Fixing 1H/S's Battefield Mobility passive

Hiero_Glyph · October 2015

So let's be honest, 1H/S is pretty bad right now due to regenerating zero stamina while blocking, which is only compounded by stamina only regenerating every 2s. This means that you not only lose the current tick of stamina regen when you block, but then must wait 2s for the next tick. So we adapt and we now only block when we see damage coming but that leaves the top tier passive in the 1H/S tree pretty pointless. If you look at what Battlefield Mobility does, it lets you move 60% faster while blocking. Again, you don't want to hold block for extended periods of time due to the stamina regen change so this is pretty bad for an end of tree passive. So here are a couple of ideas to fix the top 1H/S passive, let me know what you think and if you have any other ideas that could work (or if you think the current passive is balanced and doesn't need to be changed).

Idea #1: Leave the 60% movement bonus while blocking and add a 5/10s minor expedition buff whenever you block. This would be the simplest solution as you would still benefit from moving slightly faster while blocking but now gain added mobility for a short duration after you stop blocking. The duration could be shortened but as this is a minor buff I think 5/10s is fine.

Idea #2: Remove the current passive and add a a minor evasion and a minor expedition bonus that lasts for 5/10s. This is similar to the first idea but instead of moving faster while blocking, which is lackluster in the current meta, you gain a minor evasion buff. Since this would be the only skill/passive to gain minor evasion it would be a nice bonus with Evasion granting 25% dodge chance. Again, since these are minor buffs I don't see an issue with them lasting 5/10s but an argument could be made for making it slightly shorter (but no less than 3/5s).

Idea #3: Something else. Let me know what ideas you have.

Visemere · October 2015

having it slotted should

increase movement speed by 15% (Unmounted)
Reduce incoming ranged damage by the amount of Heavy Armor worn by 3/6/9/12/15/18/20%
when blocking damage gives you a 6s boost to Stamina regen that cannot occur more than once every 20s

jakeedmundson · October 2015

Agreed... i don't even waste the skill points on it anymore because you shouldn't be holding block long enough to move anyway. either block the attack or roll dodge away...

they need to make this passive better since the blocking nerf... i dont' really care what it is... just make us want to use it.

Hiero_Glyph · October 2015

Visemere wrote: »

having it slotted should

1) increase movement speed by 15% (Unmounted)
2) Reduce incoming ranged damage by the amount of Heavy Armor worn by 3/6/9/12/15/18/20%
3) when blocking damage gives you a 6s boost to Stamina regen that cannot occur more than once every 20s

1) A 10% bonus is a minor expedition buff so that's why I used that instead. I don't think allowing movement speed to stack to extreme values is a good thing so you want to avoid letting players stack too many speed buffs at once. Using a minor buff accomplishes this. Also, this isn't a skill but a passive so there is nothing to slot which is why I suggested a duration upon blocking. You could require blocking damage to proc the effect just to avoid using it as a speed boost all of the time.

2) No other weapon passive requires a specific armor type. This is far too limiting since even light and medium armor builds use a 1H/S. Also, it does not exactly fit with the Battlefield Mobility theme. This would be better as a heavy armor passive.

3) I think the entire point of preventing stamina regen while blocking was to avoid this situation. Black Rose was even changed to not allow for this. Also, you would still regenerate zero stamina while holding block so would the regen be lost or negated if you block multiple times in quick succession? I do not feel that increasing stamina regen is the answer for blocking and reducing the stamina cost of blocking seems a better fit (just not for a Battlefield Mobility passive).

Interesting ideas though but I'm not trying to overhaul all of the 1H/S passives, just the final one.

Manoekin · October 2015

Make you immune to incoming roots/snares while blocking. Note: "incoming" aka you can't purge yourself of previous roots/snares.

I actually still permablock quite a bit when part of a group. My friends can usually kill enemies fast enough for me to just repentance my stam back to full. I'd like to see it in addition to the current bonus, but I can understand if people would argue against that.

apostate9 · October 2015

I like Manoekin's suggeastion, or the OP's #1. Both good ideas.

hrothbern · October 2015

So let's be honest, 1H/S is pretty bad right now due to regenerating zero stamina while blocking.

@Hiero_Glyph ,
as such true,
But for pledges and trials longer periods of block are still to be preferred for many builds.
Moving out of red circles goes very very slow without this S&B mobility passive.

Taking this passive away will make tanking even more difficult. Perhaps not for you, but other players who still tank with high uptime of block.
So... I am absolutely against further nerfing of tanks, that still block.

Because of the Stamina nerf, I would welcome adding some valuable features to S&B abilities and/or passives

Jura23 · October 2015

hrothbern wrote: »

So let's be honest, 1H/S is pretty bad right now due to regenerating zero stamina while blocking.

as such true,
But for pledges and trials longer periods of block are still to be preferred for many builds.
Moving out of red circles goes very very slow without this S&B mobility passive.

Taking this passive away will make tanking even more difficult.
So... I am absolutely against this further nerfing of tanks

I usually roll away from red or run not blocking or just stay inside if the dmg doesnt bother me. But Ive never run out while blocking.

hrothbern · October 2015

Jura23 wrote: »

hrothbern wrote: »

So let's be honest, 1H/S is pretty bad right now due to regenerating zero stamina while blocking.

as such true,
But for pledges and trials longer periods of block are still to be preferred for many builds.
Moving out of red circles goes very very slow without this S&B mobility passive.

Taking this passive away will make tanking even more difficult.
So... I am absolutely against this further nerfing of tanks

I usually roll away from red or run not blocking or just stay inside if the dmg doesnt bother me. But Ive never run out while blocking.

I eat the damage like you when it's low, but have not the Stamina available to dodgeroll that much :-(

Hiero_Glyph · October 2015

hrothbern wrote: »

So let's be honest, 1H/S is pretty bad right now due to regenerating zero stamina while blocking.

@Hiero_Glyph ,
as such true,
But for pledges and trials longer periods of block are still to be preferred for many builds.
Moving out of red circles goes very very slow without this S&B mobility passive.

Taking this passive away will make tanking even more difficult. Perhaps not for you, but other players who still tank with high uptime of block.
So... I am absolutely against further nerfing of tanks, that still block.

Because of the Stamina nerf, I would welcome adding some valuable features to S&B abilities and/or passives

Yeah, that's why I suggested Idea #1. I still think the movement bonus while blocking can be useful but it's very restrictive. I mean if you compare it to the other top-of-tree passives it is incredibly lackluster. At least granting minor expedition would make it always a benefit in some way, especially since you just lost all stamina regen for 2-4s.

hardcore_gmr · October 2015

My idea is that they make the passive allow 25/50% stamina regen while blocking. This gives tanks what they need. and makes sword and board a desirable weapon set again.