Improving the ST of BW/Sorc.
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:56 pm
This is pretty much a follow up the thread: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=23900&start=90
I shall maintain the format by giving an insight to my ideas how to improve the situation, whilst having in mind the limitations (lack of patcher). I also encourage deeply other skilled bw/sorcs to give their thoughts at what would make those classes better at Single Target, when targeting anything that is in a group.
NOTE: We all know that this class is okaish at pug farming, but it's performance when fighting groups is dire.
1. Identify the issue.
Sorc/BW were struggling at ST department when facing grouped players even before the changes to DoTs, right now they're in pretty bad position.
2. Explain why it's an issue.
Changes to DoTs made half of their ST dps output easily avoidable.
Biggest issue:
*Skills: Word of Pain / Boiling Blood;
and their "small brothers": Slow Boil / Vision of Torment.
Those above are pretty much a mechanic of these classes, they wouldn't work without them. After application and 5s later, they deal X amount of damage. These DoTs are not doing any dmg or significant debuffing whilst on their 5s counter.
With the recent changes they now face 2 defence checks: at application, and before the dmg is about to be applied. Before they were only checked at application.
Issue is that the number of counterplays doubled with how the checks are not being static.
Quick example: DoTs are applied, they will burst in 5s, before they do, enemy player and/or his group team mates buffs up disrupt/block rates, with HTL being the easiest. Not even mentioning the old counters (detaunts, absorbs, cleanses, challenges, preparing spike heals, getting bw/sorc killed). They are getting disrupted easily, and Sorc/BW has lost 2 GCDs not doing anything.
Classes lack sustained damage and at the same time fuel to keep damaging the target effectively, whilst getting defended left and right, thus not being an effective dps.
3. Propose a viable solution to the problem.
These will be a few ideas, but my main purpose is to start the heavily moderated discussion on how to make BW/Sorc a better dps class, if they're still maintaining this mechanic with drawback.
1. Chillwind/Ignite
*buff, by giving them more sustained dmg. Increase the tick speed by 0.25 and allow ticks to procs effects.
2. WoP/BB
*Option 1: Disable second defense check.
*Option 2: Make them uncleansable - if they have to face 2 defense checks, whilst second one can be modified heavily by defending player it doesn't seem that bad.
*Option 3: Both.
3. Slow Boil/Vision of Torment. - Apply option 1 or 2 from above, both, or:
*change them to fast ticking DoTs. From now they tick every 1 second.
4. Shield of Aqshy/Shroud of Darkness - For the next 7 seconds all of your attacks are undefendable, 40ap cost, 1m cd.
Every of the suggestions are not tied together, they can be cherry picked or modified.
Thanks for reading.
I shall maintain the format by giving an insight to my ideas how to improve the situation, whilst having in mind the limitations (lack of patcher). I also encourage deeply other skilled bw/sorcs to give their thoughts at what would make those classes better at Single Target, when targeting anything that is in a group.
NOTE: We all know that this class is okaish at pug farming, but it's performance when fighting groups is dire.
1. Identify the issue.
Sorc/BW were struggling at ST department when facing grouped players even before the changes to DoTs, right now they're in pretty bad position.
2. Explain why it's an issue.
Changes to DoTs made half of their ST dps output easily avoidable.
Biggest issue:
*Skills: Word of Pain / Boiling Blood;
and their "small brothers": Slow Boil / Vision of Torment.
Those above are pretty much a mechanic of these classes, they wouldn't work without them. After application and 5s later, they deal X amount of damage. These DoTs are not doing any dmg or significant debuffing whilst on their 5s counter.
With the recent changes they now face 2 defence checks: at application, and before the dmg is about to be applied. Before they were only checked at application.
Issue is that the number of counterplays doubled with how the checks are not being static.
Quick example: DoTs are applied, they will burst in 5s, before they do, enemy player and/or his group team mates buffs up disrupt/block rates, with HTL being the easiest. Not even mentioning the old counters (detaunts, absorbs, cleanses, challenges, preparing spike heals, getting bw/sorc killed). They are getting disrupted easily, and Sorc/BW has lost 2 GCDs not doing anything.
Classes lack sustained damage and at the same time fuel to keep damaging the target effectively, whilst getting defended left and right, thus not being an effective dps.
3. Propose a viable solution to the problem.
These will be a few ideas, but my main purpose is to start the heavily moderated discussion on how to make BW/Sorc a better dps class, if they're still maintaining this mechanic with drawback.
1. Chillwind/Ignite
*buff, by giving them more sustained dmg. Increase the tick speed by 0.25 and allow ticks to procs effects.
2. WoP/BB
*Option 1: Disable second defense check.
*Option 2: Make them uncleansable - if they have to face 2 defense checks, whilst second one can be modified heavily by defending player it doesn't seem that bad.
*Option 3: Both.
3. Slow Boil/Vision of Torment. - Apply option 1 or 2 from above, both, or:
*change them to fast ticking DoTs. From now they tick every 1 second.
4. Shield of Aqshy/Shroud of Darkness - For the next 7 seconds all of your attacks are undefendable, 40ap cost, 1m cd.
Every of the suggestions are not tied together, they can be cherry picked or modified.
Thanks for reading.