Hammer's basic attack needs flavour
I am still puzzled at the initial idea.
Let’s make the clunkiest and arguably heaviest weapon-type in the game a throwable ranged-weapon.
I mean, sure, it would do some damage if someone actually got hit by the thing, so I guekittenecks out in that regard, but godkitten … Revenants must be kittening RIPPED.
I would’ve preferred Frisbee throwing (Ranged Shield).
inb4 “It’s magic!”, I know I am just poking fun…
An AA chain could solve a lot of things. The first 2 attacks just do damage and the third slows up to three targets. All attacks have a 3 target cap in a small radius.
9 Sylvari, 9 unique Builds.
(edited by InsaneQR.7412)
I doubt they are going to buff hammer aa. It strikes players for 3-5k damage. If they changed it they would probably lower it’s 1200 range damage and make it strike for current values on targets at sub 450 range.
The hammer weapon does feel a little odd to me right now, but I think this is less to do with numbers and more to do with how it doesn’t synergise with Jalis/Retribution and how it lacks a strong direction on its own.
For instance: the hammer right now has a bunch of slow-firing circumstantial plays that are cast out to a long range (more damage on far away foes, blast finishers, frontal projectile shields, knockdown &c.). However, the strongest play with Jalis right now is to use Vengeful Hammers, an activate-and-forget close range skill that fires quickly and is used to proc on-hit/on-crit effects. However the Retribution traitline has no such effects, making Jalis more attractive to Corruption users who have little use for a power hammer weapon.
These kinds of anti-synergies are all over these three elements of the Revenant class, and so I think we can’t adjust details like hammer autos until we resolve the broad strokes of how these pieces should fit together.
The hammer weapon does feel a little odd to me right now, but I think this is less to do with numbers and more to do with how it doesn’t synergise with Jalis/Retribution and how it lacks a strong direction on its own.
For instance: the hammer right now has a bunch of slow-firing circumstantial plays that are cast out to a long range (more damage on far away foes, blast finishers, frontal projectile shields, knockdown &c.). However, the strongest play with Jalis right now is to use Vengeful Hammers, an activate-and-forget close range skill that fires quickly and is used to proc on-hit/on-crit effects. However the Retribution traitline has no such effects, making Jalis more attractive to Corruption users who have little use for a power hammer weapon.
These kinds of anti-synergies are all over these three elements of the Revenant class, and so I think we can’t adjust details like hammer autos until we resolve the broad strokes of how these pieces should fit together.
You actually have a good point there. How would you redesign jalis,retribution and the hammer as congruent theme? Jalis/retribution is ofcourse still more on the defensive side and hammer is still range.
At the moment i only thought of give hammer more cleave on auto to be viable in more close quarters.
Forced engagement needs to be some kinda AoE taunt and should have a block, similar to guardian 5, so you still can use other skills while active. Inspiring reinforcement could also tie into the all artound mechanic. So it could be circular in shape instead if a road and it pulses AoE Stability to allies and slow +weakness to foes.
So thats my approach on skills. For traits i am.kinda clueless though.
9 Sylvari, 9 unique Builds.
Here’s an idea for hammer #1. It’s a weird one.
Hammer1 does a spin move and gets an brief AA chain that throws the hammer.
Timing the use of Hammer1 will still throw it like normal, as you just have to use the AA chain before it expires before using Hammer1 again. If you wait for the AA chain to expire then using Hammer1 again just does another spin move, so you can time presses to only do spins with it.
If Hammer1 hits a melee range target than the AA chain not only throws the hammer, but knocks back the revenant and counts as an evade.
The spin move hits twice at a range of 130. The AA chain is up for only a second.
(edited by Redfeather.6401)
@InsaneQR That’s a really, really big question, one which probably deserves one or multiple threads in its own right. It’s also not something I would commit to without some thought. Right now I’m considering how Jalis/Retribution could be reworked to create a classic tank rev that is equipped to draw aggro, survive a beating and punish foes who hit them but I need more time to meditate on it.
