TL:DR
The goal of this revamp is to provide a fun, unique niche for each Conjure to fill by allowing any class in the game with any stat combination to pick up a conjured weapon to shift all of their current stats from Equipment to a nomenclature that is appropriate to each Conjure. I.E. Berserker stats while wielding Lightning Hammer, Apothecary if using Ice Bow.
Additionally, all Conjures would be re-balanced to be inferior (but functional!) to the existing performance of their roles on other class’s main weapons on a side-by-side comparison basis. Conjures would last until weapon swap is used, and would become instant cast and Stun Breakers to allow them to be used in any build when needed.
Main:
Conjured Weapons should, in this new design, NEVER replace an existing role or be superior to any main weapon on another class. A Berserker geared Thief should never be able to out damage their normal options by using Lightning Hammer. A Cleric geared Revenant should never desire to pick up an Ice Bow to supplement their already substantial healing.
Instead, Conjures would exist to allow role flexibility as the combat situation calls for it, allowing players to adopt a different combat style with at least bare essential competency while equipped.
Are you a full Berserker Thief but the current boss or adds it spawned require Condition Damage? An elementalist’s Fiery Axe would allow you to adopt a Sinister stat composition and perform moderately well at dealing condition damage.
Are you a full Clerics Staff healing elementalist, but wish to be able to assist with some berserker style damage during a dps phase on a boss or help cleave down some adds? Conjure a Lightning Hammer to adopt a Berserker stat set while using the hammer.
Condi Damage Sinister Engineer but need some health and toughness to endure an unavoidable damage phase or mechanic or round up a bunch of adds temporarily? Earthen Shield.
Global Changes:
- Conjures are now Instant Cast and Stunbreak, and remain equipped until weapon swap is used to drop them. Recharge times on the actual utility summon adjusted to a standardized 30 seconds for all, Elite included.
- Conjures no longer have passive bonus stats. This is replaced by a full “transformation” like bonus stat change that converts all of your current stats into a preset stat combination unique to each Conjure (this takes into consideration gear scaling and automatically adjusts for PVP’s lower stat values).
Specific Conjure Changes and Fixes:
Context: Frost Bow would be altered to fit a Healing and Condition Damage/ Utility Condition role, trading raw power damage stats for an Apothecary set up. This would allow the Elementalist or allies to adjust to a supportive, ranged style when desired, but would not be utilized for its power damage. Its condition damage would be reasonable but weaker than any other raw condition potency of other weapons on other class builds.
Converts bonus stats from Equipment to Apothecary:
- Primary: Healing Power
- Secondary: Toughness / Condition Damage / 20% Condition Duration
- Water Arrow (Ability 1) now heals area around user on use, on pass through of allies, and at location of impact, healing each allied target only once. Now applies 1 5s Bleed on impact to foe. Healing base and scaling lowered to be slightly worse than Water Blast.
- Frost Volley (Ability 2) now applies 1 Bleed per hit for 6 seconds in addition to current effects.
- Frost Fan (Ability 3) now heals allies and removes a Condition on pass through with each arrow, and additionally applies one stack of 6s Bleed per arrow on foes.
- Ice Storm (Ability 4) now applies Weakness for 1 second per impact and Bleed duration increased from 5s to 8s.
Context: The Earth Shield is designed to allow any class to perform the role of a durable melee style with improved defenses while slowly whittling away at foes through consistent Bleed damage. This would allow the Elementalist or an ally to adopt a defensive, control oriented style when needed, and it would handle the threat of conditions better than the current iteration, helping to relive some of the Elementalist’s reliance on Cantrips and Water line for Condition removal options.
Converts bonus stats from Equipment to new Nomenclature set “Rugged”:
- Primary: Toughness
- Secondary: Vitality / Condition Damage / 20% Condition Duration
- Third Attack in Auto-Chain gains 2 Bleed for 6 seconds, Cripple moved to first attack in chain.
- Stone Sheath (Ability 2) increased Bleed duration to 10 seconds from 6 on Block, bugged reduction of recharge on successful block is removed, and recharge lowered to 6 seconds from 8.
- Magnetic Surge (Ability 3) now removes 2 conditions in addition to its other effects, Evade during charge.
- Magnetic Shield (Ability 4) number of targets increased from 3 to 5.
- Fortify (ability 5) now removes 2 conditions per second (6 total)
Context: Lightning Hammer would become the melee range Berserker stats option for builds that are not running physical damage as their primary set up. Its raw damage values would be readjusted to not be superior to the majority of existing melee damage options, but would be competitive enough to warrant switching to Lightning Hammer when the opportunity arises for non-Berserker builds. Fury added to provide non-berserker builds access to a boon that is commonly used for Berserker combat style.
Converts bonus stats from Equipment to:
- Primary: Power
- Secondary: Precision / Ferocity / 20% Boon Duration
- Auto Chain: Damage adjusted down slightly to achieve goals listed in Context
- Lightning Storm (Ability 4) Gain Fury for 2 seconds for each strike.
Context: Flame Axe would become a very decent Condition application ranged weapon conjuration with moderate power damage thanks to the Sinister stat combination. It would still under-perform compared to other alternatives on full Condition damage builds for other professions, as well as with the Elementalist’s own condition builds, but it would be functional enough to allow a non-condition build to adapt to a foe that is more susceptible to conditions than raw power damage. Brief base Burn duration ensures that high stacks of burning would be impossible to maintain with this Conjure, but could apply constant Condition damage pressure.
Converts bonus stats from Equipment to Sinister:
- Primary: Condition Damage
- Secondary: Power / Precision / 20% Condition Duration
- Lava Axe (Ability 1) Added 1 stack of Burning for 1s
- Explosive Lava Axe (Ability 2) Added 2 stacks of Burning for 2s.
- Ring of Fire (Ability 4) updated to match the recently nerfed iteration of Ring of Fire for off-hand Dagger Fire Attunement, but with lower duration on the Burning.
- Flame Leap* (Ability 5) is now a condition-based Execute. Now applies increasing stacks of Burning the lower the foe’s health is upon impact. Applies 1 Burn (8s) if foes are over 50% Health, 2 Burn (8s) if between 25 and 29% health, and 3 Burn (8s) if foe is below 25%.
Context: Fiery Greatsword would provide a balanced, offensive Power damage set in the form of Marauder stats. Along with its Evade on ability 3, medium range on its auto, and its wide area damage, it would be ideal for roles that lack area Power damage on their current build during phases when multiple swarms of enemies appear (think Thief Dagger/Dagger, or any support builds, or more single target condition builds) while also providing some mobility for allies.
Converts bonus stats from Equipment to Marauder:
- Primary: Power/Precision
- Secondary: Vitality / Ferocity / 20% Condition Duration
- Flame Wave (Ability 1) Now hits up to 5 targets in the frontal area, and is a true projectile rather than passing along terrain, allowing it to go over gaps and be reflected.
- Fiery Eruption (Ability 2) Burning removed, now acts similarly to lava fount but with lower damage and wider area, area increased significantly.
- Fiery Whirl (Ability 3) increased recharge timer to 8 seconds.
- Fiery Rush (Ability 4) increased recharge timer to 15 seconds. Now cleaves to hit 5 enemies on impact area to fit with the aoe theme of the Conjure.