Curse

frojack · May 29, 2007, 08:07 PM // 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClanYumemiru

Skill Twisting, Spell
15 energy / 2s cast time / 20s recharge time
Disable a random non-signet skill for target foe for 3...6...8 seconds.
Target foe takes 1...4...5 damage for each point energy cost of that skill.
(Attribute: Illusion Magic)

So the absolute maximum damage any target can take from Skill Twisting is 125 damage, and only if the random chosen skill happens to cost 25 energy.

You see, now this skill isn't as good anymore. Your original had far more quality than this, it just had balance issues. Random factors in terms of what your opponent is carrying is fairly cool, eg. Wastrel's Demise is a personal pvp favourite.
However random factors inherently within spells that can hamper it's primary function isn't so cool, like say, Arcane Larceny. It has it's uses but it's not useful enough for my tastes. I'd prefer reliable disabling in the form of Signet of Humility, Blackout, or Power Block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClanYumemiru

Tremor only damages the target (Earthquake/DS hit target + adjacent, and for a lot more) and the KD is conditional (vs garantueed)

Most recent version:

Tremor, Spell
10 energy, 2s cast time, 10s recharge
Target foe is struck for 7...55...70 earth damage. If the target or any adjacent foes were moving, they are knocked down.
(Attribute: Earth Magic)

It's still sketchy. Knockdown is something you really have to be careful with. Especially aoe knockdown. On a 10 - 2 - 10 structure no less. Just look at all the other spell knockdown skills in the elemental line...

Is just plain rubbish (Gust, even worse Thunder Clap).

It's their only function with defacto exhaustion (Gale).

It's elite, conditional, and still has exhaustion (the ever awesome Mind Shock).

Requires another spell to inflict an easily removable condition (Stoning).

Has timing draw-backs, can be nullified, and is elite (the so so Lightning Surge).

Is elite and requires your opponent to be doing something (Water Tident, or non-elite Whirlwind).

The last 2 are the interesting ones as they better parallel what Tremor is trying to achieve. Trident is a projectile, it only effects one foe, and it's elite yet it is very, very good. Whirlwind is generally just a defense skill with weak offensive application.

Your skill may have a 2 second cast, but it's cheap as hell, recharges in 10 seconds, has no exhaustion, and is aoe(!) on top of all that. Ok so you think requiring 'moving foes' to makes it balanced? No. Moving around is something people usually always have to do in pvp and a much lesser extent, pve.
For projectiles (eg. the annoying Ebon Hawk, which isn't exactly knockdown) sure it can kill the skill, but this isn't a projectile. Whoever they are running away from, or chasing, this skill will knock them, and any adjacent buddies doing similar, down. Simply too strong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClanYumemiru

It says nowhere skills have to excel at something. Stoneglass Shard is good for spreading an annoying condition around a bunch of opponents, either to add pressure to their healers, or as convenient cover for other, worse things.
Frex, drop an Eruption and bonk them with Stoneglass to cover the Blindness with Bleeding for additional effect; a sneaky Necromancer could make use of the confusion to dump in Rotting Flesh and/or Enfeebling Blood ... there's plenty potential for uses, (did someone mention Fragility) but you shouldn't expect really great things from a 5-cost spell IMHO ... there's nothing wrong with skills that have limited use or function; at worst, they use up a slot you wouldn't have had anything else for (or you don't use them at all, period), at best, they add a little extra touch to your play style.

So what is it doesn't say it anywhere? If a skill is more or less useless, 'no one will use it' no matter what is possible with it (see Energy Boon, Swirling Aura, Magnetic Aura, Stone Sheath etc.). It's the same as if the skill wasn't created in the first place and is hence, a waste of time.

The only users this skill will be any mildly useful for is a sword warrior or a Seeping Wounds assassin. Even then, it's pretty weak application of a pretty weak condition, with better alternatives and a essentially wasted slot of your bar...