Make the powers in Trick Arrow require a target again

[the1egend1ives]

Trick Arrow received a buff in i27. I appreciate the changes, but almost nobody appreciates the fact that half the powers are now location-based. Having to manually move my cursor where I want to attack kills the flow of combat. But that minor issue aside, the biggest problem with location based attacks in Trick Arrow is that they now suck at triggering procs. It's a shame because one of the strengths of Trick Arrow before the changes was that it was a proc monster. A good baseline for before is just seeing how ESD Arrow performs with a lockdown proc. Virtually every mob I hit guarantees at least two Tesla Cages. Now if I proc EMP arrow, I can hit several mobs in succession and the Lockdown proc trigger might trigger once if I'm lucky.

 

Can we please see the return of targeted attacks in Trick Arrow?

[aethereal]

In terms of manually moving your cursor, you can bind keys to powexeclocation target to mostly get the experience of a targeted aoe.  Won't change proc rates, and not as good against moving enemies.

 

In general, I think about half of the systemic, nuts-and-bolts problems in this game could be resolved by de-clevering PPM significantly.  It's such a frankenstein of a system, filled with gotchas and bullshit.

[arcane]

Weren’t glue arrow and EMP arrow the only ones to change? Glue arrow was never good at procs to my knowledge, and EMP arrow is probably location based AoE to give it more flexibility now that it’s also a buff power. Acid arrow and ice arrow were always the juiciest proc powers in the set and still are, IMO.

[Rathulfr]

I create macros to convert any reticle powers into target powers, e.g.: /macro RoA powexec_location target "Rain of Arrows".

 

 

[Hew]

Binds, macros. You don't need to target anything.

 

/bind f powexec_location target oil slick

 

/macro slick powexec_location target oil slick

 

 

edit:

 

since im late to the party, you know all of this can target yourself right?

 

powexec_location self

 

 

That is great for dropping EMP arrow on your head for instant mez proof......... or all around pbaoe madness.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Hew

[the1egend1ives]

23 minutes ago, arcaneholocaust said:

Weren’t glue arrow and EMP arrow the only ones to change? Glue arrow was never good at procs to my knowledge, and EMP arrow is probably location based AoE to give it more flexibility now that it’s also a buff power. Acid arrow and ice arrow were always the juiciest proc powers in the set and still are, IMO.

EMP Arrow would be a juicy proc monster as well, if ESD arrow is anything to go by. ESD Arrow triggers the Lockdown proc almost every time. 

[arcane]

8 minutes ago, the1egend1ives said:

EMP Arrow would be a juicy proc monster as well, if ESD arrow is anything to go by. ESD Arrow triggers the Lockdown proc almost every time. 

I can see being frustrated for Lockdown’s sake. I’ve never procced it due to long recharge making it such an occasional power. I always 5-6 proc Ice Arrow and Acid Arrow and by that time I need set bonuses from the rest of the set. Think I’ve always wound up with 5 Unbreakable Constraints.

[srmalloy]

1 hour ago, Rathulfr said:

I create macros to convert any reticle powers into target powers, e.g.: /macro RoA powexec_location target "Rain of Arrows".

I've got characters with two binds/macros for rain-type powers, one that works for targeting yourself or the ground below you when flying over the monster mash in the summoning phase of a Hamidon raid -- 'powexec_location down:max' -- that usually has 'Rain' for the label, and one labeled 'Parade' for dropping it on my target -- 'powexec_location target'. I picked the labels mostly for the amusement of 'rain on their parade' as a mnemonic for remembering which is which; I've got another character that uses 'Toe' for toe-bombing Ice Slick.

[Psyonico]

1 hour ago, the1egend1ives said:

EMP Arrow would be a juicy proc monster as well, if ESD arrow is anything to go by. ESD Arrow triggers the Lockdown proc almost every time. 

I haven't thoroughly tested it after the changes, but yes, I can confirm that the Lockdown proc used to be *very* good in EMP Arrow.

