Fix Soul Drain - Soul Mastery

[Bopper]

When comparing the effects of Soul Drain between the Soul Mastery and Dark Mastery (Defenders/Corruptors), I am blown away by how much the Soul Mastery version gets nerfed. I do understand the Soul version is available at level 35 as opposed to Dark's version which is available at level 44 (and 2 required additional Dark Mastery powers). However double the recharge time and 44% of the coverage area is a HUGE nerf on the power. Might I offer two suggestions:

 

1) Make Soul Mastery's version of Soul Mastery the same as Dark Mastery, or at least more in line with it. This could be done by moving each version of Soul Drain to level 41 or level 44, or at the very least increase the radius of SM's Soul Drain to 15 ft.

 

2) Combine Soul Mastery's version of Soul Drain and Power Boost into it's own dark version of Power Build Up and make it available at level 41. Keep the same characteristics of the Soul Mastery version (same damage, same recharge of 240s, same ToHit/Damage buff boost based on number of foes hit) but add the secondary effects boost from Power Boost to the equation. Instead of a 98.34% secondary effect boost (using defenders numbers), we instead could make it a flat 40% to start, but you gain additional 8% secondary effect boost for each foe you hit, up to 7 foes (so a potential range of 40% to 96%). All boosts still last a duration of 30 seconds. The power would have to be renamed, perhaps something like "Soul Siphon" would best convey the concept as you siphon the enemies' souls to boost your own powers.

 

If the 2nd suggestion is implemented, might I suggest adding Oppressive Gloom to the Soul Mastery set.

[RussHood]

I didnt even realize dark mastery had a larger pbaoe than soul's. 

Soul mastery feels like it is using the dark melee template, where dark mastery was actually tuned for ranged AT from the start.

 

Imo the level unlock (power order) of the epics seem a bit arbitrary at times, and shouldnt affect the power's effectiveness.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

Keep in mind, Soul Mastery gets Power Boost which is potentially very powerful. I think it's not unreasonable for it to get a weaker version of Soul Drain to compensate.

[Trickshooter]

I feel like I frequently rant that the Patron versions of powers are overly penalized compared to APPs, but anytime I post it somewhere, someone always shows up and tells me I don't know what I'm talking about because Brute's Mu Mastery is great and every MM's take the AoE Immobs.  :-\

 

+1! Let's reevaluate many of the PPP penalties.

[Baney]

Also, why doesn't soul mastery have a self rez?? Ghost widow deals with Souls after all...

[Auroxis]

Keep in mind, Soul Mastery gets Power Boost which is potentially very powerful. I think it's not unreasonable for it to get a weaker version of Soul Drain to compensate.

 

Came in to say this, right now you have to choose between Power Boost or perma Soul Drain, lots of people chose Dark Mastery for that reason and would be forced to respec. There's no "Fix".

 

The only change I'd suggest is to rename the power on Soul Mastery so the difference becomes clearer. Call it Soul Siphon.

[Bopper]

Keep in mind, Soul Mastery gets Power Boost which is potentially very powerful. I think it's not unreasonable for it to get a weaker version of Soul Drain to compensate.

 

Came in to say this, right now you have to choose between Power Boost or perma Soul Drain, lots of people chose Dark Mastery for that reason and would be forced to respec. There's no "Fix".

 

The only change I'd suggest is to rename the power on Soul Mastery so the difference becomes clearer. Call it Soul Siphon.

 

Probably a coincidence, but Soul Siphon was the name of my 2nd suggestion, where I combined Soul Drain and Power Boost into one power. It still can't be perma, and it is effectively a dark version of Power Build Up (same 4 minute base recharge). Sure, it lasts 30 seconds as opposed to 12.5, but the radius is only 10 feet, you risk getting hit/drawing aggro, requires accuracy to maximize, and it would be available at Lvl 41 as opposed to 35. Seems balanced to me.

[Super Homer]

Rule of thumb is that epic pool powers are 2x the recharge of other versions of the same power. It seems to me, the "correct" fix is making the Dark Mastery version also 240s recharge.

 

I'm not sure why the Dark Mastery one has a 15ft radius, they should all be 10ft. Maybe they started with a different power there and didn't fully change it to what it should be (240s, 10ft radius)

[Leogunner]

Rule of thumb is that epic pool powers are 2x the recharge of other versions of the same power. It seems to me, the "correct" fix is making the Dark Mastery version also 240s recharge.

 

 

Came to the thread to say that. I wasn't tracking the version of soul drain changing from the standard version.

 

If a change should be made, it's bringing dark mastery in line.

[Auroxis]

When you throw around suggestions for nerfs, keep in mind people have spent a lot of time and thought into their builds and characters. Unless there's an absolutely broken combo that hurts other people's gameplay experience, there's absolutely no need to piss off a lot of players with a nerf. Especially if your only reasoning to do so is to "bring it in line".

[Leogunner]

When you throw around suggestions for nerfs, keep in mind people have spent a lot of time and thought into their builds and characters. Unless there's an absolutely broken combo that hurts other people's gameplay experience, there's absolutely no need to piss off a lot of players with a nerf. Especially if your only reasoning to do so is to "bring it in line".

 

But it's OK to use the same argument to ask for buffs?

[Auroxis]

But it's OK to use the same argument to ask for buffs?

 

If a buff makes current choices (like dark mastery) obsolete, then it's arguably a nerf just as much as it is a buff.

[Primantis]

But it's OK to use the same argument to ask for buffs?

 

If a buff makes current choices (like dark mastery) obsolete, then it's arguably a nerf just as much as it is a buff.

 

 

Debatable (as you mentioned). While you're not as efficient as you could be compared to the alternatives. You'd still be just as efficient as you were before the patch/change. I'd call such a situation straight up power creep xD