Hey all,
I thought it might be handy to have a few separate threads for useful suggestions/feedback on, respectively, the Virtues, Traits, and Traps for the Dragonhunter (and possibly for the Longbow, as well). This thread is dedicated to the Virtues. I would love to see your suggestions.
Before You Post:
Recognize that this E.Spec. is purposely asking you to trade the instant cast on Virtues for a more physical presence and powerful functionality on them — so don’t just post “make them all instant cast!” because it’s probably not going to happen, as posted by Karl. Also try to think about what’s likely to be actually possible to implement and possible to balance, while still fitting the Dragonhunter’s particular take on the Guardian’s role and abilities.
Pointless, rude, and off-topic posts will be reported. Helpful suggestions, on the other hand, as well as meaningful discussion of the actual Virtues and various suggestions for their improvement/modification, are very welcome.
I will try to update this top post with whatever various ideas seem to be the best, most fitting, or most highly favored (as well as possible alternatives), in order to keep it organized and easy to read.
My Best Ideas So Far:
Spear of Justice: Needs more impact, more use of the tether (and reward for maintaining it), and more reason to actually cast it, instead of just keeping up the passive. I would love: Stun on impact. Flip to chain skill (after a few second CD) that offers a pull.
For the pulsed burning damage, I would also love to see (if it could be implemented) a more meaningful effect for maintaining the tether over a period of time: Burning duration could start at one second from the first pulse, and be applied for 33%-50% longer on each successive pulse. This way, it would be impossible to insta-spike someone with the Spear, but it would have the ability to apply significantly more burning stacks and damage over time (while you did other things) than merely using Justice’s passive effect. It would also become an alternative means of effectively applying powerful burning damage (albeit with a ramp-up time) for condition or hybrid Guardians who did not wish to trait Supreme Justice, possibly opening up some other build options.
Wings of Resolve: This needs to have some utility and reliability, more than it needs an absurdly high healing number. Removing immobilize at the start of the cast was a great step in the right direction, but it could use some more. How about adding: Stun Break. Evade during leap. Leap Finisher. (Adjust healing accordingly, as well as the power of Soaring Devastation trait). I would also love for this to have 900 range, especially since it is our only real mobility skill — although the 800 Karl just raised it to is at least much better than the original 600.
Here again, we would begin to see some build diversity possibilities open up, as well as more reason to utilize Wings of Resolve in various situations and a generally better feel to it. With this for a stun break (and the possibility of also having one on Shield of Courage), we may have some room on our bar for traps, after all, without totally giving up all hope of surviving a fight or an ambush.
Shield of Courage: This just needs… Something. Something to make it feel more powerful and unique, especially since the Revenant has nearly the same thing on a much shorter cast time, with a dark field, on a weapon, and doesn’t have to sacrifice a class mechanic/buff to get it. Also, it wouldn’t hurt if it fit the DH theme of attacking, etc. How about: Blast Finisher (and/or Light Field). SoC delivers a retaliatory attack (maybe in the form of a light beam that falls on the enemy, a little like Light’s Judgement?) whenever it blocks an attack. Chain skill: Throw your SoC forward, knocking back enemies in its path (600 range?).
This would make Shield of Courage actually somewhat worth a large-ish cooldown and an activation time, I think — besides adding a lot of interest and a unique feel to it. If it retaliated against attacks it blocked by striking the attacker with a light beam (or whatever other visual FX), besides feeling more unique, it would also maintain the DH’s theme of turning his defense into offense and maintaining an advantage over the opponent. It would also significantly boost its effectiveness/uses even if the retaliatory attack did not do insane amounts of damage, simply because of the chance to proc. passive Justice and sigil effects. Finally, a flip skill which offered the ability to cast the shield forward at a reasonable pace (with it still blocking projectiles as it travelled) to knockdown opponents would make for an interesting offensive use that also would combine well with the general “control the field of battle,” “save allies,” and “get enemies into your traps” playstyle.
Well, those are my best ideas on those skills to date. I recognize that of course various numbers balancing and CD times would need to be done with those changes. But I think that the biggest problem with the DH right now is that too many of the skills feel bland and shallow, especially when compared to how tightly packed many of the other elite specs are with content and functionality, and I think that what we need most is not merely bigger damage and lower cooldowns (although that may be part of it, in some places), but more interesting and better mechanics, because that’s what adds interest, skill, and depth to a class.
I would welcome anyone’s thoughtful input on this, as well as anyone else’s ideas.
And Karl, if you read this, I would really love to hear your own thoughts on whether this sort of feedback is helpful, and whether there’s any chance of such things making it into the game.
(edited by RebornbyFire.7913)