I will be updating this thread after Betas and after release of Heart of Thorns.
Part of this feedback was written before BWE3 changes announcement and will be updated eventually.
Hello!
Here would be my feedback based on all previous betas, including the last one.
Over the Events I’ve been testing all Legends and traitlines I had avalible in:
- World vs. World: Zerging, solo objective roaming (focusing on taking camps, mercs, avoiding 1v1 fights),
- PvE: Heart of Thorns maps (mostly one avalible in BWE2), Dungeons.
- PvP: That was a main playground for my tests as it allows for best use of avalible mechanics. Mostly Ranked, some Unranked (first Rev preview), solo and triple-queueing.
I have split my feedback into couple sections, for better visibility.
Let’s start, shall we?
General Feedback
- Revenant is in much better place than it was in the first preview.
- Weapon swap was, in my opinion, good addition to the profession. Made it much more flexible and allowed for better customization and build variety, which were lacking previously.
- Energy mechanic is one of the best – if not the best – profession mechanic in the game. It allows for limitless good trait and skill ideas, even importing ones from Guild Wars 1.
- I feel that current Revenant needs one more ranged weapon, which would be hybrid of Condition and Power/Control. Here is my suggestion for Main-hand ranged Dagger.
- Condition builds are limited to one weapon set allowing to apply damaging conditions (DoTs). Although we have traits that proc on crits, it means that Condition builds are currently being forced into condition/power hybrids, rather than having an option for “pure” condition-damage oriented builds.
I understand that it was not a problem during initial Revenant’s development because there was no weapon swap option. But now it is. I’ll understand if it isn’t dealt with now, because the release is coming close, but it’s a problem that Core Revenant faces.
- Boons are incredibly vital part of this game, currently. And we can see it by comparing Revenant with no Glint Legend to one with Glint Legend.
I observed that this particular Legend, containing majority of boons (which are by nature very flexible) avalible to the Revenant as well as some of good utility seems like “go-to” option in nearly every game mode, at least for majority of players. There are builds that work beautifully without Glint, but the flexibility of Boons and Boon Legend which Glint is make it so it’s perfect supplement to any other Legend, while some other Legends are not so good at this matter.
- I believe that things mentioned above are not really problem of Glint Legend itself. They’re problems of the game itself.
By this sign (G) I will mark boons gained from skills that could’ve been increased in duration a bit on particular Legends.
- The design decision of both Utility and Weapon skills costing Energy is a good one. Stick to that.
- The spawn behaviour of Revenant’s Healing Orbs and Energy Fragments has to be less random. I’m still not sure about the Fragments, but Orbs could spawn in such manner that every third Orb spawns directly in front of the caster.
- Unrelenting Assault in the current form seems to carry tons of -rather bad- Revenants. In hands of good players nearly every aspect of Revenant has a lot of potential.
- Best healing comes from buffed Regeneration (with ally healing bonuses), not from actual “Healing Legend” – Ventari.
Weapons
Overview:
Mace is pretty much a finished weapon. It has good condition pressure (although it’s direct damage overall could’ve been a little bit better for hybrids), takes a fair amount of skill to achieve maximum efficiency, brings offensive support as well as Triple Blast (which elevates this weapon to godlike tiers if used correctly with things like Tempest’s Warhorn moving water field!) and has obvious weaknesses.
1. Auto-attack:
-Anguish Swipe is inferior to Misery Swipe, considering it’s second AA in chain, it shouldn’t be the case. Make both either 1/2 or 1/4 second casts (favour to the latter one).
- Manifest Toxin is all right. However, as basically only source of Poison on Revenant currently, Poison is hardly worth it’s Venom Enhancement trait. Revenant needs more sources of Poison.
2. Searing Fissure - For it’s cost and cooldown, amazing skill. Not much to add.
3. Echoing Eruption - Good as it is. No further changes needed. Triple Blast Finisher is a good standalone reason to use Mace.
