Overall not a bad patch but still major concerns
MaximusDecimus
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Class and Weapon Balance
Now this update is filled with excellent quality of life changes like the nerf to Whirlwind and some other minor changes to dual wield and some class abilities. In particular I like the changes to deadly cloak and flurry. As for class changes I have major concerns however. I like the warden changes but why remove minor berserk from nightblades? You just tossed in healing as a replacement that nobody needs unless they are trying to put on a show and 1vX. In PvE congrats you just make us run combat prayer...which we already run? I just don't understand why you'd remove something that isn't a major issue but was defining feature of a class. Now again I'm not horribly opposed to the change...just mildly concerned. Same with the nerf to DK wings although slightly different concerns. I understand in PvP this skill causes problems but the nerf raises a major issue in PvE. In blackrose prison there in an unpurgable bleed that melts tanks for breakfest. Traditionally we use reflect to mitigate some of this damage but now in situations where we'd reflect a bleed that is downright unreasonable we're kinda boned. Now I do understand the need to balance it for PvP but maybe balance it before nerfing it out of existence (i.e. large cost increase for reflect to create uptime limitations). Now my major concern with this whole ALL SKILLS WILL BE LIKE BALANCED (i.e. all spammables costing the same and all utility skills costing the same) is the erosion of class identity. Now I support the balancing but be careful not to do what all class what you've done to the stam sorc.
Grading: NB: B DK: B- TMPLR- A SRC: A- WRDN: A+ Stam Sorc: F- Weapon changes: B (I still think 2h might need some more love for PvE)
Game and Economy
Campaign locking while a great idea just reminds me of a major problem. Transmutes. Transmute farming is an absolute pain in the ass for a PvE player. I have to PvE. Someone did the math on effective time per crystal and it's not even close. Maybe 2-5 from daily dungeons? 5 from a trial? 50 for 30-40 minutes in a PvP campaign. Did nobody think that disparity was an issue? I propose an increase to a guaranteed 5 from daily dungeons and 15 for trial coffer. I feel while not matching PvP it still adequately rewards PvE endgame players. Also remove the cap. I know you don't want us hoarding crystals pre-patch but guess what? We just store uncracked crystals that eat up bank space. Fix it. Same with Undaunted Keys. They are a currency. Stop adding things to the game that take up bank space that we have to carry in high numbers.
PvE Endgame
There are major problems lingering in PvE Endgame that really need addressing. I don't expect these to be handled till next DLC honestly since clearly ZoS doesn't care about PvE endgame. Now before everyone gets super offended tell me the list of things that Purge can and can't purge. Once you start listing them out you realize ah yes that's right there are dozens of things you can't purge in trials because well...well actually no one knows. Pretty sure ZoS wants to make mechanics that punish poor positioning or lack of teamwork. Now I am 110% behind that. BUT. AND I STRESS. BUT. You need to clearly telegraph abilities that are not purgable. The griffen bleed in vCR is an excellant example of a poorly telegraphed non-purgable mechanic. Now in the same trial I think Baneful mark is an excellent example of how it should be done. There is combat text and the boss has a clear and obvious tell. The griffen just light attacks you till you die. Same in Blackrose prison, half the bosses apply a bleed because screw you that's why. Any telegraph or obvious warning other than your health suddenly vanishing to a 9K DoT and a tiny icon on your buff bar? No. Bleeds in trials and four-man content are the primary offenders that I recall but for the magicka cost of purge don't you think it should you know...purge something?
If I didn't discuss a change its because I agree with it or it falls outside my wheelhouse. Please keep discussion below civil.
Now this update is filled with excellent quality of life changes like the nerf to Whirlwind and some other minor changes to dual wield and some class abilities. In particular I like the changes to deadly cloak and flurry. As for class changes I have major concerns however. I like the warden changes but why remove minor berserk from nightblades? You just tossed in healing as a replacement that nobody needs unless they are trying to put on a show and 1vX. In PvE congrats you just make us run combat prayer...which we already run? I just don't understand why you'd remove something that isn't a major issue but was defining feature of a class. Now again I'm not horribly opposed to the change...just mildly concerned. Same with the nerf to DK wings although slightly different concerns. I understand in PvP this skill causes problems but the nerf raises a major issue in PvE. In blackrose prison there in an unpurgable bleed that melts tanks for breakfest. Traditionally we use reflect to mitigate some of this damage but now in situations where we'd reflect a bleed that is downright unreasonable we're kinda boned. Now I do understand the need to balance it for PvP but maybe balance it before nerfing it out of existence (i.e. large cost increase for reflect to create uptime limitations). Now my major concern with this whole ALL SKILLS WILL BE LIKE BALANCED (i.e. all spammables costing the same and all utility skills costing the same) is the erosion of class identity. Now I support the balancing but be careful not to do what all class what you've done to the stam sorc.