[Psyonico]

I just ran a x2 mission, used EMP Arrow 5 times and out of that only 1 enemy got the Tesla Cage animation, meaning it is far from what it used to be where every x2 mob would have at least 1-2 enemies that got proc'd

[aethereal]

42 minutes ago, Psyonico said:

I just ran a x2 mission, used EMP Arrow 5 times and out of that only 1 enemy got the Tesla Cage animation, meaning it is far from what it used to be where every x2 mob would have at least 1-2 enemies that got proc'd

No, that makes sense.  It'll be as though it were on a 10 second recharge timer instead of whatever the actual recharge of the power is.

[Farmer Johnson]

This can all be solved with a simple bind . . . you should appreciate the flexibility.  On my Ice/ blaster I have binds set up to cast both Ice Storm and Blizzard on either myself or target as in addition to the normal clickie.  Being able to cast 1 power in 3 different ways is incredibly helpful.

[Hew]

On 2/9/2021 at 1:32 PM, Psyonico said:

I just ran a x2 mission, used EMP Arrow 5 times and out of that only 1 enemy got the Tesla Cage animation, meaning it is far from what it used to be where every x2 mob would have at least 1-2 enemies that got proc'd

I assume you noticed the massive changes to the power though, which include mezprotection among other things? Powexec_location self fodder if ever....

---

This power now spawns an EMP Field at the target location that acts similarly to Electrical Affinity's Faraday Cage and provides:

• 15% damage resistance to all but Toxic (not enhanceable)
• Resistance against End Drain and Recovery Debuffs
• Protection against status effects and knock back
• 
   

[Hew]

10 minutes ago, Farmer Johnson said:

This can all be solved with a simple bind . . . you should appreciate the flexibility.  On my Ice/ blaster I have binds set up to cast both Ice Storm and Blizzard on either myself or target as in addition to the normal clickie.  Being able to cast 1 power in 3 different ways is incredibly helpful.

My plant/ta has, uh, 10? 11? macros for all the location powers + use of combat teleport + teleport target +other stuff. Being able to remote target or self target changes the way the character plays immensely.

 

ct into combat, unlease an army of pbaoe madness (creepers, oilslick, emp, glue, sonic...) matched up with ranged aoe galore. It is a beastly combo, but it can be a bit to follow whats going on. I have a bumped out power tray _so i can track what is, and is not, recharging_, because macros don't have that useful info. 

 

Sadly, a lot of TA icons, uh, look the same. So i just mash them all as soon as they pop...

[oedipus_tex]

These powers are more powerful without requiring a target because you can fire them from behind an obstacle and enemies can't return fire.

Also, IMO the Lockdown proc needs to be lowered in effectiveness anyway, so I'm not upset if it's firing less consistently in EMP Arrow. I don't feel like non-Dominators should be getting reliable procs that mezz bosses. Same goes for the Contagious Confusion proc. These procs should be reverted to their original state before the PPM system was introduced and gave every Scrapper Brute and Blaster holds that mezz bosses in one shot.

Edited February 11, 2021 by oedipus_tex

[Starhammer]

On 2/9/2021 at 7:59 AM, Hew said:

Binds, macros. You don't need to target anything.

 

/bind f powexec_location target oil slick

 

/macro slick powexec_location target oil slick

 

 

edit:

 

since im late to the party, you know all of this can target yourself right?

 

powexec_location self

 

 

That is great for dropping EMP arrow on your head for instant mez proof......... or all around pbaoe madness.

As much as targeting myself is handy for so many things, I have a preference for powexeclocation 0:5 because it keeps my character pointed in the same direction. whatever I'm summoning is just centered right in front of me. Sometimes self makes me turn around and lose view of what's going on.

[Hew]

1 hour ago, Starhammer said:

As much as targeting myself is handy for so many things, I have a preference for powexeclocation 0:5 because it keeps my character pointed in the same direction. whatever I'm summoning is just centered right in front of me. Sometimes self makes me turn around and lose view of what's going on.

Wow, I love that one! I have to test it out!