Curse

hubin_at · Jan 21, 2007, 10:56 AM // 10:56

Vapor Blade
Oct. 25 update stated a damage buff, which was never carried out. Regarding the conditional damage reduction which is easily met, there should be a buff .

Kaida the Heartless · Jan 21, 2007, 10:56 AM // 10:56

Skill Suggestions for my favorite class (bias aside, I promise)! Not that all of these should be implimented or even need change, but I'm just throwing out some suggestions that may put these skills back on the "useable" table later.

Blood Magic:

Blood Bond: Could use a -2 health degeneration as opposed to a -3, which is a little harder to counter.

Cultist's Fervor [E]: Instead of having the skill reduce the cost of spells by 7 energy, have it cause the necromancer to gain 1-7 energy instead, scaled according to attribute level in a non-linear fashion; skillpoints should do little to the energy gained until attribute levels 10 and up.

Dark Fury: Whenever a party member hits with an attack (as opposed to a nearby party member).

Demonic Flesh: Have this skill cost more energy, gain less maximum health, but grant a slight armor bonus. Recharge time may need to be adjusted as well. This seems more demonic.

Ravenous Gaze [E]: Lower the cast time or increase the health % required (60%?).

Spoil Victor [E]: I want to say this is balanced as of the test weekend, but it still seems strong... may need a two second cast time.

Vampiric Spirit [E]: Three possible changes to make this skill a bit more viable: Increase the health stolen, increase the range, or decrease the additional energy required by 1 making it 2 per cast.

Vampiric Touch: Increase health stolen, increase recharge time.

Curses:

Barbs: Sweet freakin' change. Used this skill before, love it now.

Chillblains: Increase cold damage dealt.

Depravity [E]: Decrease energy lost, increase number of foes affected. Base this on attribute level.

Enfeeble: (Should weakness stay as an attribute modifier) Increase the recast time (<10 seconds max).

Enfeebling Blood: (Should weakness stay as an attribute modifier) Increase the health sacrificed.

Faintheartedness: Always seemed overpowered. Increase recharge time, decrease length, or lessen attack speed modifier.

Lingering Curse [E]: Increase health sacrificed, decrease energy cost.

Malaise: Increase the recharge time.

Plague Sending: Change the cast time to 1/4th.

Plague Signet [E]: Several neat changes that could be used here. 1) Change skill mechanics: Removal 1-3/all conditions from all allies in the area and send them to target foe. Will require a recharge increase. 2) Increase the duration of the sent conditions. 3) If more than 2-4 conditions are transfered, this skill also causes a deep wound (scalled inversly with attribute level). This list continues... I could be here all night with suggestions for this baby.

Rend Enchantments: Nice touch here.

Ulcerous Lungs: Another nice modification. Much more conditional, yet much stronger.

Weaken Armor: Decrease casting time.

Wither [E]: Great changes.

Death:

Animate Flesh Golem [E]: Up the attack rate or damage of this minion. May need to drop their max health.

Contagion [E]: Change skill mechanics: "...all foes suffer from that condition instead."

Dark Aura: Have it affect "nearby" or "in the area" foes. Decrease damage slightly, increase health lost, or increase the energy cost.

Jagged Bones [E]: Make this skill create Flesh Golems instead. Rename it to Fleshy Skin. /sarcasm. Consider an increase in the required energy.

Rising Bile: Great change. Worth using now!

Toxic Chill [E]: /agree.

Verata's Sacrifice: Make this skill reset the degeneration of all minions currently under your control.

Vile Touch: Target foe is now poisoned. Increase damage slightly, and the recharge slightly.

Virulence [E]: (Should weakness stay as an attribute modifier) Increase the energy cost.

Soul Reaping:

Reaper's Mark: Increase the energy cost to 10 energy, increase the energy gained accordingly. Increase the recharge time to 12 seconds.

Phew. An hour and a half later. hah. Hope I helped!

