Hey guys, here’s some balance changes that I would like to see for the HoT release patch. This is my opinion based on what I saw during the BWE 3 and the classes I generally play. I tried not to make any of the changes too crazy so that they could actually be implemented by or close to the HoT release.
Elementalist:
Diamond Skin: Reduces the duration of all conditions applied to you by 50% while above 75% health.
Reason: Similar changes have been suggested before. Completely countering a condition build with one trait is absurd. This still gives a significant advantage to the ele taking the trait.
Engineer:
Healing Turret: Increase the cooldown by 5 seconds. Cleansing burst remains unchanged.
Reason: Healing Turret outclasses the other engineer healing skills. Despite HGH being meta Healing Turret is taken over Elixer H due to the innate condi removal and water field.
Elixir H: Cooldown Reduced by 3 seconds. Duration of Might, Swiftness, and Regen are reduced by 2/3rds but all are now applied.
Reason: Protection is incredibly strong but regen and swiftness are inconsequential. This change is an attempt to make Elixir H more consistent. It doesn’t remove condis unless traited or produce a water field so I thought the cooldown reduction was reasonable.
Super Elixir(Elixir Gun 5) and Healing Mist(Elixir Gun Toolbelt): Renamed to something else, no longer count as elixirs.
Reason: Engineers are stacking a bit too much might and have a bit too much free condi cleanse. Yes the kit is called Elixir Gun but this will force engineers to take actual elixir utilities if they want the might stacking and condi cleanse that HGH offers.
Guardian:
Glacial Heart in the Virtues trait line swapped with Blinding Jeopardy in Zeal.
Reason: Absolute Resolution is basically mandatory in any guardian build. I don’t have a fix to make AR not mandatory but this may at least allow guards a little more freedom to take the hammer.
Expeditious Spirit: In addition to its current effect; Spirit weapons take 70% reduced aoe damage.
Reason: Spirit weapons are pretty weak at the moment. While this probably won’t make spirit weapons suddenly viable at least they won’t instantly die in team fights and to random aoe skills.
Shield of the Avenger: Shield of the Avenger will now follow the guardian when creating the dome shield instead of rooting itself in place.
Reason: I’ve seen this skill used once in over 3k matches played. Clearly it needs something.
Fragments of Faith and Light’s Judgement: Cooldown reduced to from 45 seconds to 40 seconds.
Reason: These traps are strong and have unique effects but currently aren’t better than shouts or meditations. A small cd buff might get them there.
Procession of Blades: Whirl duration increased by 50%.
Reason: The damage is currently too low. This ups the damage while also giving enemies time to respond and avoid part of that damage increase.
Purification: All allies the light passes through are also healed.
Reason: Currently this trap feels pretty bad. Despite the high heal amount and blind, relying on an enemy to proc your heal is very unreliable and can be frustrating. This is my attempt to turn the trap into a heal for a guardian looking to team fight. This could be too strong, hard for me to say.
Revenant:
Overview: Based on what I have seen from BWE 3 Revenants spec’d for damage are doing too much damage. Many of these changes are an attempt to tone them down.
Infuse Light(Dragon Stance Heal): Add a ½ second cast time. Add a more obvious animation when Infuse Light is cast.
Reason: This ability is often used when the Revenant is being focused not only removing all pressure but usually resulting in a full heal. It is difficult to see when the ability has been cast so you know to stop attacking the Revenant. The skill simply better than the untraited warrior’s Defiant Stance. Adding a cast time will make the Revenant still vulnerable to CC and give enemies a chance to stop attacking when the skill is used.
Preparation Thrust and chain(Sword 1): Reduce the damage by X%.
Unrelenting Assault(Sword 3): Reduce the damage by X% when striking the same target.
Reason: This ability does high damage, follows its target, and provides evade frames for the Revenant. The damage is is fine when the Revenant hits multiple targets but the ability becomes overwhelming in 1v1 encounters. To counteract this make targets that have already been struck by the skill take reduced damage on each successive strike.
Coalescence of Ruin(Hammer 2): Reduce damage by X%.
Drop the Hammer(Hammer 5): Increase the cooldown to 25 seconds or increase the energy cost significantly.
Reason: This ability has too much utility and damage for such a low cooldown. A high damage, aoe knockdown, and blast finisher on a 15 second cooldown is a bit much.
Surge of the Mists(Staff 5): Increase the cooldown by 5 seconds and reduce the damage by X%.
Reason: Similar to the hammer this skill has too much packed into it, very high damage, knockbacks, and evade frames, to warrant the low cooldown.
Scrappers, Reapers, and Chronomancers also seemed very strong to me but I didn’t get the chance to play with them at all. Tell me what you guys think of my changes and add some of your own!