Curse

Series · Aug 29, 2007, 12:04 AM // 00:04

Chest Thumper is a horribly pointless skill. Paragons have FIVE sources of deep wound already, 4 of which do +damage. All this one does is provide a conditional deep wound. Bad skill.

So let's make it interesting:

Current Skill: Spear Attack. If this attack hits a foe with Cracked Armor, that foe suffers a Deep Wound for 5...17 seconds.

My Idea: Spear Attack. If this attack hits a foe with Deep Wound, that foe suffers Cracked Armor for 5...17 seconds.

Or just make it do something good. That's my idea at least, we could use one or two more sources of Cracked Armor and this one wouldn't be spectacular, but at least make that spear attack worth using.

draxynnic · Aug 29, 2007, 01:55 AM // 01:55

There are other Deep Wound options for the Paragon, yes, but none of them are particularly reliable. Those relying on criticals... rely on criticals, although there are ways to stack the odds in your favour, assuming the target doesn't have something that makes them immune. Cruel Spear could be ruined by the target just happening to move at the right time (for them). Merciless could be ruined by the target being healed at just the right moment, while Slayers could be ruined by a spike hitting at just the wrong moment.

Chest Thumper, on the other hand, is pretty straightforeward: As long as the target has the condition and the spear hits, its going to work. There is the risk of the condition being stripped, but if the enemy has heavy condition-removal Deep Wound may not be the best weapon to use anyway.

Furthermore, I think the sources of Cracked Armour have been quite deliberately chosen - Spellcasters get skills that cause it, while martial characters get skills that exploit it. The Paragon is a martial character, so it gets the latter.

Series · Aug 29, 2007, 05:59 AM // 05:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by draxynnic

There are other Deep Wound options for the Paragon, yes, but none of them are particularly reliable. Those relying on criticals... rely on criticals, although there are ways to stack the odds in your favour, assuming the target doesn't have something that makes them immune. Cruel Spear could be ruined by the target just happening to move at the right time (for them). Merciless could be ruined by the target being healed at just the right moment, while Slayers could be ruined by a spike hitting at just the wrong moment.

Chest Thumper, on the other hand, is pretty straightforeward: As long as the target has the condition and the spear hits, its going to work. There is the risk of the condition being stripped, but if the enemy has heavy condition-removal Deep Wound may not be the best weapon to use anyway.

Furthermore, I think the sources of Cracked Armour have been quite deliberately chosen - Spellcasters get skills that cause it, while martial characters get skills that exploit it. The Paragon is a martial character, so it gets the latter.

This skill is just as conditional as the other paragon deep wound skills... the only difference being, this skill can only cause a deep wound, most of the others have added benefits.

I have never had a problem causing deep wound as a paragon, and I seriously doubt anybody does.

Also, I guess you consider assassins to be spellcasters? They have a cracked armor causing skill. I consider them to be martial characters...

Hawkeye · Aug 29, 2007, 07:24 AM // 07:24

ArenaNet is usually pretty good at keeping skills balanced in some form or another. If it isn't by what the skill does, then it is by its energy to cast or recharge time.

Check the recharge time for this skill. That 'condition' which is easily met in an organized group can be a source of a powerful combination at work, not by what it does but in your ability to put Deep Wound easily on other foes.