Missara Leon · Jan 21, 2007, 11:18 AM // 11:18

Monk:

Divert Hexes:
Impression: With the amount of hex heavy builds this skill did not need a nerf. On a monk there are limited alternatives to removing hexes. Purge signet, convert hexes, and holy veil. Most builds run gale, bb purge signet. Monks dont personally have the energy or the time to cast convert hexes and holy veil obviously cannot stand up to hex stacking. If interrupters can't interrupt a 1 second cast, the problem isn't with the skill. If you want to shut this down...learn to use Signet of Humility.

Zealous Benediction
Impression: This skill DOES NOT NEED A NERF, but neither does it need a buff. If you're going to increase the output for dmg skills such as Destructive was Glaive, then monks cannot have skills like ZB nerfed. Monks cannot be made more vulnerable then they are now.

Shield of Absoption
Impression: This skill also never needed to be nerfed. It only lasts 7 seconds what's the point? This skill should have been left alone.

In conclusion, if you're going to nerf monks, please nerf the following:

Deep wound: Instead of 20% make it 10%....as if we could handle 20% with our healing prayers nerfed.

Weakness: Should NOT cause -1 to all attributes. As you know lots of people's attrib spreads work at break points. With weakness you're making monks even MORE defenceless with nerfed skills like SoA, ZB and Divert hexes.

Dazed: Should not last as long for RoA Thumpers, with a monk nerf.

Energy Surge
Impression: This skill didn't need a nerf. I agree that as more mesmer elites become better, Energy Surge will be used less and less

Mantra Of Recovery
Impression: Nice buff. This skill if much more useful and useable with increased duration. Much Sexier all around.

More to come later

SL_Sky · Jan 21, 2007, 11:26 AM // 11:26

I think that the AP on Destructive was Glavie should stay 25%(you should have just emoved the bug), becouse now it's worse then an ele lightning spell, and needs a LOT more preparation(you can interrupt it on several points and have a limited window to cast)...
So it's technically as useless as ever...

AYss · Jan 21, 2007, 01:33 PM // 13:33

(I'm commenting from mid-/backline HA-player point of view...)

I love the new weakness effect. Finally it'd be useful for something.

Divert Hexes: got nerfed far too much. It's an elite!

Fire Magic changes: SF needed a nerf. Glowing Gaze should stay as it was I think. GJ on Phoenix

.

Earth Magic buffs: Cool. I always thought earth magic is a little too underpowered (except Sandstorm and Obsidian, which are the only earth damage skills that ppl use nowadays).

Water Magic changes: I'm looking forward to see these guys again. Great idea with Frozen Burst.

Energy Surge: This skill was once nerfed and I don't think it needs another nerf. If so, then make it non-elite.

Mes domination Power skills (Block, Flux, Leach etc.): Very nice idea. Maybe someone gonna run these fun builds again.

Arcane Thievery/Larceny: same as above

.

Unnatural Signet: I'm afraid it may be a little overpowered this way, but it was seriously underpowered comparing to Spiritual Pain, so I guess it's ok.

Mantra of Recovery: Cost, very nice. Still I think it's underpowered comparing to Channeling (as it is elite and Channeling is not).

Ancestor's Rage and other Channeling Magic buffs (including the Bloodsong movement): In short, Channeling Magic needed a buff. Maybe someone would finally start playing channeling rits, not just full communing or restoration.

Word of Healing: This skill needed a little buff. I'd rather decrease recharge time to 3, but w/e.

Monk prot skills: Good changes. I hope there gonna be more prot monks versions then just RC/DH/ZB.

Putting it all together, I really like the buffs to less popular skills of E, Me and Rt classes. They would definately make the game more various again and maybe we would miss 8v8 less.
... sorry about the mess in the post ...

eggs · Jan 21, 2007, 01:53 PM // 13:53

Skill Name: Spiritual Pain
Impressions: overly nerfed
This makes this just way too conditional.
If you must change something change instantly to a percentage decrease of the regular recharge for each spirit it hits or just make it a set lower recharge rate than the original if the pre-nerf condition was met. This way it can still be good.