Overview:
Axe is a hybrid off-hand weapon pretty much designed to compensate for Mace’s weaknesses like lack of gapclosing, soft CC and hard CC. It also brings fair amount of direct damage to the table with good Power scalling on #4 and cool plays avalible with striking foes in line with Frigid Blitz. It’s basically on the same boat as Mace – pretty much finished weapon.
4. Frigid Blitz Decent skill. Has problems with connecting last attacks sometimes, though.
5. Temporal Rift. Because of the animation, it can be very misleading about it’s range for the user. This skill has to have it’s radius for pull increased. Torment damage is also rather low on this one, could use an increase.
Overview:
Staff is a true defensive/support weapon with surprising amount of burst avalible from #5. I found it good option to bring in pretty much every situation as, following the trend of existing Staves in the game, it brings tons of much needed utility. Overall, the Staff is a weapon that doesn’t need many changes, apart from couple numbers and skill facts here and there.
1. Auto-attack – It’s okay. Could use increase in range (150) and one more Healing Orb spawned.
2. Punishing Sweep has to be 1/2 second cast time, not 3/4. It’s too slow.
Debilitating Slam’s cost is too high to be worth using. Whole sequence requires first hit, which has to be during the foe’s cast and then second hit. It takes 20 energy in total and almost 2 seconds to daze the enemy. You won’t interrupt anything with it.
Make DSlam’s cost 10 and be 1/2 second cast time. This way Revenant could actually make some use of this skill as an interrupt for longer casts. Currently, it’s not used.
3. Warding Rift - Perfect skill. No changes needed.
4. Renewing Wave [s]There are two main problems with this skill:
- It’s immobile. Before I finish casting it, I might be dead or my ally will run away, out of range
- It has very short range. Make it at least 300.
Needs one of above adressed.[/s] (already buffed Apart from that, slightly better base healing would be nice.
5. Surge of the Mists - Potent skill. Basically everyone likes it. One change I could suggest is giving us option to change direction of that with some pointer (like new Tempest’s Warhorn Air #5).
Overview:
Hammer is a weapon many didn’t know how to use when it first came out. Brought together with Jalis Legend it was confusing because it didn’t pair well with that particular Legend and playstyle. After buffs to it became quite obvious what’s the weapon’s purpose – absolute carnage of backlines on WvW and pretty much everywhere else you can maintain range between you and foes. While due to cascading mechanics in GW2 and potential to increase it’s damage periodically by a hefty margin it can be considered an amazing damage, it has few problems especially with it’s 3 and 5 skills.
1. Auto-attack – It’s okay skill, pierces a lot of foes. Pairs up extremaly well with Quickness.
2. Coalescence of Ruin - This has been previously discussed. I can agree that it should either get it’s cost increased by 5 or be 4s Cooldown. Apart from that, no changes needed. It’s a visible cascading attack, goes in straight line and whole Hammer I think is meant to be sort of anti-pirate ship tool. If you stand further, you get hit for more. Decent.
3. Phase Smash - This, on the other hand, could get some slight tuning. I’ll say it should apply 4s Chill instead of 2s, deal a little bit more damage and has it’s energy cost increased by 5. That’s just my suggestion. Hammer needs a little more soft CC for kiting.
4. Field of the Mists - Decent skill. No changes.
5. Drop the Hammer - It’s nice with Quickness but fails without it. Either increase the Radius to 300-340 or reduce the cast time by 1/2 second.
Overview:
Ah, the crowd’s favourite. It’s hard not to like Sword. It strikes fast, it does nice damage, it brings utility. Some of it’s animations are very different and may look weird at first glance (Auto-attack), some could sell the expansion alone (UA animation). It has a little problem in PvP with #3 skill which seems to be carrying even bad players to victory if used on cooldown, but it can be solved as mentioned below. Precision Strike, while nice already, could’ve been slightly more about AoE damage.
Off-hand Sword is a nice mix of defense and CC and can be useful in most builds, similar to Staff.
