Magblade died

Iskiab

Um, with the way damage is calculated 8% vulnerability >>>>> an 8% damage buff, it’s maybe 4 times more damage. Damage buffs are effected by resistances, protection, and blocking but vulnerability is like a straight 8% of your tooltip’s damage added to your attacks.

In a vacuum I think the magblade changes are okay. The way I actually see all the changes playing out though is there will be tons of aoe spam in pvp making cloak useless. Magblade will lack survivability to be melee.

If all you do is duel Magblade will be okay. If you pvp I think things will be rough. In a pvp setting caluurion will be next to useless because magblade will lack survivability to get in close for it to hit reliably. You could try 5x heavy and dark cloak but pen and sustain will be issues.

If they do add sets to help specific specs they should add a heavy set with a 5 piece spell penetration.

Jeezye

brandonv516 wrote: »

I'd really like to see how Merciless Resolve works now.

Do I need to cast it still? Or does it automatically proc the Spectral Bow after the necessary light/heavy attacks?

I find it very weird even attaching a heal to that and I think it's going to need some work.

It works exactly the same as it used to.

brandonv516

Jeezye wrote: »

brandonv516 wrote: »

I'd really like to see how Merciless Resolve works now.

Do I need to cast it still? Or does it automatically proc the Spectral Bow after the necessary light/heavy attacks?

I find it very weird even attaching a heal to that and I think it's going to need some work.

It works exactly the same as it used to.

So it will cost Magicka initially and the player receives no buff whatsoever, then it will cost Magicka again when the Spectral Bow is available?

Huge nerf if that is true and goes through. It made sense for an upfront cost when it provided Minor Berserk.

Apxac

kathandira wrote: »

Apxac wrote: »

Thank you, apparently I will no longer play this game.

Your stuff, can I have it?

i`m play in PC EU, sorry ;D

fred4 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

The same with lotus fan getting minor vulnerability but taking away minor berserk from merciless on paper it seems ok but in practice no one is going to slot lotus fan because how can you fit it on your bar. Without giving up a must have ability? So in reality the only buff magblade got was snare immunity which everyone got and then lost 8% damage all around.

You're tunnel-visioned on your (ranged?) build. Lotus Fan fits in perfectly with Caluurion and, in fact, buffs the proc damage. You might not want to build that way, you might despise proc sets, you might be more of a dueller or BG player than CP open world (me), but you must concede that Lotus Fan suits other builds, just not yours. The statement "no one is going to slot Lotus Fan" is simply false.

Now players use Сaluurion, but in the next patch they will start crying that this is too strong an assembly and this is a terrible proc-set, it will be destroyed, what then? We all know how it works with "hamsters"...

thankyourat wrote: »

fred4 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

The same with lotus fan getting minor vulnerability but taking away minor berserk from merciless on paper it seems ok but in practice no one is going to slot lotus fan because how can you fit it on your bar. Without giving up a must have ability? So in reality the only buff magblade got was snare immunity which everyone got and then lost 8% damage all around.

You're tunnel-visioned on your (ranged?) build. Lotus Fan fits in perfectly with Caluurion and, in fact, buffs the proc damage. You might not want to build that way, you might despise proc sets, you might be more of a dueller or BG player than CP open world (me), but you must concede that Lotus Fan suits other builds, just not yours. The statement "no one is going to slot Lotus Fan" is simply false.

I play both range and melee builds as well as heavy armor. I play multiple builds for when I'm in the mood. I don't have a one size fits all build and I probably have more hours of playing melee magblade than almost the entire magblade population just because I've mained the class since launch. Lotus fan is simply not a competitive ability though. And if you give up merciless for lotus fan you literally just lost like 22k tooltip worth of damage and the only way to kill any player that knows what they are doing. It's not that I have anything against lotus fan it's just not worth it in my opinion especially when you look at how melee magblade can already get in and out of melee range at will which is the whole point of the gap closer.

Things that I feel are must run abilities on magblade right now are cloak, annulment, RAT, two siphoning abilities for both bars, either conceal or strife for a spammable, shade, healing ward or an additional hot. So right now that's 8 abilities leaving 2 flex spots available. Notable abilities that fit the flex spot would be mage light, elemental drain, merciless (I feel it's mandatory) and blur. I'm not seeing a way you can get lotus fan in there. Because elemental drain is also a 8% damage increase on your opponent while also giving alot of sustain, and merciless is literally the only burst ability available to magblade. So those abilities will both be better than lotus fan I think mage light would be better than lotus fan as well because the increase crit rate will synergize better with RAT. You can also put a lightning enchant on your staff and get minor vulnerability.

