Change Vampiric Drain

propertyOfUndefined

I haven't seen this skill used since the overhaul. Wish it could be replaced with something that's actually useful -- like a magicka-based gap closer that'd pair well with Eviscerate. Could even make it a teleport so it fits the theme of the vampire kit…

Just a thought...

Greek_Hellspawn

I would like to see this skill changed into a dot tether, I think it would be more useful than what we have now and it fits the vampire theme.

Vevvev

Either a super huge buff or a complete redesign of the skill is needed. As it stands now they're "buffing" it on the PTS to be more of a utility skill where dealing damage is a kind of an afterthought (Yeah, they removed the extra damage as it levels up). They're making it heal 25% of missing health over 23%, restoring the old ultimate generation value on the ultimate generation morph to 5 ult per second over 4, and buffing the stamina restoration version from the laughable 5% to 10%.

Still, those "buffs" don't fix the underlying issue of the ability, and that's the fact it's a channeled spell that requires a target and only restores missing health. Ranged channeled spells can be interrupted and in a kit where your only heal can be interrupted, put on cooldown, and gets you stunned is just unacceptable without a massive buff to make the risks worthwhile. And the restoring of missing health causes Vampiric Drain to become susceptible to diminishing returns. The heal gets progressively worse the longer the channel goes on unless you're getting constantly hurt, but if that is true don't expect this ability to save you, especially if you have no targets around to cast the spell on.

At least we know ZOS's intentions for the ability as utility, but it's only going to be used in a couple of niche cases as it won't be generating ultimate while in Scion form, and outside a tank build the heal is worthless. A 26k HP build goes from 6% HP to like... 45-50% HP in a PvP environment over the course of the entire 3 second channel, which is basically still in effective execute range.

If they made it like Dragonknight's Burning Embers or like the Scourge Harvester set with the life leeching beam it'd be pretty cool and stay competitive in ESO's current fast paced combat.

propertyOfUndefined

I really think it should just be removed and replaced with a magicka-based gap closer. Currently, no such skill exists outside of class abilities. The main damage dealing ability from the tree is melee, which means a class w/o a gap closer like magicka necromancer isn’t a good fit.

EndOfGreen

Agree, it's one of many skills no one uses. I just don't understand why not to query a database and see how many times each skill has been used and change it: either nerf if it's in the top or buff if it's a bottom. Same applies to classes, sets etc

propertyOfUndefined

EndOfGreen wrote: »

Agree, it's one of many skills no one uses. I just don't understand why not to query a database and see how many times each skill has been used and change it: either nerf if it's in the top or buff if it's a bottom. Same applies to classes, sets etc

heh...

SELECT abilityname, count(*) as timesused FROM abilities_used GROUP BY abilityname ORDER BY count(*) DESC

Vevvev

propertyOfUndefined wrote: »

I really think it should just be removed and replaced with a magicka-based gap closer. Currently, no such skill exists outside of class abilities. The main damage dealing ability from the tree is melee, which means a class w/o a gap closer like magicka necromancer isn’t a good fit.

It used to exist in Vampire's ultimate, Clouding Swarm, and then they promptly scrapped that whole idea entirely. They should have kept one morph of Vampiric Drain as the speed morph because having a reliable source of minor expedition was actually useful! Something I found out a week before the rework when I wanted to try out all the morphs and get them maxed out for testing reasons. Accelerating Drain was so much fun

My personal fix for the gap closing/speed problem was to stick something like minor expedition on the stage 4 passive, Unnatural Movement. Then it'd actually be useful in a fight outside chasing and running for your life.

ESO_Nightingale

the healing and damage design is frankly awful, if they wanted it to see use it'd need to heavily increase the current damage, and change the healing to overall be more consistent and lower in value, since the current heal will have one decent tick and then the rest will just not do much at all. since you're putting time into channeling it, it has to be good enough to use because you're sacrificing light attacks and other skills, while working with the skill, the stamina return morph replacing the minor expedition morph really hurts. since before, you could block cancel the skill for an instant stun and minor expedition. now, you don't use the skill at all.

and for being a stun, mesmirise was killed before it was made useful purely by roleplay. it also doesn't really do anything much for the cost either. i'd consider using it if it returned it's entire cost if it didn't stun anything, because that happens so often it's a colossal drain of resources for often no benefit.

