kroof.5468

List of tooltip suggestions for visualization: Necromancer Sword Ideas Overall I enjoyed my time with Necro Swords. I did find some of the cast times and animations to feel slow. My biggest area of concern was in the sacrifice flip-overs as they felt very underwhelming for the most part. Buffing these sacrifice skills could make it worthwhile. I also enjoy the concept of leaning into Strike Damage Over Time instead of purely Condition Damage. The use of this on the 5th skill is cool, and could maybe be implemented on the main-hand sword as well. Suggestions: Satiate: Have this sacrifice skill apply damage over time, to keep damage rolling while cycling through all the animations and cast times tied with these skills. Gormandize: Needs a bigger punch, maybe in damage or adding an additional condition. Could also see this generate Life Force. Consume: Having this refresh the ticking damage on the 5th skill would just make it more worth while to press. Though, I do love the fear on this ability.

List of Tooltip ideas, for visualization: Revenant Scepter Ideas I like the support direction for the scepter, and find it to be a nice pairing with the shield. Though, the range disparities feel off. Increasing the range of the auto-attack and making it a projectile would give something new to Rev that was never there before. Also the "ribbon" visuals on the 2nd ability could be a nice motif throughout the weapon. The 2nd ability is nice, but feels a bit bloated with the tooltip and difficult to understand at a glance. The 3rd ability is where it really bloats to a confusing extent. Suggestions Abridged: Serene Cut - Acerbic Cut - Motivating Whirl: Add an Ally Target function so that the scepter can empower Skills 2 & 3, no matter the playstyle one is focusing on: Enemy Targets or Ally Targets. Blossoming Aura: Damage could be improved a bit, but could feel more flexible if you could target an ally as well. With an auto-attack having ally target functions and Blossoming Aura -- one could really dive into that support playstyle. Otherworldly Bond: It just need to be simplified. Feels complex for the sake of complexity, and the outcome of the skill is lackluster when compared to the overwhelming tooltip. Also have the tether function with the entire Revenant kit -- not just scepter. With it being an upkeep, it wastes its potential of flexibility for it to be entirely focused on the scepter. If the tether could maintain between weapon swaps, and just disconnect if out of range or empty energy, it could be used flexibly. Though, one could run into the issue of weapon swapping with lower energy and be locked out of canceling this ability -- perhaps a "skill-cap" potential for the weapon.

Mmm I don't necessarily agree with this assumption. They have, in past, outright said when they wanted to get rid of something for the sake of design/philosophy/meta. So, when they lead with wanting to develop a DPS route for Druid, I take that at face value. Just, from what was show of the changes, the conditions are not that exciting from a damage potential.

