Ideas for 2011 expansion/State of the Class

[Khauruk]

http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?topic_id=172103

Folks,

Now that we've played around in HoT, and top raiders are starting to farm the top tier zones, what are your thoughts on complaints/weaknesses as we stand?

Also, time to start looking at ideas for AAs/spells for next expansion.  Please do this w/ a focus towards things that don't require new code or step on others toes too much.  Also keep in mind that the AA system is getting very stretched - upgrades to some lines may not be feasible/etc.

I'll be putting some thoughts of my own together as well, and combining it with things here, w/ an eye towards getting a first set of information to developers w/in a month or so.

Cheers,

Khauruk
Moderator, beastlords.org

Ideas here, or ideas there, Express Yourself!

[Lathon]

well.... I can think of a few things but there a re a few specifics i would love to see improved on. Just reading this today after a decent break fromthe board but silraiding and grouping so gonna post as such. With that said if the topic has been brought up already then Oops.

gonna keep it short and sweet..... for now.

1) Playing Possum - I will admit that after using it for a while and seeing how handy it can be for aggro and "Oh Noes" moment (when it works) ... I would like to see AA's to improve the refresh rate and aa's to have us stay fd thru a spell hit. i can deal with the same proc rate but woiuld like to see a lil more improvement with it since it is usful and no we aren't pullers as stated By Elidroth.. but.. he did say that he would improve on this so i would like to see it.

2) Empathic Fury (disc) - can we please get it fixed so it doesn't target pet anymore, no it isn't serious but it is annoying since everything else has been geared to stay on target mob but this disc.


3) Not really a request moreso than a question but is Beastial Vivification over-writing Empathic Fury when clicked cause it damn sure does it to me when i was still trying to figure it out.. at least it seems to be overwritting something.. can we fix it so it either stacks or says we can't use the disc or something....  I would like to see BV stack with Emp Fury and not consider it a disc but a burst tool so we can still use Protection of Spirit if need be when using it solo.

4) Guardian of the warder - can't even use mine anymore due to my item clicks and w/e else i keep buffed up, can this me made separate from everthing else so it is not a useless AA, would be nice to have it stack separately as a secondary stay alive method

Just tossing stuff out there atm that kinda affects my play and the fact that it is almost 4am means i will need to look at this againm later tomorrow to make sure i pointed out the issues properly  :-)
Feedback is a plus

[Lathon]

Also... (while we are tossing ideas out there)

The game mechanics are changing with each expansion which means each class ( minus healers) have to change, respectively. 90% have a fade or fd or def of some sort. These days tanking can be done by most classes however we each have our own perks or specifics. For some reason Beastlords seem to be tanking more often than not due to the fact that we CAN. we have the aggro modified spells to do so even with SCS maxxed (pointless AA imo).

WE have our ac hard cap regardless of what we might do to keep it down if you actually try, we have aggro mods on our spell which basically seems to have cancelled out any SCS aa's trained AND a nice lil def disc to boot...sooooo what i am asking / proposing:

1) either raise the softcap for ac ( not gonna happen).. figured i would toss that out before asking for what i really wanna see...

2) add aa's to raise our Def disc to 24 secs with same reuse timer and possibly (maybe) add a shield block AA since we are able to wield a shield as well ..

By no means am i insinuating that we should be tanks but since we have the ability to and do on some occasions it can't hurt to ask on a lesser lvl.. Either that or load us with more DPS and Burst utilities (which i am opting for)

[Kakan]

2) possibly (maybe) add a shield block AA since we are able to wield a shield as well ..

We have the shield block AA....it's only 3 ranks but we do have it.

[Zunar]

I also think we could use some help in the defensive department, which could be done in many ways...
Up our AC softcap with a class version of armor of wisdom-like AAs, just to put us closer to other melee/hybrid classes ability to take hits.

I think we could use some help still with burst dps, by upgrading our Bestial alignment AA, empathic fury disc, or add an effect that boosts our spell crits for a shorter time, with a 10min reuse maybe.

Playing possum needs improvement imo too. The 30 second reuse could be done down to 12 seconds, and it'd still be annoyingly long...just situationally less deadly to us on a fail (could atleast fire protective spirit disc and try using FD again before it wears off)
100% agree on the spell immunity AAs for Playing possum.
Of couse it'd be nice to see an increase to the success rate as well, but I don't know if all changes mentioned already would happen then....but it has room for improvement too still.

