweaks to abilities to make those abilities more purposeful within the DK toolkit.

A couple of exceptions like Magma Shell and Inferno exist tho. Those skills just need a flat buff.

FloppyTouch

I would love major evasion on cinder storm and AoE FoO I hate that stupid fire dot that I can't control

Sheey

Bashev wrote: »

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

Lokey0024 wrote: »

Just need a defile or execute, or both.

Certainly not both. but adding in a defile skill wouldn't be too bad of an idea, fits the whole fire theme of burning away an opponent rather than chunking them.

We had a defile when we were dropping banners every 20 seconds with the dynamic ulti regen.

You mean 'every two seconds' drpping a banner with dyn. Ulti.

Lexxypwns

These buffs could all theoretically be good if implemented properly, but none of them would be balanced on live. As long as you can "permablock", any significant DK defensive buffs are too much IMO.

Sharee

PainfulFAFA wrote: »

Sharee wrote: »

Kilandros wrote: »

Stone Giant - Stone Fist morph
Range reduced from 28m to 5m;
If enemy is stunned, continues to deal 100% more damage and sets enemy off balance;
Damage type changed to Fire.

Reasoning
The range on Stone Giant is completely unnecessary and makes it more of a "troll" ability than a useful combat ability.

You haven't see a mDK "one-shot" people with heavy attack+stone giant -> dragon leap, i take it. I strongly disagree with your reasoning there. It's my main attack combo in PvP, and the burst is deadly.

Heavy att mDKs builds hit the hardest of any class sure, but they are absolutely squishy/unsustainable and cant last outside of a zerg tbh

You wouldn't use a screwdriver to beat in a nail. Use the correct tool for the correct situation. My mDK is mainly used in heavy sieges, mainly on the defense side.

That being said, the build isn't completely hopeless even when alone. It depends on who you are facing.