Werewolf's toolkit pre-Scribing consists of a gap closer themed as a pounce or leap (with a follow up execute DoT themed as a claw swipe), a self heal themed as a howl, an AoE stun themed as a roar, a conal AoE attack with a DoT themed as a claw swipe, and a single target ranged damaging projectile themed as a "deafening howl".



Here's what I find to be wrong with Piercing Howl and its morphs, in no particular order:

1. Werewolf has two howling-themed abilities and lacks any way of biting enemies outside of devouring their already-slain bodies.
2. Piercing Howl is a projectile, meaning it is countered by reflects like Defensive Stance and is blocked by projectile-absorbing effects like the ice wall that mage enemies place in PvE encounters.
3. It makes no sense for Werewolf, a melee brawler playstyle, to have a ranged attack as its main spammable.
4. Werewolf Behemoth, created after Werewolf received Piercing Howl, has a biting attack with zero cooldown as its main spammable.
5. A "deafening howl" projectile seems unfitting for the roleplay fantasy of Werewolf as a whole, while a biting attack would be far more thematic.

Here's the solution I propose:

• Piercing Howl should be changed to be a direct damage non-projectile biting attack. This would require changing the animation and SFX of the skill, but fortunately such animations and SFX already exist in the game.
• The effects of morphing Piercing Howl can remain the same. The biting attack corresponding to Howl of Agony would reduce the cost and deal more damage to Off Balance enemies, while the biting attack corresponding to Howl of Despair would grant you and allies the Feeding Frenzy synergy; this change also makes the name of the synergy make more sense.
• The old Piercing Howl attack could then be made into a Werewolf Grimoire, since it seems more "magical" in nature, by way of it being a projectile of literal sound. This would cut down on the work needed to make a Werewolf Grimoire, and it would allow players who liked the old Piercing Howl to continue using it.

@ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_JessicaFolsom