1. Auto-attack – Increase it’s cleave radius a little bit. It’s hard to cleave enemies which are not model-stacked on top of each other.
2. Precision Strike - It’s okay. Bump the Power scalling to 1.0 or increase the base damage a bit. It’s a fun skill.
Also, look into it’s animation on Charr when moving – it’s a regular front slash instead of cool spin2win.
3. Unrelenting Assault Oh, the controversy. I discussed change to it (not nerf!) in This topic I made myself. Requires a little bit more counter-play to it, but nothing too crazy. Good skill. EDIT:Announced BWE3 changes do not fix the problem of fun counterplay. This skill will proceed to carry bad DPS Revenants, while the change will punish Revenants who seek mainly defensive option in Sword.
4. Duelist’s Preparation - I liked this skill. Short cooldown, decent cost, good block. Not much to add.
Shackling Wave - Good skill, nice tool to imprison the foe for some meaty Hammer #2 attack on trap him in Mace #2. But costs total of 20 Energy and that’s a bit high. 5 Energy for Wave itself is a decent cost.
5. Grasping Shadow It has connection problems and doesn’t always work as it should be. It’s nice concept, but aside from CC I haven’t used it that much for other purposes. Might be nice for decapping. Fix the bugs and leave it as it is.
Overview
Shield ended up as my favourite Off-hand. Sustain from it allowed me to roll with Ventari which has rather poor self-healing and not die terribly. It had couple problems with Defiance bar going down like avalanche once soft CC like Immobilize or Chill was involved and I don’t know why #5 prevents point contribution (Already adressed), but overall it looked decent.
1. Envoy of Exuberance - This skill is decent. I wouldn’t mind 1s longer Protection/slightly larger radius than 240/better Healing Power scalling/CD down to 12s but overall I liked this skill. EDIT:Lowering the Energy cost is nothing bad, but I think this skill should have vanilla Energy cost, but better effect/cooldown. After all, Revenant is about being smart with Energy
2. Crystal Hibernation - Some disliked it, I loved it. Well, till I had no Chill on me. It’s problem was mostly that Defiance Bar vs. hard CC was ok, but face Reaper/Engi and you’re with no chance. And remove the point contribution prevention. This and the GM Dragon trait are terrible tools for Conquest. Oh and Flameseeker Prophecies Shield should turn the the caster into actual Crystal! EDIT:Block instead of Defiance bar is really cool. As the cooldown reduction. Now erase the point contribution restriction and we’re set. You can even increase the CD by 5s EDIT: All my points about #5 seem to be adressed already. No further wishes, it’s purffect
Legends
Overview:
Glint Legend is…really strong. As mentioned in General talk, addition of boons to Revenant suddenly changes everything. While Herald traitline isn’t so exciting apart from couple traits, Legend is awesome in almost every detail. I noticed that our “silver surfboard” tends to clip into things sometimes, but I can live with it. Looks like this Legend got huge love in particular – visuals, sounds effects. Works as an off-spec for nearly every build. I wouldn’t call it overpowered, though. Most people I’ve seen were running it with DPS mindset and builds, I however tried mostly other aspect – supporting. After a lot of hours with it and getting my rotations right, the sheer boonage (especially Regeneration & Protection) proved to be exceptional.
I won’t be talking about Facets themselves, since none is too over/underpowered. I will focus on actives instead.
6. Infuse Light - Here we go bois, the source of Revenant QQ and angry gazes of jelly, greedy Warriors. I think it should totally get some better animation, but aside from that, is perfectly fine. This skill is a perfect example of L2P. It was new, majority didn’t know it. However, on last day I started facing good players who were actually trying to bait it, holding off with burst, playing around it – and often they were successful. Give it two months, problem will dissapear. Typical noob trap. Important thing – Bolster Fortification Trait should proc AFTER Infuse Light finishes since it reduces healing.
7. Gaze of Darkness - Decent skill, good stunbreak. The Reveal part seems to be bugged, but apart from this fact – No changes needed.
