Focused Feedback: Storm Blast

[Wavicle]

8 minutes ago, Underfyre said:

 

I know, but Intensify also has a 25% damage boost. Seems like it should be increasing the damage if the entity has a flag for "Boosts are copied to entity"

 

Probably, but SC and C5 last a lot longer than that buff. In my testing I definitely found it more effective when used AFTER summoning the drops.

[Underfyre]

Never mind, that's working as intended.

[Heatstroke]

1 hour ago, xmenlegend said:

I love the set so far! My only suggestion would be to make the lightning fx the same color yellow as the lightning in "Lightning Storm" in the storm summoning set, that way all the powers aren't just blue all the time.

 

Maybe also make the wind fx more white and leave the snow/rain/ice blue?

 

 

AGREE 100%

[ScarySai]

20 hours ago, Underfyre said:

 

I know, but Intensify also has a 25% damage boost. Seems like it should be increasing the damage if the entity has a flag for "Boosts are copied to entity"

Pet powers are weird, that's not how it works.

 

The proc chance is tied to your character's powers, so that's an easy on the spit boost. The pet can't inherit your buff stats after it is already summoned.

 

So, like blizzard or any other rain power, if you soul drain then summon a cell/c5, they'll have your soul drain buffs. But intensify's damage buff won't last long enough to pull a similar trick.

 

This is why if you build up into a blizzard, it goes back to doing it's regular damage not that long into it's duration.

Edited April 9, 2023 by ScarySai

[Heatstroke]

Did some more testing again still using just base powers no enhancements. testing only the Storm Blast powers on a Storm/Storm Corruptor. 

 

Storm Cell issues

 

1) I just cant tell where it is. I can see the rain a bit, but I just cant tell the radius it affects clearly and that is a major problem for me with the application. 

 

2) I dont like the fact that it moves with the mob. I had several instances were it moved away from the area I was in because one of the mobs moved away. And again since the movement speed debuff is so small.. they just run away with it. Also it seems like it moves with me like Carrion Creepers does to.. This is confusing IMO..

This needs to be a fixed area of effect IMO. Do one or the other.. Work like Carrion Creepers or stay in place like Faraday Cage. Liquefy.. not both

 

3) It takes damage enhancements but the power itself does no damage? 

 

Chain Lighting issue

 

The animation is just awful.  I would have preferred one of the buffs from electrical affinity as an attack.  Also it just doesn't have a good flow in the set IMO. I would have preferred a strait cone attack that had something like a chance to immobilize which would actually HELP Storm Call and Cat 5 from scattering mobs. This would also go a ways into fixing what feels like a lack of AoE In the set.

 

Category 5.. 

 

Area is of effect is defined batter that Storm Cell but need more " something " to make the splash on the ground effects more visible and have more depth.. maybe a tint in color to more blue.. or a " thicker " effect.

 

 

 

 

 

[Underfyre]

43 minutes ago, Heatstroke said:

3) It takes damage enhancements but the power itself does no damage? 

 

The lightning procs are boosted by enhancements in Storm Cell, not the power that triggered them. Cat5 lightning procs, which also require Storm Cell to be active, receive their enhancements from Cat 5 tho.

[Wavicle]

2 hours ago, Heatstroke said:

Work like Carrion Creepers or stay in place like Faraday Cage. Liquefy.. not both

It works exactly like Carion Creepers.

[Player-1]

5 hours ago, Underfyre said:

 

The lightning procs are boosted by enhancements in Storm Cell, not the power that triggered them. Cat5 lightning procs, which also require Storm Cell to be active, receive their enhancements from Cat 5 tho.

Category Five does not require Storm Cell to be active for lightning to be activated by it. 

[Underfyre]

I am corrected.

[Nefertari]

I saw mention of the purple ring on Storm Cell.  What exactly does the ring denote?  I didn't see an explanation on it (I may have overlooked it).

[Snarky]

Storm Blast....Moist Plop.

[Booper]

55 minutes ago, Nefertari said:

I saw mention of the purple ring on Storm Cell.  What exactly does the ring denote?  I didn't see an explanation on it (I may have overlooked it).

It let's you know that you don't currently have a Storm Cell active. Sometimes, it may be hard to notice if the storm cell's duration ran out, so it serves as a QoL notification. There is also a buff icon you can monitor, but we think the ring is more useful.

 

Next patch should include some fx changes to storm cell based on player feedback. Hopefully it will be easier to see, but the ring will remain regardless. 

[Captain Fabulous]

<snip>

Edited April 17, 2023 by Captain Fabulous

[WindDemon21]

5 hours ago, Booper said:

It let's you know that you don't currently have a Storm Cell active. Sometimes, it may be hard to notice if the storm cell's duration ran out, so it serves as a QoL notification. There is also a buff icon you can monitor, but we think the ring is more useful.

 

Next patch should include some fx changes to storm cell based on player feedback. Hopefully it will be easier to see, but the ring will remain regardless. 

And hopefully reduction in base recharge XD.

 

But also thought on alternate names, and Maelstrom has been standing there in our face this whole time as a pretty epic name possibility, i think that or Temptest would make the best choices for an alternate name. Cat 5 just does kinda swound weird to me.