"Hamsters" have a hard time understanding this.

fred4

Iskiab wrote: »

In a pvp setting caluurion will be next to useless because magblade will lack survivability to get in close for it to hit reliably.

This is, as always, hard to say when ZOS make this many changes. However, even now, the best way to get in close and hit with Caluurion is via Lotus Fan -> Incap. Gap closing into a zerg is usually already suicide. I typically attack players when they are slightly offside from their group, or I try to get behind the zerg and attack players at the tail end. This works in multiple ways and I'd be lying, if I didn't admit that the guy on the slow horse is typically the easy-to-kill noob. On the other hand, when players are not alert, I have successfully ganked players standing on a flag, before their mates or the NPCs would react. Immovability potions are vital and while the shade could obviously help, I've also been plain fast enough to get away. Won't work against experienced small-scalers nor against organised / on voice groups, but you'd be surprised what you can get away with against PUGs.

Apxac

fred4 wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

In a pvp setting caluurion will be next to useless because magblade will lack survivability to get in close for it to hit reliably.

This is, as always, hard to say when ZOS make this many changes. However, even now, the best way to get in close and hit with Caluurion is via Lotus Fan -> Incap. Gap closing into a zerg is usually already suicide. I typically attack players when they are slightly offside from their group, or I try to get behind the zerg and attack players at the tail end. This works in multiple ways and I'd be lying, if I didn't admit that the guy on the slow horse is typically the easy-to-kill noob. On the other hand, when players are not alert, I have successfully ganked players standing on a flag, before their mates or the NPCs would react. Immovability potions are vital and while the shade could obviously help, I've also been plain fast enough to get away. Won't work against experienced small-scalers nor against organised / on voice groups, but you'd be surprised what you can get away with against PUGs.

Everyone will start using this assembly, the "hamsters" will start crying, the assembly will nerf, what then? If you look at the forum, they are already talking about it now, but the "hamsters" have not yet created an army...
In addition, is the Сaluurion the only way?

Lucky28

brandonv516 wrote: »

Jeezye wrote: »

brandonv516 wrote: »

I'd really like to see how Merciless Resolve works now.

Do I need to cast it still? Or does it automatically proc the Spectral Bow after the necessary light/heavy attacks?

I find it very weird even attaching a heal to that and I think it's going to need some work.

It works exactly the same as it used to.

So it will cost Magicka initially and the player receives no buff whatsoever, then it will cost Magicka again when the Spectral Bow is available?

Huge nerf if that is true and goes through. It made sense for an upfront cost when it provided Minor Berserk.

yeah. that's why i took it off my bar on PTS.

fred4

Apxac wrote: »

fred4 wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

In a pvp setting caluurion will be next to useless because magblade will lack survivability to get in close for it to hit reliably.

This is, as always, hard to say when ZOS make this many changes. However, even now, the best way to get in close and hit with Caluurion is via Lotus Fan -> Incap. Gap closing into a zerg is usually already suicide. I typically attack players when they are slightly offside from their group, or I try to get behind the zerg and attack players at the tail end. This works in multiple ways and I'd be lying, if I didn't admit that the guy on the slow horse is typically the easy-to-kill noob. On the other hand, when players are not alert, I have successfully ganked players standing on a flag, before their mates or the NPCs would react. Immovability potions are vital and while the shade could obviously help, I've also been plain fast enough to get away. Won't work against experienced small-scalers nor against organised / on voice groups, but you'd be surprised what you can get away with against PUGs.

Everyone will start using this assembly, the "hamsters" will start crying, the assembly will nerf, what then? If you look at the forum, they are already talking about it now, but the "hamsters" have not yet created an army...
In addition, is the Сaluurion the only way?

Of course they will. If this playstyle gets popular, it will get nerfed, whether justified or not. That's the way "balance" works in this game, although I must admit I find these patch notes thoughtful, even if I don't agree with everything.

Let me point out the drawbacks to the Caluurion playstyle:

(1) You are currently not in the same league as stamblades. The latter have potentially higher damage, higher upfront burst via combos such as Snipe -> Incap, and higher sustained damage. This is due to having weapon crit, weapon pen and weapon damage for the 2H light attacks, Incap hitting better on a stamina class (pen, crit), not having to compromise your raw damage stats with proc set(s) and Swift enchant(s), and the Fracture from Surprise Attack (soon to be gone).