Hoorah · Jan 21, 2007, 02:23 PM // 14:23

Name: Sympathetic Visage/Ancestors Visage

Impressions... Like another member who posted, StaleChips I believe, SV/AV has been overly nerfed. After all this time, why do you feel the need to nerf it now? If you dont have sense enough to leave it alone, at least just increase Energy cost/Casting time. That would be a MUCH more viable option than to throw it in the "obsolete skill bin".

neoflame · Jan 21, 2007, 02:36 PM // 14:36

From a PvP perspective, just like Warrior stances, SV/AV got buffed; they only need to be up for a short time to make the enemy change targets, so decreasing both duration and recharge is an improvement. I sincerely hope that ANet values PvP over farming in terms of skill balance.

Sir Mad · Jan 21, 2007, 02:36 PM // 14:36

Weakness and condition removers

This is not exactly one skill change but here we go:

The new effect is quite interesting but I really think the AI of the henchies with condition removers should be modified accordingly and removing this condition should be made a higher priority than it is now: atm they hardly rzemove it except by "accident" (with Blessed Light for example, when you have taken damage) or unless they have nothing else to do: it should have the same priority than removing poison atm for example.

Lexar · Jan 21, 2007, 02:55 PM // 14:55

What's the point of gladiators defence (or any stance) if it lasts for 5 seconds with tactics on 12? For secundary warriors who have it on 10 or less the stance lasts about as long as it takes to cast 1 spell. That just makes them a complete waste of a skillslot, and for primary warriors it's too much energy to keep them up for a few seconds. And then it's still 75% chance to block, so you still have a good chance that you get hit regardless of keeping up your stance for 3 seconds.
This also nerfs wild blow and wild throw etc. Because there's just no point to use them against evasive stances such as these. All you have to do is be patient for 2 or so seconds.

It's just that I don't understand the idea behind this, they weren't overpowered in either pvp or pve, it's like someone just wants them gone from the game altogether.

Meanwhile, warrior's cunning, 100blades and skull crack still are underpowered.

razixx · Jan 21, 2007, 04:15 PM // 16:15

Skill: Ranger Skills

Just a thought about bow-rangers and Thumpers.

Instead of punishing all RaO builds, what if Rangers receive automatic, unremovable Weakness (or something similar) for wielding a hammer? They are very heavy weapons after all, and we're used to bows.

And to push the point, some bow-wielding skills (Punishing Shot, maybe some other underused Elites - or make Power Shot equal to the War's new Power Attack) could be buffed slightly, or give Rangers an inherent bonus for using a bow.

Maybe?

Beren985 · Jan 21, 2007, 05:40 PM // 17:40

Skill: Spiritual Pain
Impressions: Nerfed to oblivion. If it's meant to be only usable dealing with spirit spammers, it should now cost 5 energy instead of 10. With a ~50 energy pool one should not need to deplete it all to destroy a bunch of replaceable spirits.

jacen110091 · Jan 21, 2007, 05:55 PM // 17:55

Skill Name: Shield of Regeneration
Impressions: Excellent buff, but maybe a bit too much... I'm sure people will be howling "nerf" for it pretty soon if you decide to implement the change on a permanent basis.

Skill Name: Flame Djinn's Haste
Impressions: The same as above. However, in this case I doubt anyone will be complaining. So good job!

Skill Name: Flare
Impressions: A much needed buff indeed, but I'm not sure it'll be enough. Towards high-lvl mobs, flare would be respectable only at the highest levels, and even then it wouldn't really do much... (I'm on my way to the Isle to check the updates skills out now) But again, thankyou for not neglecting a very basic Fire-Ele spell that was being very poorly used!

Skill Name: Searing/Tenai's Heat
Impressions: Excellent buff guys! With everyone crying about the SF/GG combo being massacred, it's good to see some positive changes to the fire line (even Fire-Storm isn't half bad now)

Skill Name: Glowing Gaze
Impressions: Although the SF/GG combo "needed" a nerf, I must admit I am rather disappointed with the increased recharge on GG. Perhaps you could balance it a bit more, nerf it a bit less?

Skill Name: Mark of Rodgort + Incendiary Flame
Impressions: Excellent. I go back to my point on how the fire-line needed a shot in the arm after the inevitable SF/GG nerf... And this is a very welcome buff!

Skill Name: Throw Dirt
Impressions: Awesome!

Skill Name: Pious Haste
Impressions: Unless I am mistaken, is this an unlimited/uninterrupted +33% movement speed enhancement? If so, I'm afraid it might be a bit much...
But then again, people never really complain much about running skills!

