ZOS- Please make Scatter Shot Bow ability more competitive or balanced vs. other skills

AdicusDio · August 2017

Scatter Shot's range is only 10 meters. Compared with Piercing Javelin (28 meters), it truly stinks and the knock-back effect is less. You have to run up to an enemy and basically be within melee range (not a great spot for a bow to be in), whereas Piercing Javelin can knock people off keep walls from the ground; sometimes from one out cropping to the next or worse, knocks you through the grating people pour oil over. Scatter Shot? Does none of that unless you somehow managed to sneak up to there and wait for an ideal shot w/o getting detected and cross your fingers the knock-back even occurs. It also seems to have less of a knock-back effect on players than it does vs. PvE enemies, which actually get knocked back further, and acts more like a brief disabling effect like the morph of Poison Injection provide if you hit someone casting. And the knock-back effect isn't even guaranteed, but Piercing Javelin apparently is unless you are lucky enough to see it getting cast in a mob or 30 headless chickens running over each other and hold block until you can break line of sight.

I understand Scatter Shot might have been intended as a "last resort" attack to disable an attacker briefly (Magnum knocks you back 6 meters IIRC from attacker vs. stealing health) to allow for an escape, but it doesn't work reliably enough in that scenario (vs. Piercing Javelin that always seems to connect and knock you on your back, rather dramatically) at that distance and with reduced chance of even knocking them back.

Please consider buffing Scatter Shot's morphs- maybe have Magnum 15 meters + 6 meter knock-back with slightly more damage than it presently offers to be more effective in PvP combat, and give Draining Shot 28 meter range + a guaranteed knock-back.

I realize Eagle-Eye adds 3 meters to all bow abilities (makes snipe very nice when other archers can't snipe you), but even then 13 meters for SS is still too short, and the chance of getting the knock-back are not any better. Considering some of the rather detailed reductions/buffs coming up in the next major patch, it makes no sense to ignore this skill that has the potential to be more useful than it presently sits in it's current iteration.

Shadzilla · August 2017

In all honesty I would like to see this skill be completely reworked... Knockback is not something the bow skill line needs, even if they did increase the range the skill would still be unused by most. I wouldn't mind seeing another DOT skill in the bow line, or possibly a really nice utility option similar to blade cloak.

AdicusDio · August 2017

PvE, scattershot was helpful early on (sub 100 cp and before Vigor) as it allowed me to immobilize mobs to focus on bigger threats + it gave health back.

PvP, it'd actually be useful if the range was extended and it acted like other class abilities like Javelin (reliably), where again it could immobilize someone or knock them off something, etc.

SanTii.92 · August 2017

Also while you are at it, fix the really buggy Cc. So annoying.

Koolio · August 2017

This move is great in pvp. Doesn't need changing imo. Lost many of fights because of this.

Zeromaz · August 2017

This ability is my bread and butter in pvp on my stam nightblade. I suggest you invest more time in using it and learning the cool qwerky tricks you can make happen with this ability.

Toc de Malsvi · August 2017

Scatter Shot does need improvement but range isn't the biggest factor I would say.

Although range would fit nicely with the bow tool kit it won't change the fact that this supposed "CC" is a disorient that is broken by any sort of damage, which often means your DoT effects break the target out of the "CC" before they even hit the ground. Almost as soon as they start moving from the knock back itself.

Make it a knockdown or make where disorient is not broken by DoT effects.

Rowjoh · August 2017

It's not just Scatter Shot that needs looking at, the Bow needs buffing in some way shape or form.

Fact: Overall the Bow is significantly weaker than any other weapon type.

It shouldn't be buffed to be on a par with sorcs or blade users, especially for PVP, but a couple of strategic buffs here and there to at least make it more acceptable for dlc content, trials etc would be a fair thing to do.

Even in PvP the Bow has more shortcomings than any other weapon type and the ultimate is laughable compared to the destro ultimate.

CaffeinatedMayhem · August 2017

Shadzilla wrote: »

In all honesty I would like to see this skill be completely reworked... Knockback is not something the bow skill line needs, even if they did increase the range the skill would still be unused by most. I wouldn't mind seeing another DOT skill in the bow line, or possibly a really nice utility option similar to blade cloak.

I would go back to bow if players got some of the same skills as the Vvardenfell archers.

TBois · August 2017

It would be nice to get the heal of draining shot even if it didn't immobilizer your target, like if they had an immobmvable pot up, and also I could still dodge the heal as of last patch

olsborg · August 2017

The heal from draining shot is really unreliable, it doesnt happen 50% of the time. The dmg of the ability itself is very low and the cc is a disorient so if you have poison injection ticking on your target they will autobreak the cc and gain immunity. Its just very counter productive to use this skill.

STEVIL · August 2017

Toc de Malsvi wrote: »

Scatter Shot does need improvement but range isn't the biggest factor I would say.

Although range would fit nicely with the bow tool kit it won't change the fact that this supposed "CC" is a disorient that is broken by any sort of damage, which often means your DoT effects break the target out of the "CC" before they even hit the ground. Almost as soon as they start moving from the knock back itself.

Make it a knockdown or make where disorient is not broken by DoT effects.

i would second either of these but mostly push for the knockdown.

if i had my druthers on scatter...

it would start at 28m range, not the current 10m so that it has full benefit from long shots etc.
it would do a knock down not a disorient
One morph would be a short HOT* (replacing the current heal on end) that runs the length of CC immunity
The other morph would be a short DOT** (replacing the current increased damage and throw back) that runs the length of cc immunity.
Adjust the base damage as appropriate for these changes to not make it Op but add it as a tougher cc option that doesn't drive you into range where your passives stop helping.

* I left the HOT because of the current morph but i would be just as thrilled to see a decent speed increase instead. Knock them down and boost your speed seems to me to fit the needs as well. Another option would be a Minor Defile to go with the major defile from snipe, but i prefer the speed.

BIAS: my view of bow is that it should focus on range, maneuver, position and constant pressure so this guide my preferences here. the current scatter does not work well with that IMO. if your view of bow is different, you will likely reach different conclusions.

RadRzRg · August 2017

Scatter shot is actually a very annoying skill as it is. Giving it a range buff will make 1vX...Impossible.Imagine this senario : A poor magicka sorcerer casually streaking away from Big leader of the big zerg and his followers. He is bombarded with the meta shieldbreaker light attacks,crushing shock,and of course poison injections. Add scatter shot's increased range to the mix, include the double knockback bug it STILL has and you just got yourself a dead sorcerer! Thanks for the suggestion,but no thanks.