(2) You don't have stamina-grade dodge roll sustain, nor Vigor, nor Rally, nor the slightly higher resistances of medium armor. Shields, when you're not magicka stacking, are terrible. Crafty Alfiq may be a good option next patch, but my current solution has been to invest in speed (Steed, Swift). You are extremely squishy, when caught. Unlike a sorc or warden, you cannot expect to attack while shielding or healing, at least not with my build. It's more like a stamblade, who has to dodge, cloak, shade and avoid damage inbetween Incaps, except you have to do it with higher cloak sustain, higher speed in cloak, your crap shields, such as they are, and the resto ult.

(3) Caluurion is dodgeable and reflectable. If I stun you with Concealed from cloak, you will eat the Caluurion proc while you break free, however that is a high risk maneuver. More likely I will open with Lotus Fan, because that's easier to pull off in chaotic fights or against players that use AOE or detection. Experienced players will dodge roll, which completely mitigates both the Incap and the Caluurion proc. DKs can keep their wings up and (currently) hit you in the face with your own proc.

Mitigation exists. Caluurion is quite easy to counter in a duel. Against tankier opponents or duelists, who know what's coming, I start to depend on the additional Zaan procs and running down their stamina with Fear. The reasons Caluurion works well in open world are, IMO, the usual. The nightblade surprise factor. The lack of experience of newer players, who don't know when to dodge roll or how to counter-attack. The relative scarcity of nightblades using it, causing DKs to not know what it is and, thus, not to keep their wings up.

ll_Rev

Maulkin wrote: »

What are you complaining about? This was a great patch for magblades!

Only a single nerf really, with the loss of Minor Berserk. But we get
1) A heal on Spectral Bow
2) A better Fear CC (that also doesn't run opponents out of the map!)
3) Sap 25% dmg buff
4) Minor Vulnerability on Lotus fan/Teleport strike

And before you say these are minor buffs compared to the loss, remember the best buffs are outside of the class.

1) MagDKs won't reflect all our crap back at us
2) If you find a slot (which you will) for Race Against Time, you get snare immunity, speed buff and minor force.

The class just became so much more playable!

Daus wrote: »

MartiniDaniels wrote: »

Major defile removed only from incap. It's not like direct nerf, they simply push magblade to melee. Will it work or no.. future will show.

I guess Stamblades will switch to Soul Harvest then. I guess ZOS doesn't want Stamblades having an ult?

DBoS just like the rest of the stam builds now

1) a trash heal in pvp on a telegraphed skill that hardly hits
2)only good change
3) a skill no mag nb uses and will continue not using it.
4) at the expense of minor berserk, making us run an extra skill on a bar that’s already full.
You’re a joke.

Maulkin

ll_Rev wrote: »

Maulkin wrote: »

What are you complaining about? This was a great patch for magblades!

Only a single nerf really, with the loss of Minor Berserk. But we get
1) A heal on Spectral Bow
2) A better Fear CC (that also doesn't run opponents out of the map!)
3) Sap 25% dmg buff
4) Minor Vulnerability on Lotus fan/Teleport strike

And before you say these are minor buffs compared to the loss, remember the best buffs are outside of the class.

1) MagDKs won't reflect all our crap back at us
2) If you find a slot (which you will) for Race Against Time, you get snare immunity, speed buff and minor force.

The class just became so much more playable!

Daus wrote: »

MartiniDaniels wrote: »

Major defile removed only from incap. It's not like direct nerf, they simply push magblade to melee. Will it work or no.. future will show.

I guess Stamblades will switch to Soul Harvest then. I guess ZOS doesn't want Stamblades having an ult?

DBoS just like the rest of the stam builds now

1) a trash heal in pvp on a telegraphed skill that hardly hits
2)only good change
3) a skill no mag nb uses and will continue not using it.
4) at the expense of minor berserk, making us run an extra skill on a bar that’s already full.
You’re a joke.

Opinions. I don't think I'd classify you even as a remotely passable joke, if you think that 8% extra tooltip dmg is balance altering for PvP one way or another. But do continue...

