Here is the scenario: The Dev team comes up and says “We are going to redesign one weapon, what weapon would you chose and how would you change it?”
For me it would be the Staff, though several possible ones that i would like to see changed – Staff is top of the list. For me it just simply isn’t fun to use. It is just pretty much spamming marks and that is it.
Aim for staff: I am a BIG fan of the Mesmer staff skills so that is a warning ahead of time. I hope to mix in a bit of Guardian and maybe Ele in somewhere as well and aim is to make it a condition based weapon still but not rely on AoE, AoE, AoE, AoE for skills as that is terrible design, want something that can be just as good in small groups, solo as it is in Zergs.
Auto Attack:
Necrotic Blast – Bounce a ball of dark energy between targets that inflict Conditions on enemies boons on allies
Conditions: Poison 4seconds, Torment 1 stack 4seconds, Vul, 4 seconds
Boons: Aegis 4 seconds, Protection 2 seconds, Vigor 2 seconds
Bounces: 2
Life Force Gained: 3%
Note:
Yeah this is pretty much a version of Winds of Chaos. The boons changed to be defensive and give us access to Aegis and Vigor which we rather lack, the Protection is just to help us not die all the time. Condition wise, Poison and Torment picked because we lack great access to Poison, i dont really like the Scepter. Torment would be with no condition damage 127damage over 4seconds or 255damage if they are moving could up the stacks and reduce the duration to balance it out, or just reduce the duration alone if needed.This would replace the rather bland and boring Staff Auto attack it currently has.
Skill 2: Decay orb:
Chain Part 1: Send out a decaying orb that inflicts random conditions and damages foes in its path
Chain Part 2: Explode the orb to be teleported to its location dealing AoE damage and inflicting AoE condition damage
Range: 1,200, Cool down: 10 seconds.
Chain Part 1: Conditions – Bleeding, Poison, Burning
Chain Part 2: Conditions – Chill, Cripple, Torment
Note: Idea behind this skill is sort of a mix between Phase retreat (Mesmer) and Orb of Light (Guardian) We need something that can help us get closer to targets that are running, as well as for movement. This skill just like skills of other classes can be used without a target so it can also be used to escape which we really lack.
Skill 3: Necrotic Aura – Envelop yourself in a deathly Aura reducing all physical damage you take by 25% but increases Condition damage you take by 50% When Aura ends all conditions you have are turned into Boons
Cool down: 30seconds, Duration: 5seconds
Note: I did have a few ideas for this such as making you Immune to physical damage but making it so you take 100% more condition damage for the duration but i doubt people would go for that. I think 25% reduced physical damage and 50% more condition damage is okay, You have things like Consume Conditions if you are worried but maybe waiting those few extra seconds would be worth it for all the conditions you have to become Boons. Boons are converted the same way they are with things like Corrupt Boon
Skill 4: Not Sure yet
Skill 5: Not sure yet.
Got 3 of the skills sorted so far, The 5th i know i would want as some sort of AoE but not to sure what, thinking maybe something that summons some minions for a set duration kinda like the Mark of Horror on Lich Form.
Something that deals AoE damage and when dies explodes inflicting conditions