8. Elemental Blast - I love it. Beautiful animation, cool effects, low cooldown, good damage. I saw no complaints about it, everyone likes it.
9. Burst of Strenght - I believe it could use some raw, direct damage increase to make it active more rewarding to use over just camping might generation. Good thing.
0. Chaotic Release - Okay, first thing. Fix frame drops when using this skill. It’s not just me, I talked to many people about this. I want to use this, but every time I think about using it, it reminds me of huge frame drop and I shiver. Second thing – I don’t really get the Super Speed part on it. Sure, nice to have, but why exactly? I didn’t find this part any super helpful. Maybe I’m missing something. Now, other things – I like the animation, as pretty much every Glint one. Big mofo dragon flapping wings – hnnghh! The damage is actually very decent. Solutions?
- Remove the Super-speed. Maybe some gapcloser/disengage (like Rytlock in cinematics)?
- Lower the cooldown. Other actives are almost as powerful, but with cooldowns lower by huge margin.
- Make it double/triple-strike? Multiple blowouts in frontal cone, just like HoT Wyvern fights.
Overview
He didn’t get much love after Glint got her release it seems. Understandable – there’s no need for such “tank legend” now. Personally, I like Jalis. It’s very flexible Legend that has strong ideas and needs mostly number-tuning.
6. (G) Soothing Stone - Not much to say. Okay healing, removes conditions, gives boon unique to Revenant. Retaliation per condition could go up from 2 to 3 seconds.
7. Inspiring Reinforcement - You over-nerfed it. Yes, it was super amazing and I felt like Bob the Builder running with zergs, but sudden nerfhammer hit harder than Hammer #2. There are two things about this skill:
- The Weakness got indirect nerf. Either make it pulse 2/3s Weakness per pulse or apply 10s Weakness on cast.
- The Stability – 1s is nothing. It’s there to proc Glint’s GM trait and you know it. Increase each stack duration to 3s.
I’m fine with cooldown and energy cost.
8. Forced Engagement - EDIT:You lowered the cost to 35 Energy and that’s exactly what I suggested. Could use Unblockable effect or faster travel time.
9. Vengeful Hammers - Not much to say. Finished skill. Maybe -6 instead of -7, but that’s numbers and can always be tweaked in patch.
0. Rite of the Great Dwarf - It’s awesome. Stacks with Protection, good damage reduction, cool visuals, not that incredibly long cast time anymore, has lower cost. EDIT: Now with very good Retribution Jalis-specific trait this may be incredibly helpful!
Overview:
Out of all the Legends, probably contrary to majority of players, I have spent the least time with Shiro. It certainly felt like a powerful Legend and new Phase Traversal can be…problematic in the future, but the concept is solid.
6. Enchanted Daggers - It’s base healing and healing power scalling is low. I know it has damage potential, but as healing skill, I think it should also heal for more than Shield #4. Concept is good, though.
7. Phase Traversal - While as most of game mechanics rather useless in PvE (which is not it’s, but PvE’s fault) aside from zipping from one critter on horizon to another (which is fun, tho), I’m not sure if it isn’t a little bit too much in PvP. The mobility with this thing is insane and as long as you have target, will “outrun” everything. I found it exceptional at preventing sneaky Thief decaps (see Thief, target, click PT couple times, you’re there long before decap). It rotates extremaly fast between mid and far/close. It still requires target, though. Personally, I’d increase the travel distance to 1500 and slap 2s CD on it.
8. Riposting Shadows - After energy reductions, this skill is perfect. Fits the “mobility” theme, is a stunbreak, saves kitten . If it was a woman, I’d take her on date.
9. Impossible Odds - Good enough. Solid on-demand Quickness that can surprise enemy (“you though Hammer is slow? GUESS WHAT, NOT ANYMORE!”). Wouldn’t mind if it was 1,5s Quickness per tick.
0. Jade Winds - High cost, noticeable cast time, has counters. Solid AoE stun, but you have to know when to use it. Losing 50 Energy for nothing hurts. EDIT:Personally, never felt like using this stun two times in a row, neither had I Energy for it in any real combat situation. I don’t think that this 5s cooldown was necessary, but doesn’t bother me.
