Here’s my comments on the Druid. Thank you for the opportunity to play this weekend, I hope you can bring everything to be the best it can be during this month.
Staff:
All in all I feel the staff is simple and effective, with the utility skills necessary that really brings the player to make skillful decisions with positioning and cooldowns. The fact it uses the hammer animations while running is interesting, why did you do that?
1. Solar Beam: the channeling time of this skill feels smooth, the animation is fun (I imagine I am refracting light at the enemy like a magnifying glass) and the damage feels respectable enough to not be a total waste of time. Though I would suggest a trait that allows this to cause burning so that a condition-based build could be made. However, sometimes I saw people get healed who I thought were too far away and those not receiving healing who I thought were close. This is probably due to my own field of vision, but perhaps the hitbox and the animation ray should be closer to the same size? Indeed I’d be ok with making it skinnier (like the light ray) and heal for more to compensate. That or make the beam a bit wider visually.
2. Astral Wisp: This skill is great in its healing aspect, I just wish it did a bit more burst damage so I would want to cast it even if someone isn’t in need of point blank healing.
3. Ancestral Grace: Huge jump is awesome, but it is a bit bizarre that no matter how short a distance you travel the animation is the same length of time. I understand this from a mechanics point of view, but it feels odd to just float there and wait. Maybe if the orb spun in a circle while it waited for the timer to end if it has already reached its destination? Maybe if it moved slower so it lands in time? Idk…
4. Vine Surge: Fabulous. 10/10 would surge again. Going with the burning solar beam, I think a trait causing your immobilizes to bleed would be awesome.
5. Sublime Conversion: Very cool, and I think the positioning of this wall is nicely skill-based but not annoyingly difficult to use. Bravo. Is the height of the wall equal to its hitbox?
Utilities:
Glyphs are a nice thematic approach, the connection to the natural world like the elementalist is clear. Though I must complain how not a single one has a stunbreak built into it while in your sun form. This leaves a PvP ranger in need of taking, say, Lightning Reflexes to not get stunlocked, instead of an in-specialization skill.
1. Rejuvenation: Simple and effective, the differences between sun and moon form are simple but meaningful.
2. Alignment: In sun form the damage and condition application is lackluster, the conditions are just too short-lived. Meanwhile the healing and condition removal in moon form is just unnecessary, why not just use astral 1 or 3 or 3 or 4?
3. Equality: The daze is ok, but seems lackluster with the Primal Echoes trait. The stunbreak for allies is excellent, but I wouldn’t want to have this on my bar because I would only get the stunbreak in my alternate form, requiring too much planning imho. I believe stunbreaks are supposed to be “oh kitten ” buttons not “let me win harder” ones.
4. Tides: Amazing in PvP, has uses in PvE. 10/10 would tide again.
5. Empowerment: The sun form is excellent for PvE, though I would prefer a stronger effect on a longer cooldown just so it feels more special. The moon form doesn’t seem worth it, I lose a GCD of healing to make my later heals better… Why not just spam 1 an extra time? Maybe if it had a more damage-prevention component to it?
6. Unity (Elite): With such an incredibly short cooldown it was very fun to use the sun form of this spell in PvP. The moon form is kinda hilarious, it is so not going to be used in PvP but you know someone at some point is going to use it to save the day, and you could build a raid strategy around the burst healing it can pump out… But if celestial avatar isn’t enough aren’t you just losing anyways? Maybe it should link healthbars or something? More healing on top of more healing feels unnecessary.
Profession Mechanic:
Celestial Avatar: While I understand and support the whole sun and moon theme of a druid, this idea isn’t supported in what little druid lore there is.
Aren’t they supposed to be all plants all the time? This makes sense with the sun and I’ll even accept the moon, but what’s up with all the spells throwing space rocks around? I would appreciate a lore post to help solidify this in the story ^_^
Mechanically speaking, it is of note that no matter how little of your astral force bar you use, when you leave astral form you lose it all. This makes me want to stay in astral form as long as possible when I finally pop it, but its single-minded focus on AoE healing makes this feel inefficient in all but the most dire of situations. I would suggest either let us pop in and out (on a large enough CD) or make staying in Astral form for lengthy amounts of time feel like you have something to do when there isn’t AoE healing to be done.