Notes:

Weakness - I think you're overdo'ing it a bit with the -1 on all attributes. Too many PVE mobs use this for me to be comfortable losing out on my precious attributes from their attacks!

Vengeance - A very interesting buff. I have only once seen this skill being used in PVE in the last year or so that I've been playing, so maybe this will mean more people using it...

Meteor Shower + Mind Burn -
Okay, now I'm just whining, but you really need to stop ignoring these 2 skills! Although I am grateful to the overall buff you've given the fire line, you really need to think of these 2 "heavy duty" skills. For a Prophecies character, they sound too good to be ignored, and yet . . are . . well, not as good as expected (this is doubly true for Mind Burn... I have "Never" seen this skill on any pyro's skill-bar since I've started playing)

So overall, from a PvE Elementalist's view, this is a very good update (if you decide to make the changes permanent) with a few minor exceptions as stated above!

Good luck with the re-balancing when the weekend gets over...

Uetzcayotl · Jan 21, 2007, 07:22 PM // 19:22

Sharpen Daggers
I can see the use for critical barrage builds where each attack inflicts bleeding. But for a primary assassin, your next 1 ... 5 attack skills will probably be on the same target (most likely chained).

TABellis · Jan 21, 2007, 07:52 PM // 19:52

Skill Name: Shadow of Haste
Impression: What this skill is used for, the amount of time that is given now, up to 45 sec is not long enough. Previous amount of time was more useful, as shutting off the skill was easily done with another stance. If this amount of time is to stay, the % of running speed should be increased to balance out the time it takes to run in. This was a very decent run in and Kill skill, shadow step out of harm when needed skill with the last update of the skill. New update is still making it too short a time, making it similar to what it origanly was.

Skill Name: Flashing Blades
Impression: Good for defence now, but it would have been better to see it stay at 50% and give a reposte dmg when you did block attacks. exp: for X...X seconds you have 50% chance to block attacks while attacking, any melee attacks blocked in this way causes X...X Dmg. I see no real difference with the amount of time it lasts and recast time. Flashing Blades seems more like a reposte skill than a complete blocking skill. I will say that the original set up of the skill made it near useless, the buff has made it useful.

Just some more suggestions for the Assassin:

Skill Name: Shadow's Refuge
This skill should be made into a evation skill, remove heal when ends and put in a 75% chance to evade for the time it's up. Exp: for 4 seconds you have 75% chance to evade attacks, and gain 6...10 heath regen.

Skill Name: Wild Strike
This skill should really be a unblockable skill, I don't see the point of a skill that removes stances when many stances are evation/block stances, and not being able to hit with the attack makes it useless.

Eomander Bruleim · Jan 21, 2007, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Skills: Warrior Stances
Impression: Overly nerfed. Time to cry. If skill time and recharged time are reduced you should reduce energy cost too.

gasmaskman · Jan 21, 2007, 09:24 PM // 21:24

Where is:
Sandstorm, Avatar of Grenth, Avatar of Melandru, Invoke Lightning, Stoneflesh Aura, Smoke Trap, Shadow Prison, Jagged Bones, etc. in the skill balance. There was no significant nerf on Spoil Victor. Why nerf RaO, when you leave Grenth. What is up with these skill balances. Keen arrow does a HELL OF A LOT OF DAMAGE with GfTEs.

tristinian · Jan 21, 2007, 09:31 PM // 21:31

Flashing Blades: Appropriately Buffed...was somewhat ineffective at only 50% and not really worthy of 'elite' status--is now.

Bed of Coals: Decrease in cost was entirely welcome. The trade-off in close proximity for its effectiveness matches the new cost well.

Churning Earth: I think making this skill both cheaper AND more powerful might have been a little ambitious. The dmg increase is welcome, but elementalist energy management and abundance does not warrant a decrease in the cost of skills in this energy bracket.

