Tier 1 Balance Suggestions

[saupreusse]

I would like to suggest some balance ideas to make tier 1 more enjoyable. It's not a lot, but I think these changes would make a big difference.

Archmage/Shaman

Transfer Force and Bleed Fer' Me are game breakers in Tier1. Usually players are without a party, or simply right in the process of learning the game and its classes. Even if a healer is around to cleanse you, most will probably not be able to do so simply because they are new to the game. Also Healing pots are usually not aquired in Tier1 especially on the very low levels. Shamans and Archmages are god Tier in this scenario and usually their very long dots are a death sentence to a lot of newbies. My Suggestion is to reduce the duration of their 24sec dots down to 15sec (if lvl < 16) to bring these two classes more in line with the others and make it 24sec for lvl 16 and above.



Witch Hunter/Witch Elf

These Two classes are simply not fun without Shadow Prowler and Incognito. I would suggest to reduce the level of Shadow Prowler,Incognito and their respective openers Vehement Blades and Burn Armor to level 1, so the sneaky classes can sneak from the very start.



Tanks

Guard - the most iconic ability to ever be introduced to any MMO. Tanks without guard aren't tanks. This game is build heavily around this sole ability and doesn't really work without it. Tanks should have guard from the very start and get used to it as soon as possible. It will also make them worth much more before level 10.



Tldr:
- reduced AM and Shammy dot to 15sec in T1
- give Stealth at lvl 1
- give Guard at lvl 1

[Telen]

Id suggest shortening dots in general. They never get clenased in t1 but 24s is way too long with the amount of gcleanse spam in t4. Dot classes cant function compared to other games.

[saupreusse]

Hmm yeah dots in this game are unusually strong compared to other games i played. But so are cleanses. But thats something for another topic and another day...

[Darks63]

I mean by the same logic you should be advocating MDPS get their charges at cr 1 too.

[saupreusse]

I mean by the same logic you should be advocating MDPS get their charges at cr 1 too.

You are correct. I simply forgot that.

[roadkillrobin]

I mean by the same logic you should be advocating MDPS get their charges at cr 1 too.

In my opinion, the stealth mechanic for WH/WE, as well as Guard for all the tanks, are way more essential to playing these classes then Charge is for the MDPS classes. And by giving guard as lvl 1 to tanks you kinda mitigate the loss of not having Charge anyway.

[Kaelang]

I like the concept of allowing some form of balance in T1, yet the truth remains; T1 is but an incredibly small portion of the game, and after a few hours - you're most likely out of it. Taking into consideration the Weekend Warfronts.

One point I did see here that I thought worthy of making, was the Guard change. Balance isn't a 'one skill change' game. Changing one ability, has effects on a plethora of abilities. And Guard, has probably one of the largest impacts when changed.

The difference here isn't the skill being changed, it's when the skill becomes accessible, and the answer to such change.

For example - let's say Tanks get Guard at level 1. Immediately, all skills between 1-9 are now immediately 50% weaker. What would happen there?

Balance isn't an easy tweak, it involves looking into multiple levels and reactionary changes based off of simple changes made. I applaud the attempt at looking to change balance in T1, but I think additional measures need to be reviewed if this was ever to become the case. Guard level 1 instantly makes everyone 50% tankier moving up from 1-9, without a change in base abilities for other classes.

How long would it be until Tanks need to be nerfed in T1 because nothing is dying for example?

[Telen]

Hmm yeah dots in this game are unusually strong compared to other games i played. But so are cleanses. But thats something for another topic and another day...

Its due to the lack of aa on casters.
The length is due to newer games having ways to refresh dots. Without the length you would just be refreshing dots constantly.

[carlos]

I like the idea's regarding the change, though I can't imagen how anyone could remotly defend plowing down time into these changes, that have a life span that should last for around 6 hours of gameplay, when there is other stuff like balancing the factions.

[saupreusse]

Sure its no biggy. Its just things which would make a lot of classes a lot more fun in t1. For us veterans this doesnt mean much. But for new players it does. Just had my guildy level a wh and he was super bummed when i told him that stealth is for lvl 10+. Also i dont think all skills would become 50% weaker simply because theres guard for lvl 1 tanks. Id rather see it as a bonus to lower level parties which usually already struggle against 10+ players for the few hours they are in the lowest bracket. Its not like the change would introduce guard in tier 1, no its already there. If anything it would increase the player pool of possible guard tanks - of which a lot still learn the basic game mechanics...