Patchnote:
https://i.imgur.com/qAsgRWK.png
First of all, I do have to question the timing.
As far as I understand on the roadmap, we are still waiting or in the "healer phase" So why is this change happening to a class mechanic that has been the same since something like Age of Reckoning Beta state? No new gear has come out to adjust these two classes in years to adjust their powerspikes. And after the Ability rework patch on RoR, there were not much changes happening to these two classes as they were some of the least affected over the years of RoR.
So again, Why now?
Naturally the reason why I am questioning the timing, is because I am running a guild focused on stacking Brightwizards. Not because we deemed it to be strong, overtuned, overpowered, outperforming. But because it was decent, suboptimal but functional. Seen in contrast to meta warband setups and groups.
Second of all, why the class mechanic. Something that affects all areas of the game. Now my gunbad performance will be lower, bu-hu
But in all seriousness this will affect all playstyles of these classes. In all aspects of the game.- T1
- Midtier
- T4
- Bis
- Groupplay
- Solo
- Largescale
- Pve
Are these classes, in all aspects of the game overperforming that a blanket nerf is required?
If something about the builds for the playstyles is overperforming then tune THAT
Is WoP/BB scaling too much, reduce it.
Is Tickrate of channels too frequent, adjust it.
Are proc rates still a nightmare, keep adjusting it (sigh)
Is Resistance maybe the real issue, address it then!
Touching the classmechanic will affect, everything these classes do!
If I am to compare my main toons on both sides here is how I would personally describe them based on what they bring for me:
Utility + CC damagedealers
- My RR 80 monstro mara brings fantastic control with interupt, WS/init debuff DoT, a semi sustain defensive proc, singletarget crowdcontrol and playmaking, Aoe knockdown, morale block/drain, all on top of somewhat decent aoe damage and singletarget executes while being a MDPS with mobility in snarebreaker + Charge.
- My RR 85 Bis MSH brings alot of mitigation for himself, strong aoe cc with Outtamyway & Kaboom, a strong cooldown increaser debuff. A singletarget channeled lifesteal and pretty fantastic Morale options both offensively and defensively from technically being a ranged archtype. Mobility from a pounce and selfpunt. Decent aoe damage, which is fine because of the full package
My classcanon damagedealers:
- My Choppa with bis 10k ring brings some partybuffs in attackspeed. A strong singletarget healdebuff with low CD, strong debuff in Drop Da Basha to debuff a guarding tank. Some weaker aoe control with Choppapull. Optional knockdown and anticrit output from ragedump moves. And mobility of a standard MDPS with Charge and Snarebreaker.
- My Slayer with bis 10k ring bring some AP pump party buff, Strong cooldown increaser debuff, strong singletarget healdebuff with low cooldown, strong debuff in Numbing strike to debuf a guarding tank. Optional knockdown and anticrit output from ragedump moves. And mobility of a standard MDPS with Charge and Snarebreaker.
The point I am trying to illustrate here is that other damagedealing classes have eiterh some or all of the following categories: Sustain, control, mitigation, mobility. Where as Sorc and BW are fairly limmited. These mages are hyper offensive classes with damage proc groupbuffs, SOME control in Sorc's dissarm, BWs singletarget knockdown, 24sec healdebuff in singletarget, and an aoe punt in BW closerange spec(??) on top of a range 20ft aoe silence plus 4person root.
The point being, BW and Sorc are offensive damagedealers with argubly limmited utility, mobility, mitigation and sustain.
If my MSH could bring all of the advantages and compete with my Sorc in damage, it wouldnt be balanced. The pure damagedealing carrers needs to have an offensive advantage in output when they dont have the other categories imho.
So we want to test how lowering the critical damage of Sorc & Brightwizard will turn out. Well here is my thrid question, what alternatives do these two classes have apart from building hyper offensive critbuilds(?)
We dont have a secondary mainstat to spec into like psyical damagedealers have weaponskill, we dont have Resist penetration to make a nonecrit build or main-stat build. We have our critchance, and our abilities are dealing somewhat pityful damage when we are not criting on our targets.
So the different builds are all getting affected, lets have a look.
Singletarget "timestamp" is based around fitting as much damage into a short burst window. What happends when the damage is not high enough, then the build falls apart. You only have so many ability to fit into that short burst frame before you are out of abilities off cooldown. If the timestamp isnt enough pressure then the build falls flat. And the alternatives for smallscale? None.
As for Aoe "bombing" we are mage clothusing career walking up near enemies and unloading stationary channeled abilities, dealing with stacks of Hold the line, challenges and interupt just like everyone else. We dont have a snarebreaker outside of M2 Focused mine, we dont have a charge to repossiton despite needing the most possitional awareness to both keep up, and stay alive in closerange. Our damage is heavily carried by procs for ourselves, the group and carried pretty much by us dealing magical damage into a 40%soft resistcap. Again, our damage is pityful when we dont crit and build alternatives; none.
Right now in BiS mage gear I already have to go hyper offensive to bring respectable damage, as I dont bring anything other than Damage (kinda). I have 2k armor, I cant move while channeling and im dealing with 3 stacks of hold the line in RvR. If the class mechanic is getting flat nerfed there are no more offensive sources to tap into, no more bonus Int to stack as we have been softcapped since Conq gear. No more magicpower to lean further into and give up some defensive stats, we dont have acces to any more. We are pretty much hardcapped with current output in available Realmskillpoints and gear.
And this is happening, now??
The only thing that has changed to Brightwizard and Sorc, was when Ability rework was done and proc internalcooldowns and values were being touched. And as a result players started stacking mages one per group in warbands. And the careers as a whole are getting blanket nerfed in T1, Pve, Scenario play, Warband warfare after 15years of staying the same as a result? In 2020 when I do most of my citysieges noone really care about if I were in their group to give them proc bufs, I was just a career who could dash out top offensive damage pressure, back then it was not uncomon to see crits against organized groups not much higher than 400 on annihilate/DC. You are telling me the same careers which hasnt been touched, is suddenly suppoed to be blanket nerfed after all this time and no changes.
Speculative: Is this nerf coming now, because of the Order side is maybe gettin an Elemental debuff, that would be such an overreaction to nerf Destro sorc as a result. or touching the Singletarget builds also as they are not affected. Everything about this change is just one big questionmark to me, especially the timing
Over the years of RoR ive done selfreports of stuff I found and it was broken and could had abused myself, but i reported it instead because the game should be fair and fun and working as intented. Such as:
- snapshotting bonusdmg in ASW / Squigarmor stance to run with both warlord + sove bonuses at once
- BW m2 morale range not reduced to 25ft
- several BW could buff Flames of Rhuin and they would each stack and proc.
Im fine with nerfs, as long as there are alternatives. Currently there are no more offensive sources to tap into to make up for a blanket nerf, there are no alternatives in builds for either Timestamp or Bombing. We already have capped int, we have max critchance because that is all we can spec into offensively, and if we fall to the same level as damagedealers who has more mobility, sustain, control, mitigation then why play these two careers.