Hi y'all, So, I've really warmed up to the idea of Druid - thematically - dishing out more damage. However, the balance preview left me with a mild excitement of this fantasy. Granted, we have not play tested this yet, so I give all the information about the changes a bit of grace. This being said, I do see some alternate directions the Druid could have gone down, to really give players agency to shift the spec in a totally different vibe. All while still holding true to the celestial themes of the Druid. I'll post my Imgur album of tooltips I talk about, if you want to have it in a more familiar format to visualize what I'm talking about. Imgur: https://imgur.com/a/ZRsUbfg Core Changes Staff 1 & Staff 2 could use a bit more damage for any type of Druid, healing or DPS. Taking inspiration from the way Specter splits its scepter skills, I believe the best way to add more damage while keeping a balance would be to differentiate Enemy Target and Ally Target effects. I also believe this mentality and skill design would *really* benefit the CA auto as well. (And almost every class. :P) Solar Beam: Focus a beam on a foe or an ally. Enemy Target: Damage and Burning to foes. Ally Target: Healing. Astral Wisp: Send a wisp to a target Enemy Target: Pulse Damage and Confusion to foes. Ally Target: Heal your target and then pulse healing around them. [CA] Cosmic Ray: Call down cosmic energy. (150 radius) Enemy Target: Damage and Burning. Ally Target: Healing around target. [Non-CA Glyph] Glyph of Stars: Summon a Star at a location, burning foes and granting might to allies. (Really split non-CA to damage, and CA to healing.) CA auto-attack having a target choice to also deal damage would feel great for PvE druids, and not make it to where your only damage option would be to use the 5th skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DPS Druid Traits The traits are where the Druid could really shine in the DPS department. The traits shown off on stream didn't scream "Oh we really are allowing Druids to hold their own in combat scenarios to take down targets." The traits felt more focused on providing them utility --which isn't bad, but it doesn't feel like DPS. Also, I am very fearful of traits dealing damage on interrupts and control effects. What happened to purity of purpose? So I thought switching the ordering and tailoring them more tightly to DPS could be more fulfilling. Blood Moon: Celestial Avatar becomes an avatar of destruction. CA spells no longer heal, but apply damage and more deadly conditions. Cosmic Ray: 2 Bleed Seed of Decay: Damage, Torment & Poison Lunar Impact: Damage and Confusion Torrential Tides: Damage, Bleed & Slow [grants might still.] Natural Convergence: Burning. Natural Balance: While in CA, deal more damage. | Take reduced damage when leaving CA for a limited duration. (+15% Outgoing Damage.) (-20% Incoming Damage. 3~ish seconds?) Eclipse: Burning you apply deals more damage, and grants you Might. (CD on this?) | Burn foes when entering CA. (+10% Burning Damage.) (CA Damage: 450. 2 Burning. 300 Radius). [Additional Trait Idea because we are already getting Alac in the GM] Lingering Light: While in CA, healing to others is increased. | Leaving CA summons an orb of light at your location, healing allies. (+20% Outgoing Healing.) (Orb Healing (6x): 1,500. 300 Radius. 5s Duration.) This is all for fun, and I really have been enjoying the balance as of late [scourge redacted from this], but I just wanted to contribute a lil. (probably another place to post this, but I just felt I had a lot on me mind.)

Ahh very true.

Why keep projectile? If I can pick your brain?

To assist in support healer playstyles ~ a la Scourge ~ and such levels of barrier are quite low when you compare it to other applications of Ally-Target barrier on Specter. Specter get into the thousands of barrier very comfortably on ally-target barrier. Just always thinking of ways in which support playstyles can be more active and opening up options.

Hiyo hiyo -- so I've leisurely spent some time ruminating about the Necromancer and all of its class fantasy elements. I've felt that Minions have been rather passive in terms of playstyles, and the traits that interact with them are JUST left to Death Magic -- and increase survivability. So, I wanted to expand beyond this and entertain Minion traits in other Specs to play to that minion's strength. Additionally, Death Magic's Specialization feels too "elite spec-ey" with its Carapace. I'm wondering if this idea could be put aside for now and saved for a more "brusiery/tank" elite specialization in the future? Maybe even a "Lich" elite specialization? And then Lich Form could be replaced with Grim Specter ... lol. As for weapons, I would love to see Staff be given another pass to make it a more active weapon, rather than a weapon kit that just has traps. This is purely for fun and shooting out some ideas. Also, this is VERY PvE focused -- and skill splits would be expected for the various gamemodes. Here is the Full Slide Collection to just scroll through. Weapons Staff Rework Slide -- Condi DMG + Support Ally-Target Options. More active, but retained the format of the current Staff. Axe/Focus Rework Slide -- Inspired by Virtuoso with the autoattack. Buffed up the Focus 4 to be more consistent and not a projectile. Scepter Update Slide -- Added some Life Force gen. on the auto-attack. Devouring Darkness becomes the normal attack on Scep. 3. Utility Skills Minion Update Slide -- Gave more love to a couple of the active abilities for the Bone Fiend and Flesh Wurm. Spectral Update Slide -- Added a Heal Spectral skill, and pushed this to be more of a brusiery/classic tank idea. Specialization Spite Slide -- Swapped out renewal for movement speed and increased crit damage. Shadow Fiend. Curses Slide -- Rearranged condi transfers & Focused on condi damage a bit more. Flesh Wurm. Death Magic Minor Slide Death Magic Rework Slide -- Rid of Carapace for a more straightforward specialization design I would expect of the core spec. Heavy on minions with more choice to make, and bruiser traits. Blood Magic Slide -- Purity of Purpose for group support. Blood Fiend. Soul Reaping Slide -- Minor buffs. Enjoy zee slides.

