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Thank you for nerfing heavy attack sets in pvp and empower <3

IncultaWolf
IncultaWolf
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Was surprised and impressed that the devs acknowledged and admitted that heavy attack builds were overperforming in pve, and made the heavy attack sets have a monsters only condition, now pvp will be more playable without pvers sitting in the back of groups hitting me for unavoidable 6k lightning ticks every second. :) Bravo dev team
  • TheDarkRuler
    TheDarkRuler
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    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.
  • Trejgon
    Trejgon
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    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.

    I am unsure what you are refering to as "over the top", especially with follow up comment on "just make it against monsters"

    Teh only HA related nerfs I am seeing in PTS patch notes is empower dropping from 80% more damage to 70% more damage, and empower already was only affecting PvE damage, and the nerf of storm master set, but for this one only "just making it against monsters only" really matters. Unless you are trying to tell me that HA builds are struggling to score HA crit in 3s window between new 5s cd lapses and the new 8s duration lapses....
  • katorga
    katorga
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    Honestly, no nerf to PVE (70% vs 80% empower).

    Not really a nerf in PVP - heavy attackers generally don't use storm master. Its a PVE Thing.
  • FrancisCrawford
    FrancisCrawford
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    Unless I'm misunderstanding mechanics, a 3 second window to reestablish the Storm Master buff usually gives you ONE try at a crit. So yeah -- Storm Master has been nerfed.
  • Billium813
    Billium813
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    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks
    Edited by Billium813 on April 17, 2023 8:40PM
  • IncultaWolf
    IncultaWolf
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    Yes, storm master was definitely used in pvp, running combat logs every battleground, I could see how many people were using it...A lot.
  • VvwvenomwvV
    VvwvenomwvV
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    "The loud voice of the few trumps the silent voice of the many." While HA builds will be chipped-away little by little, nerfed here, nerfed there, and eventually completely destroyed, Zos will completely undo what their original intent of making the game more accessible to their player base, "close the gap."

    The problem IS that they won't stop "chipping away." It's like saying "I've cut his hair 8 times and it's still too short." These changes are only the first of what's to come. When it's all said and done, we will eventually be worse-off than we were before they started working on HA builds.
    Edited by VvwvenomwvV on April 18, 2023 12:00PM
  • ajkb78
    ajkb78
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    Unless I'm misunderstanding mechanics, a 3 second window to reestablish the Storm Master buff usually gives you ONE try at a crit. So yeah -- Storm Master has been nerfed.

    Any tick of a lightning staff heavy attack - which is what seems to be universally used for heavy attack builds as far as I've seen - can crit. So you have a few chances.
  • Auldwulfe
    Auldwulfe
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    Billium813 wrote: »
    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks

    Never confuse people with facts, when their minds are made up.

    At this point -- they will drive away the enthusiasm, and players, until the only way the gatekeepers can keep the country club they just drove the plebs out of, is extreme monitization......

    There are other games....
    I will stay as long as I can still have fun... when they cross the line, I leave... and a LOT of people feel that way.......
    Of course, now that Microsoft is a player, and a huge advocate of accessibility... complaints to them about the loss of accessibility will get attention.

    Auldwulfe
  • TheDarkRuler
    TheDarkRuler
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    Trejgon wrote: »
    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.

    I am unsure what you are refering to as "over the top", especially with follow up comment on "just make it against monsters"

    Teh only HA related nerfs I am seeing in PTS patch notes is empower dropping from 80% more damage to 70% more damage, and empower already was only affecting PvE damage, and the nerf of storm master set, but for this one only "just making it against monsters only" really matters. Unless you are trying to tell me that HA builds are struggling to score HA crit in 3s window between new 5s cd lapses and the new 8s duration lapses....

    Test it yourself. Right now Storm Master is only at about 80% up-time even with >50% critical hit chance since it requires a fully-charged HA crit. So dont try to say it wasnt a huge nerf. Show me a parse of yourself with 100% up-time on PTS and i will consider your opinion again.
  • FantasticFreddie
    FantasticFreddie
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    Trejgon wrote: »
    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.