Joosef_Kivikilpi

Lucky28 wrote: »

josh.lackey_ESO wrote: »

Maulkin wrote: »

1) A heal on Spectral Bow
2) A better Fear CC (that also doesn't run opponents out of the map!)
3) Sap 25% dmg buff
4) Minor Vulnerability on Lotus fan/Teleport strike

Looks like magblade got buffs. Not sure what the OP is talking about.

Minor Vulnerability is 8% increased damage, it's the same benefit at Berserk except is extra damage to the target for everyone rather than just the magblade.

we got damage buffs mostly. We didn't really need damage buffs what we needed was heals. as said merciless rarely hits so putting a heal on that ability is pretty much useless the only real reason to slot merciless is minor berserk will is far too unreliable. the problem with magblade is their survivability is in the gutter. unless ZOS removes the delay from merciless, that heal is not going to help.

Which debuff the Necromancer will already be providing for the group, as well as Major Vulnerability.

kaithuzar

Joosef_Kivikilpi wrote: »

Lucky28 wrote: »

josh.lackey_ESO wrote: »

Maulkin wrote: »

1) A heal on Spectral Bow
2) A better Fear CC (that also doesn't run opponents out of the map!)
3) Sap 25% dmg buff
4) Minor Vulnerability on Lotus fan/Teleport strike

Looks like magblade got buffs. Not sure what the OP is talking about.

Minor Vulnerability is 8% increased damage, it's the same benefit at Berserk except is extra damage to the target for everyone rather than just the magblade.

we got damage buffs mostly. We didn't really need damage buffs what we needed was heals. as said merciless rarely hits so putting a heal on that ability is pretty much useless the only real reason to slot merciless is minor berserk will is far too unreliable. the problem with magblade is their survivability is in the gutter. unless ZOS removes the delay from merciless, that heal is not going to help.

Which debuff the Necromancer will already be providing for the group, as well as Major Vulnerability.

I think necro is the new op 1vX class just like stam warden was.
Maybe they’ll have 1 group skill like warden did trees, maybe they can insta-res people, but bomber magblade is officially replaced by necro.

Iskiab

Logged onto PTS to try some of the changes, here’s what my gut tells me:
- Magblade healers: stronger and RAT helps
- Magblade rdps: stronger and no reflections combined with RAT helps
- Magblade mdps: good luck... I think you’re going to be stuck as gankers, useless for other pvp types. You could try heavy melee with dark cloak but I don’t think the class has enough self healing

I’m least experienced with magblade mdps and didn’t actually try it, but given it’s already a weak spec that’s my thinking seeing the environment. A skirmisher might work, IDK. Only did 2 BGs.

brandonv516

Lucky28 wrote: »

brandonv516 wrote: »

Jeezye wrote: »

brandonv516 wrote: »

I'd really like to see how Merciless Resolve works now.

Do I need to cast it still? Or does it automatically proc the Spectral Bow after the necessary light/heavy attacks?

I find it very weird even attaching a heal to that and I think it's going to need some work.

It works exactly the same as it used to.

So it will cost Magicka initially and the player receives no buff whatsoever, then it will cost Magicka again when the Spectral Bow is available?

Huge nerf if that is true and goes through. It made sense for an upfront cost when it provided Minor Berserk.

yeah. that's why i took it off my bar on PTS.

I already took it off my bar on live.

Damage loss is noticeable so changed:

-Merciless Resolve for Elemental Drain
-Engine Guardian for Slimecraw

Iskiab

What’s everyone trying for skill loadouts?

I’m thinking fire/resto:

Crippling - blockade - impale - Cloak - elemental weapon - Soul Harvest

Siphoning strikes - rat - harness magicka - refreshing path - lotus fan or mirage - Soul Siphon

I want to try elemental weapon as the spammable but am not sure how to make it fit and get all the passives.

Apxac

Iskiab wrote: »

What’s everyone trying for skill loadouts?

I’m thinking fire/resto:

Crippling - blockade - impale - Cloak - elemental weapon - Soul Harvest

Siphoning strikes - rat - harness magicka - refreshing path - lotus fan or mirage - Soul Siphon

I want to try elemental weapon as the spammable but am not sure how to make it fit and get all the passives.

These are absurd skill bars, man. I immediately see how well you know how to play for Magblade, I don’t even want to comment on this nonsense ...

kaithuzar

Here are my current skills:
Destro inferno staff-
Sap, lotus fan, impale, concealed, mage light, soul harvest

Resto staff-
Shadowy disguise(cloak that hides you), RAT, fear, blessing of resto(May swap to combat prayer?), siphoning, psijic ult

With undo jacked up I could swap to resto ult. I may swap fear & impale, not sure yet, I keep finding myself swapped to back bar in execute phase to heal & not swapping back fast enough.

