Nerf Removal: Soul Strike

NxJoeyD · February 3

Some time ago the Devs removed the attribute of Soul Strike (all variations) that slowed the target players movement speed. This was done because line-of-sight breaks are an essential part of the counter strategy. I agree with that … but …. In recent changes to the game the issue now is that there are SOOO many opportunities to break line of sight with the high number of scenery objects that the target keeping full movement speed kills the ability value.

In the grand scheme of things when using this ability in any real world gameplay a player won’t often get 2 ticks out of the ability before line of sight is broken behind anything.

Thats even before we address the matter of the bugs with single target abilities in general; making the ability a bear just to trigger in the first place.

Given the very high degree players have for: persistent HoT, high mitigation, high mobility (either through movement buffs or abilities), and the high amount of objects available to use to break LoS, the movement speed reduction is really needed to make this ability competitive.

There’s no point in having any abilities that are near useless in application and if we’re going to have abilities that we all know aren’t great in use then let’s remove them for something that is useful. This ability has way too many options to mitigate which can be combined; when we think about the Bow ult or some of the other lower cost Ults the state of Soul Strike is woeful.

Artim_X · February 3

I use this ultimate all the time in PvP. It works just fine. My preferred morph is Shatter Soul which will do damage when the skill completes/breaks/canceled.

Soul Assault morph is still good, but depends on who you're facing while I feel Shatter Soul will be more reliable due to the shorter duration and unexpected explosion.

This skill is a hard counter to invisible players and nightblades that are overly relying on stealth as their main means of disengaging especially if they are glass cannons. It is not ideal for all scenarios, but when the moment arises to counter someone, it is chef's kiss.

IMHO no change is needed to the skill.

NxJoeyD · February 3

I use the ability, daily, in PvP also and particularly in BG & IC everyone breaks LoS almost as soon as it’s applied. Since their movement speed isn’t limited but the casters IS, it all but ensures the ability can be broken.

In PvP LoS isn’t the only counter; high mobility makes applying the ability more difficult and as mentioned before; super high mitigation is everywhere in PvP, even among NBs. Stealth is by far the only means for NBs, I see tons of them with either persistent heals and mitigation that this ability isn’t a major threat.

Soul Shatters AoE pop upon deactivation is ok but let’s be real; having Shatter broken after 2 to 3 ticks doesn’t result in a damage output that’s on-par with the general idea of an “Ult, especially since Soul Strike is a higher cost ability and isn’t spammable.

Everyone in PvP has a counter for this; it needs something; either the targets moment speed slowed, the casters movement speed left alone, or reduce the Ult cost.

This ability is rarely applied to full duration in PvP; maybe in the fields of Cyrodill but who’s fighting out there? Even in objective areas there’s plenty to break LoS.

NxJoeyD · February 3

I’m sorry and let me clarify; I’m not saying that in even most cases Soul Strike should be active to completion, but, what I am saying is that, on average, the amount of damage it does during its application time should be worth the cost.

At this point, having SS (or either of its morphs) on for 2 to 3 ticks is less in total than my default spam magic damage ability.

That means it would be more beneficial for me to use my main ability 2 to 3 times and do more damage than have SS active for 2 to 3 ticks. Where’s the benefit in that?

Toxic Barrage sees more of a dps rate so even if it’s interrupted the value is there; I’m advocating making SS in-line performance wise with TB, in terms of damage potential.