I'd say maybe just add an evade frame to it while in the cast time so Scourge's won't get CCed to oblivion trying to use it to go in or retreat.

I actually never even realized this -- but this thread has been so cool to follow.

I really agree with you on the Axe and Focus -- especially with the Focus rework, as it just added another basic "necrotic claw" spell effect. Taking away a unique spell effect of the bouncing scythe was so sad. With Dagger however, I tend to disagree with adding group support to weapons that are focused on SELF-sustain. Defensive weapons should focus on yourself and not allies. Many elements of healing in GW2 feel OP as it does not just provide healing/support to allies, but also to the player. Keeping this as separate as possible would be better for balance. If you are looking for more support ideas -- as I am as well -- we could look to other weapons. Here are some of my ideas: STAFF REWORK - Condi DPS + Supportive Utility + More Active 1. Hex -> Blood Hex -> Necrotic Grasp: A quicker chain of fast projectiles, with the Grasp being a spell at the location reaching upwards, rather than a projectile. (DMG+BLD | DMG+BLD | AoE DMG+BLD+TORM). Ally-Target function as well. (Barrier | Barrier | AoE Heal). 2. Mark of Blood -> Blood Funnel: Siphon blood from target, applying bleeding and gaining life-force. (DMG+5BLD+10% Life-Force.) Ally-Target: Funnel healing into your ally, and grant allies around them regen. (Heal+AoE Regen + 5% Life-Force. 360 Radius). 3. Chilblains: Send a scythe in a direction in front of you, cutting a path of frost to inflict foes with conditions. (DMG + Chill + Slow + Life Force). 4. Putrid Mark -> Putrid Land: Befoul the land at a location, tormenting foes. Allies in the area have conditions cleansed. (DMG(5x) + Torment + Poison. Condi Cleanse.). 5 Reaper's Mark -> Terror Hex: Conjure a shadow orb to explode in an area, fearing foes. (DMG + 5 Vuln + Fear + Life Force). _______________ SCEPTER 1. ... -> ... -> Putrid Curse: Add life force generation to this spell. (+2% Life Force). _______________ TRAIT(S) Soul Reaping Soul Marks Soul Soothe: When you use your heal skill, heal allies around you. (Heal: 400. Radius: 600.)

In a way yes -- with the concept of waiting for an effect, and being able to use it at various strengths. I don't think it would be an issue at all as it is a trade off to sit in it for longer, for a more powerful effect. Plus with that line of thinking you might as well call for no cast times on abilities.

I have played around with a way to rework Mantras so that they feel more unique in the lineup of utility skills, and not just like Cantrips. This rework would also see the return of the casting animation and voice lines. Additionally this would extend to Mesmer to bring those back. Solution: Charge Spells. And, not like the way they originally were, where they were a bit of a pain to use between maps/deaths. This "charge" idea was originally in GW2 with Alpha spells/skills (ex. ALPHA Staff Elementalist Ice Shards), and is still in game via trebuchets. Video Example of Charge (13:13): TLDR: Mantras could be spells that you hold down, and gain increased power the longer you hold them. Brings back the casting animation, voice lines, and adds a balance edge to gain more effects if you choose to complete the cast. You could still make the choice to go for a more "instant" pop of the skill.

No, that's what I'm getting at... I agree with their balance philosophy of "Holes in Roles" and "Purity of Purpose" but it seems for various specs (FB & Mech most notably), they seem to not want to adhere to it. Though, with specs existing outside the philosophy at such a degree, we will still see them as mainstays in a way that other professions are not. The strength of FB and Mech also has to be considered -- it's not that they are versatile in the way of being a "jack of all trades and a master of none" but rather they are a "jack of all trades and a master of all."

Revenant. It started out with such extreme costs (could be analogous to FB Page costs), and throughout the years the balance has always been reducing and reducing the energy costs, along with cooldowns being reduced. Having so many elements to use a skill increases the chances of getting the balancing of the skills wrong. Too quick and it becomes too strong -- too slow and it feels underwhelming to play. For the flexibility angle, I don't know why we are forgetting the existence of Utility skills -- that is where that flexibility should be stored, and maintaining the responsibility of player choice. So from my personal perspective I don't feel a profession mechanic needs to exponentially increase that versatility with very little trade-off.