This is basically an evolution of the thread I posted a while back right after 5.0 launched, expressing my feelings on DRK and what changes I would like to see. (HERE)
Seeing as how any major changes are pretty unlikely to happen to DRK for the rest of this expansion, I started to think of how DRK could evolve, as well as some retroactive alterations, going into the next expansion.
Keep in mind a few things when reading over the ideas presented.
First is that while some stuff would appear to make DRK too powerful, these changes would be with the new expansion where all the other tanks will get new stuff to make them more powerful as well.
Also, this is a rudimentary first pass where it is more about getting the conceptual stuff outlined. Numbers are open to change and can always be tweaked.
Now onto the substance of the post.
First I'll cover the smaller retroactive (pre-lvl.80) stuff, being mainly tweaks and removals:
- Salted Earth is removed. This ability has been watered-down so much that it is a no-brainer for the inevitable ability culling that happens with a new expansion.
- The Enhanced Plunge trait is removed, having Plunge be able to have charges straight from the get-go like all the other tanks. This frees up the lvl.78 trait slot.
- Stalwart Soul is moved from lvl.72 to the now open spot of lvl.52, lining it up with the other tanks getting their AoE second combo ability better.
- Unleash, Stalwart Soul and Unmend are changed from spells to weaponskills like every other tank. Them being spells makes no sense and conflicts with tanks stats.
- Living Dead has the death penalty removed from it, however the cancellation of the Walking Dead effect when 100% healing has been received stays. So now you won't immediately drop dead due to an absent minded healer but require some coordination so that Walking Dead doesn't get cancelled too early.
- Dark Mind is changed to split it between magic damage and all damage (reduces magic vulnerability by 10% and all damage by 10%), making it approximately the same effectiveness in magic damage scenarios but having it have a bit of use in physical damage scenarios, sort of like the opposite side of the coin from Camouflage.
- Carve and Spit is altered to make it's use more frequent. Also, the direct damage is overall slightly reduced but the mp gain stays the same to balance out.
Recast changed from 60s to 45s, potency changed from 450 to 300, and mp gain stays at 600mp.
Now the bigger impact retroactive changes:
- At lvl.72 you get the Enhanced Dark Arts trait. It allows for the Dark Arts gauge to hold 2 usages of Dark Arts and all attacks that consume a Dark Arts are a Direct-Critical Hit.
- At lvl.78 you get the Enhanced Shadow Wall trait, adding the additional effect to Shadow Wall of restoring a small amount of MP when you suffer physical damage. This basically adds a slight Blood Price like effect to Shadow Wall, giving it a little something unique similar to the damage dealt by Vengeance.
- The big one, Delirium is completely reworked.
The recast is still 90s, the duration is increased to 12s due to a drastic change in the organization of attacks during the window.
It now fills the Dark Arts gauge and 50 Blood is generated when a Dark Arts is consumed.
So instead of guaranteeing 5 Bloodspillers/Quietuses without cost that you fit Edges/Floods between, it gives you at minimum 2 DHCrit Edges/Floods and 2 Bloodspillers/Quietuses without cost with the potential of more free Bloodspillers/Quietuses if you plan out and line things up right, for example pre-casting a TBN to break during the window to get another Dark Art.
Basically, if executed properly it results in something similar to what we have now with the quick succession of back-to-back Bloodspiller/Quietus and Edge/Flood usage, you just mentally approach it differently.
Finally the new stuff post lvl.80
- At lvl.82 you gain the new ability Dark Provision.
It's an instacast ability with a recast of 45s, has an MP cost of 3000, and generates one Dark Art.
Essentially every 45s it allows you to preemptively turn your next Edge/Flood into a DHCrit. It also synchronizes with Delirium to allow you to potentially generate another Dark Art during its duration window.
- At lvl 84 *insert new trait here* <- I'll get back to this one and update when I think of something.
- At lvl.86 you get the new weaponskill Drain Blade. Recast of 60s. Delivers an attack of 200 potency with the additional effects of damage over time with a potency of 200 and a heal over time potency of 200 for 12s.
Basically a mash-up of Scourge and Sonic Break but with some self-healing.
- At lvl.88 *insert new trait here* <- I'll get back to this one and update when I think of something.
- At lvl.90 you get the new ability Nightfall.
It's an instacast ability with a recast of 90s, and deals damage to all enemies in an 8y cone in front of you for 800 potency. Requires and consumes a Dark Art on usage.
Basically this is sort of a Confiteor-like ability that would replace an Edge/Flood usage every 90s. Conceptually I see the ability looking like Cloud's Meteorain limit break but instead of meteors it has large orbs of darkness.
Overall, the changes are intended to play off of some of the stuff that was put into place with the ShB rework, while trying to push DRK into a different direction from the other tanks. I also tried to touch on and address some of the most commonly brought up problem points with the job. The most obvious main place that I tried to build off of was to turn Dark Arts into a larger game mechanic by basically turning it into a 3rd resource to manage and use, emphasizing the resource management game-play of DRK.
Anyways, I hope people enjoy reading and politely debating about these proposed ideas and while it may seem a tad early to start discussing the direction a job may go in an expansion that is a bit off, but better to sow the seeds early in players' and hopefully the devs' minds.
