Stalker AT adjustment/possible improvement.
By
blackbird7,
Posted on: 2010-07-15 07:59 in Suggestions and Ideas
I guess I don't understand.
I know about the fear component for stalkers now, but what is "over challenging" some people? And how do the decoys mitigate this issue? Is it facing too many mobs at once?
I really haven't found any of my stalkers to be challenging to play after they get to level 12 but with the premise of "over challenging for some people" we would need to change every AT with the possible exceptions of brute and scrapper.
total kick to the gut
This is like having Ra's Al Ghul show up at your birthday party.
i'm just gonna stick with an /unsigned. if i let loose now, being as tired as i am, i might say something someone might regret... 
Stalkers work fine as is. If theres a problem, its with whoever is playing them. Not the AT.
End.
/Unsigned
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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I haven't done this in a while, so I think it's time for a translation!
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"I find stalkers to be under performing when compared to other characters I make. This cannot be due to my failure as a player and/or human being and therefor must be the fault of AT's design."|
Originally Posted by blackbird7
I have noticed that the Stalker AT can be over challenging for some people.
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
I have a possible fix to the AT that could bring more tolerable playability…..
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
“DECOYS” instead of fear.
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
Similar to the Illusion control power sets “Phantom Army” being ghosts but with a more sinister look to them and all melee attacks ninja style. They would do zero damage but have a large taunt ability just the same.
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
The devs could make it so a stalker could either unlock this “Decoy Summoning” power at a certain level or make it an inherent power for the AT. The Decoy power would have a 10 second recharge with only a ten second duration so they don’t always follow you around.
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
Discuss…
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yeah, i was thinking something along those lines. but i definately would have been much meaner. |
Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison
I haven't done this in a while, so I think it's time for a translation!
"I find stalkers to be under performing when compared to other characters I make. This cannot be due to my failure as a player and/or human being and therefor must be the fault of AT's design." "I put forth the following suggestion to eliminate the need for active thinking and use of strategy while playing a stalker. Cue drum roll, please." "As I place the idea in quotes and all caps, it becomes more appealing. There is no chance this will make me look like a fool. Further, I offer as compensation the removal of a mechanic that I lack the understanding and ability to make use of." "Phantom Army, the incredible power for a subset of controllers, should be given unilaterally to all stalkers. However, the power as is crimps my style, and should appear more sinister and attack as though they are ninjas." "As dubbed, 'Decoy Summoning' should be given to stalkers as an extra power in addition to the inherent and the full set of primary/secondary powers. This power should be permanent out of the box, a feat only attainable by the most expensive of builds for the aforementioned subset of controllers. The duration should be short, however, as having an army of decoy ninjas following me around crimps my style." "Please don't flame me." |
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
I have noticed that the Stalker AT can be over challenging for some people. I have a possible fix to the AT that could bring more tolerable playability
.. DECOYS instead of fear.
Similar to the Illusion control power sets Phantom Army being ghosts but with a more sinister look to them and all melee attacks ninja style. They would do zero damage but have a large taunt ability just the same. The devs could make it so a stalker could either unlock this Decoy Summoning power at a certain level or make it an inherent power for the AT. The Decoy power would have a 10 second recharge with only a ten second duration so they dont always follow you around. Discuss |
OK. Thematically, the stalker's an invisible assassin. Sneaks up, gets a good, solid kill, breaks away and does it again. (Note, my stalkers can scrap as well, but still.)
We add a decoy. For this invisible, generally undetectable AT.
So, we're dropping another... invisible, undetectable something? You could always just pretend you did. >.>
OK, joking aside, stalkers *have* gotten several buffs. The chance for an AOE Fear on a successful AS. Not dropping out of Hide if an AS misses. Increased chances for crits while teamed. (And out of the box, IIRC, they get increased crit chances on a held target - team up with a dom!)
What issues are you having? What set are you playing? And against what? Some enemies ignore stealth all together - pop some purples and hit them first (I liked drive-by Eagles Claws on Rikti Drones, for instance.)
Have you visited the Stalker forums for assistance with whatever issues you're having?
/unsigned
I don't see how decoys really relate to the stalker archetype. The stalker is all about stealth and I find it hard to believe that someone can be all that stealthy with an entourage.
Or am I misunderstanding the OPs suggestion?
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"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
How about instead of over complicating things we give Stalkers a 100% damage buff from Build Up instead of the 80% they get now?
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Stalkers need more damage?|
Originally Posted by DMystic
How about instead of over complicating things we give Stalkers a 100% damage buff from Build Up instead of the 80% they get now?
