Suggestions for Sentinel changes

[Elementfury323]

I've been playing my Sentinel's a bit more lately and have thought of a few changes I think would help the Archetype. What do you think? Would this make anyone try a Sentinel or would this be too much overkill?

 

Archetype Origin Enhancements

First: Sentinel's Ward Chance for Absorb could be a global chance to proc like the Stalker's Chance for Build up.

Second: Opportunity Strikes could add a minor Vulnerability to each attack from the Sentinel which would be the same as Vulnerability but at 5% values.

 

Overall Archetype Changes

First: Change the AoE's to 16 targets. Sentinels do less damage than blasters and that is fine they are in a good spot but the lower target hurts.

Second: Each attack could increase the Opportunity bar by one for each target hit.

[Rudra]

5 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

First: Sentinel's Ward Chance for Absorb could be a global chance to proc like the Stalker's Chance for Build up.

This would be entirely too OP. Sentinels already get Scrapper defenses as ranged characters, so adding the ability to constantly proc absorb from all your attacks would make them impossible to kill.

 

8 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

Second: Opportunity Strikes could add a minor Vulnerability to each attack from the Sentinel which would be the same as Vulnerability but at 5% values.

Opportunity already debuffs the target's damage resistance to everything. (And that isn't counting the damage resist debuff Sentinels apply with their own attacks. When the Opportunity bar is full, you can make that debuff -25% instead of just -5% from your regular attack use.) And the proc already adds to the Opportunity bar.

 

11 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

First: Change the AoE's to 16 targets. Sentinels do less damage than blasters and that is fine they are in a good spot but the lower target hurts.

That is part of the price Sentinels pay for being much sturdier than Blasters despite still being a ranged AT.

 

12 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

Second: Each attack could increase the Opportunity bar by one for each target hit.

Not sure what you are asking for here. The Opportunity bar already increases with every attack the Sentinel makes.

[Elementfury323]

13 minutes ago, Rudra said:

This would be entirely too OP. Sentinels already get Scrapper defenses as ranged characters, so adding the ability to constantly proc absorb from all your attacks would make them impossible to kill.

Ok so OP

 

13 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Opportunity already debuffs the target's damage resistance to everything. (And that isn't counting the damage resist debuff Sentinels apply with their own attacks. When the Opportunity bar is full, you can make that debuff -25% instead of just -5% from your regular attack use.) And the proc already adds to the Opportunity bar.

This one is confusing me a bit isn't the debuff only 15%?

13 minutes ago, Rudra said:

That is part of the price Sentinels pay for being much sturdier than Blasters despite still being a ranged AT.

I not sure I agree with much sturdier but merely difference of opinion.

13 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Not sure what you are asking for here. The Opportunity bar already increases with every attack the Sentinel makes.

I believe Opportunity increases at a static rate right now and the Sentinel's attacks don't change the rate of Opportunity gained. I was suggesting a bit of a possible increase to the rate at which Opportunity could be gained. Sometimes I seem to have Vulnerability drop before I have enough Opportunity to pop it back up. I suppose this does not matter when there is more than one Sentinel which makes sense.

 

Thanks for the feedback obviously just a few thoughts and ideas I wanted to put forth. And possibly a few misunderstandings of powers from my point of view.

[Elementfury323]

23 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Opportunity already debuffs the target's damage resistance to everything. (And that isn't counting the damage resist debuff Sentinels apply with their own attacks. When the Opportunity bar is full, you can make that debuff -25% instead of just -5% from your regular attack use.) And the proc already adds to the Opportunity bar.

Here I was trying to suggest a bit more of debuff for groups instead of an individual opportunity but on a smaller scale. Probably OP but since Sentinels search for Opportunities I thought it could be a cool idea.

[Rudra]

6 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

This one is confusing me a bit isn't the debuff only 15%?

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Opportunity

 

 

[SeraphimKensai]

Would you rather have 16 targets or the current fast recharging nukes? 

[Elementfury323]

3 minutes ago, Rudra said:

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Opportunity

 

 

Thats the old Opportunity. Before the changes.

 

3 minutes ago, SeraphimKensai said:

Would you rather have 16 targets or the current fast recharging nukes? 

It's a good question I thought the lower damage but faster nuke was the compromise not the target cap. But I would rather keep it the way it is now.

[Elementfury323]

This information is more up to date.

[Wavicle]

Comparing Sentinel AoE to Blaster AoE is silly. Blasters are an outlier AT as far as damage goes because it's basically all they get.

Comparing Sentinel AoE to SCRAPPER AoE, correctly shows that Sentinels do somewhat better AoE than the average Scrapper. Clearly not as much single target damage in MOST cases. That's where Vulnerability comes in.

Comparing Sentinel damage to Scrapper Electric Melee should show how the ATs are relative to one another.

[biostem]

54 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

Sentinel's Ward Chance for Absorb could be a global chance to proc like the Stalker's Chance for Build up.

I love Sentinels and mainly play them.  That being said, I've found the absorb proc to be nearly useless - not only does it occur too infrequently, but the amount of absorb is way too low.  I'm not in favor of making it global, but perhaps the amount of said absorb could be tweaked up a bit.

 

57 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

Opportunity Strikes could add a minor Vulnerability to each attack from the Sentinel which would be the same as Vulnerability but at 5% values.

As others mentioned, the current iteration simply gives the slotted power a chance to grant the character some additional opportunity for the AT inherent power.  That being said, I'd rather something like a chance to instantly refill your opportunity bar to 50% and/or recharge the inherent power.

[BrandX]

Didn't Sentinels lose the -5% Resist (or whatever it was) on all attacks with their change?

