[Swordmaster] Roll back (mostly) to December
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 4:11 am
I was going to make a series of individual proposals but maybe just better to put in in one spot. I have no idea what the balance team is planning to do with SM, but I will say if it is left in the current state it is functionally crippled class as the new doesn't even begin to make up for the old nor does it make it a compelling option compared to the other two (similarly geared) Order tanks.
And the "new" isn't even that new as it just moved the tactic making Blurring Shock into a mediocre punt into a new ability that is the equivalent of the reactive punt (but can be blocked) at the cost of nerfing Gusting Wind ... which I'm sure some folks are cheering but a nerf is still a nerf.
So:
Whispering Wind -> I guess leave the same since it was a realm balancing ability but it really lowered the desirability of SM for warbands. Further it seriously nerfed SM for certain 6-man builds and solo build (yeah ... I know ... solo blech but some of us like it).
Redirected Force -> This was almost a perfect ability and it was sacrificed on the altar of the new punt. It was unique to Shieldmaster spec, had a requirement to use and some limitations but was highly effective when you used it correctly. Changing this was just the opposite of inspired class design.
Ether Dance -> Another sacrifice for homogeneity. Damage is literally what SMs are known for among the tanks and has been part of the identity since live. Ironically it is debatable if they are the "best" DPS tank as a good 2H IB can keep up or do better under certain circumstances but either way ... bring it back.
Heavens Blade -> See my other proposal post. Bring it back.
WoDS -> I get this was also done for uniformity and maybe it should stay for that. However, it already has a built-in weakness of AP usage and with the most recent changes it brought the uptime for it down significantly and is even worse if you get tagged with a drain. On top of that, there are so many interrupts flying around it is now trivial to get past. The current implementation has completely neutered 2H SM in mass combat which other 2H tanks can still wade into for various reasons. If you are going to leave the 5s cooldown then at least make this signature ability not interruptable. As noted, the AP cost alone prevents it from 100% uptime.
Mighty Gale -> I don't personally care if this stays or goes. Others may have different opinions of course. What I do not think should happen is it is used as a reason to nerf SMs everywhere else. If every tank "needs" to have access to a single-target punt, then fine. It has a pretty steep cost on it already (tactic slot) to make it useful. And if its a choice between having it or getting most of the old stuff back ... into the trash it goes.
Eagle's Flight -> 10s is nice. The community has been asking for 7s (up from 5s) for since forever. If the price of getting most of the other functionality back is going back to 5s then so be it but if it only needs a partial nerf then 7s would be fine too.
Vaul's Tempering -> Don't care. Others might. Leave that up to them to voice.
The current version of SM should not be the baseline for rebalancing the class. The baseline should have been the version that was built up and stabilized over several years and was mostly left alone because it was considered "good enough". Please consider reversing most of the changes back as even just the WW change by itself was already a huge hit to the class.
And the "new" isn't even that new as it just moved the tactic making Blurring Shock into a mediocre punt into a new ability that is the equivalent of the reactive punt (but can be blocked) at the cost of nerfing Gusting Wind ... which I'm sure some folks are cheering but a nerf is still a nerf.
So:
Whispering Wind -> I guess leave the same since it was a realm balancing ability but it really lowered the desirability of SM for warbands. Further it seriously nerfed SM for certain 6-man builds and solo build (yeah ... I know ... solo blech but some of us like it).
Redirected Force -> This was almost a perfect ability and it was sacrificed on the altar of the new punt. It was unique to Shieldmaster spec, had a requirement to use and some limitations but was highly effective when you used it correctly. Changing this was just the opposite of inspired class design.
Ether Dance -> Another sacrifice for homogeneity. Damage is literally what SMs are known for among the tanks and has been part of the identity since live. Ironically it is debatable if they are the "best" DPS tank as a good 2H IB can keep up or do better under certain circumstances but either way ... bring it back.
Heavens Blade -> See my other proposal post. Bring it back.
WoDS -> I get this was also done for uniformity and maybe it should stay for that. However, it already has a built-in weakness of AP usage and with the most recent changes it brought the uptime for it down significantly and is even worse if you get tagged with a drain. On top of that, there are so many interrupts flying around it is now trivial to get past. The current implementation has completely neutered 2H SM in mass combat which other 2H tanks can still wade into for various reasons. If you are going to leave the 5s cooldown then at least make this signature ability not interruptable. As noted, the AP cost alone prevents it from 100% uptime.
Mighty Gale -> I don't personally care if this stays or goes. Others may have different opinions of course. What I do not think should happen is it is used as a reason to nerf SMs everywhere else. If every tank "needs" to have access to a single-target punt, then fine. It has a pretty steep cost on it already (tactic slot) to make it useful. And if its a choice between having it or getting most of the old stuff back ... into the trash it goes.
Eagle's Flight -> 10s is nice. The community has been asking for 7s (up from 5s) for since forever. If the price of getting most of the other functionality back is going back to 5s then so be it but if it only needs a partial nerf then 7s would be fine too.
Vaul's Tempering -> Don't care. Others might. Leave that up to them to voice.
The current version of SM should not be the baseline for rebalancing the class. The baseline should have been the version that was built up and stabilized over several years and was mostly left alone because it was considered "good enough". Please consider reversing most of the changes back as even just the WW change by itself was already a huge hit to the class.