Curse

Innit · Mar 18, 2007, 01:30 PM // 13:30

Now I personally find Alliance Battles tons of fun, think they’re a great idea, and add a diverse form of PvP for us to play about with. On the other hand, ABs have been out for almost a year now with no new updates – it’s just been while and I’d like to see something new, to keep it interesting.

I’ve got several ideas in mind when it comes to this. It’s one thing to just add new maps, but I don’t think that would change anything. On the other hand, I think ABs should incorporate a Contribution Points system. You earn these for, well, contributing in battle. It’s not a difficult system to implement, it would function in the exactly same way the game determines whether or not you gain experience from a kill, which I quote from guildwiki: ‘To participate in the battle you must have been in aggro range of the enemies, used skills against the enemies or used buffs on allies which participate in the battle.’

Contribution Points could have a variety of uses. Primarily, it could serve as a multiplier to faction gained from kills, to a small effect. 50 contribution points could, for example, increase the amount gained from 1 to 2 per kill. (This is just an idea I’m throwing out there, I haven’t fine-tuned it at all). It could also be used to prevent leechers in that at least 1 CP is required to begin earning rewards (though I see that they might just run out there, get a CP, run back and leave – there are other ideas which could be more effective).

I think I read this somewhere else ages ago, but CP could provide endgame statistics when the match is over, such as calculating the Most Valuable Player (and maybe awarding them with 250 extra faction). I know a lot of people who would personally love this feature, as it would give them reason to strive for more during the battle.

I now move on to the idea I am most excited about. As Contribution Points stack up, you could perhaps have the option of adding some special skills to your bar. Bear with me, but say you have earned 100 points. You get that window that comes up that offers to replace an existing skill in your bar with a new one. This new skill could be, say, ‘Rally’, which is a shout and could perhaps give all allies within earshot +1 (or more) health regeneration (or something along those lines). 150 points could then earn you ‘Battle Cry’, which would let you carry the Attack Point buff into battle (though to a lesser degree, such as 15 sec duration, speed buff 15%, attack speed buff 10%, skill recharge 15%, and it would have a 5 sec casting, easily interruptible (with a shout bubble so you enemy would have a heads up), and a 120 sec disable. Keep in mind you can’t have both, taking Battle Cry will replace Rally. Finally, at 200 CP, you would get: Juggernaught/Siege Turtle. I always wondered why we never saw the ultimate Kurzick/Luxon forces on the battlefield. Well, with this skill, we could finally see it. Using it is like using a form, except your skill bar will be replaced with the respective beast’s skill bar, and it is permanent until you die, and can only be recharged by earning 100 (50?) more CP.

I think this deserves another paragraph because I like the idea so much. The Kuzick Juggernaught would have about 750 hit points, 120 AL, the attack speed of a hammer, and a damage arc of about 35-51, 80% movement speed (it’s slowed down), inherent 2 health regen. It would also have the skills –
• Aura of the Juggernaught (+1 energy regen to nearby allies, excluding self)
• Juggernaught Toss (touched foe takes 50 damage and is knocked down for 5 secs)
• Juggernaught Roar (same as Rally)
• Juggernaught Cry (same as Battle Cry)
• Juggernaught Smash (4 Adrenaline, 2 sec casting, all adjacent foes knocked down)
• Juggernaught Blow (8 Adrenaline, 1 sec casting, target foe takes 100 damage and suffers from Weakness, Crippled and Dazed for 15 sec)
• Juggernaught’s Rest (Lose all conditions, +40 armour for 20 secs, +6 health regen, ends if you move, deal damage, use a skill, or are knocked down, 120 sec disable)
• Juggernaught’s Duty (sacrifice self; all adjacent allies are resurrected with 50% health and 50% energy).

I think, to keep it fair, the Juggernaught and Siege Turtle cannot be the target of any ally’s spells (so he can’t be healed, enchanted, resurrected, etc.), chants or shouts.

Now, the Siege Turtle should be similar. 600 hit points, 150 AL, range and attack speed of a longbow, but attacks should cause 50 damage at the point of attack, 25 to adjacent, 15 to nearby, but as they’re fairly slow moving projectiles, they should be able to be dodged. 70% attack speed (slowed down further), inherent 2 health regen, and knockdown immunity (except Juggernaught Toss). Their skills would be –

• Aura of the Carrier (+10 armour to nearby allies, excluding self, you take -20 damage from non-critical hits)
• Siege Turtle Attack (5 energy, 3 sec casting, blast damage of 150, 75, 25, knockdown if hit by 150 or 75.)
• Carrier’s Roar (same as Rally)
• Carrier’s Wail (same as Battle Cry)
• Carrier’s Defence (1/4 sec casting, 30 sec recharge, nearby foes take 100 damage and are teleported away)
• Turtle Ram (Stance. For 20 secs, move 33% faster, every second, any adjacent foes that are not moving are knocked down and suffer 20 damage, you have – 40 AL while in this stance, 60 sec recharge)
• Turtle’s Hibernation (Lose all conditions and knockdown immunity, +40 armour for 20 secs, +6 health regen, ends if you move, deal damage, use a skill, or are knocked down)
• Carrier’s Duty (sacrifice self, all adjacent allies are resurrected with 25% health and energy, and +40 armour for 20 seconds).

