Scaling

I first posted this like a million years ago but it kinda got shot down. I still think it's worth consideration, though I couldn't find the old one so I'll have to re-write it. I'm too lazy to come up with the calculations again, though. Well, the *complicated* ones, that is.

Every skill in Guild Wars that I've ever examined closely (not all of them, granted, but a large, large number) scales linearly. What do I mean by this? Well, the effectiveness of the skill increases on a per attribute level basis. For example:
X (skill effect) is equal to Y + Z*A, where Y is the Y intercept (the base value of the skill), Z is the modifier, and A is the attribute value. Take power drain. X (energy gained) is equal to 1 + 2*A. At 0 Inspiration X=1, at 5 Inspiration X=11, and so on. It's all linear. It all graphs as a straight line. Well, almost. It doesn't *quite* because some of the modifiers are fractional and the game rounds them before displaying them.

But what happens if we use a quadratic or cubic equation to scale the skill effectiveness? Sure, it's way more complex to balance, but it makes for interesting possibilities. What if a skill's gains drop off as its attribute approaches maximum? Or minimum? Immediately, we could have skills weighted towards primary profession or secondary profession use. Breakpoints become much more important. Instead of spending more attribute points for the same gain, what if it earned you more gain, or less? If it's cubic, than you can really have fun with it. Set the first vertex for zero, and the second for the attribute's maximum value (between 16-20 depending on circumstances, IIRC) - the curve in between can be anything you want! Don't you just love maths?


Just something to think about. Questions? Comments? Criticism?

I think they already do this. I've noticed a diminishing return with many skills the more points you put into it. On the other hand, I cannot think of any skills where the the boost gets bigger the more you put points into it!
What you describe is really the best way to balance the game's skills. If a skill is being used too much for secondaries and is not used much by primaries than a greater return for more points spent would help that out. I really think many mesmer inspiration skills should have much higher returns for when you are putting 12+ points into it, and significantly less if you are putting 8-.

I think about 80% of the people who play this game would have no idea what you just posted there. Including myself...

English please?

i like the concept... but its kind of to late IMO...

if you start with quadratic/cubic/w.e skills, they will be one out of the many that are already set towards that nice linear divisible by multiples of 12 skill system. If you added this now, you might see 3 skills like this out of the 300+ skills per class. So basically, you wouldnt want to use att. 9 blood with a spell like vamp gaze just because one of your spells is more efficient at 9 compared to 10, and i would most likely be using more than one spell that graphs linearly... soo... the majority rules.

If it was just one skill like OoB on a Mo/N, most people opt for 8 or 9 which gives you that 1 energy addition for every 2 lvls or w.e it is... which kinda happens already in the example i just stated... but im not sure if its quadratic :O... (in other words itd have to be an exploitable skills, which as you know anet hates us for those)

its just to late i suppose

It's a neat idea but I suspect it would have had to have been in the original design. At this point it'd require massive rebalancing of all chapters, so I simply don't think it's possible. If, on some distant day, they decide to make a GW2 I'd definitely support non-linear attribute effect scaling though.

I think what is being suggested is changing skills to be used more by primaries or secondaries by changing how putting points into attributes affects their power.
Like this skill example in 3 different ways of powering up.
Skill does x damage.
lvl 1=5
lvl 2=10
lvl 3=15
lvl 4=20

or

lvl 1=1
lvl 2=5
lvl 3=12
lvl 4=20

or

lvl 1=5
lvl 2=10
lvl 3=13
lvl 4=15