Let me start by saying MCH is not a bad DPS class at all, and I consider it to be one of my two favorites. I just can't help but feel there's a few areas where it could still stand to improve, more specifically, Flamethrower and Auto Crossbow. I'll try to keep this organized.
Flamethrower: This ability really doesn't have any particular place in MCH's rotation. Your other options offer better sustained DPS, and later in the game, you get more and more situations where standing still while reasonably close to the enemies just isn't an option.
My suggestion: MCH has an ability called Bioblaster, which is the AoE alternative to Drill. However, MCH also has Air Anchor, which is basically Drill, but it also adds 20 battery. Unlike Drill, Air Anchor doesn't have an AoE alternative. So, why not make Flamethrower work more like Bioblaster? It'd then be a cone AoE DoT you throw out that sets enemies on fire and recharges 20 battery while sharing a recast timer with Air Anchor.
Why: This takes care of two issues MCH has in one go. There's only two ways to build up battery, and neither of them lie in AoEs, so during pulls, your only option for building up battery is to toss in Air Anchor on a single target before returning to spamming Spread Shot, whereas with this change, you not only have a reason to use Flamethrower, you also have a way to build up battery while keeping up damage across the entire group.
Auto Crossbow: AC's not bad, but there's one thing that's always stood out to me, and that's the fact that despite being the AoE alternative to Heat Blast, it doesn't reduce the recast timers on Gauss Round and Ricochet by 15 seconds with each use. In my case, it causes me to almost not want to use AC on a pull right before a boss, because I'll just end up using hypercharge time that could have gone to Heat Blast to get my weaves up and ready again.
My suggestion: Naturally, it's to make AC work more like HB. Keep everything else as-is, but add on HB's additional effect of reducing GR and Ricochet's recast times by 15 seconds with each use.
Why: HB does the same damage as Heated Split Shot, while offering a shorter 1.50s recast in addition to its most noteworthy benefit, which I've already noted. AC is nearly the same, it does the exact same damage per use as Spread Shot, but with a shorter 1.50s recast, the only difference is that it doesn't recharge your weaves, which can cause it to feel like a waste of a perfectly good hypercharge.
Anyway, I realize this post was lengthy, but I wanted to share my thoughts on how I think one of my favorite DPS classes could be improved a bit. If anyone (especially fellow MCHs) would like to share their thoughts on my suggestions, please do so! And if any devs happen to read this post, then I hope you'll take my suggestions into consideration.
Regardless of whether you're a dev, a fellow MCH, or anyone else, I thank you for reading all this, and hope to have a fun discussion here!
Continue reading...
Flamethrower: This ability really doesn't have any particular place in MCH's rotation. Your other options offer better sustained DPS, and later in the game, you get more and more situations where standing still while reasonably close to the enemies just isn't an option.
My suggestion: MCH has an ability called Bioblaster, which is the AoE alternative to Drill. However, MCH also has Air Anchor, which is basically Drill, but it also adds 20 battery. Unlike Drill, Air Anchor doesn't have an AoE alternative. So, why not make Flamethrower work more like Bioblaster? It'd then be a cone AoE DoT you throw out that sets enemies on fire and recharges 20 battery while sharing a recast timer with Air Anchor.
Why: This takes care of two issues MCH has in one go. There's only two ways to build up battery, and neither of them lie in AoEs, so during pulls, your only option for building up battery is to toss in Air Anchor on a single target before returning to spamming Spread Shot, whereas with this change, you not only have a reason to use Flamethrower, you also have a way to build up battery while keeping up damage across the entire group.
Auto Crossbow: AC's not bad, but there's one thing that's always stood out to me, and that's the fact that despite being the AoE alternative to Heat Blast, it doesn't reduce the recast timers on Gauss Round and Ricochet by 15 seconds with each use. In my case, it causes me to almost not want to use AC on a pull right before a boss, because I'll just end up using hypercharge time that could have gone to Heat Blast to get my weaves up and ready again.
My suggestion: Naturally, it's to make AC work more like HB. Keep everything else as-is, but add on HB's additional effect of reducing GR and Ricochet's recast times by 15 seconds with each use.
Why: HB does the same damage as Heated Split Shot, while offering a shorter 1.50s recast in addition to its most noteworthy benefit, which I've already noted. AC is nearly the same, it does the exact same damage per use as Spread Shot, but with a shorter 1.50s recast, the only difference is that it doesn't recharge your weaves, which can cause it to feel like a waste of a perfectly good hypercharge.
Anyway, I realize this post was lengthy, but I wanted to share my thoughts on how I think one of my favorite DPS classes could be improved a bit. If anyone (especially fellow MCHs) would like to share their thoughts on my suggestions, please do so! And if any devs happen to read this post, then I hope you'll take my suggestions into consideration.
Regardless of whether you're a dev, a fellow MCH, or anyone else, I thank you for reading all this, and hope to have a fun discussion here!
Continue reading...