Grave Grasp is still way too clunky and expensive to slot

CameraBeardThePirate · July 10

The idea of adding something else to this ability is great, but there's not a single scenario where this will end up on anyone's bar even post buff.

Landing all 3 patches will basically never happen unless you're fighting an oversized boss in PvE, and even then, you're better off spamming Scythe as it has a much lower cost. Spamming Grave Grasp simply isn't sustainable.

In PvP, this ability is extremely difficult to land because of how slow the patches come out. Either speed up the patches, or make the ability deal even more damage. It costs a ton of magicka, so hoping and praying for that one miracle cast where you land more than 1 patch is simply unrealistic and again, not sustainable.

Maybe consider adding a % damage taken from Necro abilities to this skill, with a decently long duration. Then it might actually land a spot on Necromancer's bar. This current iteration just isn't it.

Please also take a look at the Empowering Morph, because the Empower buff is practically useless to most players, and the Pet buff (without hyperbole) never actually lands on your pets due to how pets position themselves at your flank.

Twohothardware · July 10

Grave grasp and empowering grasp are both really bad skills that need overhauled. No ones slotting either one with the current change.

Aldoss · July 11

@CameraBeardThePirate I'm just going to chime in here that I do actually use empowering on my pvp necro heal and I'd be sad to see it go.

The skill actually feels rewarding to use, kind of like shalks. The pet buff rarely happens, but does sometimes depending on how quick I'm strafing to land the fields where I want them. I'd rather just see this skill empower the pets regardless of their position.

As for landing multiple patches... yeah, dropping the dmg multiplier because it's *theoretically possible* is misguided. I can land 2 patches maybe 1 out of every 20 casts. The skill already requires skill to use effectively. Just give it the damage if you want people on non-niche builds to slot it.

I get that I'm in the minority, but I'd really rather not see the skill gutted.

Urvoth · July 11

I agree and they may as well increase the siphon radius as well while they’re at it

CameraBeardThePirate · July 11

Aldoss wrote: »

@CameraBeardThePirate I'm just going to chime in here that I do actually use empowering on my pvp necro heal and I'd be sad to see it go.

The skill actually feels rewarding to use, kind of like shalks. The pet buff rarely happens, but does sometimes depending on how quick I'm strafing to land the fields where I want them. I'd rather just see this skill empower the pets regardless of their position.

As for landing multiple patches... yeah, dropping the dmg multiplier because it's *theoretically possible* is misguided. I can land 2 patches maybe 1 out of every 20 casts. The skill already requires skill to use effectively. Just give it the damage if you want people on non-niche builds to slot it.

I get that I'm in the minority, but I'd really rather not see the skill gutted.

When I say I'd like to see the empower morph changed, I really just mean that I'd like to see the pet buff be easier to apply.

As is now, it's actually bugged - even if you manage to hit it, the ghost doesnt actually get buffed sometimes (and maybe the other pets, but just the ghost from my testing). It's a coin flip on if you manage to hit the pets, and then another on if they actually get buffed.

They should just make the buff easier to land, always active while on bar, or apply on cast whether you hit the pet or not.

EF321 · July 11

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Aldoss wrote: »

@CameraBeardThePirate I'm just going to chime in here that I do actually use empowering on my pvp necro heal and I'd be sad to see it go.

The skill actually feels rewarding to use, kind of like shalks. The pet buff rarely happens, but does sometimes depending on how quick I'm strafing to land the fields where I want them. I'd rather just see this skill empower the pets regardless of their position.

As for landing multiple patches... yeah, dropping the dmg multiplier because it's *theoretically possible* is misguided. I can land 2 patches maybe 1 out of every 20 casts. The skill already requires skill to use effectively. Just give it the damage if you want people on non-niche builds to slot it.

I get that I'm in the minority, but I'd really rather not see the skill gutted.

When I say I'd like to see the empower morph changed, I really just mean that I'd like to see the pet buff be easier to apply.

As is now, it's actually bugged - even if you manage to hit it, the ghost doesnt actually get buffed sometimes (and maybe the other pets, but just the ghost from my testing). It's a coin flip on if you manage to hit the pets, and then another on if they actually get buffed.

They should just make the buff easier to land, always active while on bar, or apply on cast whether you hit the pet or not.

Yes, just tried on archer - direct hits while both stationary, somtimes it buffs him, sometimes not. Impossible to land if you are moving.

StarOfElyon · July 11

EF321 wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Aldoss wrote: »

@CameraBeardThePirate I'm just going to chime in here that I do actually use empowering on my pvp necro heal and I'd be sad to see it go.