Iskiab

Apxac wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

What’s everyone trying for skill loadouts?

I’m thinking fire/resto:

Crippling - blockade - impale - Cloak - elemental weapon - Soul Harvest

Siphoning strikes - rat - harness magicka - refreshing path - lotus fan or mirage - Soul Siphon

I want to try elemental weapon as the spammable but am not sure how to make it fit and get all the passives.

These are absurd skill bars, man. I immediately see how well you know how to play for Magblade, I don’t even want to comment on this nonsense ...

I’m a pvper and dueling and ganking doesn’t interest me. Different play styles, I’m interested in BGs where a ganker magblade is dead weight.

kaithuzar wrote: »

Here are my current skills:
Destro inferno staff-
Sap, lotus fan, impale, concealed, mage light, soul harvest

Resto staff-
Shadowy disguise(cloak that hides you), RAT, fear, blessing of resto(May swap to combat prayer?), siphoning, psijic ult

With undo jacked up I could swap to resto ult. I may swap fear & impale, not sure yet, I keep finding myself swapped to back bar in execute phase to heal & not swapping back fast enough.

Use Soul Siphon. Soul Siphon > Resto ult. Why concealed? I take it you’re melee but why not melee impulse or is it just for the stun? I considered combat prayer too but the duration seems too short. Mirage for major evasion seemed like a better choice.

TheValar85

Apxac wrote: »

Are you seriously? Do you want to completely kill this class in pvp? You remove the Minor Berserk, leaving it to the same Warden. You take away the reduction of healing (one of the main features of the class), you take away the fast healing, and what do you give in return? In return, do you improve DK by partially eliminating only the reflection of projectiles? Can you heal yourself with a ghostly bow? It's all? Thank you, apparently I will no longer play this game.

see this is what exactly happend with teh sorcerers as well. now you know who does it feels when you play a class like that.

xAk_MoRRoWiNdx

kaithuzar wrote: »

Joosef_Kivikilpi wrote: »

Lucky28 wrote: »

josh.lackey_ESO wrote: »

Maulkin wrote: »

1) A heal on Spectral Bow
2) A better Fear CC (that also doesn't run opponents out of the map!)
3) Sap 25% dmg buff
4) Minor Vulnerability on Lotus fan/Teleport strike

Looks like magblade got buffs. Not sure what the OP is talking about.

Minor Vulnerability is 8% increased damage, it's the same benefit at Berserk except is extra damage to the target for everyone rather than just the magblade.

we got damage buffs mostly. We didn't really need damage buffs what we needed was heals. as said merciless rarely hits so putting a heal on that ability is pretty much useless the only real reason to slot merciless is minor berserk will is far too unreliable. the problem with magblade is their survivability is in the gutter. unless ZOS removes the delay from merciless, that heal is not going to help.

Which debuff the Necromancer will already be providing for the group, as well as Major Vulnerability.

I think necro is the new op 1vX class just like stam warden was.
Maybe they’ll have 1 group skill like warden did trees, maybe they can insta-res people, but bomber magblade is officially replaced by necro.

One of my most played characters is a Altmer bomblade. I see Necromancer has quite a bit of explosions tied to it, but still I'm curious as to why you say bomblades are now dead?

Rex-Umbra

Mage blade needs buff to healing and mitigation tools to put in line with other classes primarily the MDK whom blows MNB out of the water in all 3 roles now and is untouchable in pvp.

fred4

kaithuzar wrote: »

Here are my current skills:
Destro inferno staff-
Sap, lotus fan, impale, concealed, mage light, soul harvest

Resto staff-
Shadowy disguise(cloak that hides you), RAT, fear, blessing of resto(May swap to combat prayer?), siphoning, psijic ult

With undo jacked up I could swap to resto ult. I may swap fear & impale, not sure yet, I keep finding myself swapped to back bar in execute phase to heal & not swapping back fast enough.

Well, if you're using Concealed and Shadowy in the same build, then I would personally always have them on the same bar. In other words, swap Impale and Cloak.