1. Cosmic Ray: While fun in concept I found this annoying to use, the animation + delay made it awkward to machine gun like intended. Furthermore, having no real auto attack feels awkward. I appreciate the idea, but simply merge this with skill 2 and give me a moon rock to throw at badguys in my downtime.
2. Seed of Life: This ability is far too similar to Cosmic Ray, they need far more defined and different purposes and uses, not “basically the same but this one is slower and removes conditions.” Plus it’s super awkward to use with Cosmic Ray due to their low CD’s but cast+animation times that feel rather long. Plant stuff is great though!
3. Lunar Impact: Yet another targeted AoE circle of healing, but with a daze! Boo, any two or even just one of these abilities would be enough, but all 3 being so similar just feels like I’m a one-trick pony.
4. Rejuvenating Tides: Another AoE heal, but channeled and centered around yourself. This feels distinct enough to not be tedious, but I think the animation is a bit too space-rocky. The water field aspect of it is healing enough to let us take out 2 of these heals and put in some dmg.
5. Natural Convergence: While following the AoE shtick this attack (hurrah!) is both punishing to your enemies and dangerous for yourself because you’re locked down. Just by itself this skill adds an element of skill to popping into Astral form in PvP. Cool cool. More space rocks though? How do stars immobilize? Why not winding spooky thorns and vines?
Traits:
I mostly like the traits, particularly Natural Stride and Ancient Seeds. Unlike the astral form abilities I feel I have enough options to be more than a heal bot if I want to.
Adept:
1. (Minor) Celestial Being: Become a druid. Cool.
2. Cultivated Synergy: Your serious healbot option. Has a little bit of a skill/planning element (backline needs super heals? Bring a ranged pet for benefits.)
3. Druidic Clarity: If there are changes to how you lose your astral force bar when getting out of Celestial Avatar this might need to be toned down. Burst condition removal is certainly difficult for the Ranger and this helps.
4. Primal Echoes: My favorite of this tier, the daze is strategic and the recharge lets you spam your fun staff skills even more. I do wish the animation was a bit more noticeable, however.
Note: I think a condition Druid would be great. I would recommend adding in a “Staff 1 inflicts burning” talent and make either Cultivated Synergy or Druidic Clarity (though weaker) into minors in place of Live Vicariously.
Master:
1. (Minor) Live Vicariously: Doesn’t feel like it serves a noticeable purpose, unlike with the Guardian who can use their Staff 4 Empower to burst heal themselves.
2. Celestial Shadow: This is the kind of utility we need. 10/10.
3. Verdant Etching: Planting seeds is very cool, though I wish there was a sun-form version of the flowers. This ability, however, makes actually casting Seed of Life feel like a waste of time.
4. Natural Stride: Fab. 10/10 would stride again.
Grandmaster:
1. (Minor) Natural Mender: Again more passive healing, but it’s more fun than a flat +10% healing or something. Ok passive. Maybe if my stacks were more easily visible on the HuD (like if they were little stars on my astral force bar or something) I would feel more enthused.
2. Ancient Seeds: Super friggin’ cool, especially in PvP. Can be a bit annoying if you root someone on a point you want to cap, but it’s fun to work around those mistakes.
3. Grace of the Land: Interesting and unique effect. I can see this serving a special purpose in raid encounters to come.
4. Lingering Light: Allows your “heal the melees” skill to turn into a “heal the backline also” skill. Pretty alright, and I can see it being the go-to for PvE heal trait when condition dmg isn’t a thing.
Note: I think a condition Druid would be great. I would recommend making Ancient Seeds also allow your entangle/immobilizes (and possible cripples? Idk that’s probs too much) inflict bleeding, allowing for a cool new build without affecting regular druid much – especially if the bleeding is applied first so that the immobilize isn’t covered up by bleeding. This could be combo’d with Vine Surge, Natural Convergence, Muddy Terrain, and the elite Entangle.