There was supposed to be my opinion and overview of Mallyx Legend and it’s skills, but in light of announced BWE3 changes, I will hold on with feedback to BWE3 since almost nothing is the same now. Totally different playstyle and Legend. Since in my opinion this Legend is now incredibly generic and lost it’s whole risk/reward fun gameplay and it doesn’t look like it will be coming back, I will try to come up with some new main idea to replace the “hold© conditions” one.
0. Embrace the Darkness - EDIT:Only complaint I think is still relevant after the changes - This Elite has terrible synergy with Demonic Defiance trait. You’re being punished for using this with Demonic Defiance trait, gives absolutely no reason to upkeep the Elite after initial Resistance gain. I suggest that Demonic Defiance (2s Resistance) should pulse every 3s when using EtD.
Ventari feedback was written after BWE3 changes announcement, no edits.
Overview:
Some hate it, some like it. Over Beta Weeked Event 2 I’ve spent most of my time with Ventari Legend in all three game modes and I think that I’m capable of providing some good feedback on it.
Ventari certainly feels like a Legend that takes the most skill, certainly the most skill out of all supports in the entire game. The Tablet mechanic is interesting, but often not intuitive. Before I start with particular skills, here’s my list of Tablet changes:
- When using Ventari’s Will, there should be an UI line for the caster between the Tablet current location and Ground-targeted area. This way, caster can see the line Tablet will pass through and adjust it with better idea. (Similar line to ones created by Shovel #2 in Silverwastes when searching for chests). EDIT: After Revenant commands the Tablet, the line should appear for allies, too.
- EDIT: Healing should’ve been more visible. Give Fragments some bonus visual like green “+” above them, and let both Revenant and his allies see the radius in which Tablet healing is effective.
- Ventari’s Will should have 1500 range. Period. Having to click two times just to get your Tablet back is horrible.
- Both Ventari’s Will and Project Tranquility have to be instant cast. Cast time on those is the main reason why Tablet feels clunky to use in my opinion.
- Tablet’s travel speed should be increased. By the time it travels 900 units, you might be dead already.
- Radius of Tablet has to be increased to 300. Healing anyone who’s more mobile than Necromancer or Guardian is terrible experience. The radius is simply not large enough. I often miss the heal by couple units, swearing, because my ally moves too quickly.
- As mentioned, remove the cast times from Tablet management, but add cast times to Natural Harmony and Purifiying Essence. The counterplay is currently in wrong place – you can counter Tablet positioning, but not healing cast.
Now, the skills
6. Project Tranquility - Increase Healing Power scalling on this one. It’s barely noticeable even with full Cleric’s gear. Rest was mentioned above.
7. Protective Solace - It’s a good skill when there are projectiles. It is absolutely terrible and useless skill if there are no projectiles. Yes, it’s Light Combo Field and it helps sometimes, but wouldn’t say no to some bonus effect. Suggestions for bonus effect:
- When Protective Solace is up, the passive healing of Project Tranquility is increased by 200%/300%.
- Protective Solace pulses Protection/Vigor
- Protective Solace increases Revive Speed by 30%.
- Foes crossing Protective Solace are Blinded (3s)
8. Natural Harmony - Annoying. Really annoying. Remove that delay on healing, it’s completly unecessary, add 1/4s or 1/2s cast time for proper counterplay. When I need healing, I need it when I finish the cast, not 2s later.
Increase either Healing Power scalling or base healing to compensate. Or both. As mentioned in “General” – majority of healing I was able to output was from spreading Regeneration, weapon skills, sigils, picking up healing orbs and fragments. Not from Natural Harmony. I checked combat logs. It might be that after lowering Energy cost a bit the numbers are little better, but the healing from this particular skill was insignificant in PvP.
