In an effort to foster discussion about improvements to Berserker, lets talk about how we’d improve the new Burst skills since they’re the biggest impact the Elite Specialization should be adding to our gameplay!
Thread goals:
- Discuss what you don’t like about the current Bursts
- Rate other people’s improvements (Don’t get too hung up on numbers, this thread is more for the concepts)
- Fantasize about what could have been
- Have fun!
Guidelines:
- Remember that your burst skill should always fit the theme of the weaponset as a whole. We don’t want another Arcing Sear fiasco!
- Bursts should fit Berserker’s theme! Don’t be afraid to go nuts with exceeding the limitations of physics, we’re too angry to care that we’re breaking the fundamental laws of the universe!
- Burst skills still aren’t that spammable because they’re limited by Adrenaline
- This thread isn’t about Berserker’s traits or how fast hands should be baseline, please don’t shoehorn other discussion into here!
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My personal issue with the current set of Zerker Bursts is that they’re way too similar in flavour to the normal ones. Why am I even entering Zerk form when basically nothing much changes? To that effect, my versions of the burst skills try to bring something entirely new to the table so that it’s actually a playstyle change when you go Zerk!
Sword
Name: Trailblazer
Cast time: ¾s (Same as savage leap)
Damage: Low
Effect: Charge towards your target, burning and immobilizing the target as well as foes along the way.
Range: 600
Notes:
- Needs a target, no using this to run away short of clutch retargeting!
- Burn(1) for 7s, immob for 1.5s
- Sword gets even more mobility, pushing it ahead of GS as your sticky target option. Make use of the short immobilize to land Final Thrust!
Axe
Name: Warchain
Cast time: ¾s
Damage: Medium-low
Effect: Throw your Axe, hooking the target and pulling them towards you. Leaves a trail in the ground that pulses burning.
Range: 900
Pull distance: 300(!)
Notes:
- We Kratos now!
- Burns tick for 1s, trail lasts for 4s.
- It doesn’t pull the target all the way if you use it from a distance further than 300
- If possible I’d make this skill not reset the autoattack chain
- A different flavour of gap closer for the Axe. The autoattack chain is still pretty strong and the CC duration should be long enough for you to get a few good chops off.
Mace
Name: Groundbreaker
Cast time: 1s
Damage: Medium-low
Effect: Charge up and smash the ground at your feet, forming a ring of rocks that block (not destroy!) projectiles.
Radius: 180 (same as Ring of Warding)
Notes:
- Yes, this will work with Shield Master, but won’t reflect because the projectiles aren’t blocked by you. It’ll just grant you might from projectiles.
- Turns the Mace into a bunkerish support weapon, which it already kind of had a use for with all the weakness possible on it. Now you can deal with those godkitten Rangers standing offpoint!
- As a spawning ground targeted effect this immediately procs Cleansing Ire, even if it was blinded/blocked (as long as it’s not interrupted with that 1s cast time lol)
Greatsword
Name: Aerial Ace Tsubame Gaeshi Rising Upper
Cast Time: 1¾s
Damage: Low on first hit, Medium-high on second hit
Effect: Heave the enemy, causing a stationary Launch (same as Daredevil’s Elite functionality), then charge up and smash so hard that you rip 2 boons from the target.
Range: 150
Notes:
- You can totally cast-cancel this after the CC if you wanted to 100 blades or Whirlwind or something
- If you wanted an executioner style attack, stick with Arcing Slice!
- GS still reigns supreme managing downed targets, Launch them while someone else safely stomps!
Rifle
Name: Gunflame (It’s a cool name ok)
Cast time: 1¼ (Same as killshot)
Damage: High at close range, low at medium range
Effect: Charge up hilarious like your favourite ghostly lieutenant fire a burning spreadshot at your foe.
Range: <250 range | <400 range
Notes:
- Burn(5) for 5s <250 range. Burn1 for 5s >250 range.
- It’s both high physical damage and high burn intensity! Rampager/Sinister builds rejoice!
- Rifle’s skillset is so bad the burst skill better be kitten good to compensate
- You can move while casting this. Chain it with Rifle Butt!
- Turns Rifle into a hilarious melee bruiser build, note that none of the rest of rifle’s skillset suffers from being used in close range anyway
- Has it’s own unique audio cue while charging up. You know how you now reflexively dodge when you hear Unload or Rapid Fire? Yeah.
Longbow
Name: Smokescreen
Cast time: ¾s
Effect: Fire a smokescreen at your feet that lasts for 4s. All Combo Finishers from you have double chance to proc and double the effects. (To everyone else it’s a normal Smoke Combo Field)
Radius: 240
Notes:
- Would be the only Smoke Field in the game that doesn’t pulse blind, instead relying entirely on the warrior to Finisher off it for it to do anything
- Removes a lot of point pressure from longbow in exchange for great utility
- Projectile Finishers going through it have double the chance to proc (40%)
- Still immediately procs Cleansing Ire
OR
Name: Smash!
Cast time: 1s (Same as Banish)
Damage: High
Effect: Smack your foe comically hard with your bow, Launching them 900 range away.
Notes:
- I really can’t decide. This one is probably more in-line with the Berserker theme I guess.
- Same animation as Hammer 2.
Hammer
Name: Rupturing Smash
Cast time: 1¼ (Same as killshot)
Damage: Medium-high
Effect: Charge up and rupture the ground in a large AoE at your feet, pulling all enemies caught towards you. Inflict bleed(6) for 5s from the shrapnel. Rooted while casting.
Radius: 360 (same as Churning Earth)
Notes:
- The PVE skill of the century (once they add AI that prevents LOS lmao)
- Nowhere near the cast time of churning earth so you can still land this in a big fight
- Blinding it will cause it to miss, get some resistance going!
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Thoughts?