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Help hybrid classes/builds by merging renown crit chance perks

Structured balance proposals should be posted here. Posts in this section will be taken into account during class balance reviews.
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Omegus
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Help hybrid classes/builds by merging renown crit chance perks

Post#1 » Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:51 pm

Full disclaimer: I main a Zealot who would benefit from this, however it will also help other hybrid classes/builds as well.

What are the hybrid classes?

Just so we're all on the same page. By "hybrid classes/builds" I mean classes or builds where the player can switch between different roles during combat. In the context of Warhammer Online that typically means:

1) Shadow Warriors and Squig Herders

These classes have stances (yes technically Squig Armour is a stance) that let them switch between ranged abilities and melee abilities. The stances will convert ranged stats from equipment, set bonuses and talismans to melee stats, but will not convert renown perks.

2) Rune Priests and Zealots

These classes have pseudo-stances that let them switch between healing and magic stats. They have access to all their abilities regardless of the stance, but the stats from equipment, set bonuses and talismans are converted based on the stance, so when in healing stance they will likely only have their base intelligence and magic crit, and when in the magic stance they will likely only have their base willpower and healing crit. Renown perks are not converted.

3) Archmages and Shamans

No stances, but their mechanic encourages them to switch between healing and magic abilities. They do not have access to any stat conversion but instead their mechanic will try to power up/improve the abilities in some way.

4) Warrior Priests and Disciple of Khaines

The least hybrid-like of the hybrid classes. They have 3 strong distinct builds but switching roles mid-fight is not something they are typically doing, although heal-spec WPs/DoKs might try to make use of the channelled melee lifetap ability, and the two melee specs can try and do some emergency group healing.

The Current Situation

Currently there are 4 renown perks that improve crit chance. They are:

1) Opportunist: improves melee critical hit chance
2) Sure Shot: improves ranged critical hit chance
3) Focused Power: improves magic critical hit chance
4) Spiritual Refinement: improves critical heal chance

Each of these perks has 4 tiers. Each tier gives the same amount of critical hit/heal bonus across all 4 perks. Each tier costs the same amount across all 4 perks. The 4 perks are identical, except for which type of ability they improve the critical chance of. The critical perks are expensive, coming in at a cost of 45 renown for the maximum bonus of +14% critical chance.

For most classes, the fact that there are 4 different renown crit perks is fairly meaningless; those classes just pick the one that affects their class and ignores the other 3. For hybrid classes however, having the renown crit perks split into 4 makes it very difficult to make use of their dual/hybrid nature as crit chance from renown makes up a significant portion of their total crit chance. The end result is that players are discouraged from switching roles during battle due to the feeling that their non-crit-renown abilities will be lacklustre.

Proposal 1: The Full Merge

My first proposal is to merge all 4 renown crit chance perks into a single crit chance perk that universally buffs critical hit/heal chance. This is not unprecedented - there are granted abilities on Sovereign gear (might be Warlord) that provide the universal crit chance buff. The effect it would have on the classes is:

1) Non-Hybrids: mostly no noticeable difference. They still gain the crit chance for the type of abilities they use, and also gain some crit chance for the type of abilities they don't.
2) Hybrids: now get access to the same crit chance boost regardless of what role they are currently playing as, and are not punished so much for trying to be versatile.

Potentially negative side-effects:

1) Some non-healer classes that have heals might now have a better chance of critically healing. I am not 100% sure if these abilities can critically heal, but I am thinking of things like Grumble and Mutter (IB), Bugman's Best (ENG), Bolstering Anger (BG), etc. This point could be a non-issue if those abilities cannot crit heal. If they can crit then it would improve the effectiveness of these abilities which could be a good thing.

2) Adding bonus healing to WPs/DoKs could be undesirable considering how strong their healing currently is. It would mean a melee-specced WP/DoK would get more crits on their group heal, and a book/chalice-specced WP/DoK would get bonus crit chance if using an emergency channelled melee heal.

Proposal 2: The Partial Merge

This proposal is to merge the crit chance renown perks based on what stats the hybrid classes actually need. The physical crit chance perks (melee and ranged) would be merged into one perk, and the magical crit chance perks (magic and healing) would be merged into one perk, reducing the total number of crit chance perks from 4 to 2. The effect it would have on the classes is:

1) Non-Hybrids: Almost no change. Most, if not all of the random extra healing abilities are on physical (melee and ranged) classes, and with the partial merging of the renown perks they would not get access to the healing crit chance by default.

2) Hybrids: Shadow Warrior and Squig Herder: they would get access to a single renown perk that increased both their melee crit chance and ranged crit chance for no extra cost, making it far more attractive to switch stances during combat. Tactics and mastery would still play an impact of what those classes could do and limit true flexibility, but at least their stats are mostly intact regardless of stance.

3) Hybrids: Rune Priest, Zealot, Archmage and Shaman: both now get access to magic crit and healing crit from renown from a single perk, making it more attractive to switch roles or alternate ability types without losing access to important crit chance. Rune Priests and Zealots get to min/max their stats better depending on their "stance" (Harbinger/Rune of Breaking stat conversion), but it still doesn't let them be effective at casting heals and damage in the same stance which is fine as RPs and Zealots are designed to do one role at a time. Archmages and Shamans can better alternate between healing and damaging abilities while still retaining some good crit chance with both and hopefully making a bit of use of their mechanic to boost the weaker spec.

4) Warrior Priests and Disciples of Khaine: cannot double dip with melee crit chance and healing crit chance as they are separate perks, so no chance of boosting their already impressive healing.

Potentially negative side-effects:

Erm... upset WPs/DoKs who don't get a melee/healing crit chance perk, not that they really need it. Honestly to me this is the better of the two options.

Not Proposed: Updating stance abilities to convert renown perks

It has been proposed many times before to change the stance abilities of hybrid classes to also convert renown crit-chance based on stance. I am personally against that idea as:

1) The implementation of those stat conversion abilities is already fragile and prone to breaking (Harbinger of Doom still doesn't work reliably)
2) Archmages and Shamans do not benefit from this as they do not have stat-conversion stances.

Not Proposed: Combining just the damage crit chance perks

This would benefit the Shadow Warrior and Squig Herder as it wants melee crit chance and ranged crit chance, but not the 4 magic healers who want magic crit chance and healing crit chance.

Zomega, is this just a way of buffing DPS Zealots?

Actually no - pure DPS Zealots can just spec for magic crit chance and be done with this. This is about buffing hybrid classes (including some Zealot specs) and encouraging people to make use of their abilities if the situation allows for it. No much healing needs doing? Switch to some damage abilities and help the main assist. Main healers under a lot of pressure? Throw out some heals to help them out.

Also, remember that everything is limited by the GCD so this is not about trying let these classes heal and DPS at the same time; there is still a choice to be made and a GCD (or more depending on cast time) spent on a damage ability is one not spent on a healing ability. I personally believe in making both options viable and have the skill of the player determine which is the correct choice at that time, rather than discourage them from doing something different because the non-main-spec/stance abilities are so terrible without sufficient crit chance.
Zomega: RR8x Zealot

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