I still maintain that Hammer should be a weapon that focuses on some degree of area control/denial.
I dont think the AA really needs to change. It already can bonk multiple targets if they’re close to your original one, gets a guaranteed projectile finisher, and can be sped up from Shiro Quickness.
Hammer 2 could leave the “ruined” area on the ground and allow it to pulse 2~3 times for cripple and the last being a spike of damage regardless of where one stood on said path
Hammer 3 could leave a pulsing chill field where the impact landed for a few seconds
Hammer 4 could be ground targeted line wall that inflicts Slow/Blind/Weakness (any one of these, just once) if someone passes through it
Hammer 5 is fine where its at. The only thing I’d possibly change is to make it so that one summons the hammer (.75 or 1s cast) and can continue attacking without having to be inactive while channeling it.
(edited by Euthymias.7984)
I think the auto attack is fine. It deals a ton of damage and has a great range.
I would, however, LOVE to see hammer #2 have the effect(affect?) that the grawl from the statuary in Edge of the Mists has, where the target area pulsates and pulls people in for a couple seconds. It would be some really cool crowd control thing, and enemies would have to use stability.
Would also love to see a trait that makes Axe #5’s temporal rift become a targeted area so you can place it wherever. It would be really fun to be able to pull people off towers in Edge of the Mists, much like how Mesmer’s can.
All in all, basically I’d love to see the Rev have more abilities that pull people in. This would make more use of torment too!
I think the auto attack is fine.
Same.
I just think it needs to make it different in melee or give it a unique combo chain because it feels clunky somewhat.
Honestly? I’d be satisfied as heck with:
Auto: Keep it as is but increase cleave to 5 foes. This is a “siege” weapon.
2: Keep as is, but maybe remove a little of the burst and give it a pulsing delay damage for more total damage and add some Cripple or Slow?
3: Keep as is, maybe with the addition of leaving an ice field for 3 seconds to combo through? If so, reduce initial chill and add a small patch of ice to pulse chill. should be long enough to combo with 5th skill to blast frost aura on allies!
4: I’d LOVE to see this become much faster cast, like 1/4 second. kitten impossible to react to any incoming ranged damage with its current 1 second (!!!!) cast time. I’d LOVE it if this became a chained skill with the option of “launching” the field forward to Blind and Stun (1s) foes it passes through. Imagine swinging the hammer around to slam it into the wall, that then goes flying forward. Bonus: make it do additional damage or a longer Stun based on the number of projectiles blocked!
5: Slightly reduce its cast time and the delay before hitting. Its way too large of a delay and tell right now to EVER be used in any serious encounter.
I feel that these changes would really add more interesting weapon combos and would cement the weapon as an area “siege” weapon meant for area damage and denial, bit like Elementalist’s staff.
This would be great as currently none of the Heavy classes have that role, except ever so slightly the warrior’s longbow.
They could add an additional bonus for running Jalis with the Hammer out:
“Major Adept Trait: Close Quarters: Enemies beyond range threshold deal reduced damage to you. Enemies within ranged threshold receive increased damage. While activating Vengeful Hammers, Hammer Bolt will release two additional smaller hammers.”
This would make the Hammer at least have some direct synergy with Jalis: They either take more damage closing the distance, and get hit by aoe revolving hammers, or they fight you from range and deal less damage while still receiving some bonus damage from the extra thrown hammers.
The one change I would really enjoy would be making hammer 3 have a flip skill. This flip skill should last only as long you are in the ‘leaping’ part of hammer 3, and using it causes you to actually teleport to where you ‘land’ This will allow for some really cool mixups, making your opponent wonder if you’re going to teleport back to your original position, or teleport to where you landed.
While it certainly needs buffs, I couldn’t imagine waiting for the slowest weapon in the universe to finish it’s AA chain without wanting to kill myself. Although I guess waiting for the AA chain to finish would make sure we always had tons of Energy. :P