9. Purifying Essence - Adding cooldown to it does nothing but bad things. Same as with Natural Harmony, add cast time of 1/4 or 1/2s for proper counterplay, erase the freshly added cooldown. Seriously, playing Ventari I couldn’t cast too often, but there were times when I knew I had to save up energy and cleanse conditions with it two times in a row to help my team. Addition of cooldown is a huge nerf to this one.
0. Energy Expulsion - I think that after announced BWE3 change this Elite will be fine.
Specializations
This part was written after BWE3 changes announcement, no edits.
I only discuss traits I think need to be discussed. Rest is more or less fine.
Overview:
Corruption was rather messed specialization before, now it’s a huge mess after the removal of old Mallyx. Half of stuff doesn’t make much sense. We will see, though.
1. Frigid Precision - This one still feels like pre-Specialization trait. It’s worse than Sigil of Ice and is a Master trait.
How about:
- Chill (2s) foe when you deliver a critical strike (10s ICD). Chilling a foe inflicts Poison.
Now we have synergy within the trait, with minor, with Sword, Hammer, Axe and all the chill runes and sigils. And more Poison – reason to go for Corruption in any build.
2. Maniacal Persistence - I will be honest. This trait is kitten. It’s worse than Ranger’s Minor Opening Strike.
Because of nature of Revenant’s skills, we hit often. This trait simply gives guaranteed critical strike on first hit, but turns useless once combat starts.
How about:
- Removing a boon increases your critical strike chance by 7% and Condition Damage by 50 for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 3 times. Affects allies in 600 range.
Now it has synergy with Corruption minor, Corruption master trait, Mallyx Legend, Necromancers/Mesmers/Thieves love you (Effect is independent, everyone has his own stacks. Or other version – it’s your stacks for everyone).
Overview:
Typical power tree with bonus siphons. Not particulary exciting, rather straight-foward and simplistic, but works.
1. Jade Echo - This trait is terrible. Master tier, 90s cooldown, only when downed? Nah, I won’t ever take that over other two.
Erase this trait. If needed, downed damage increase can be included into Master Minor (same as Necromancer in Spite line).
2. Dismantle Fortifications - I doubt this trait is GM-worthy.
- Move down a tier to replace Jade Echoes and it will be fine as “utility” option.
- Or merge Jade Echoes into this trait.
3. New Grandmaster trait ideas:
- Envoy of the Mists (Lore alert! Read Shiro story)
Cast Jade Winds when you go down (60s ICD). After being defeated, rally for 10 seconds with 100 Energy. Return to life upon killing a foe. (30s cooldown)
- Battle Trance
Next attack that hits you after successful evade heals you, instead of doing damage. (2s ICD).
Overview:
Retribution specialization is a nice option for most builds. Stability, damage reductions are solid tools for any survival and added layer of possible “tankiness” only adds to that. But I have couple loose suggestions:
1. Merging Eye for an Eye with Improved Aggression in one Master tier trait might work better than merging with Protection. Protection makes little sense – you CC foe and then you apply Protection to yourself? Why? Your foe is already disabled. Merging taunt with taunt trait however makes a lot of sense.
2. Empowering Vengance - Considering the fact this trait has 1s ICD, Might (as for GM trait) from it isn’t great. Either reduce the ICD to 1/2s or increase the duration of Might.
3. Loose trait suggestions! Here are my suggestions for Adept/Master Retribution traits you can adjust with numbers.® sign means that name of trait was present in Guild Wars 1:
- Dwarven Battle Stance®
Gain 2/3/4% attack speed increase when you evade or block an attacks for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 5 stacks.
- Breath of the Great Dwarf®
After using healing skill, convert incoming Conditions into Boons. Duration 2/3 seconds. Cooldown 15/30/40 seconds.
