New Electric Manipulation and other thoughts

[Anubis_TD2]

Before I start, THANK YOU to the Homecoming team and everyone supporting them.

I love this game and love everything you have done to improve it and keep it going.

 

btw, Sry Missed the Beta test for this>>

 

now to EM.

Order of powers seems off,  as well as the Damage numbers. 

Personally, Shocking Grasp and Thunderstrike should be switched. 

100 base dam hold as last power is very lackluster. (all other single target hits are 200 for final attack)

Thunderstrike as last power seems more natural and it can now be buffed to 200 single target dam.

 Since EM has no AOE's, you can then buff the Aoe attack a bit.

So, Smashing dam should be 150 up from 142.4, and energy (AoE aspect) up to 50 from 23.36.  oh KB should be turned to KD. 

This turns this set into a late bloomer but puts it more inline with dam output of other set (well not fire but the rest).

 

Since I'm here (don't post often)., I may as well throw some other quick ideas that have been rattling around.

 

1) Proper Snipe for all ranged sets (every set without one seems lacking in ST damage)

Ice - turn BFR to proper snipe no hold (call it Ice Lance ??)

Water - remove the heal (burns up tidal for near nothing), Put a snipe there

Sonic - take either Screech or Siren for a snipe

DP - THis is a tough one, maybe Executioners Shot can be the snipe. This would be a nice bonus to that power.

(hope i didn't miss one)

 

2) on the topic of ranged sets, Let us talk Fire. Inferno seems so out of wack I'm kind of surprised it hasn't been taken to task.

10 -15 % bonus DoT dam to fire powers seems to be the norm.

However, Inferno has an inspiring 64% dam bonus.  A slight adjustment would be reasonable.

 

3) No don't nerf inferno will be cries, Blizzard is just as bad. True. But until pseudo pets are fixed blizz and other powers are handcuffed by dam caps.

Bringing us to the 3rd point, Pseudo pets.

I have heard work is going on this topic so may be pointless; but is there a way to link ALL  pets to AT rather than their own scale?

 

4) Lot of work has been done to Melee classes and THANK YOU so much for all your work it is amazing. I wish I had a single skill that could help out with. I would like to suggest other AT need some help.  Though with current meta not sure how to help control and heal based toons.

No one needs health and locking enemies up just slows the roll.   Range on the other hand though fairly balanced on the whole could use some tweaks.

quick Examples of sets that need love outside of the snipe change.

a) Electric -  biggest issue is Voltaic Sent. 60 secs recast and poor dam in a slot that would be filled with powers like BIB, blaze, Lancer shot, etc.

consider VS can't really be buffed it doesn't really match those powers even if u add on one of your base attacks.

So, have it alternate  between charged bolt and lightning bolt, possibly make it a toggle. 

 

b)  Energy - beside the people who like the memes or don't like their friends, KB to KD or KUp. plz.

 

6) intend on adjusting more melee??

a) Fire - all powers should have 10-15% bonus DoT

           - incinerate should not be a dot but 90ish dam hit with the bonus DoT added

           - GFS 124 dam base with bonus DoT

 

b) Electric - first decide is EM going to be the AoE king or more balanced. Personally I think It should be the king but very weak in ST right now however it is poop at both. So lets go for AoE with some ST

                 - LR once Pseudo is fixed will really shine

               -  Chain Induction needs a ST buff to power. It should prob have a base dam of 100, first jump drops 50% then cpl % drop per jump after that.

               - JL should have a 90 degree cone

               - Thunderclap should be combined with Short Circuit (from ranged) so a minor dam/KD (not KB)/End drain/end gain

               - Thunderstrike switches spots with TC and get a 15 ft 10 per hit power.

 

c) Broadsword - Disembowel should be a big hit say 124 -134 base dam type hit

                        - Slice - should be about 60 base hit

                        - headsplitter possibly a 25 -30 degree arc

 

My biggest concern is a shift to too much formula for sets and not enough variety. where you get just a reskinning rather than unique sets.

 

[MTeague]

Removing Dehyrdrate from Water Blast to put in a snipe?  Bad trade in my book, so I vote no. I actually like that there are some sets that get no snipe at all, but which get other benefits in exchange. Bitter Frost Ray being a Hold is part of what makes Ice/Ice the Blastroller. I would want to keep those as-is. 

 

Of course, I also like KnockBack. Which from your post, you clearly do not. 

 

That said, I have nothing against your proposed changes for Electric Manipulation. 