I also know you run a tankier build than me. Your setup reminds me a little of my magplar on which I use light armor, 3x Protective jewelry and full Pirate Skeleton in open world. On that class I get healing from Sweeps, Total Dark, Radiant Glory, Degeneration, Honor the Dead, Mutagen, restore health enchant, 1K health regen (Steed + Fillet) and resto ult. Let's compare the healing with your build. You have Sap, Siphoning and Blessing of Resto. I tried Blessing of Resto once, on my magblade, and found it such a pitiful heal, I swapped straight back to Healing Ward, despite the nerfs. It obviously cannot compare with Honor the Dead.

In other words, the only saving grace, defensively in your build, is Cloak and Fear. This about sums up why everyone says magblade has such bad healing. If I were to pick a healing skill from the resto line for magblade, my top choices would be Healing Ward, Mutagen, Blessing of Resto, in that order. Mutagen, because I love a vMA resto for sustain, but Healing Ward is IMO still the only thing that can compete with the burst heal of other classes, especially since you can cloak and wait for it to pop. Mutagen also exposes you. It cannot be cast in cloak.

This is why I keep saying, build for speed. Make cloak more effective, use Shade and/or Fear and speed. This increases your chances of damage avoidance and is ultimately the one thing melee magblade has going for it, IMO. My front bar is:

Concealed, Shadowy, Siphoning, Momentum / RAT (next patch), Lotus Fan, Incap

This has to do with how it plays. Siphoning, RAT and Momentum can all be cast without uncloaking you. Bar swapping to precast these while you are, say, approaching a hostile resource in cloak, is just too cumbersome and unreliable in lag. Shadowy and Concealed on the same bar also allows you to take advantage of the stun, which I frequently do.

If you are not using Caluurion and want to retain Inner Light, I would probably run something like:

Destro front bar:

Concealed, Shadowy, Sap or Cripple, Inner Light, A.N.Other, Soul Harvest

In other words, use Cripple and the Concealed speed as a "gap closer", rather than Lotus Fan, and to cover the "slot Siphoning" requirement. I know you want the Minor Vulnerability, but honestly that is something you could also get, from time to time, by using a Shock enchant or wearing something like Auroran's Thunder. Cripple gives you a stronger DOT than Lotus Fan. It's six vs. half a dozen of the other.

For defense I haven't come up with anything better than using two shields. Healing Ward is ineffective to precast and can go to another person. Also, the only chance I have to get out from being focused is to be very disciplined with the two shields. Dampen -> Healing Ward -> Fear -> Cloak -> RAT. Actually, it typically goes more like this:

(Dampen -> Healing Ward) x (repeat as needed, while you are struggling to hang on) -> Immov pot, if you have it -> meanwhile move TOWARDS your attackers (if not already) so you get them with Fear -> no time to cast Momentum / RAT or you'll still be dead -> you have to cloak first -> Momentum / RAT while in cloak. Now you can see why I have Concealed, Momentum and Cloak on the same bar.

The shade would obviously help when focused, but I don't like the skill. It requires a degree of planning and causes missed opportunities. That could be my inexperience, I guess, but I also find it clunky and unreliable. The same can be said for trying to activate an ult - the resto ult - while you are focused. The eternity you sometimes have to wait for that to register has led to me favoring shield spam.

fred4

Rex-Umbra wrote: »

Mage blade needs buff to healing and mitigation tools to put in line with other classes primarily the MDK whom blows MNB out of the water in all 3 roles now and is untouchable in pvp.

Oh, yeah, we need unfounded generalisations. So helpful.

You like MDK? Guess what: It means you're comfortable playing the class or you find them untouchable, cause you don't know how to handle them. Hint: Use Forward Momentum or Extended Ritual as a counters. The former neutralises them pretty hard, which might explain why they are getting so many damage buffs with the addition of root immunity to RAT.

In my last duelling session one guy stood out. He was a stamblade. The comment from my MDK friend: "How can you be so tanky yet do so much damage." Only he wasn't tanky. He was wearing Spriggan + Bone Pirate with something like 11K unbuffed resistances. He expertly used the shade and didn't get hit much, while putting people on the defensive, and he finished them with Assassin's Scourge while under pressure himself. The perception of tankiness can be way, way off. It can mean high mitigation, high healing, or expert damage avoidance. You can't tell the difference when you're up against a superior player.

Maulkin

Iskiab wrote: »

What’s everyone trying for skill loadouts?