The skill actually feels rewarding to use, kind of like shalks. The pet buff rarely happens, but does sometimes depending on how quick I'm strafing to land the fields where I want them. I'd rather just see this skill empower the pets regardless of their position.

As for landing multiple patches... yeah, dropping the dmg multiplier because it's *theoretically possible* is misguided. I can land 2 patches maybe 1 out of every 20 casts. The skill already requires skill to use effectively. Just give it the damage if you want people on non-niche builds to slot it.

I get that I'm in the minority, but I'd really rather not see the skill gutted.

When I say I'd like to see the empower morph changed, I really just mean that I'd like to see the pet buff be easier to apply.

As is now, it's actually bugged - even if you manage to hit it, the ghost doesnt actually get buffed sometimes (and maybe the other pets, but just the ghost from my testing). It's a coin flip on if you manage to hit the pets, and then another on if they actually get buffed.

They should just make the buff easier to land, always active while on bar, or apply on cast whether you hit the pet or not.

Yes, just tried on archer - direct hits while both stationary, somtimes it buffs him, sometimes not. Impossible to land if you are moving.

I got the archer on my death recap for the first time ever. It got the killing blow for like 420 damage 😂.

Also this is a necro thread so I gotta do my thing:

StarOfElyon wrote: »

This is an updated version of my Necro ideas thread from 2023 (https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/633137/suggestions-for-necromancer-changes) with adjustments accounting for the Update 43 patch notes.

One thing that ZOS has been doing lately, especially with the Arcanist class, is making skills require less micromanagement and loading them with multiple functions:
Cephaliarch's Flail:
Infuse your arm with abyssal magic to form tentacles that lash out at your foes dealing 1939 Physical Damage, healing yourself for 969, and generating Crux. Enemies are immobilized for 3 seconds and marked with Abyssal Ink for 20 seconds. You deal 5% increased damage to enemies drenched in Abyssal Ink.

Tome-Bearer's Inspiration:
Etch a series of runes onto your weapon that pulse with power once every 5 seconds. Each pulse enhances your class abilities, and striking an enemy with one deals an additional 1161 Magic Damage and generates Crux if you have none. While slotted on either ability bar, gain Major Brutality and Major Sorcery, increasing your Weapon and Spell Damage by 20%.

My first suggestion is to give Necromancers the same treatment. My suggestions for skills follow.

Blighted Blastbones: cost determined by the highest resource.
(I have mourned the loss of Stalking Blastbones and I have accepted that fact that I'm just going to have to change my Necro)

Death Scythe: (both morphs)
Deals more damage based on the enemy's missing health. Cost determined by the highest resource.
- Hungry Scythe: should also apply life steal to all enemies hit, in addition to healing the caster over time.

Shocking Siphon: The AOE should remain on the ground even if the tether breaks early. (Increase the radius size too)
- Mystic Siphon: the increased Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery persists even if the tether breaks early.

Flame Skull:
- Riccochet Skull/Venom Skull: applies burning/poisoned status effects. (Increase travel speed)

Bone Totem: summons an effigy of bones up to 28 meters away. After 1 second, the totem begins fearing nearby enemies every 2 seconds, causing them to cower in place for 4 seconds. (Changed to allow both morphs to be targeted)
- Warding Totem: (Formerly Remote Totem) grants minor protection when standing in the area of effect.
- Agony Totem: afflicts enemies in the area of effect with minor cowardice.

Restoring Tether: the effects persist on the player character even if the tether breaks early.

Render Flesh:
- Resistant Flesh: (remains unchanged)
- Blood Sacrifice: consumes a corpse to grant you Major Courage (or Major Berserk) for 10 seconds.

Expunge: reduces the cost of all your abilities by 3% while slotted on either bar.

Bitter Harvest: when slotted on either bar, reduces your damage taken by 3%.

Boneyard increase the radius to 8 meters.

ULTIMATES:
Frozen Colossus: Unleash a decayed Flesh Colossus to pulverize enemies in the area. The Colossus smashes the ground three times over 3 seconds. Dealing damage applies Major Vulnerability to any enemy hit for 12 seconds.
- Glacial Colossus: does frost damage and stuns enemies on the second hit instead of the third.
- Pestilent Colossus: smashes the ground only once and does disease damage. Afflicts enemies with a pestilence that does damage over time.

Animate Blastbones: instead of resurrecting allies, this ultimate summons up to three blastbones to attack the nearest opponent. Reduce the cost of this ultimate to 200, down from 320, to make it more usable.