Shaman/Archmage Experimental Mode Rebalance

[blakokami]

As I’ve mostly tackled your problem statement there isn’t much point in discussing
For the buff of Shrug It Off in its current state would most likely remove ZLs from large scale because the 25% healing increases do not currently stack (which is technically a bug). With shaman just being able to do better AoE healing AND having an AoE 25% healing increase up 50% of the time plus also having Sticky Feetz which is very strong for large scale, there is very few reason to still run a ZL or RP. Now if you make those two heal buffs stack with each other you open up Shaman/ZL and 50% more healing sounds very very strong to me, quite likely too strong. For order things would get even more crazy because if Magical Infusion stacks with the RP buffs, it should also stack with the KoBS healing buff of 15% for a total of 65% which is just insane. To make things ever crazier it should also then stack with Ain’t Done Yet! and Desperation which would mean 105% healing increase on targets below 25% health trolol.

Blessings of grungi stacks with Magical Infusion.
Blessings of grungi stacks with Focused Mending.
Magical Infusion doesn't stack with Focused Mending ( should be a bug).
So +50% extra healing is the highest you can get with those classes in a group. I'm assuming it's the same for destro but I have only tested on order so far.

And my 2 cents on the changes : They make the class a lot more fun to play, and bring it some added flexibility with the increased ability to heal on the run. Not sure how anyone can find anything to complain about. They are ridiculously strong now and didn't get worse in any way as far as I can tell. Also, I do believe that they might scale better than RP as they already have better healing output, but later on they will be able to slot desperation without a downside. Meanwhile, RP heals are already lower and its added utility from AP rune and ancestors echo aren't going to scale. The stagger is still nice though from RP, thats the only real advantage I see it having atm over AM (comparing AM to RP as they are the two backline ST healers and usually groups only take one after a WP/DoK. That is changing though with the increased synergy between the two ST healers atm, and possibly more depending on how WP/DoK get changed in the future.)

Can we safely assume RP/Z are not going to be changed for a while?

[Azarael]

Can we safely assume RP/Z are not going to be changed for a while?

Yes. The only thing I've heard about RP/Zeal is that some wouldn't mind having a crack at bringing DPS RP up to par.

[Thayli]

Keep in mind that I would like to have Shrug It Off moving up in the tree so it is mutually exclusive with Fury Of Da Green. Meaning you have access to either a strong group buff/flash heal OR a strong group lifetap, not both. If both were accessible in the same spec, they would have too much synergy and make it the dominant way to specialize, which is neither fun nor interesting.

[Miszczu5647]

Fully agree Thayli. Only way is to change it with DSU. For Da Green shaman it is a good option also.

[Miszczu5647]

It's almost two weeks since we start this thread. As Penril will surely close this soon it's deserve summary.

I will start and if someone have something to add... be my guest
1. Currently shaman is in good condition as all three paths are playable. Also his mechanics is useful now.
2. Shaman have some problems when siege fighting occurs. Because of nature of this fights he is reduced to Gather Around spamer. Sadly we didn't develop any solution for that. Shrug It Off proposition could fit here but changing this skill into aoe fit's in every circumstance.
3. Shaman have problem's when focused (lack of tools to help your teammates when under fire). We have two proposition (mine and Thayli) to change Gork'll Fix That.

We debunked issues about LoS and low fps in big fights. Those are not shaman issue.

Anything else?

[Dabbart]

1. Yes.
2. This applies to a lot of classes. And you still have plenty of heals to cast... you just can't lifetap super easily.
3. I disagree entirely. Lifetap hits 3people with tactic(small AoE range), and you have a lifetap grp heal. Both as castable on the move with a stack, and both get fast cast with said stack. Imo, my AM has far more grp healing potential while under fire than my Z does. My WP used to be able to face tank and grpheal, don't have one anymore, but it would be a lot harder wiTh out an AoE detaunt. Which am/sham has...

The largest issue with changing am/sham any more, is the risk of making them far, far more powerful than other healers. Not to mention nigh unkillable.

The only "issues" that I have seen in this thread are perception based. My opinion ofc.

[Miszczu5647]

Thanks Dabbart for your input. I tried to make summary from all post in this thread. So my last post is more that than my own opinions (I am very happy with current shaman).

On side note: You talking from Da Green shaman POV. Thayli is more Mork shaman and tried to address problems from this POV.
I didn't make it clear in my summary.

[Thayli]

It's almost two weeks since we start this thread. As Penril will surely close this soon it's deserve summary.

I will start and if someone have something to add... be my guest
1. Currently shaman is in good condition as all three paths are playable. Also his mechanics is useful now.
2. Shaman have some problems when siege fighting occurs. Because of nature of this fights he is reduced to Gather Around spamer. Sadly we didn't develop any solution for that. Shrug It Off proposition could fit here but changing this skill into aoe fit's in every circumstance.
3. Shaman have problem's when focused (lack of tools to help your teammates when under fire). We have two proposition (mine and Thayli) to change Gork'll Fix That.

We debunked issues about LoS and low fps in big fights. Those are not shaman issue.

Anything else?

1. I disagree. While all are playable, the healing tree is much inferior to the lifetap tree. It should be in terms of numbers since it is inherently less risky to play than a lifetap spec, but it also lacks utility and is entirely single target (for which lifetaps are simply better). My suggestion would be to equalize the trees more, not flatout make one stronger.

2. Agreed, but mostly because it's hard to lifetap with so much LoS dancing. A buff to Gork'll Fix It (hits more people? Higher flat healing?) with the lifetaps being nerfed slightly would be my solution to this, so you can heal (albeit subpar healing) while constantly moving, and as such reposition to cast your better heals/lifetaps.

3. Agreed. Lack of a flash heal hurts Shaman and makes the other 2 healers still better in many cases. You cannot reliably juggle when focused, nor keep moving. Don't get me wrong, it's much better than it was before experimental, and I certainly do not want to give them a power increase, but rather substract some from the lifetap, and add some to a heal. Again, Gork'll Fix It buff and DSU being more viable to pick up in the tree would fix this. If lifetaps were slightly nerfed, this would remain balanced, I believe.

Other than that, a few spells need range fixes (Fury of Da Green increase to 100ft is confirmed). Maybe some DPS tree skills and some morales could really use changing too (Breath of Mork anyone...). But I'll make separate proposals for those at some point.

TL;DR Nerf lifetaps, buff heal tree. Make them equal in viability, yet not in power.

[Ugle]

About gork'll fix it.

Apart from the obvious ap/heal ratio not making it the best heal, the cast on move change helped a lot.
I have tried using it with gork fixed it and lookit what I did tactics, and apart from ap cost it is actually pretty close to a viable spec.

The short casttime also works well in combination with aint done yet and the new +25% heal buff from shrug it off for saving your target that is close to dying, makes it close to a viable flash heal.

Proposed change: merge the tactics into one and either:
1. Remove -15% when targeting yourself.
2. Buff heal component slightly, either on the spell or through tactic. Either on the instant heal component or hot component (preferably the first)
3. Reduce ap cost slightly. To 40, 45 or 50 ap, either on the spell or through tactic.
4. Combination of 1, 2, 3 with a balanced combination.
5. No additional changes but merging tactics. This would be a good buff in itself.

Ugle

Edit: remembered name of shrug it off :p
Edit 2: ap restoration from lookit what I did is an underrated group utility that gets sacrified because its not worth a tactic space in itself, especially when it is tied to a subpar heal.

[Penril]

2 weeks have passed. Time to lock.