    I am unsure what you are refering to as "over the top", especially with follow up comment on "just make it against monsters"

    Teh only HA related nerfs I am seeing in PTS patch notes is empower dropping from 80% more damage to 70% more damage, and empower already was only affecting PvE damage, and the nerf of storm master set, but for this one only "just making it against monsters only" really matters. Unless you are trying to tell me that HA builds are struggling to score HA crit in 3s window between new 5s cd lapses and the new 8s duration lapses....

    Test it yourself. Right now Storm Master is only at about 80% up-time even with >50% critical hit chance since it requires a fully-charged HA crit. So dont try to say it wasnt a huge nerf. Show me a parse of yourself with 100% up-time on PTS and i will consider your opinion again.

    Is it up 100% on live?
  • Billium813
    Billium813
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    Auldwulfe wrote: »
    Billium813 wrote: »
    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks

    Never confuse people with facts, when their minds are made up.

    At this point -- they will drive away the enthusiasm, and players, until the only way the gatekeepers can keep the country club they just drove the plebs out of, is extreme monitization......

    There are other games....
    I will stay as long as I can still have fun... when they cross the line, I leave... and a LOT of people feel that way.......
    Of course, now that Microsoft is a player, and a huge advocate of accessibility... complaints to them about the loss of accessibility will get attention.

    Auldwulfe

    See, the thing is, I don't want HA builds to go away. But they have a big issue right now. Most of the HA sets themselves unfairly favor Lightning Staves and that makes damage balancing really hard! They can't buff HA sets, or properly manage Empower, because Lightning Staves skew the damage sooo much since they are basically the only viable weapon (and therefore Skills) option. They make 1 or 2 changes and HA builds either crumble to dust or remain top of the mid-game heap. BOTH are terrible for the game! The reason HA builds are so fragile though is sooo obvious: because there is no diversity in build choices!
    Developer Comment:
    Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.

    If they would just change Lightning Staves channel damage to no longer get HA set damage buffs, then they could probably look at increasing HA sets damage buff, or even increasing Empower damage! This sort of change would only help to give HA builds more real estate to play with, more build opportunities, legitimize HA builds as a viable build option instead of a 1 weapon gimmick, and give HA builds a more stable platform for future balance changes.

    It just boggles my mind how they can be supposedly be "working on Heavy Attack build viability", and they see no issues with Lightning Staff being the only viable build option. Or that 1 set, Sergeant's Mail, is the only real viable option to run because of its interaction with Lightning Staves unique channel damage component. They HAVE to know this interaction is an issue because they've already gone through this with Restoration Staff! Except "we can't have Resto Staff putting up big DPS.. nuke it specifically". Why does Lightning Staff get a pass? Why does it get to be the best AOE damage, best single target damage, and range?

    It just infuriates me that they refuse to fix the real issues and instead place bandages on everything.
    Edited by Billium813 on April 18, 2023 4:06PM
  • Auldwulfe
    Auldwulfe
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Billium813 wrote: »
    Auldwulfe wrote: »
    Billium813 wrote: »
    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks

    Never confuse people with facts, when their minds are made up.

    At this point -- they will drive away the enthusiasm, and players, until the only way the gatekeepers can keep the country club they just drove the plebs out of, is extreme monitization......

    There are other games....
    I will stay as long as I can still have fun... when they cross the line, I leave... and a LOT of people feel that way.......
    Of course, now that Microsoft is a player, and a huge advocate of accessibility... complaints to them about the loss of accessibility will get attention.

