Group healing while (NOT) within (LOS)

[trebla]

OK straight from the horse mouth: “Group heals isn't LoS based, it's not going to be. If you want to make a balance proposal regarding Group Heal, do it on the balance forums.”(Torque)

Proposal for group healing.

Group healing being the lifeblood of the game and its bane I do not make this suggestion light heartily.

Background: I Blueblade mostly always play with my guild so I Understand the implications of proposing tweaks to group heals. Group heals are the substance that keep 6 man’s fighting or non-optimal wbs functioning so any proposal should take that into consideration. This is not a rant or non-thoughtful suggestion.

The fact that group heals are the one and only ability that do not respect LOS has been troubling me for some time.

WHY?

Well its quite simple, in a game based around the holy trinity of MMO’s heal-tank-dps every category respects the terrain and uses it.

For example if caster could cast while not in LOS or melee could attack through walls the uproar would be deafening. Why is it excepted for healer to heal through objects where they are not in danger but the opposition has no way to engage/disrupt heals? It is in a sense a flaw in the game play. While, not overly serious due to the fact that the player base has become accustomed to this none the less does not make it acceptable. Proposal is not as easy given the limitation of the dev team so being thoughtful and keeping a goal within sight is a huge undertaking.

• First Proposal
This proposal requires limited code alteration and is most easy to implement.

All AOE heals that do not require a target when casted, invoke a 2 second cooldown when no target is within LOS and if the target is within LOS the ability suffers no penalty and fires as per game notes.

WHY?

So for most classes the AOE heal is over a 1 second cast time. Furthermore when coupled with a 2 second CD it can keep a class who wants to hide behind an obstruction to group heal anywhere from 3.5 seconds and above, making them either tax the second healer or forcing them to un-LOS and join the real gameplay.

This first proposal is keeping minimum changes to game in mind. The CD increase only applies when no target is targeted (or) not within LOS of caster. This not meant to be game breaking for any aspect of the game but only affect those who abuse x/y axis healing.

• Second Proposal

One that I feel can be extreme is raise the AP cost of group heals.
I would like to preface this with I know this would affect more than just RVR, and snake into PVE and affect gameplay EVERYWHERE.
That said, it is still a consideration to find a balance between all trinities of the game.
Given the math and the replenishing ease of AP In the game I believe a 25% percent increase to AP/resources would be enough to tax healers who spam group heals from behind objects.
So for example group heal cost 60 resource/AP plus the increase of 25% would make the spam skill cost a total of 75 AP/resource. This is not severe given the ease of AP regeneration or AP pots. Other sources are also available for resource replenishment. This is not meant as a blanket nerf to healers but as a situational awareness for healers.

• Third Proposal

Would be extreme in that all group heals casted would decrease in strength emanating from the origin of the caster. This I feel would be hard to implement but would keep healers honest in that no more healing from behind objects if they want to heal group affectively they will have to use all tools and stay with the group.

This is all idea to help better balance game play. This is not a nerf one side or another. I understand that many of my ideas may have flaws but that is why it is presented to the community and the devs for further fine tuning and just shedding light on a cancerous form of gameplay.

As Always your Humble tester BlueBlade

[Penril]

Declined. I think group heals are perfectly fine and see no reason to change them like you propose.

If Torque or another staff member wants to move this proposal and moderate the discussion, be my guests. Cause I honestly can't do it.