[Uun]

As much as I like snipes, I disagree that every blast set needs one. I vote no on changing Bitter Freeze Ray to a snipe, although the animation time should be tweaked. Also no on changing Dehydrate to a snipe. I like heals in blast sets. Sonic does needs help, but I'm not sure a snipe is what it needs. I would give it more AoE damage, not ST. I'm in favor of adding a snipe to Dual Pistols, but I would replace Piercing Rounds - a 5 degree cone that can hit 3 targets is just silly.

[Outrider_01]

tl;dr - haven't figured out that not all sets are homogenized.

 

20 hours ago, Anubis_TD2 said:

1) Proper Snipe for all ranged sets (every set without one seems lacking in ST damage)

Ice - turn BFR to proper snipe no hold (call it Ice Lance ??)

Water - remove the heal (burns up tidal for near nothing), Put a snipe there

Sonic - take either Screech or Siren for a snipe

DP - THis is a tough one, maybe Executioners Shot can be the snipe. This would be a nice bonus to that power.

(hope i didn't miss one)

Ice should still be a hold, but it uses mechanics like snipe to insta cast for more damage in combat instead of a long animating hold.

Water - Where is the heal or utility attack in XYZ powerset ?  It also gets an double cast with Water Jet, which other sets are the same ?

Sonic - Control set is its gimick, just like ENG has knockback or Sonic has many control effects

DP - Executioner's Shot is the same damage as Blaze or Power Blast, in the case of Blaze the added damage ticks are secondary effect like KB for ENG

 

21 hours ago, Anubis_TD2 said:

b)  Energy - beside the people who like the memes or don't like their friends, KB to KD or KUp. plz.

Stop grouping, problem fixed.  Nobody complains about themselves doing it.  Alternatively, slot AoE or cones cause nobody is gonna care about a single bad guy flyig

 

21 hours ago, Anubis_TD2 said:

3) No don't nerf inferno will be cries, Blizzard is just as bad. True. But until pseudo pets are fixed blizz and other powers are handcuffed by dam caps.

Inferno needs to be cast from inside a group of bad guys, Blizzard can be cast from behind cover.  One set you take more damage in the attempt, the other you don't.  So trade off of damage dealt vs received.  And can we mention the target cap - Inferno is a solid 16 for one click, Blizzard being pet with rain damage and lasts 15 seconds so you are hitting more NPC as everything is dying off; target cap is set solid on any attack but Blizzard breaks it by hanging around longer resulting in more damage across multiple targets.

 

21 hours ago, Anubis_TD2 said:

c) Broadsword - Disembowel should be a big hit say 124 -134 base dam type hit

                        - Slice - should be about 60 base hit

                        - headsplitter possibly a 25 -30 degree arc

Axe = Mace

Broadsword = Katana

Where is the +def power in Axe or Mace?  How is Axe lethal while Mace is smashing ?  How is Broadsword and Katana both lethal damage? What about the long recharge high damage of Broadsword and is fast recharge lower damage of katana?  Each is different in its unique way.

 

Other stuff, no comment.

[arcane]

I understand the desire for a snipe but I’m also a firm believer that the cottage rule (queue eyeroll) was actually a good rule because every power has fans as is.
 

That being said, Sonic needs some kind of buff along those lines. Shout needs a buff at the very least. 
 

Ice and Water do not. Ice would frankly have to be nerfed in some other way because it’s already top tier s/t damage without a snipe. Water has enough utility/cc, awesome AoE, and double water jet that its slightly lower s/t damage is needed as a balancing factor.

 

DP *probably* does but only really *definitely* does if they nerf PPM. If you want monstrous damage from DP, all you have to do is proc it. It’s not unreasonable to say you shouldn’t have to... but, just sayin’, the option is right there.

Edited April 17, 2021 by arcane

[Turric]

I too am in favor of changing Sonic as its attack chain has poor animation synergy. One of my biggest annoyances with that set is that I will fire off power 1 and 2, but power 1 killed the target and so power 2 is wasted. Other blaster primaries do not have this delayed issue. Perhaps the sonic waves need to be sped up some. Or else, add more AOE. I would be on board with some Shockwave perhaps being a PBAOE instead of a cone. Perhaps like a second mini nuke. AND GIVE US SOME ALTERNATE AUDIO and ANIMATIONS for sonic!!! At least the Wailer sounds. The new sonic manipulation has cool sounds. And if my dreams came true there would be some kind of technology device or sonic rifle animation, but that is pie in the sky thinking.

 

I am also ok with adding some chain attack mechanic for electric. I've often thought that.