    Auldwulfe

    See, the thing is, I don't want HA builds to go away. But they have a big issue right now. Most of the HA sets themselves unfairly favor Lightning Staves and that makes damage balancing really hard! They can't buff HA sets, or properly manage Empower, because Lightning Staves skew the damage sooo much since they are basically the only viable weapon (and therefore Skills) option. They make 1 or 2 changes and HA builds either crumble to dust or remain top of the mid-game heap. BOTH are terrible for the game! The reason HA builds are so fragile though is sooo obvious: because there is no diversity in build choices!
    Developer Comment:
    Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.

    If they would just change Lightning Staves channel damage to no longer get HA set damage buffs, then they could probably look at increasing HA sets damage buff, or even increasing Empower damage! This sort of change would only help to give HA builds more real estate to play with, more build opportunities, legitimize HA builds as a viable build option instead of a 1 weapon gimmick, and give HA builds a more stable platform for future balance changes.

    It just boggles my mind how they can be supposedly be "working on Heavy Attack build viability", and they see no issues with Lightning Staff being the only viable build option. Or that 1 set, Sergeant's Mail, is the only real viable option to run because of its interaction with Lightning Staves unique channel damage component. They HAVE to know this interaction is an issue because they've already gone through this with Restoration Staff! Except "we can't have Resto Staff putting up big DPS.. nuke it specifically".

    It just infuriates me that they refuse to fix the real issues and instead place bandages on everything.

    I never argued that -- I also noted that lightning was the issue ......
    This is going to slam other players that used 2-Handed stamped heavy attack builds.... they do exist... while my crit base one that I posted, that doesn't use oakensoul hasn't changed hardly at all with these nerfs.... meaning all they did was get rid of some diversity, to placate screaming elitists.

    Auldwulfe
  • Chase0351
    Chase0351
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    HA’s still hit for 5-6k/tick. They need to cut that in half, at the very least, just like everything else is in cyrodil. Try casting a skill or two and bar swapping once in a while like the rest of us. That’s what everyone else has to do.

    I’m not really sure why HA builds even have a place in this game at all. We only have 5 skill buttons to use and a D pad. Most HA build users are sorcs with multiple pets… How much help does one need to complete content?
  • Necrotech_Master
    Necrotech_Master
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    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Trejgon wrote: »
    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.

    I am unsure what you are refering to as "over the top", especially with follow up comment on "just make it against monsters"

    Teh only HA related nerfs I am seeing in PTS patch notes is empower dropping from 80% more damage to 70% more damage, and empower already was only affecting PvE damage, and the nerf of storm master set, but for this one only "just making it against monsters only" really matters. Unless you are trying to tell me that HA builds are struggling to score HA crit in 3s window between new 5s cd lapses and the new 8s duration lapses....

    Test it yourself. Right now Storm Master is only at about 80% up-time even with >50% critical hit chance since it requires a fully-charged HA crit. So dont try to say it wasnt a huge nerf. Show me a parse of yourself with 100% up-time on PTS and i will consider your opinion again.

    Is it up 100% on live?

    basically, on live its 20 sec duration buff, and 10 sec cooldown, so theres like a 10 second window to re-proc it (which is at least 4 fully charged heavy attacks worth

    a 3 sec window is 1 fully charged heavy attack

    (heavy attack has a 2.1 sec channel)
    plays PC/NA
    handle @Necrotech_Master
    active player since april 2014

    i have my main house (grand topal hideaway) listed in the housing tours, it has multiple target dummies, scribing altar, and grandmaster stations (in progress being filled out), as well as almost every antiquity furnishing on display to preview them

    feel free to stop by and use the facilities
  • NuarBlack
    NuarBlack
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    Billium813 wrote: »
    Auldwulfe wrote: »
    Billium813 wrote: »
    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks

    Never confuse people with facts, when their minds are made up.

    At this point -- they will drive away the enthusiasm, and players, until the only way the gatekeepers can keep the country club they just drove the plebs out of, is extreme monitization......

    There are other games....
    I will stay as long as I can still have fun... when they cross the line, I leave... and a LOT of people feel that way.......
    Of course, now that Microsoft is a player, and a huge advocate of accessibility... complaints to them about the loss of accessibility will get attention.