- Don’t Trip!®
Striking a moving foe Cripples (3-5s) him. (15-30s ICD)
- Light of Deldrimor®
Striking stealthed foe Reveals (3s) in an area (15/30/40s ICD). Deal increased damage to Stealthed and Blinded foes (20%). Synergy with “my Salvation” changes
- King’s Sturdiness
Striking a disabled (hard CC effects) foe gives you Protection (2-5s). (5-10s ICD)
Synergy with all CCs, including Jalis Taunt
4. It was mentioned by Roy that Reflexive Summon trait will probably be changed. So I have a suggestion for trait which could replace it.
- Great Dwarf Armor®
Cast Rite of the Great Dwarf when your health drops below 50% treshold (60s ICD). Receive reduced critical strike damage from frontal attacks (25-33%). EDIT: Glad something very similar could actually be implemented
5. Steadfast Rejuvenation - This Grandmaster trait has lower healing than Invocation Master one. Increase it, increase healing power scalling dramatically or change the trait. It’s passive, I don’t like it.
Overview:
This traitline has a lot of “small” traits that add up when used in combinations with other Specializations/certain Legends. Clear example is trait that gives rather short Protection on heal – While not much for 4/5 Legends, it suddenly changes Ventari #6 into amazingness. Or the Stability trait + Jalis or Retribution specialization. Or Invocation minors and “on stunbreak” effects. I have very few points:
1. Radiant Revival - Originally I thought that this trait will be absolutely amazing. Turns out – not always. 2s isn’t that long, there’s huge cooldown on it and “Rez trait” has no bonus revive speed increase. So, one of three things:
- Add “10% increased revive speed” to this trait to match other “rez traits”
- Reduce the cooldown to 30s
- Increase the duration to 3 or 4s.
Personally, I prefer first option.
2. I was thinking about maybe changing something about the “stunbreak for allies” effect, but I guess it’s one of traits designed for Raids and Tempest has similar one, so I won’t suggest changing it – seems to have some purpose. “Higher concept” we might call it.
3. Facet of Nature - Extremaly powerful if used right, together with the active. I haven’t seen many Revenants achieving good potential with it (vast majority in PvP including supposed “good players” were just flashing it for active), but the realisation should come with time. By playing mostly supportive builds BWE2, I tested it’s potential and it’s…incredible. I love it.
Overview:
This is our “Healing” traitline. I liked it, but I believe it could’ve been “split” into three “ways” – “Selfless healing”, “Support”, “Peacemaker”. So by going into Specialization, you may not only act as “healer”, but also pick traits which will prevent damage, instead of helping allies recover. Here are my suggestions:
1. Hardened Foundation replaced with Eluding Nullification. Currently, this minor will do nothing if you don’t have Healing Power and is boring conversion trait. Even with Cleric’s, gained Toughness is nothing. Insignificant either way. By replacing it with cleansing we free up one Master trait and give Salvation very helpful condition cleanse.
2. Nourishing Roots into Nourishing Waters.
- Nourishing Waters
Create a Water Field when you swap weapons. Duration: 2s. 240 Radius.
Now that we have couple Blast Finishers, it’s time to make use of them. Water Field was a thing many people requested. Such simple trait would allow us to make use of our well-timed Blasts on low cooldown (maybe even push people to pick Runes of Warrior?) and give us more group-wide synergy while not being over the top. Such trait would be worthy competitor for other two strong Adept traits.
3. Tranquil Benediction - After BWE2 when I looked at Salvation line I thought “why do we have two traits in one specialization that provide Regeneration?”. Exactly, why? Let’s boundle them into one.
- Tranquil Benediction
Healing Orbs spawned by you and your Ventari’s Tablet provide Regeneration (2s) and Swiftness (2s).
This would require some good wording and tooltip magic, but I think the idea is solid. Yet another good trait to pick up when going through the “support path”. To be honest, Tablet part isn’t even necessary I believe with further changes to Invocation.
4. Selfless Amplification - This trait is nice, but could maybe give some bonus:
- +150 Healing Power?
- You heal for 5% of your outgoing healing?
Final trait of “selfless path”
5. Natural Abundance - This trait is nice, but I’d add little bonus. Currently, even if you try often the Fragments will just despawn before you reach them. Pick one of those – both are aimed at making it a little easier:
- Trait also increases Fragments’ and Orbs’ pickup ranges.
