[Swordmaster] 3x Tactics that are too similar

[altharion1]

Issue

The SM has so many useless tactics. Compounding this is that three of the tactics do almost the exact same thing.

1. Dampening Talon - Dragon's Talon will now reduce the target's Block and Parry chance by 10% for 5 seconds.
2. Discerning Offense - Your attacks have a 10% reduced chance to be defended against.
3. Poised Attacks - Attacks dealt from improved or perfect balance are 10% harder to defend against.

There is no reason to have so many similar tactics, that have almost no use for a tank class. There is no point in Poised Attacks when Discerning Offense is an option. Dampening Talon is a really odd tactic as Dragon's Talon is a defensive ability, but the tactic is offensive in nature.

Proposal

Note: Discerning Offense is a racial tactic so I don't propose to make changes to it, as this may have unforeseen impacts on the other High Elf classes.

Option 1. Change Dampening Talon - Remove the reduced chance to block and parry component. Replace it with a buff to Dragon's Talon. When slotted Dragon's Talon will reduce the target's outgoing damage to 60% for 3 seconds, rather than the normal 80% for 4 seconds.

- Short duration meaning it is AP hungry to spam through stances to keep it up. You wouldn't be able to keep it up while spamming Ether Dance, using CC or applying blurring shock
- Has both small scale uses and warband scale uses.

Option 2. Change Poised Attacks - Remove the reduced chance to be defended component. Add effect "when blade enchantments trigger your speed is increased by 30% for 5 seconds, breaks on ability use, 10 second Internal Cool Down.

- Destro have 2 tanks (BG and chosen) with speed increase tactics, Order only have IB. Would be good to balance this out.
- Mirroring the speed proc to disrupt would be OP as it would give too much maneuverability to offensive SMs with Wall of Darting steel. So I have suggested using the blade enchantments, as this mechanic is sadly underused on the SM.
- The added maneuverability would tie in well with the SMs fluid/avoidance style, as it is not a mitigation tank.



There are probably better ideas out there on how to adjust these tactics. But I wanted to get a discussion started on why the SM has these three similar tactics, that are pretty terrible.

[peterthepan3]

Open for discussion. Will be locked in TWO WEEKS from now (1st May).

[peterthepan3]

A fan of Dampening Talon proposal, but I would advocate then making the tactic speccable - replacing either of the Vaul Mastery tactics - so as to add some more allure to an otherwise-underused spec.

[Tesq]

Option 2 feel like giving too much mobility to sm he altedy have m2 to pounce around in time of need, aswell it would be a general speed buff vs anyone, those tactics have the weakness that not all skill on them can proc it.

Particular ib one work vs 2 class vs destru only vs 1. Im not really a fan to this.

Solutuion one seems too cautious, there is no need to drop the duration to 3 sec it can without prob keep a 5 sec duration. It may also use an increase to 7 sec. Active 5 sec buff/debuff are alredy a pain to use efficently. Passive tactics can go but active stuff alredy drop 1 gcd just for application.......

[peterthepan3]

Option 2 feel like giving too much mobility to sm he altedy have m2 to pounce around in time of need, aswell it would be a general speed buff vs anyone, those tactics have the weakness that not all skill on them can proc it.

Particular ib one work vs 2 class vs destru only vs 1. Im not really a fan to this.

Solutuion one seems too cautious, there is no need to drop the duration to 3 sec it can without prob keep a 5 sec duration. It may also use an increase to 7 sec. Active 5 sec buff/debuff are alredy a pain to use efficently. Passive tactics can go but active stuff alredy drop 1 gcd just for application.......

Competent stance-dancing SM could keep it up almost indefinitely - if he so wished - with a 5 second duration, which would be overkill for a core tactic (heck, even a mastery tactic).

[Ramasee]

Problem with option 2: 25% chance on hit to gain a speed increase that breaks on another hit. The random proc nature of blade enchantments makes the speed boost unreliable; and the nature of swordmaster is to be constantly attacking in order to apply magical buffs/debuffs.

I propose an increase to the proc chance for blade enchantments while in improved balance and perfect balance for the tactic poised attacks. Fits better with the concept of the class and is easier to balance since it isn't giving us something new entirely.

[peterthepan3]

I've never noticed an issue with blade enchants not proccing often enough, but regardless - that would be another issue to bring up in another proposal.

I would prefer it if other suggestions were kept out of this thread and for feedback to be pertinent to the OP's proposed changes (your first paragraph was, and you made some good points in regards to offensive nature of SM, so don't feel like I'm singling you out).

[Tesq]

Option 2 feel like giving too much mobility to sm he altedy have m2 to pounce around in time of need, aswell it would be a general speed buff vs anyone, those tactics have the weakness that not all skill on them can proc it.

Particular ib one work vs 2 class vs destru only vs 1. Im not really a fan to this.

Solutuion one seems too cautious, there is no need to drop the duration to 3 sec it can without prob keep a 5 sec duration. It may also use an increase to 7 sec. Active 5 sec buff/debuff are alredy a pain to use efficently. Passive tactics can go but active stuff alredy drop 1 gcd just for application.......

Competent stance-dancing SM could keep it up almost indefinitely - if he so wished - with a 5 second duration, which would be overkill for a core tactic (heck, even a mastery tactic).

Yes but he whould have to do only that, and spec a tactic aswell just for it. Without considering
Block/parry.

Normal
1 improve skill
Finisher

This is 3 sec gcd

Assume he have 1 stance swap

Then add normal/improved + dance stance, so he can apply every 5 sec 2x dmg reduction.

Sm can alredy do this, he would have to slot a tactic for increase the dmg reduction and since it gona increase the skill dmg reduction and skill dont stack it gona overlap challenge aswell, so well if the sm have to pass 100%. Of the time to repet the same action on just 2 ppl, spend 1 tactic and have no synergy since it not gona stack it should be then worth it. Or maybe just lower the dmg reduction from proposal

But 3 sec feel not very flexible imo.

[altharion1]

Problem with option 2: 25% chance on hit to gain a speed increase that breaks on another hit. The random proc nature of blade enchantments makes the speed boost unreliable; and the nature of swordmaster is to be constantly attacking in order to apply magical buffs/debuffs.

- It has to be unreliable with a short duration, or it would be unbalanced. It would already be very easy to get the speed proc under my proposal. Wrath of Hoeth or Pheonix wing with nature's blade would pretty much guarantee you the proc on demand.
- If it doesn't break on ability use or have a long ICD then the speed boost would almost certainly be up 100% of the time. That is not an option, it needs to be toned down.
- The proposed change seeks to have the speed buff as a more defensive/kiting tool (as per the other tanks speed tactics), rather than a boost to the SMs offensive capabilities.

My dampening talon proposal is a very short duration, high single target damage reduction skill. The short duration means there is an element of skill involved in knowing when to use the ability to blunt a burst rotation. If my proposal was changed to 5 seconds then a SM in a warband with dampening talon and lingering intimidation could essentially shutdown an enemy DPS, which is again, not a good situation.

[Cimba]

Could anyone elaborate on how Dragon Talon interacts with guard, aoe taunt and other damage decreasing abilities? I think that would be important to know in regards to solution 1.