    Auldwulfe

    See, the thing is, I don't want HA builds to go away. But they have a big issue right now. Most of the HA sets themselves unfairly favor Lightning Staves and that makes damage balancing really hard! They can't buff HA sets, or properly manage Empower, because Lightning Staves skew the damage sooo much since they are basically the only viable weapon (and therefore Skills) option. They make 1 or 2 changes and HA builds either crumble to dust or remain top of the mid-game heap. BOTH are terrible for the game! The reason HA builds are so fragile though is sooo obvious: because there is no diversity in build choices!
    Developer Comment:
    Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.

    If they would just change Lightning Staves channel damage to no longer get HA set damage buffs, then they could probably look at increasing HA sets damage buff, or even increasing Empower damage! This sort of change would only help to give HA builds more real estate to play with, more build opportunities, legitimize HA builds as a viable build option instead of a 1 weapon gimmick, and give HA builds a more stable platform for future balance changes.

    It just boggles my mind how they can be supposedly be "working on Heavy Attack build viability", and they see no issues with Lightning Staff being the only viable build option. Or that 1 set, Sergeant's Mail, is the only real viable option to run because of its interaction with Lightning Staves unique channel damage component. They HAVE to know this interaction is an issue because they've already gone through this with Restoration Staff! Except "we can't have Resto Staff putting up big DPS.. nuke it specifically". Why does Lightning Staff get a pass? Why does it get to be the best AOE damage, best single target damage, and range?

    It just infuriates me that they refuse to fix the real issues and instead place bandages on everything.

    It really is lightning staff specifically. I really wish HA flame staff was viable as if fulfills the fire Mage power fantasy and it is relatively easy to counter in pvp unlike the undogeable lightning channel. HA builds are one trick pony gimmicks as they are now.

    Simple changes would be the final tick is the only relevant tick in regards to empower and set procs and maybe even only applies to the primary target. They then could buff flame and fire staff HA options without fearing Lightning staff would get out of hand.
  • NuarBlack
    NuarBlack
    ✭✭✭✭
    Chase0351 wrote: »
    HA’s still hit for 5-6k/tick. They need to cut that in half, at the very least, just like everything else is in cyrodil. Try casting a skill or two and bar swapping once in a while like the rest of us. That’s what everyone else has to do.

    I’m not really sure why HA builds even have a place in this game at all. We only have 5 skill buttons to use and a D pad. Most HA build users are sorcs with multiple pets… How much help does one need to complete content?

    None Lightning HA used to have a place in other builds though in pvp which was good because they are very much counterable. Gave skilled players a universal delayed burst mechanic. Now that all heavies besides Lightning Staff have been nerfed into the ground it has actually hurt non HA builds more.
    Edited by NuarBlack on May 12, 2023 5:02PM
  • Remathilis
    Remathilis
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Community: fire staves are the only viable destruction staff in ESO. It's stifling creativity! Buff ice and lightning staves!
    ZoS: ice staff buffed on warden while keeping defensive abilities, makes lightning staves the HA staff.
    Community: no. Not like that.
  • Aces-High-82
    Aces-High-82
    ✭✭✭✭
    NuarBlack wrote: »
    Billium813 wrote: »
    Auldwulfe wrote: »
    Billium813 wrote: »
    • Buffs and Debuffs
      • Empower: Reduced this bonus to 70%, down from 80%
        Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.
    • Storm Master:
      • This set’s bonus damage with Light and Heavy Attacks now only works against monsters.
      • Reduced the duration of the bonus to 8 seconds, down from 20 seconds.
      • Reduced the cooldown to 5 seconds, down from 10.

    @ZOS You've completely missed the issue! Storm Master wasn't used in PvP anyway. Empower was not really the issue either. The issue is 100% Sergeant's Mail and Lightning Staves channel damage imbalance with HA sets. Nerfing Storm Master is pointless when other HA buff sets are much more egregious too! Sergeant's Mail buffs 2580 vs Storm Master that only buffs 1542. Poking Empower from 80% -> 70% does absolutely nothing and Empower isn't even the issue to begin with!