Personally  I'd like to see Bolstering warder upgraded into more usefulness, since it never got to work as a defensive proc as intended. Up the heals on it, because over half of them will be wasted anyways cuz of the random proccing, imo (it'll often heal when tank is on full HPs already). Another option is to make it a rune buff instead of a heal proc.

[Mordeb42]

My thoughts. 
First I feel we are good in the tanking department. 
We are Weak on holding agro, strong on stealing it,and ok on giving it back. 
I don't raid, so burst/burn isn't as high on my list of priorities. 
I would like us to stay near the top on non-burn dps.

First assumption.  Next expansion won't increase levels.

AAs
Gelid Claw self-proc AA
--AAs to increase debuff/damage
Playing possum
--AAs to increase success rate
--AAs to reduce reuse
Protective Spirit[Very powerful]
--More AAs to reduce reuse
--AAs to increase duration / # of hits
Warder's Gift
--AAs to reduce reuse
--AAs to increase heal
Asp/Claw/Smash
--AAs to increase effect
Chamelion Strike
--AAs to increase effect
Companion's Sacrifice
--AAs to reduce Reuse
More Paragon AAs.
New Activated AA--Pet Summon Master
1hr reuse/ instant Cast/ Does not wipe agro.  Pet can summon BST to pets location. 
Can work well when parking pet, and BST out of position due to AOE or doing quest turn in.  Etc.

New passive AA-Draw Blood.  Desc: "When a beastlord critically strikes an opponent, there is a chance to draw blood"
1 tick dot that does ~1k posion damage next tick.  Devs have already proven they can create passive procs with Gelid Claw. 
This should only work with H2H weapons like Gelid Claw and only be able to trigger off a critical strike.
--AAs 4 ranks Rnk1-6AA-250damage/Rnk2--9AA--500dmg/Rnk3--12AA--750dmg/Rnk4--15AA--1000dmg

Don't laught at the next one.  But I sure wanted it the other night pulling upper CY in SS.
New Passive AA [Door Jam]
AA causes doors opened to stay open for 1 more tick per rank. 
Might not be easily done by DEV team.  I think, Monks would love this one.



Spells:
Group Fero
New--Blind spell--Effect: 3tick dot debuff with fast cast slow recast [Divination].
Effect 1 blindness and maybe some -dex debuff maybe small heal on targets targt, 3 ticks of add +1k agro.
Purpose of blind spell to to assist in holding agro when bst is the group tank and Chaos pulling tool.

Disc:
New Empathic Fury.  That doesn't change targets.

[Sharrien]

I don't know how workable it would be but i love the door jam idea.  Maybe it could create an object in the doorway that would make the door think someone is still standing there and keep it open.

[AbyssalMage]

I don't know how workable it would be but i love the door jam idea.  Maybe it could create an object in the doorway that would make the door think someone is still standing there and keep it open.

Doors open/close reguardless if an object is in the way.

[Khauruk]

Well, from my understanding, auras are invisible NPCs who cast a spell and move with you.  Or, in the case of a chanter's tash turd, stays in one place.  Perhaps we could have a doorstop aura/NPC who just spams the "u" key? :D

Crimson Tempest is now recruiting one (1) high playtime beastlord to hold open our doors!!

[Mordeb42]

Glad you guys like the door jam idea.  A single totem wouldn't help in a place where you are running through multiple doors.

The code to support it would have the server check the PC that opened the door for the AAs, then adjust the time the door is open based on these aa's.  It might be hard coded in the graphic engine.  All doors might have a hard coded timer.  If so I don't see a good way to implement it.

I died pulling upper CY in SS with my BST.  I kept having to open the doors repeatedly when running from room to room.  I would get stunned and take a beating.  Only died once, but that is when the idea came to me.

I guess it might be more class specific to bard/rog.  But I think if the AA is feasible they could give to more classes.

[AbyssalMage]

With the love we received during HoT, I would say we finally started heading in the correct direction.

Other than standard upgrades for current AA's/Spells and getting AA's/Spells fixed (that they continue to upgrade, yet are worthless. i.e. Taste of Blood & Fero) new Spell/AA's I would like to see introduced...