I’m thinking fire/resto:

Crippling - blockade - impale - Cloak - elemental weapon - Soul Harvest

Siphoning strikes - rat - harness magicka - refreshing path - lotus fan or mirage - Soul Siphon

I want to try elemental weapon as the spammable but am not sure how to make it fit and get all the passives.

You have no stun in that load-out. I plan to try a hybrid melee-range build first, see what the survivability is like. Pew-pew from range and the go melee for the burst.

Siphoning-Swallow-Merciless-Fear-Disguise-Soul Harvest
Healing Ward-Cripple-RAT-Dampen-Shadow Image-Resto Ult

I will then try a more ranged build with MasterReach instead of Swallow, Magelight for Fear and Soul Assault for Soul Harvest.

I don’t like Ele Weapon because weaving in Cyro is horrendous with lag and I can only play prime time, so there’s that. I’ll try to play with ele drain instead of Merciless too but I really don’t think the damage will cut it. You need some burst in there.

WildWilbur

*SNIFFLE*

Iskiab

Well, I logged onto PTS and did some BGs. Only two so take my experience with a grain of salt because of limited experience. Here’s some things I noticed you might want to incorporate in your playstyles. One deathmatch and one capture the relic where people ignored the objectives and just fought because... well... it’s PTS so you’re there to play and test:

- aoes are everywhere, spammed constantly (including by me)
- every time someone tried using the resto ult they died. EVERY time. A channel that roots you is a non-starter as a magblade. Use Soul Siphon, it’s always been better you just haven’t tried it
- RAT is amazing
- My impression is that speed will be amazing to counter necros. Maybe because of the corpse mechanic? Idk much about them, but being mobile seemed to be effective
- the guard/tether changes effect ball groups a lot. They still ball up but sniping the healer is now a lot easier

I went in and tried my live spec adding RAT with little changes. 1 death and 6 kills in both BGs in my healing spec. Since people haven’t fine tuned playing a necro I expect my opponents to improve but ranged magblade I feel will be okay post patch.

P.S. - Rapid regen > mutagen

HEBREWHAMMERRR

brandonv516 wrote: »

Jeezye wrote: »

brandonv516 wrote: »

I'd really like to see how Merciless Resolve works now.

Do I need to cast it still? Or does it automatically proc the Spectral Bow after the necessary light/heavy attacks?

I find it very weird even attaching a heal to that and I think it's going to need some work.

It works exactly the same as it used to.

So it will cost Magicka initially and the player receives no buff whatsoever, then it will cost Magicka again when the Spectral Bow is available?

Huge nerf if that is true and goes through. It made sense for an upfront cost when it provided Minor Berserk.

100%. Either remove the cost upfront or make our siphoning strikes cost no resources to put on par with warden netch.

HEBREWHAMMERRR

Iskiab wrote: »

Well, I logged onto PTS and did some BGs. Only two so take my experience with a grain of salt because of limited experience. Here’s some things I noticed you might want to incorporate in your playstyles. One deathmatch and one capture the relic where people ignored the objectives and just fought because... well... it’s PTS so you’re there to play and test:

- aoes are everywhere, spammed constantly
- every time someone tried using the resto ult they died. EVERY time. A channel that roots you is a non-starter as a magblade. Use Soul Siphon, it’s always been better you just haven’t tried it
- RAT is amazing
- My impression is that speed will be amazing to counter necros. Maybe because of the corpse mechanic? Idk much about them, but being mobile seemed to be effective
- the guard/tether changes effect ball groups a lot. They still ball up but sniping the healer is now a lot easier

I went in and tried my live spec adding RAT with little changes. 1 death and 6 kills in both BGs in my healing spec. Since people haven’t fine tuned playing a necro I expect my opponents to improve but ranged magblade I feel will be okay post patch.

P.S. - Rapid regen > mutagen

Appreciate the feedback from PTS. Hard to gauge competition in BGs on PTS I’m sure as no real MMR would be accounted for though. Nice to hear about guard changes.

Tasear

You can still get minor berseker from healer. But unlike the warden you can give group minor vulnerability. This in turn means less usage of IA or other sources in the group. I think really shock staff people should be complaining instead.

Zedrian

On a PVE build (Siroria, Spell Strat, Zaan, Infused, Thief), I quickly realize that I do more damage (without the spectral bow in my rotation) than with the spectral bow on the 21M. Did the spectral bow damages go down ? With bows I average 68k and 71k without. On the magsorc with a much easier rotation and the pet you go up easily past 83-84k (this was done on the Iron atronach). Its weird...