Curse

Robbert Monga · Jan 04, 2009, 12:44 AM // 00:44

I started writing a reply to this thread, but the realized I wanted to say a bit more and a bit more general.

I was very impressed with last skill updates and most importantly that a whole bunch of skills received a complete rework. Now I don't agree on some of the actual changes, but I very much like the idea of taking something that was fundamentally useless and giving it a new function.

It is not just personal preference. Take the above thread for instance. Some say Palm Strike needs 10e and 15sec recharge, others - just 8sec recharge, while third say any change whatsoever will kill it. Why is it important to understand that number crunching is an aprior known way to fail. Because the way GW is built (maybe not designed, but it is what it is). Everything must be perfect.
Take weapon mods. Who in his right mind uses 14^50? Nobody! Everyone wants want those 15%. But why? 1% is so negligible, most of the time it will fail to make up even 1 point of damage. Because perfect is easily obtainable, and majority will not settle on anything less.

Same deal with skills. Make Palm Strike 8 second recharge - still overpowered. Make it 10 sec - wooops, it is not used anymore (please don't debate these numbers, they are given just as an example). Why? Because suddenly it became inferior to something else, even if it is just by 5% effectiveness.

Anyway, what I am trying to say here is that we need more of these creative solutions to balance problems. Instead of constantly adjusting numbers, which has proven to be somewhat futile, add new functions and conditions. Do not reduce the power of the skill itself.

For instance idea for Palm Strike that I found very interesting: Keep it as is. But in the fine print add: "If this skills fails (interrupted), the damage and cripple applied to caster". So the skill itself is still very powerful, but if you are not careful... BOOHOO, watch what you touching next time.

We need more skills like this. Powerful effect. Serious drawback.
Frenzy and lately Primal Rage would be a good example.
Mediocre skills with no drawbacks will only keep sliding onto either side of balance (overused, unused) adding to the gray mass.

Puebert · Jan 04, 2009, 01:27 AM // 01:27

I don't think so.
Because what you've done, is made interruption skills more powerful.
And, what if your target dies mid-cast? Should you be punished for trying to finish off an opponent?

I'm not a good balancer, so I don't want to throw around suggestions that will just be shot down, but I don't want to have skills that huge downsides if something doesn't go according to plan.

Imo, the reasons most skills are bad are just because they only do one thing (there are exceptions of course).

Like, skills that ONLY block. [[Magnetic Aura], [[Deflect Arrows], [[Protector's Defense], [[Dryder's Defenses], etc.

Now, good blocking skills (such as [[Lightning Reflexes]) do more than just block. They provide some advantage over these skills.

Skills that are good often have multiple uses.

Yes, there are some popular skills that only block, [[Aegis].
But the reason this skill is good, is because it uses that function and applies to to up to 8 people.

So, most of the time, its just because they only have one use.

Dr.Jones · Jan 04, 2009, 01:59 AM // 01:59

imo lightning reflexes needs to be nerfed. its almost an exact copy of escape and when used with it you can keep 75% blocking for way to long.

Arkantos · Jan 04, 2009, 10:51 AM // 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Jones

imo lightning reflexes needs to be nerfed. its almost an exact copy of escape and when used with it you can keep 75% blocking for way to long.

Lightning reflexes lasts up to 11 seconds with a 30 second recharge. Do you honestly think that needs a nerf?