[Wavicle]

Just now, BrandX said:

Didn't Sentinels lose the -5% Resist (or whatever it was) on all attacks with their change?

Yes, they just have higher base damage and the big debuff now.

[biostem]

3 minutes ago, BrandX said:

Didn't Sentinels lose the -5% Resist (or whatever it was) on all attacks with their change?

It's important to keep in mind that they are also no longer tied into using their 1st 2 powers to debuff enemy resistance or provide a slight heal to allies attacking their target.

[Rudra]

11 minutes ago, Elementfury323 said:

17 minutes ago, Rudra said:

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Opportunity

 

 

Thats the old Opportunity. Before the changes.

 

You're right. The wiki and Mids need to be updated. What Opportunity does now is grant -15% resist all for 15 seconds, -15% ToHit for 15 seconds, -15% resist to all mezzes for 15 seconds, -15% end drain resistance for 15 seconds, -15% resist recovery debuff for 15 seconds, -15% resist regen' debuff for 15 seconds, -15% resist recharge debuff for 15 seconds, -11.25% defense debuff for 15 seconds, -15,000% stealth radius for 15 seconds, and it very quickly fills the Opportunity bar even when there is no combat going on.

 

So what about Opportunity needs to be fixed?

[Rudra]

8 minutes ago, biostem said:

but the amount of absorb is way too low.  I'm not in favor of making it global, but perhaps the amount of said absorb could be tweaked up a bit.

I can agree with this. Most definitely.

[Luminara]

No to all.  Sentinels are very well balanced now, they don't need any further improvements.

[kelika2]

1 hour ago, Elementfury323 said:

Overall Archetype Changes

 

First: Change the AoE's to 16 targets. Sentinels do less damage than blasters and that is fine they are in a good spot but the lower target hurts.

Second: Each attack could increase the Opportunity bar by one for each target hit.

You should stop thinking about this when you realize you are a ranged melee.  same-ish target limits and such to balance out the fact you have armor and cc protection

[Elementfury323]

41 minutes ago, Rudra said:

You're right. The wiki and Mids need to be updated. What Opportunity does now is grant -15% resist all for 15 seconds, -15% ToHit for 15 seconds, -15% resist to all mezzes for 15 seconds, -15% end drain resistance for 15 seconds, -15% resist recovery debuff for 15 seconds, -15% resist regen' debuff for 15 seconds, -15% resist recharge debuff for 15 seconds, -11.25% defense debuff for 15 seconds, -15,000% stealth radius for 15 seconds, and it very quickly fills the Opportunity bar even when there is no combat going on.

 

So what about Opportunity needs to be fixed?

I wasn't trying to imply that it needs to be fixed. I suppose the crux of what I was trying to suggest is changing the ATO's to something useful and impactful the Opportunity Strikes proc for more Opportunity is essentially useless as well as the absorb proc. Trying to find something fun and unique was all I was trying to do. As most of my ideas seem to be no's for everyone i'll drop it as bad ideas and thanks for everyone who gave feedback I appreciate it.

[Wavicle]

Honestly, I’m not certain that I prefer the design where the ATOs are something so important that they vastly improve the character and add functionality that you just couldn’t have before. That creates too much have and have not; I don’t mean among players, I mean for yourself as you’re leveling up. If there’s something missing from an archetype I’d rather have it just added to the archetype as opposed to being something you have to buy.

[biostem]

3 hours ago, Wavicle said:

Honestly, I’m not certain that I prefer the design where the ATOs are something so important that they vastly improve the character and add functionality that you just couldn’t have before. That creates too much have and have not; I don’t mean among players, I mean for yourself as you’re leveling up. If there’s something missing from an archetype I’d rather have it just added to the archetype as opposed to being something you have to buy.

On the one hand, I agree with your sentiment.  OTOH, I would prefer the ATO procs offer something that either compliments an ATs strengths or compensates for their weaknesses in some meaningful way.  To put it another way, if an ATO doesn't offer something on par with what any other IO set can offer, then why bother with it?

[PeregrineFalcon]

3 hours ago, Wavicle said:

Honestly, I’m not certain that I prefer the design where the ATOs are something so important that they vastly improve the character and add functionality that you just couldn’t have before.

I'd say ATs are defined as much by what they don't have as by what they have.

 

Defenders don't have the DPS that Blasters have. Blasters don't have the heals or controls of Defenders or Controllers. Scrappers don't have Force Fields or Empathy power sets. These things that they lack define them just as much as the things that they do have.

 

That being said, I think it's perfectly fine if end game content, like ATOs or Incarnate Powers, add things to ATs to shore up weaknesses or give them things that they don't have. Like giving Blasters mez protection, or giving Tankers and Defenders more damage output.

 

Obviously it's a problem if a level 23 Sentinel is a Tankblaster, but is it really a problem if a Veteran level 100 Sentinel is a Tankblaster?

[Uun]

13 hours ago, BrandX said:

Didn't Sentinels lose the -5% Resist (or whatever it was) on all attacks with their change?

I thought so too, but what is this? Did they just leave the power and give it a 0% chance to proc?

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=inherent.inherent.scrutiny&at=sentinel

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=temporary_powers.temporary_powers.opportunity_proc&at=sentinel

[BrandX]

14 hours ago, biostem said:

It's important to keep in mind that they are also no longer tied into using their 1st 2 powers to debuff enemy resistance or provide a slight heal to allies attacking their target.

 

I knew that, but I liked getting rid of that.  Not sure I fully liked the change we got, but I find it better than what it was.  I may prefer if they had a damage proc in the ATO instead of the +Opportunity tho.

[Wavicle]

The ATO takes you from 50-55% uptime to 60-65%. Not amazing, but not terrible.