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/629658/comparing-heavy-attacks

    Never confuse people with facts, when their minds are made up.

    At this point -- they will drive away the enthusiasm, and players, until the only way the gatekeepers can keep the country club they just drove the plebs out of, is extreme monitization......

    There are other games....
    I will stay as long as I can still have fun... when they cross the line, I leave... and a LOT of people feel that way.......
    Of course, now that Microsoft is a player, and a huge advocate of accessibility... complaints to them about the loss of accessibility will get attention.

    Auldwulfe

    See, the thing is, I don't want HA builds to go away. But they have a big issue right now. Most of the HA sets themselves unfairly favor Lightning Staves and that makes damage balancing really hard! They can't buff HA sets, or properly manage Empower, because Lightning Staves skew the damage sooo much since they are basically the only viable weapon (and therefore Skills) option. They make 1 or 2 changes and HA builds either crumble to dust or remain top of the mid-game heap. BOTH are terrible for the game! The reason HA builds are so fragile though is sooo obvious: because there is no diversity in build choices!
    Developer Comment:
    Since we've started working on Heavy Attack build viability in the past year, we've seen a massive surge in their use, which is absolutely phenomenal for seeing more players being able to participate in end-game content at a much more digestible pace. While we're happy to see these builds being ran, we're seeing these builds inch a little too close to some of the high end builds with how much more simplified they are, and in some rare cases, they're outperforming a standard build. We're cutting down the damage bonus here ever so slightly in hopes that when you have Empower with a bunch of other Heavy Attack bonus sets, the numbers are still nice and juicy, but not as close to a full-on Light Attack build.

    If they would just change Lightning Staves channel damage to no longer get HA set damage buffs, then they could probably look at increasing HA sets damage buff, or even increasing Empower damage! This sort of change would only help to give HA builds more real estate to play with, more build opportunities, legitimize HA builds as a viable build option instead of a 1 weapon gimmick, and give HA builds a more stable platform for future balance changes.

    It just boggles my mind how they can be supposedly be "working on Heavy Attack build viability", and they see no issues with Lightning Staff being the only viable build option. Or that 1 set, Sergeant's Mail, is the only real viable option to run because of its interaction with Lightning Staves unique channel damage component. They HAVE to know this interaction is an issue because they've already gone through this with Restoration Staff! Except "we can't have Resto Staff putting up big DPS.. nuke it specifically". Why does Lightning Staff get a pass? Why does it get to be the best AOE damage, best single target damage, and range?

    It just infuriates me that they refuse to fix the real issues and instead place bandages on everything.

    It really is lightning staff specifically. I really wish HA flame staff was viable as if fulfills the fire Mage power fantasy and it is relatively easy to counter in pvp unlike the undogeable lightning channel. HA builds are one trick pony gimmicks as they are now.

    Simple changes would be the final tick is the only relevant tick in regards to empower and set procs and maybe even only applies to the primary target. They then could buff flame and fire staff HA options without fearing Lightning staff would get out of hand.

    You can doge the final tick
  • Cast_El
    Cast_El
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    They still didn't fix TRI focus exploit
  • remosito
    remosito
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    Yes, storm master was definitely used in pvp, running combat logs every battleground, I could see how many people were using it...A lot.

    I do. Can't be arsed to get a pvp set. So I just run my pve stuff...
    ShutYerTrap (selectively mute NPC dialogues (stuga, companions); displayleads (antiquity leads location); UndauntedPledgeQueuer (small daily undaunted dungeon queuer window)
  • Jammy420
    Jammy420
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    Nerf was over the top and would've been perfectly fine to just make it "against monsters" only.

    No it wasnt. Less effort required - less effective. Right thing to do.
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