Vevvev

ESO_Nightingale wrote: »

.

and for being a stun, mesmirise was killed before it was made useful purely by roleplay. it also doesn't really do anything much for the cost either. i'd consider using it if it returned it's entire cost if it didn't stun anything, because that happens so often it's a colossal drain of resources for often no benefit.

That's actually a really good suggestion. If it doesn't effect anything it should refund the cost since it requires a couple of casts sometimes leading to the super cheap stun costing more than the more reliable ones.

propertyOfUndefined

I remember these forums being filled with doom-and-gloom when the new vampire skill line was introduced. Players complained about vampires receiving an unblockable stun that would be ridiculously OP in PVP. I was like “Are you kidding? Nobody will ever land that thing!”

Vevvev

propertyOfUndefined wrote: »

I remember these forums being filled with doom-and-gloom when the new vampire skill line was introduced. Players complained about vampires receiving an unblockable stun that would be ridiculously OP in PVP. I was like “Are you kidding? Nobody will ever land that thing!”

Lol, I remember that to. Stuns are used to secure kills, but if your prey turns around and runs you're now wishing you had every other stun in the game but the vampire one.

buttaface

Disagree with others, skill is fine. It is the most powerful combat ult gen in the game and with a heal attached. Maybe buff or tweak the other morph, it's a bit weak, great, useful skill otherwise and fine basically.

YandereGirlfriend

buttaface wrote: »

Disagree with others, skill is fine. It is the most powerful combat ult gen in the game and with a heal attached. Maybe buff or tweak the other morph, it's a bit weak, great, useful skill otherwise and fine basically.

It is the strongest ult-gen player ability but there are two sets that are better if used correctly.

That said, though, I agree with you about Invigorating Drain - it's a nice skill that I would like to see preserved. However, I think that you overstate its usefulness.

In PvP, you will never get any utility from the skill because players will quickly interrupt the channel and burst you down. In PvE, you are losing massive damage if using this as a DPS and using it as a tank can be dicey since you will get blown up if the boss catches you channeling it at the wrong time or if a fight requires mobility.

IMO, the other morph should be scrapped entirely and turned into a vampire-themed fire-and-forget DoT.

Vevvev

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

IMO, the other morph should be scrapped entirely and turned into a vampire-themed fire-and-forget DoT.

Or return the speed morph. I loved that morph a lot and regret not using it for years after learning what it could do.

ESO_Nightingale

Vevvev wrote: »

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

IMO, the other morph should be scrapped entirely and turned into a vampire-themed fire-and-forget DoT.

Or return the speed morph. I loved that morph a lot and regret not using it for years after learning what it could do.

yep. minor expedition on it was better than the ultimate imo when you could block cancel the stun.

Yamenstein

Change it please. No one wants to be stuck in a animation that returns *** all our does so little same. I have yet to see any build utilise it unless it's a specific RP vampire build

Andre_Noir

OMG guys, be honest already: vampire tree has only Swarm ult, magicka-spammable and Elusive mist as an active skills. So 3 skills of 12 if we consider morphs as skills. The rest of skillset is just a useless garbage in almost every situation. And even useful ones are very questionable and niche

Ryuvain

Wish the drain was a heal over time instead. Drain being animation locked feels horrible to use. Maybe reduce how much it heals or something as a payoff. It would fit really well if you could heal over time like nb's swallow soul. Wouldnt be used for damage so they would stay different from each other.

tsaescishoeshiner

What if it was changed to be a skill that buffed you the longer you drain for? This would make it unique and opportunistic, and make the enemy need to bash/interrupt you.

For example, each second casted could increase how much resource restore, ult, healing, or damage buff you get at the end.

Then you can use stuns and clever timing to reap rewards by casting it for longer, but risk getting interrupted.

Alternatively, it could be a 1-second cast time skill that activates a 3-5 second tether. This would be better than requiring you to cast it for 3 whole seconds, foregoing a lot of damage and light attack weaving.

Slimebrow

They could have made it was more like the Skyrim Vampiric Drain. Were it just leeches blood from anyone in cone area rather than this weird ass light beams. WTF