Focused Feedback: Electrical Affinity - Powers (Build 3)

[JayboH]

50 minutes ago, Vanden said:

Shock ought to at least do damage to robot enemies like EM Pulse does, just for flavor.

Yes that is not a bad idea.  I agree.

[johnnysc]

1 hour ago, Vanden said:

Shock ought to at least do damage to robot enemies like EM Pulse does, just for flavor.

I'm still hoping for a -hair effect on War Wolves and Minotaurs.  😀

[JayboH]

..still think that Amp Up idea is pretty cool, but would it be like Fiery Embrace where every single damage power in existence would have to add the +energy proc if active?  Yikes if so

[Mystic Fortune]

36 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Patch notes were a bit messed up. A few changes got missed:

 

Energizing Circuit:

• Now grants +5 max endurance (enhanceable) for 30 seconds

Galvanic Sentinel:

• Base duration increased from 30 seconds to 60 seconds
• Additional duration per stack increased from 10 seconds to 15 seconds
• Max duration increased from 80 seconds to 135 seconds

Most of the power descriptions / short text were also the old versions - they have been updated too.

...and if you hadn't pointed these out, I never would have noticed. Also, Galvanic Sentinel may last for 2 minutes 15 seconds now... but it still doesn't do anything with this patch.

 

Taking the passive bonuses out of Static completely shows that you want us to spend the stacks as soon as possible. Which just makes the set very spammy and as I have been told first hand by a few people just makes it annoying. It makes me feel like that annoying player who continuously spams Speed Boost on the entire team for no reason.

[JayboH]

Wait a second, is there zero -end abilities in the set anymore and it is all -rec now?

[Mystic Fortune]

22 minutes ago, JayboH said:

Wait a second, is there zero -end abilities in the set anymore and it is all -rec now?

Shock still has an enhanceable -End component, and it looks like when it starts working properly again, Galvanic Sentinel will also do -End.

[siolfir]

59 minutes ago, JayboH said:

..still think that Amp Up idea is pretty cool, but would it be like Fiery Embrace where every single damage power in existence would have to add the +energy proc if active?  Yikes if so

It shouldn't, I'm pretty sure that it could do it via global proc (which is how I'm assuming Hybrid Assault does it).

[KelvinKole]

2 hours ago, Trickshooter said:

Ok, I do like this set, but the more I look at it, the more I'm just so confused by how limited it seems, I guess.

 

Shock: I think this fits pretty well with many of the tier 1 powers with the addition of -Regeneration. 

 

Rejuvenating Circuit: Overall, I think it's fine. It could probably be a bit more potent, so I would consider lowering the upfront heal a bit and adding some Heal-over-Time.

 

Galvanic Sentinel: I like that it solves a lot of issues for a solo/small team player with the set, and that it also now comes with a -Regenation as well. I think it's still a bit weak and could use a -Endurance aura. As others have said, on some teams it won't be that useful, but if it had a bit more utility it could be useful as an alpha absorber, draining endurance and soaking up that alpha damage.

 

Energizing Circuit: This just seems very limited. It could use the addition to +Speed and +Recovery. That would really help it sound more like something "energizing".

 

Faraday Cage: All good here.

 

Empowering Circuit: This I feel could also use an additional effect. I'd go with +Recharge.

 

Defbrillate: I just wish this had some effect on enemies, but I'm fine with it staying as is, too.

 

Insulating Circuit: This power is just so odd to me. It's purpose seems a little lost because the set already has tools to deal with incoming damage. The only comparable power is Wild Bastion, but I understand the purpose of that power; Absorb to protect your health bar while the attached Heal-over-Time recovers it. The heal is a bit unnecessary because Nature isn't short on healing, but I understand why the two effects are together in one power as they make it clear when to use it. I guess I don't see when Insulating Circuit is the right power to use; you just use it because it's there and it's not NOT helping.

 

Amp Up: Honestly, I would drop the +Special and +Recharge from this power, and just make it a PBAoE that adds the endurance-draining, knock up-causing bolts to all nearby allies attacks for a short while. That to me would make it more fun to use. Right now, it seems like something with no real purpose; you really just put it on ally because you have it, not because it will add much to a fight.

 

Static: With no self-buff from this, and with the effect only affecting 3 mostly situational powers, why even have it? And I don't mean that vindictively! I just feel like, at this point, it's starting to seem like a leftover mechanic from early in the set's development and now we're trying to come up with ways to keep it while it's becoming less and less useful.

 

I don't want anyone to feel discouraged. I understand that support sets are probably the most difficult to design because there's no real buff/debuff formulas to follow, no 'token' powers (Build Ups/Aims, Confronts/Taunts/Placates), and no real formulas or standardized tiers. I think this can be a good set, and it definitely fills a character concept niche that's been missing, but I think overall it needs more focus on an intended goal.

Agree on a lot of the above. Adding a few notes.

 

Shock: Still needs something to me. I'd like a high magnitude knockdown just to buy some breathing room when solo and add some additional IO options.

