[Swordmaster] 3x Tactics that are too similar
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:05 am
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.
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.