[MindOverMatter]

Storm Blast quick thoughts:

Storm Cell Mechanic:  I can appreciate the ramp-up of damage and mitigation effects when used with other Storm Blast powers, however I experienced some trade-offs around

1. unpredictable damage leading to overkill (happens when a lightning aura strike defeats an enemy as you execute a separate attack) which contributes to
2. higher endurance use (both upfront cost to keep Storm Cell up to maximize the mechanic for better mitigation/damage and the cost to use more attacks to generate lightning strikes from Storm Cell via other attacks)

Recommendation: Returning endurance (even a small amount) to the player when they attack an enemy currently under the Storm Cell effect. Yes, this is similar to what Electric Blast does - however it is limited to only supporting the Fury-like mechanic of Storm Cell's interplay with other Storm Blast attacks.  

 

Aesthetics:

Excellent FXs work here, from the rains in storm cell to even the sad cloud burst raining on someone's day. 

 

Notes from Solo Testing on a Sentinels:

 
Level 1-13 - Early levels are straightforward, but the endurance sink of Storm Cell is significant. Early on, the need for more damage pushes use of Storm Cell and spamming low cost attacks - and the payoff is unpredictable but endurance-hungry. I hesitate to recommend swapping the order for a single-target staple like Lightning Strike/Snipe to support ST damage, because I am still just as hungry for endurance by the time Lightning Strike/Snipe was available. 

 

Level 20-30 - Enemies are getting tougher and the need to also slot for accuracy means the tradeoffs of end redux/damage/recharge with limited slotting is even more pronounced. When Storm Cell is down, I find myself waiting a beat before engaging groups to allow it to recharge, cast, and pause to recover some of the endurance expenditure before jumping in. This would be a more meaningful decision if I weren't wasting Storm Cell duration or being pressed for endurance management simply to utilize the set's core mechanic 

 

Mid-Late Game: More slots helps with managing endurance (as well as various endurance powers granted by the Sentinel Secondaries) - curious about how the thirsty endurance maintenance impacts non-Sentinels and Blasters (since those ATs typically have sustains in their secondaries) 

 

Tested using:

/Radiation Armor (Yeah, Radiation Armor is great, even with the +Absorb override issue in Particle Shielding) and

/Dark Armor (so much potential and so little Regen Debuff Resistance/HP). 
 

[TygerDarkstorm]

2 hours ago, MindOverMatter said:

Storm Blast quick thoughts:

Storm Cell Mechanic:  I can appreciate the ramp-up of damage and mitigation effects when used with other Storm Blast powers, however I experienced some trade-offs around

1. unpredictable damage leading to overkill (happens when a lightning aura strike defeats an enemy as you execute a separate attack) which contributes to
2. higher endurance use (both upfront cost to keep Storm Cell up to maximize the mechanic for better mitigation/damage and the cost to use more attacks to generate lightning strikes from Storm Cell via other attacks)

Recommendation: Returning endurance (even a small amount) to the player when they attack an enemy currently under the Storm Cell effect. Yes, this is similar to what Electric Blast does - however it is limited to only supporting the Fury-like mechanic of Storm Cell's interplay with other Storm Blast attacks.  

 

Aesthetics:

Excellent FXs work here, from the rains in storm cell to even the sad cloud burst raining on someone's day. 

 

Notes from Solo Testing on a Sentinels:

 
Level 1-13 - Early levels are straightforward, but the endurance sink of Storm Cell is significant. Early on, the need for more damage pushes use of Storm Cell and spamming low cost attacks - and the payoff is unpredictable but endurance-hungry. I hesitate to recommend swapping the order for a single-target staple like Lightning Strike/Snipe to support ST damage, because I am still just as hungry for endurance by the time Lightning Strike/Snipe was available. 

 

Level 20-30 - Enemies are getting tougher and the need to also slot for accuracy means the tradeoffs of end redux/damage/recharge with limited slotting is even more pronounced. When Storm Cell is down, I find myself waiting a beat before engaging groups to allow it to recharge, cast, and pause to recover some of the endurance expenditure before jumping in. This would be a more meaningful decision if I weren't wasting Storm Cell duration or being pressed for endurance management simply to utilize the set's core mechanic 

 

Mid-Late Game: More slots helps with managing endurance (as well as various endurance powers granted by the Sentinel Secondaries) - curious about how the thirsty endurance maintenance impacts non-Sentinels and Blasters (since those ATs typically have sustains in their secondaries) 

 

Tested using:

/Radiation Armor (Yeah, Radiation Armor is great, even with the +Absorb override issue in Particle Shielding) and

/Dark Armor (so much potential and so little Regen Debuff Resistance/HP). 
 

FWIW, many a few of the Storm Blast powers can be slotted for end-mod (thus returning end to you).

Edited April 11, 2023 by TygerDarkstorm
corrected qualifier

[WindDemon21]

44 minutes ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

FWIW, many of the Storm Blast powers can be slotted for end-mod (thus returning end to you).

Many? Isn't it just the snipe and chain lightning?