Glowing Gaze: This skill was largely a mistake to begin with--elementalists are one of the classes which need energy acquisition from already-suffering foes the LEAST. refer to Churning Earth above. Maybe turn this into a burning-only skill. Perhaps another one of those skills where the burning is longer term, but shared by both caster and foe, setting up convenient use of Frigid Armor or condition-sending potential as well as congruence with Paragon-related skills which reduce dmg from burning foes. (e.g. Signet of Midnight)

Grasping Earth--finally, useful. the armor against physical was a definite turn off previously

Mind Freeze: Increased duration is wonderful. Given the cost and casting time of this skill, it's about time.

Savannah Heat: I'll say this again, elementalists are the last class who need reparations to their skills energy costs. 5 energy for this is too low. 10 maybe.

Shockwave: dmg increase is TOTALLY welcome here. felt largely underpowered before given the proximity required for its most effective use.

Unsteady Ground-again, i agree with the dmg increase, but not with the cost adjustment. There are energy management skills out there that people STILL are not using enough (auspicious incantation as an example) which should be used as alternatives to overall cost reductions on the designer end.

Energy Surge-REDUCED the area of effect? I can only assume this adjustment has been inspired by complainers about the 'mesmer advantage' or by its dominance as the only primary elite in PVP. Instead of reducing this skills effectiveness one should take a closer look as to why the other mesmer elites aren't as sexy in a PVP context. Mesmers have a narrow enough margin for roles and builds as it is. A new conceptual/game mechanic approach is needed for mesmers on the whole.

Hex Eater Vortex-Fair reduction...15 was asking a little much.

Illusion of Pain-Fair adjustment here as well...this is a fun skill to use and it's definitely not as punishing to a caster on failure now. Or should i say, as pleasing to the castee.

Mantra of Recovery-I was already using this before as apart of a general degen build and this change makes it WAY more palletable. Very happy with this one.

Mirror of Disenchantment-Who is going to use this skill without a glyph or Auspicious Incantation to precede it? Its adjustments should have been energy related to make it more enticing.

Power Block-One of the best mesmer elites just got better...this buff wasn't necessary, but it's welcome.

Price of Pride-energy reduction was a good call here...makes this skill worth taking a 3rd look during build construction.

Spiritual Pain-the dmg nerfing of this skill indicates to me a reneg on what appeared to be a mission to make the mesmer a more viable dmg dealer at least in SOME capacity. This skill, as it currently sits, might as well not exist. Contrary to popular belief, it was not responsible for the reduction of Rits in RA or any other form of PVP and if anything at all, it's cost should just have been increased to 15 (perhaps its recharge also increased), with little or no adjustments to its original mechanic. HOWEVER...perhaps the ultimate adjustment for this much maligned skill would be to start shipping it and other skills to fast casting rather than dom. Fast casting in general is left devoid of any real skills that are of significant use to a mesmer...the symbolic skills are a start.

Unnatural Signet-this skill was already pretty solid...now it's received a 'smite-like' improvement with its summoned creature bonus. A skill like this however demonstrates how useless Spiritual Pain now is in its current nerfed state.

Barbs-I don't mind the buff here...i think it was called for, however, i think there are a lot of skills from Prophecies/Core that could use minor dmg adjustments such as this. e.g. an upward adjustment to a few of the legacy skills such as Cry of Frustration in terms of dmg i think is called for as well.

Chilblains-Given the cost of this skill and the poison sacrifice, i think the decrease is welcome here in recharge.

Discord-that is a MASSIVE increase...which is fine. But Necros have received a lot of advantages since Factions and NF (even the soul reaping skills alone are immense class bonuses) and their casting sister class, the mesmer could use some similar love.

Malaise-again i like this change a lot, but thematically, a mesmer should have a 'wracking' skill such as this.

Spoil Victor--I'm pouty about this one, however, it's duration was unfair before so this is a just move.

Wither-This is a nice buff, again i like it, but refer to malaise.

Aria of Restoration/Ballad of Restoration/Song of Restoration:
The restoration line of chants are now entirely useless. Paragons as a support role has been taken down a SERIOUS notch with the nerfs to these skills. They're effectively useless. Ritualist Healing was buffed this time around, why would you sacrifice Paragon healing when it's one of the few things paragons currently do well?