 

Galvanic Sentinel: I just don't like it. I'm sure there's keybinds and stuff, but targeting it while solo just to be able to use the majority of the set feels awkward. My ingenious idea tonight is to make this a ground targeted totem that pull foes close to it. Kind of like using Wormhole to group up mobs, but pulls foes in a surrounding radius towards it. From there it could pulse a -dmg and -regen debuff. Still targetable and killable. It won't make the set less awakard when solo, but will add tremendous utility on a team. I'm imagining like a reverse telekinesis so it looks like mobs are falling into it. It will be awesome. 

 

Static: Just get rid of it now. It's only purpose seems to be to allow the set to do what it should be able to do anyway. That, or add passive buffs as I mentioned before: +recharge and reduce endurance cost per stack. 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by KelvinKole

[JayboH]

1 hour ago, KelvinKole said:

targeting it while solo just to be able to use the majority of the set feels awkward.

Not really, most sets don't have that option and it allows you to buff yourself with teammate powers most sets do not get

[KelvinKole]

21 minutes ago, JayboH said:

Not really, most sets don't have that option and it allows you to buff yourself with teammate powers most sets do not get

Most sets don't need that option. Even true "support" sets like Thermal, Pain, and Empathy have PBAoE heals and useful PBAoE buffs or debuffs. Other sets serve the user a lot better. With Electric Affinity, if you don't take the pet, and right now there isn't much reason to IMO, the only self serving power is Faraday cage. Everything else has no way to benefit the user. 

[JayboH]

20 minutes ago, KelvinKole said:

Most sets don't need that option. Even true "support" sets like Thermal, Pain, and Empathy have PBAoE heals and useful PBAoE buffs or debuffs. Other sets serve the user a lot better. With Electric Affinity, if you don't take the pet, and right now there isn't much reason to IMO, the only self serving power is Faraday cage. Everything else has no way to benefit the user. 

Can't give yourself ice shield, glacial shield, frostwork, clear mind, fortitude, heal other, adrenaline boost, deflection shield, insulation shield, increase density, speed boost, soothe, enforced morale, painbringer, alkaloid, antidote, sonic barrier, sonic haven, disruption field, clarity, O2 boost, thermal shield, cauterize, plasma shield, thaw, or forge.  You can give yourself rejuvenating circuit, energizing circuit, empowering circuit, and insulating circuit however.

[Bopper]

I like the set for what it is. I enjoy the fact it provides endurance and health to the team, I also like the synergy of -damage, resistance and absorb. Lots of survivability there. I still think static should do something like +special or +recharge with its stacks, but mostly I like it for what it is. Plus, not a lot of investment is needed which allows me to focus slots elsewhere. The Elec/Dark/Soul build I came up with would seem strong enough to keep a team upright with its softcapped range defense, perma-hasten, and loads of tohit debuffs. I'm also liking the use of the panacea proc in Insulating Circuit as opposed to my Health. I get to share the wealth with my teammates and the proc rate is solid.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Bopper

[JayboH]

16 minutes ago, Bopper said:

I like the set for what it is. I enjoy the fact it provides endurance and health to the team, I also like the synergy of -damage, resistance and absorb. Lots of survivability there. I still think static should do something like +special or +recharge with its stacks, but mostly I like it for what it is. Plus, not a lot of investment is needed which allows me to focus slots elsewhere. The Elec/Dark/Soul building came up with would seem strong enough to keep a team upright with its softcapped range defense, perma-hasten, and loads of tohit debuffs. I'm also liking the use of the panacea proc in Insulating Circuit as opposed to my Health. I get to share the wealth with my teammates and the proc rate is solid.

How does that work here - does it have a chance to proc every jump or only once per activation or...

[Bopper]

1 hour ago, JayboH said:

How does that work here - does it have a chance to proc every jump or only once per activation or...

I wasn't teaming, but when I summoned a Widow and the Galv. Sentinel, I saw it proc for each of us in the chain. It didnt fire for all of us, everytime (but typically at least 2 got the proc). But it was enough for me to decide to 5 slot the Panacea in my Insulating Circuit with the proc, and left my health slots for other things.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Bopper

[Bopper]

8 hours ago, Trickshooter said:

Defbrillate: I just wish this had some effect on enemies, but I'm fine with it staying as is, too.

Doesn't it feel like it's a missed opportunity to make it into an EMP rez? So much electricity used to bring back the life of fallen allies that it causes an electromagnetic pulse that leaves enemies temporarily paralyzed and drained of energy.

[KelvinKole]

8 hours ago, JayboH said:

Can't give yourself ice shield, glacial shield, frostwork, clear mind, fortitude, heal other, adrenaline boost, deflection shield, insulation shield, increase density, speed boost, soothe, enforced morale, painbringer, alkaloid, antidote, sonic barrier, sonic haven, disruption field, clarity, O2 boost, thermal shield, cauterize, plasma shield, thaw, or forge.  You can give yourself rejuvenating circuit, energizing circuit, empowering circuit, and insulating circuit however.

You're comparing the ally buffs from every single set to four powers in the same set. It's not apples to apples.