[TygerDarkstorm]

8 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Many? Isn't it just the snipe and chain lightning?

Since you can't be bothered to check in beta apparently...

Accepting of End Mod enhancements: Storm Cell, Direct Strike, Chain Lightning, Category 5.

4/9, well, 4/8 since Intensify isn't an attack power, is 50%, many can technically work as a quantifier/qualifier.

[WindDemon21]

3 minutes ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

Since you can't be bothered to check in beta apparently...

Accepting of End Mod enhancements: Storm Cell, Direct Strike, Chain Lightning, Category 5.

4/9, well, 4/8 since Intensify isn't an attack power, is 50%, many can technically work as a quantifier/qualifier.

As I'm not at my computer 24/7 like most people and am having dinner no, I can't.

 

When I said that also, i wasnt counting those two powers cause while maybe they take end mod sets, cell at cat 5 are pseudo pets, and I've never seen a pseudo pet proc end back to the caster (per self skill cast on other powers). Meaning the end mod is for draining but not proccing end back.

 

Static field procs as IT hits enemies itself so that works differently.

 

Are you saying that cell and cat 5 can proc end when using any other storm attack then when the extra strike procs? Cause I could see that ending up almost TOO good, and didn't seem to notice that when I tested storm.

[TygerDarkstorm]

7 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Are you saying that cell and cat 5 can proc end when using any other storm attack then when the extra strike procs? Cause I could see that ending up almost TOO good, and didn't seem to notice that when I tested storm.

Honestly, I haven't paid that close of attention to it and would possibly be a better question for @Player-1 and/or @Booper. I was just going off what sets I saw they can take and how the goofy auto-enhance feature on beta will slot end mod sets into Storm Cell and C5. You may be right though and with them being pseudopets they may not return end to you.

 

Come to think of it, Lightning Storm in Storm Summoning can take End Mod sets too, but no idea if it returns the end to you or not. I'm not much into knowing the numbers/details on that sort of thing.

[Wavicle]

It does not.

[TygerDarkstorm]

I edited my post to say a few instead of many since I derped and went off of enhancement sets allowed.

[WindDemon21]

2 minutes ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

Honestly, I haven't paid that close of attention to it and would possibly be a better question for @Player-1 and/or @Booper. I was just going off what sets I saw they can take and how the goofy auto-enhance feature on beta will slot end mod sets into Storm Cell and C5. You may be right though and with them being pseudopets they may not return end to you.

 

Come to think of it, Lightning Storm in Storm Summoning can take End Mod sets too, but no idea if it returns the end to you or not. I'm not much into knowing the numbers/details on that sort of thing.

Well yeah, hence why I said that it was just the snipe and chain lightning lol.

 

Going by the text DS and CL, they also say they do drain but have zero mention of any endurance returning to you. Which I wasn't noticing either. So maybe this is something that could be added to help the set a bit on the endurance front. TBH it also seems like, those two powers at least (if not also the lightning strikes, just like how lightning storm works) Should have some -recovery too. While noticing the end drain, getting them down low means usually nothing in PVE if you don't have -recovery to keep them down. I'm not going on too crazy of mobs cause I don't want to ruin the effect of actually leveling up my own when this goes live, but I know from other draining toons that's always a caveat where no -recovery means the end drain is useless.

 

Now everything isn't *poperly* slotted, but also noticed it seemed odd how long it took a boss to die with "storm cell > cat 5 > aim > snipe > every other ST left" +3 boss yes but also running targetting drone with acc/damage boost, not one attack missed and still felt like it took like 3 times longer for the boss to die, and that was even with using the nuke too which makes it seem even extra odd it felt that long. Actually looking at the "fast sets" placed into it, both atos were in gust/cloudburst, 70% damage altogehter in hailstones, but again, using the nuke too? seemed odd for the boss to last so long on a blaster.

[WindDemon21]

10 minutes ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

I edited my post to say a few instead of many since I derped and went off of enhancement sets allowed.

Happens lol, but yeah like i just said doesn't seem to at all, but don't see that being a problem of it being added perhaps? But I know for things like elec blast and melee, it only really happens with the powers that "connect" you with the enemy (though oddly this rule doesn't work on every power in elec melee/blast that does. In addition to maybe adding some -recovery, either in the attacks, strike procs, or both? But not sure about it stepping on elec blasts toes either then, but it could already be limited to just the two attacks or strikes.

[WindDemon21]

Really can't say enough how I love direct strike though, but then how completely piddly cloudburst feels, especially waiting for that cloud to get to the target, just to then have a slow DoT as well. If anything, Gust feels like it hits harder than it does. The animation for Gust feels like it would make more sense for cloudburst as well, instantly creating the cloud over their head, or moving the cat 5 animation for cloudburst (still shaving off the .33s off the activation to align dpa,) and then the whirly-water animation could even make more sense for cat 5 (kinda like that guy from x-men first class? or just nix that animation altogether lol, though it would look a lot better and make more sense, with that animation with a decent sized cyclone in the hand for the nuke?

 

Spitballing here, but cloudburst just feels so lacking and the sets ST in general does as well, even when using the nuke to kill just a boss.