- Trait increases duration of all Fragments spawned to 10 or 15s.
Final trait of “support path”
6. Momentary Pacification - Base of this trait is good enough, I’d like to push the synergy however and add to existing trait:
- When you interrupt a foe, Blind him (5s ICD per target).
Final trait of “peacemaker path”
7. New Master trait replacing Eluding Nullification trait
- Peacemaker
When you Blind foe, your nearby allies gain Vigor/Stability/Aegis. (Some very short ICD depending on the effect).
This trait is a strong option for Salvation Revenant who chooses not to go for healing, but more “utility-based” path of peace.
Overview:
Invocation is a traitline oriented around profession mechanic, so we can expect a lot of utility. And it brings that utility. There’s little something for everyone and whole Specialization is about switching Legends and managing Energy. Since managing Energy is the thing that interested me in Revenant, you may guess I picked that traitline in nearly every build.
1. Cruel Repercussion - That’s source of some QQ about Hammer critting like Gravedigger. Since as I explained with Maniacal Persistence, Revenant is more about frequent hits rather than big, slow and meaty ones (It’s just Hammer with this nature), I’d make it simply increase damage by 10-20% for 5s. Less one-shots, better choice overall.
2. Equilibrium - I want to like it, but I think it’d be better just to remove the duality nature of this trait (even though the concept is neat and can be used in the future!) and make it simply do AoE damage + some effect like healing or boon upon swapping Legend. Using this trait I often found myself trying to burst down someone, then swapping and getting small heal instead of bonus damage because when bursting I obviously spent majority of my Energy on things like Impossible Odds or weapon skills. The healing part isn’t really impressive with HPower scalling – if I wanted the heal, I have another Master Invocation trait just below.
3. Invigorating Flow - Roy, after announcement of changes for BWE1 and removal of Healing Spheres I told you that I want my cool mechanics back. And I saw the opportunity, but not in bringing Healing Spheres back.
Current Invigorating Flow trait is just yet another heal you’ll only see in your combat log if you try, has little synergy, scales badly and could’ve been something much more fun and better.
With my Healing Orb changes proposed in General Feedback section (normalizing it’s spawn nature a bit), I came up with this:
- Invigorating Flow
When you spent 10/15 Energy, create a Healing Orb.
Healing Orb is same thing spawned from Staff AA. Traited with Salvation, it can provide Swiftness and Regeneration when picked up. Normalized, every third Orb would spawn directly in front of the caster, so picking up some of them would come naturally and without thinking, same as current Invigorating Flow, getting comparable amount of healing in same time frame. You could choose to pick up more of them or leave them for your allies. Because you always spend Energy, it’s accessible in every Legend.
I strongly believe that such fluid, unique and natural way of support, if implemented right, would turn out to be a lot of fun for both Revenant and his allies
It’s mah baby.
So here we are, at finish. I’d like to point out couple interesting things that I observed, but don’t necessarily want to be changed
- Protection uptime with Glint+Shield trait+Facet of Nature and good rotation is really high. Add Forge runes and you have past permanent Protection in PvP. Which is nice, but not necessarily overpowered since it takes some timing, good rotation and Guardian can achieve the same thing by spamming #1 on his Hammer.
- Regeneration uptime – originally I thought that Revenant was supposed to be limited in Regeneration. Turned out, Regeneration with outgoing healing boosts from traits and what not is extremaly potent, often being majority of my healing (It’s easier to heal with HoTs than with hard heals). But since Warriors, Rangers and others can already achieve permanent, strong Regeneration in multiple places, it doesn’t look like a big concern either.
- People rolling Revenant because it’s absolutely awesome and team behind it is doing amazing work – Now that’s a big concern!.
Thanks for reading. Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Rym
[SALT]Natchniony – Necromancer, EU.
Streams: http://www.twitch.tv/rym144
(edited by Rym.1469)