Stand Your Ground: Thanks to the increase in cost, this skill is now not even palletable to your average paragon and the change from 'allies' to 'party' was a huge disappointment. If Paragons are going to be a 'group heal/defense/support' role in anyway, skills like this can't stand nerfing to this degree.

thenewpyro · Jan 21, 2007, 09:31 PM // 21:31

Skill Name: Destructive was Glaive
Impressions: At first, way way overboosted given the damage that Channeled Strike does, but IMO, it turned into a total overnerf. 5% armor penetration is hardly worth the 10 energy every 10 seconds or however often you want to keep it up. Now, maybe 5 energy cost or make it 10 or 15% armor pen for 10 energy, that might make it worth it.

Zerris · Jan 21, 2007, 09:51 PM // 21:51

Assassin

Skill Name: Blades of Steel
Impression: Far too overpowered, knock down to 60 dmg cap instead.

Skill Name: Beguiling Haze
Impression: Finally, a use for this Elite comparable with Shadow Prison.

Skill Name: Feigned Neutrality
Impression: For an even better nerf, make the armor (And maybe regen) scale by attribute, so you have to have a fair investment for it to be worth anything.

Skill Name: Sharpen Dagger
Impression: Wasn't too overpowered, did not deserve this nerf. Instead, just decrease Bleeding Duration.

Dervish

Avatar of Grenth: Make this cost 15 or even 25 Energy and you might finally make people think twice.

Skill Name: Harrier's Grasp
Impression: This need a *Nerf*. Otherwise, there is no excuse for Grenth's Grasp, ever. At the very least, make it apply to Scythes only.

Elementalist

Skill Name: Blinding Surge
Impression: Good Nerf, still useful but only for Elementalists.

Skill Name: Firestorm
Impression: Good buff, might see its first use ever since the AoE AI change.

Skill Name: Frigid Armor
Impression: If you really want to nerf Searing Flames for PvP, also make this skill recharge in only 15 secs, so it can be easily maintained.

Skill Name: Lava Arrows
Impression: This skill should deal *less* Damage then Flare, otherwise it's far too powerful when combined with the new Mark of Rodgort.

Skill Name: Savannah Heat
Impression: Some change might have been needed, but not this. Try 25 Energy / 15 Recharge instead.

Skill Name: Searing Flames
Impression: Deserved, but perhaps not enough. Unless you change it to 2 sec cast, 2 sec recharge or 1 sec cast, 3 sec recharge, it will always be maintainable through Mark of Rodgort, making burning duratrion irrelevant.

Mesmer

Skill Name: Hex Eater Vortex
Impression: Still too weak. Try increasing range to "In the Area".

Skill Name: Spiritual Pain
Impression: You have now nerfed the only two viable AoE skills for mesmers, Spiritual Pain and Energy Surge. Unless you give them something else, they will again become useless in PvE, where single target domination is pointless.

Monk

Skill Name: Divert Hexes
Impression: Just keep it at 1 second, for goodness sakes. Or give monks another low recharge low cost hex removal. Otherwise, we'll all be forced to use Expell Hexes.

Necromancer

Skill Name: Barbs
Impression: Was isn't it overpowered already? Try to Nerf it instead of Buff.

Skill Name: Discord
Impression: Way over the top damage. Maybe up the cost to 10 energy, or 2 cast time.

Skill Name: Reaper's Mark
Impression: Nerf the Duration, not the Energy.

Skill Name: Spoil Victor
Impression: Nerf the Damage, not the Duration.

Paragon

Spears - Well Deserved Buff

Ranger

Skill Name(s): Charm Animal/Comfort Animal
Impression: I agree with the previous suggestion of making these one skill. Easiest way to make Beast Master a viable part of a build.

Ritualist

Skill Name: Death Pact Signet
Impression: If you want this to be a much more useful PvP skill, change it to If you die, so does target ally. Otherwise, it's just too much of a risk.

Skill Name: Nightmare Weapon
Impression: A little over the top, it will become the new Ranger Spike skill in no time, based on what I've seen.

Skill Name: Signet of Ghostly Might
Impression: It'll take a lot more to make this a useful skill on anything besides Shambling Horrors and Flesh Golems.

Overall - Postive skill change, and the major nerfs were sorely deserved.