 

Take Cold Domination, for example. There's only three powers in that set that can't benefit the caster in some way and you mentioned them. Compared to Electrical Affinity, which has 7 powers that can't benefit the caster if the silly pet wasn't there - Shock and Faraday cage. can provide a benefit. This was an initial complaint about the set and that's how we ended up with the pet. I'm not disagreeing that the pet solves it, but I stand by my opinion that it's super awkward to use in game. I haven't even been able to ramp up to any kind of difficult content yet, but my assumption is the pet is just going to die anyway and I'll hit the floor shortly after. I'd feel sturdier as an Empathy defender who can at least give myself RAs and PbAoE heals, allowing me to focus on blasting/controlling rather than maintaining buffs in a strange way. If these skills are to benefit the caster, just make them originate on the caster or turn them into siphons and then give us something more useful than the pet. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by KelvinKole

[Vanden]

7 hours ago, Bopper said:

Doesn't it feel like it's a missed opportunity to make it into an EMP rez? So much electricity used to bring back the life of fallen allies that it causes an electromagnetic pulse that leaves enemies temporarily paralyzed and drained of energy.

I know, right? Eh? Eh? 😀

[Bopper]

13 minutes ago, Vanden said:

I know, right? Eh? Eh? 😀

I'm thinking of it as more like a combination of Howling Twilight and EMP. So where the Ally is rezzed, the 30 foot radius EMP is triggered.  The recharge would need to increase from 2m to 5m, but it would make for a more interesting utility power. As of now, I'm skipping Difibrilate in every build.

[Drakwatch]

Does anyone else feel like Galvanic Sentinel is pretty slow? Just running around Atlas with it, it feels like it has some trouble keeping up with me. Seeing as it's a floating ball of energy, I just feel like it should be within 10 meters of me at all times and easily fly over objects.

[Bopper]

8 minutes ago, Drakwatch said:

Does anyone else feel like Galvanic Sentinel is pretty slow? Just running around Atlas with it, it feels like it has some trouble keeping up with me. Seeing as it's a floating ball of energy, I just feel like it should be within 10 meters of me at all times and easily fly over objects.

I dont know how fast you are moving, but I think the fly speed of the Sentinel is +200% which is pretty good. Assuming pets get the same base fly speed of 21.48 mph, that should be enough fly speed to hit max speed of 58.63 mph. Perhaps it's the logic in the pet thatis slow to follow you?

[Drakwatch]

32 minutes ago, Bopper said:

I dont know how fast you are moving, but I think the fly speed of the Sentinel is +200% which is pretty good. Assuming pets get the same base fly speed of 21.48 mph, that should be enough fly speed to hit max speed of 58.63 mph. Perhaps it's the logic in the pet thatis slow to follow you?

I'll do some further testing tonight, I was trying it out with base unenhanced lvl 50 run speed and then with speed of sound. The sentinel seemed to just be slow navigating around the Atlas globe -  choosing to go around objects rather than over and took about 5-6 seconds to catch up with me after I stopped. However, I've seen other pets do the same thing before now that I think of it.

[warlyx]

6 hours ago, KelvinKole said:

You're comparing the ally buffs from every single set to four powers in the same set. It's not apples to apples.

 

Take Cold Domination, for example. There's only three powers in that set that can't benefit the caster in some way and you mentioned them. Compared to Electrical Affinity, which has 7 powers that can't benefit the caster if the silly pet wasn't there - Shock and Faraday cage. can provide a benefit. This was an initial complaint about the set and that's how we ended up with the pet. I'm not disagreeing that the pet solves it, but I stand by my opinion that it's super awkward to use in game. I haven't even been able to ramp up to any kind of difficult content yet, but my assumption is the pet is just going to die anyway and I'll hit the floor shortly after. I'd feel sturdier as an Empathy defender who can at least give myself RAs and PbAoE heals, allowing me to focus on blasting/controlling rather than maintaining buffs in a strange way. If these skills are to benefit the caster, just make them originate on the caster or turn them into siphons and then give us something more useful than the pet. 

was about to post this let the spells originate from the caster , losing 1 jump is ok , soloing is a bit confusing with this set 

 

teaming guess u target enemies for dmg powers and target friends to cast EAf powers

 

p.d the powerset is interesting im a huge fan of "chain" spells , if only elec blaster had this system (Zapp chaining or Lighting bolt jumping from 1 to another enemy ! ....unlimited power!)

[DMW45]

Yeah, I feel like the best way to go about it is to have it start with yourself and jump from there if there's not an adequate target selected, otherwise have it as it works now.

[KC4800]

Last time I checked Faraday Cage lasted 4 minutes is that still wai? How about making it last 2 minutes but adding either some defense or Energy resistance?

Edited March 5, 2020 by KC4800

[JayboH]

5 hours ago, Drakwatch said:

Does anyone else feel like Galvanic Sentinel is pretty slow? Just running around Atlas with it, it feels like it has some trouble keeping up with me. Seeing as it's a floating ball of energy, I just feel like it should be within 10 meters of me at all times and easily fly over objects.

Yes I mentioned that on the alpha servers and showed footage of how slow it is when following.  It doesn't seem to tp to the caster either at any range.

Edited March 5, 2020 by JayboH