Hello all,

Wanted to take a moment or two and talk about a main change in this PTS cycle. Namely the Nerfs to Destructive Touch and Scatter Shot. I bring this up because it has been rolling around in my head and bothering me a bit.

Destructive Reach was a crutch used by too many builds, characters, and classes. My partner uses it on basically every single one of his magicka characters in PVP, and when I'm in PVP I have Rings of Fire raining down on me like Toads in the Apocalypse. So, I understand why the Devs have decided to take the time to rework this skill.

Likewise, Draining Shot has hit the same level of usage since they changed its range. It used to almost never be used, mainly by niche builds, (I had a bow Warden that used it before it was made full range.) But once that 28 meters kicked in and it could take advantage of the Reach Passive for Cyrodiil, it became a healing stun fest tour de force. It doesn't have the same easily telegraphed Huge Ring of Fire coming at you to let you know that you need to block or dodge as the magicka counterpart does and it stun is a hard root which is much more difficult to break. This too, was a good case of needing a rework.

Destructive Touch for Mag users and Scattering Shot for Stam users.

They are both ranged stuns with damage from a weapon skill line. They are both now being called Utlitly skills instead of damage skills (though each are being given a purely damage morph.) Flame Clench and Magnum Shot are the exact same skill with different names and phys vs elemental damage.

However; the reworking of the skills does not keep them on par with each other. The nerfing of 1 is far more severe than the nerfing of the other.

As of Update 23 and PTS Cycle 5.1.3 this is how the 2 skills are designed when put one against the other:



As you can see I added in bold underline that Scattershot and all its morphsSTILL GIVE A ROOT STUN. For some reason the Tool Tips just casually leaves this off, as if the skill now only knocks back. Though as you can see, as most stuns in the game, the Flame Clench stun is clearly stated.

I tested on PTS just to make sure, that it isn't just a knock back and found the stun is still there even on Magnum Shot, where PTS cycle 5.1.0 stated it no longer knocked back. It does and it still stuns.

Even more, you can see the disparity when you EXTRACT the skills of Flame Clench vs Magnum Shot.

Magnum Shot does 48.5% more damage upfront than that of Flame Clench.

Magnum Shot has 7 meters more range, or a 50% increase in range, versus Flame Clench.

Magnum Shot gets all this at ONLY a 284 Cost increase vs Flame Clench.

Yes just 248 Stamina.

But, the DISPARITY gets even WORSE when you then compare it to the 2nd Morph Draining Shot.

Draining Shot does 20% more damage upfront than Flame Clench.

Draining Shot still has 7 meters more range, or a 50% increase in range, versus Flame Clench

NOW, it also has a BURST HEAL attached that is 70% as strong as a Templar's Breath of Life or the Burst heal of Mutagen from the Restoration Stave line. It is even 20% STRONGER than a Restorations Staves only active burst heal Blessing of Protection.

And it GETS ALL THIS at a cost of increase of ONLY 513 Stamina.

Seriously? 513 more Stamina gets you all of that?


Damage, Knock Back, Root Stun, and Burst Heal all in 1 skill, with 50% greater range than its closest counterpart for only 513 more cost.


We won;t even go into how Reach was effectively nullified in PVP and became a 2nd, YES 2nd ranged spammable of the Destructive Stave line for PVE, (Provided you use a Master's Stave).

Or How SHOCK CLENCH LOST IT'S COMPLETE FUNCTIONALITY of the skill's intend use no matter which morph you choose.

Take note that initially Scatter Shot was only a 10 Meter Range skill, made 28 meters, and now nerfed to 22 meters, still 120% greater distance than originally. While the Stun of Reach has ALWAYS been 28 meters and is now nerfed under that of its counterpart to only 15 meters.

Now, there are arguments that Stamina skills do more damage than magicka, but this is based on Melee vs Range. Melee skills do more, and now melee magicka skills have been readjusted to be stronger than ranged counterpart.

But both the skills in question are BOTH Ranged skills. So why is one clearly stronger than the other?

Is this balanced? Is this truly creating an equal playing field here?

So, I tried my hand at it. To create skills that are STILL NERFED from their current live versions, but are still usable, equal, and balanced.


In this, the base skills remain mostly unchanged from what they have done to them on the current PTS cycle 5.1.3. Only the Destructive Touch base damage has been increased, this is so the upfront damage is now equal to its stamina counterpart skill as they are again, both ranged and thus should be equal to each other. The greatest difference is that Destructive Touch has been given the same range as Scatter Shot placing them both at 22 meters.

By doing this, it keeps them functioning as partially ranged skills that will not get the added bonus of the Reach Passive in PVP Cyrodiil, but keep the player mostly out of range of straight melee skills.

The Destructive Clench morph is the MOST CHANGED on the Destructive Stave side of the equation. It has the 22 meter range, and now the upfront Damage Increase of Magnum Shot to keep them both on par to each other. Likewise each Stave type retains its distinctive use.

Flame Clench becomes the EXACT EQUAL to Magnum Shot.
Shock Clench has regained the 3 second stun but LOSES the knock back effect trading it in for the now created 5-meter radius AOE damage it has currently been have given on PTS.
Frost Clench Trades the knock back for an immobilization, and the 3 second stun for a 3 second 40% snare.

Magnum Shot in return becomes cheaper, as the rule being that the same skill of Stamina is 15% Cheaper than it's Magicka Counterpart. This checks out as it now is exactly 15% cheaper than the Magicka version. Otherwise it retains all that it currently does.

Draining Shot is the MOST CHANGED on the Bow skill side. This skill is given the 28 meter range that was just taken from it but loses the Knock Back and Stun.

In this design, both Destructive Reach and Draining Shot become 28 meter skills with no stun that will both have the ability to be affected by the Reach Assault line passive. Destructive Reach gets its Damage Over Time while Draining Shot gets a Very Powerful Burst Heal.

The cost of the skills remain in line on both of these morphs, as skills that heal, especially Burst Heals, cost MORE than pure damage skills. Draining shot carries a burst of upfront damage at full range and returns a burst heal that as, stated before, is reaching the heights of some of the strongest heals in the game.

It forces the player to make a decision on the Scatter Shot morph.

Higher damage, knock back with root stun at 22 meter range.

Or

Lower Damage, Strong Burst Heal, with Full Range and no knock back or stun.


On the Destructive Stave side the same decisions must be made.


Higher Upfront damage with a stunning effect but 22 meter ranged

Or

Full Damage morph with lower upfront damage but a Strong DOT at full Range with Lower spammable ranged cost.



The choice is yours. The skills are balanced and equal to each other in fair use.



Notice: I do understand that Ancient Knowledge will give all Morphs of Flame higher values, and Shock Clench higher value as well, but Bow also has Hawk Eye which theoretically can boost the Bow's Damage by up to 25% more damage. Thus they wash each other out with Bow actually having the edge and likely still hitting harder than the Destruction stave skills.