Grading: NB: B DK: B- TMPLR- A SRC: A- WRDN: A+ Stam Sorc: F- Weapon changes: B (I still think 2h might need some more love for PvE)
Game and Economy
Campaign locking while a great idea just reminds me of a major problem. Transmutes. Transmute farming is an absolute pain in the ass for a PvE player. I have to PvE. Someone did the math on effective time per crystal and it's not even close. Maybe 2-5 from daily dungeons? 5 from a trial? 50 for 30-40 minutes in a PvP campaign. Did nobody think that disparity was an issue? I propose an increase to a guaranteed 5 from daily dungeons and 15 for trial coffer. I feel while not matching PvP it still adequately rewards PvE endgame players. Also remove the cap. I know you don't want us hoarding crystals pre-patch but guess what? We just store uncracked crystals that eat up bank space. Fix it. Same with Undaunted Keys. They are a currency. Stop adding things to the game that take up bank space that we have to carry in high numbers.
PvE Endgame
There are major problems lingering in PvE Endgame that really need addressing. I don't expect these to be handled till next DLC honestly since clearly ZoS doesn't care about PvE endgame. Now before everyone gets super offended tell me the list of things that Purge can and can't purge. Once you start listing them out you realize ah yes that's right there are dozens of things you can't purge in trials because well...well actually no one knows. Pretty sure ZoS wants to make mechanics that punish poor positioning or lack of teamwork. Now I am 110% behind that. BUT. AND I STRESS. BUT. You need to clearly telegraph abilities that are not purgable. The griffen bleed in vCR is an excellant example of a poorly telegraphed non-purgable mechanic. Now in the same trial I think Baneful mark is an excellent example of how it should be done. There is combat text and the boss has a clear and obvious tell. The griffen just light attacks you till you die. Same in Blackrose prison, half the bosses apply a bleed because screw you that's why. Any telegraph or obvious warning other than your health suddenly vanishing to a 9K DoT and a tiny icon on your buff bar? No. Bleeds in trials and four-man content are the primary offenders that I recall but for the magicka cost of purge don't you think it should you know...purge something?
If I didn't discuss a change its because I agree with it or it falls outside my wheelhouse. Please keep discussion below civil.
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MaximusDecimus✭✭✭Oh final thing I forgot to talk about was the nerf to recovery food stats. Why? Do you guys just hate sustain? At least keep the gold clockwork filet's stats. Like for the price of making that you should receive that amount of benefit.5
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Tasear✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Minor berserk uptime was varied between other classes because it relies on healer. This caused long term DPS imbalance.
Healers were needed far less in group, because Nightblade only world.
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Dalsinthus✭✭✭✭✭
✭My question - what does the initial cast of relentless focus actually do? They took away the buffs of minor berserk and minor endurance, so does that mean it just preps you for the bow proc, which you have to pay more resources to activate? Pay twice to use the bow once? Compare that to crystal frags mechanic.
The name of the skill is pretty out of sync with what it does now. I always took the relentless part to indicate the increase to endurance.
Finally the new heal is weird. It’s a close range only heal from a spectral bow - a ranged weapon. It’s all kinds of weird mixed up jumble of concepts.
For the most part I don’t mind the changes but this skill is really unappealing. It’s defiantly coming off my bar for pvp and maybe for pve too.
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Jhalin✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭Minor berserk uptime was varied between other classes because it relies on healer. This caused long term DPS imbalance.
Healers were needed far less in group, because Nightblade only world.
NB is supposed to be the self sufficient class, good dps (still barely above any other stam spec) and enough buff access to survive on their own for a little bit. Their trade off is not being capable of competitive healing or tanking, and having zero group utility
They’re going to start dropping below other classes in DPS and then they’ll go right back to the trash of pre-Morrowind status because they only. Have. DPS.0