AA and/or Spell Slow - Better Duration and/or resist adjustment (Im fine with % b/c of mob mitigation)

AA and/or Spell "Fast" Poison DoT - 5 tic DoT (Modeled after the other classes. High Damage, short duration, instant cast, non mana efficient, 18 sec refresh for group play)

AA (Headshot/Assasinate) AA - Make it work against Animals (possibility because they are already programmed "weaker con") and triggers of Feral Swipe (Feral Swipe pre-req). This is more of a fun AA line and Sony already directly controls the animal content in any zone thanks to Druid Charm. ***Side Note*** This could also be bad because they will never possible hasten Feral Swipe in the future. And as of this posting, they already did the nerf to Headshot to Rangers.

AA Pet FD - He should be able to play oppusom also.

AA so that oppusom doesn't fail when a spell lands on us and is resisted. Or at least gives us a 90% chance to stay "playing dead" if we resist the spell.

Group Defensive Dics - I already know many contributers to this site don't want Sony messing with our Defensive Disc line but this came about from a raid I was invited to yesturday. A copy/paste of our defensive but effects the group (v1 so that it can't be MGB) with same reuse as our current Disc. The catch is that it takes 100% of your endurance and has a minimum endurance cost to activate (Basically makes sure you have the endurance so you don't use after, or soon after, a rez). The HIGH endurance cost is to prevent abuse (or future abuse) and considering that you are using your "spiritual energies" to protect an entire group, you theoretically would be quite drained after the ordeal.

[Mordeb42]

Anyone else as bored at work as I am? HeHe.

Hmm, group defensive.   I think the version you mentioned might work. I would propose considering the following thoughts and explore it some more.   Large Endurance cost is fine.  100% is too much though. Maybe a 1-2 hit melee guard effect vs. replicating our disc on everyone.

I thought of a group disc that would be interesting. 
Group Bloodlust.  For the next tic, all pets in group hit for critical damage.
This one is very offensive, and scales in power the more pets in group.  Reuse could be 5 min. 

[kharthai]

Am for:
- AA's to make Possum fail less or faster reuse, also some sort of "stonewall" to stay fd when hit by spells
- Bestial Bloodrage and Divine Companion Aura being put on different timers (if it is possible without borking something else)
- Hastened Warder's Gift
- More ranks of Hastened Bestial Alignment, bring it down to 20 mins at most
- Fixing Empathic Fury so it doesn't target pet, and isn't locked out if hit while Bestial Vivisection is up
- Instant cast Focused Paragon, increase mana/hp return on it too
- Extended Protective Spirit (probably 6 seconds total)
- Activated AA that casts 4 werewolves or preferably makes the next X casts of Shout at the Moon (or whatever upgrade is called) summon 4
- Turn SV into the preferred brells of casters as has been previously suggested (leave brells for tanks, ranger stuff for melee dps etc)
- Rework 3rd spire into some sort of spell damage boost, or make a 4th spire if those are still coming, that does same thing
- Pet illusion clicky on class only item in group content (personal preference is lion or rhino)

I turn my nose up at:
Group Pet disc - I raid, so pretty much against anything that will tempt RL to remove me from a melee dps group, though this would have to be pretty powerful to do so
Passive DoT - Activated is fine, but there are times when you don't want dots on a mob, and don't want to have to switch weapons etc
Assassinate/Headshot - Actually against anything that is animal only, but with the recent drama with rangers headshot isn't a road I want to go down etc
Canni - /sigh

No offense to those who suggested that stuff either, but we did get cat-like reflexes last year so :p

[Mordeb42]

Instead of activate AA for Shout at the Moon for 100% 4x pets, what would you think of a passive + % chance for 4 style of AA?

Wasn't there an AA in beta for pets summoning pets or something they couldn't get to work correctly?

Speaking of spires, there been any news on the possibility of the 4th.  Also were there any suggestions given from the community?

/Cheer Workday over, can go home now.

[Zunar]

Flurries, or at very least an activated ability to increase our flurries for a couple minutes would be nice imo (nice for burst dps)
Maybe a second version of Flurry of Claws that hits single target only. Aimed Flurry of claws.
Warder's Gemination would be nice to see this time. (activated ability that makes pet double proc for one min)
Maybe a small upgrade to both Bestial Alignment and Empathic fury.