Continue reading...
Seeing as how any major changes are pretty unlikely to happen to DRK for the rest of this expansion, I started to think of how DRK could evolve, as well as some retroactive alterations, going into the next expansion.
Keep in mind a few things when reading over the ideas presented.
First is that while some stuff would appear to make DRK too powerful, these changes would be with the new expansion where all the other tanks will get new stuff to make them more powerful as well.
Also, this is a rudimentary first pass where it is more about getting the conceptual stuff outlined. Numbers are open to change and can always be tweaked.
Now onto the substance of the post.
First I'll cover the smaller retroactive (pre-lvl.80) stuff, being mainly tweaks and removals:
- Salted Earth is removed. This ability has been watered-down so much that it is a no-brainer for the inevitable ability culling that happens with a new expansion.
- The Enhanced Plunge trait is removed, having Plunge be able to have charges straight from the get-go like all the other tanks. This frees up the lvl.78 trait slot.
- Stalwart Soul is moved from lvl.72 to the now open spot of lvl.52, lining it up with the other tanks getting their AoE second combo ability better.
- Unleash, Stalwart Soul and Unmend are changed from spells to weaponskills like every other tank. Them being spells makes no sense and conflicts with tanks stats.
- Living Dead has the death penalty removed from it, however the cancellation of the Walking Dead effect when 100% healing has been received stays. So now you won't immediately drop dead due to an absent minded healer but require some coordination so that Walking Dead doesn't get cancelled too early.
- Dark Mind is changed to split it between magic damage and all damage (reduces magic vulnerability by 10% and all damage by 10%), making it approximately the same effectiveness in magic damage scenarios but having it have a bit of use in physical damage scenarios, sort of like the opposite side of the coin from Camouflage.
- Carve and Spit is altered to make it's use more frequent. Also, the direct damage is overall slightly reduced but the mp gain stays the same to balance out.
Recast changed from 60s to 45s, potency changed from 450 to 300, and mp gain stays at 600mp.
Now the bigger impact retroactive changes:
- At lvl.72 you get the Enhanced Dark Arts trait. It allows for the Dark Arts gauge to hold 2 usages of Dark Arts and all attacks that consume a Dark Arts are a Direct-Critical Hit.
- At lvl.78 you get the Enhanced Shadow Wall trait, adding the additional effect to Shadow Wall of restoring a small amount of MP when you suffer physical damage. This basically adds a slight Blood Price like effect to Shadow Wall, giving it a little something unique similar to the damage dealt by Vengeance.
- The big one, Delirium is completely reworked.
The recast is still 90s, the duration is increased to 12s due to a drastic change in the organization of attacks during the window.
It now fills the Dark Arts gauge and 50 Blood is generated when a Dark Arts is consumed.
So instead of guaranteeing 5 Bloodspillers/Quietuses without cost that you fit Edges/Floods between, it gives you at minimum 2 DHCrit Edges/Floods and 2 Bloodspillers/Quietuses without cost with the potential of more free Bloodspillers/Quietuses if you plan out and line things up right, for example pre-casting a TBN to break during the window to get another Dark Art.
Basically, if executed properly it results in something similar to what we have now with the quick succession of back-to-back Bloodspiller/Quietus and Edge/Flood usage, you just mentally approach it differently.
Finally the new stuff post lvl.80
- At lvl.82 you gain the new ability Dark Provision.
It's an instacast ability with a recast of 45s, has an MP cost of 3000, and generates one Dark Art.
Essentially every 45s it allows you to preemptively turn your next Edge/Flood into a DHCrit. It also synchronizes with Delirium to allow you to potentially generate another Dark Art during its duration window.
- At lvl 84 *insert new trait here* <- I'll get back to this one and update when I think of something.
- At lvl.86 you get the new weaponskill Drain Blade. Recast of 60s. Delivers an attack of 200 potency with the additional effects of damage over time with a potency of 200 and a heal over time potency of 200 for 12s.
Basically a mash-up of Scourge and Sonic Break but with some self-healing.
- At lvl.88 *insert new trait here* <- I'll get back to this one and update when I think of something.
- At lvl.90 you get the new ability Nightfall.
It's an instacast ability with a recast of 90s, and deals damage to all enemies in an 8y cone in front of you for 800 potency. Requires and consumes a Dark Art on usage.
Basically this is sort of a Confiteor-like ability that would replace an Edge/Flood usage every 90s. Conceptually I see the ability looking like Cloud's Meteorain limit break but instead of meteors it has large orbs of darkness.
Overall, the changes are intended to play off of some of the stuff that was put into place with the ShB rework, while trying to push DRK into a different direction from the other tanks. I also tried to touch on and address some of the most commonly brought up problem points with the job. The most obvious main place that I tried to build off of was to turn Dark Arts into a larger game mechanic by basically turning it into a 3rd resource to manage and use, emphasizing the resource management game-play of DRK.
Anyways, I hope people enjoy reading and politely debating about these proposed ideas and while it may seem a tad early to start discussing the direction a job may go in an expansion that is a bit off, but better to sow the seeds early in players' and hopefully the devs' minds.
Continue reading...