The obvious problem I see if one side manages to get their beast they could easily overwhelm the other. To solve this, I think from the second someone activates the skill, after 60 seconds, the member of the opposing force with the highest CP will get theirs.

On another note, I think ANet could consider implementing more rewards for Faction. You're pretty much limited to Transfer and Materials. I haven't got any proper ideas yet, but I was thinking of something along the lines of spending faction at a Kurzick/Luxon Priest to use the Juggernaught/Siege Turtle in explorable areas. Just a thought I'm throwing in there.

Well that’s my idea. I was a bit hesitant about posting it considering everyone's focused solely on Chapter 4 info, but I've been sitting on it for a while and just decided to see what you thought. I hope I can get some constructive criticism and some suggestions for improvement, this is pretty much my first suggestion. Thanks in advance.

The Hand Of Death · Mar 18, 2007, 09:06 PM // 21:06

Well I like the thing about leechers. I don't like the thing that could promote elitism ( the statistic thing at the end of the battle). I also don't see the uses of the skills that you can use in battle, to me that would get pretty bothersom seeing the window pop up everytime I reached an amount of points.

I do like however the ideas of having siege turtles and juggernauts in the battle, but I don't think you should actually become them. They should just assit in the battle.

And this doesnt make sense:
[quote] • Turtle’s Hibernation (Lose all conditions and knockdown immunity, +40 armour for 20 secs, +6 health regen, ends if you move, deal damage, use a skill, or are knocked down)
[quote/.]

If you have knockdown immunity, you can't get knocked down but then it says the skill ends if you get knocked down.

Crimso · Mar 18, 2007, 09:41 PM // 21:41

[QUOTE=The Hand Of Death]Well I like the thing about leechers. I don't like the thing that could promote elitism ( the statistic thing at the end of the battle). I also don't see the uses of the skills that you can use in battle, to me that would get pretty bothersom seeing the window pop up everytime I reached an amount of points.

I do like however the ideas of having siege turtles and juggernauts in the battle, but I don't think you should actually become them. They should just assit in the battle.

And this doesnt make sense:

Quote:

• Turtle’s Hibernation (Lose all conditions and knockdown immunity, +40 armour for 20 secs, +6 health regen, ends if you move, deal damage, use a skill, or are knocked down)
[quote/.]

If you have knockdown immunity, you can't get knocked down but then it says the skill ends if you get knocked down.

I think they mean lose all conditions and lose knockdown immunity(The turtle is already knockdown proof apart from knockdowns from the juggernaught).

Puebert · Mar 18, 2007, 11:04 PM // 23:04

Juggernauts can knock turtles down.

I'm kinda iffy on the Jugg/Turtle idea. It would be oodles of fun ('cept Jugg would be waaaaaaaay to slow) but I'm not into the idea of 12 Juggs vs 12 Turtles. Maybe, you could make it like an ally, you summon a turtle/jugg that can move and whatnot.

And instead of CPs, you can use your Donation Title? So people that have been working for one side for a while, don't need to start over again?

Overal, good idea (I think), ABs need an update.

tenshi_strife · Mar 19, 2007, 05:37 AM // 05:37

heh well this seems pretty fun but as far as good utility on the jugg/turtle idea idk. the cp being used to increase the amount of faction you get theough is a great idea, also i would like to see the mvp thing, cause even though that hand says she dont like the idea of elitism, that kinda is the point of pvp, to prove your better than so and so, also its not like you get a benifit, and it would make you try much harder in battle, so /signed on most of it

Kool Pajamas · Mar 19, 2007, 07:52 AM // 07:52

I'd just like to see the shrines give benefit to you without having to be near it. (assuming your side controls it) It would add a bit more skill to the game.

Innit · Mar 19, 2007, 05:02 PM // 17:02

Sorry, I really should have added the following point:

When one player achieves a Turtle/Juggernaught, no other player on their team can have it until he loses it, lest it turns into some crazy 12v12 Beast Wars.

And, yes, Turtle Hibernation means the Turtles can then be knocked down.