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"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
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couldn't hurt
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Originally Posted by McBoo
Stalkers need more damage?
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In some situations yes.|
Originally Posted by McBoo
Stalkers need more damage?
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In a general balance perspective Scrappers and Brutes should never be able to out damage a Stalker currently they can in most situations.
From a powers consistency point of view powers that have the same name should have the same effect(albeit modified by AT values).
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When you compare them to Scrappers and Brutes and factor in comparative survivability and AoE capability, Stalkers are pretty low on the comparative totem pole of melee effectiveness.|
Originally Posted by McBoo
Stalkers need more damage?
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My solution, honestly, is to increase the Stalker HP cap to the Scrapper HP cap (but leave the base hp where it is), increase the base damage scalar of Stalkers from 1.0 to 1.125, alter Assassination so that each ally provides more requires only 4 allies to be within 30' of you to max out your crit rate (increase the range by 10' and increase the crit contribution to 5% from 3% per ally), and change the Assassin's attacks so that they're actually useful for situations other than those where you've been out of combat for 10 seconds (allow all damage to be dealt while hidden or unhidden but leave the fear and demoralized attached to the hidden status, increase recharge time to 30 seconds, and leave the interruptibility).
Stalkers would have the de facto best ST damage in the game but quite possibly the worst AoE damage (thanks to the dearth of AoEs that Stalkers have). You wouldn't need to ask your teammates to mob around you to get all the benefit of your inherent, and Assassin's attacks would actually be of some use in a melee (though you would still want to make sure you're not going to get hit because the interruptibility is preserved). Top end survivability would be increased to such an extent that Stalkers are capable of surviving as well as Scrappers (assuming that they get the greater buffing required to get there) but the base survivability would remain where it is (and the damage:survivability ratio would be closer to what it should be at while solo).
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I thought of this also, but I made a thread call ninja dominator. This set a made is all control power based off of ninja mysticism.
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Originally Posted by blackbird7
I have noticed that the Stalker AT can be over challenging for some people. I have a possible fix to the AT that could bring more tolerable playability
.. DECOYS instead of fear.
Similar to the Illusion control power sets Phantom Army being ghosts but with a more sinister look to them and all melee attacks ninja style. They would do zero damage but have a large taunt ability just the same. The devs could make it so a stalker could either unlock this Decoy Summoning power at a certain level or make it an inherent power for the AT. The Decoy power would have a 10 second recharge with only a ten second duration so they dont always follow you around. Discuss |
I'd like to make a very different suggestion...
Set Based AoE Debuff or partial control on Assassin Strike's target.
"Huh" is the obvious question. Allow me to explain.
Make it so that, in addition to the normal percentage chance of a fear effect, a given Stalker powerset has a chance, or confirmed application of either a debuff or a partial control effect. For example.
Martial Arts AoE Effect: Mag .5 Stun
A Mag .5 stun won't stop anyone, by itself. But it can make it easier for other stunning attacks to affect a target. Like Thunder kick or Cobra strike.
Dark Melee AoE Effect: .5 Fear.
Might not terrorize the target instantly, but with other tools relevant to the set it could overcome a Boss's terrorize protection. Touch of Fear for example, or the Assasin Strike's own fear effect.
Spines AoE Effect: -Recharge
An Area splash of additional -recharge means less incoming attacks, very useful against small groups of targets and when combined with a Spines stalkers normal poisons.
Electric Melee AoE Effect: Endurance Drain
Potentially similar to a Sappers end-drain attack, three chances of 10 end per tick, perhaps?
Whatever the AoE "Burst" effect tied to the Assassin Strike, it should compliment either one -control- power in the set or multiple -debuff- powers. As one is a hard "Out of the Fight" effect and the other is a war of attrition.
-Rachel-
*Edit* Actually... This change would, effectively, be meaningless... I'd like to withdraw it and, instead, suggest they be given a higher Damage Scale than Scrappers.
Their lack of AoE damage means they'll be single-target killers and little else. Why make them weaker at it than most comparable AT by role when said AT can also out-damage the Stalker in AoE as well?
I have noticed that the Stalker AT can be over challenging for some people. I have a possible fix to the AT that could bring more tolerable playability .. DECOYS instead of fear.
Similar to the Illusion control power sets Phantom Army being ghosts but with a more sinister look to them and all melee attacks ninja style. They would do zero damage but have a large taunt ability just the same.
The devs could make it so a stalker could either unlock this Decoy Summoning power at a certain level or make it an inherent power for the AT.
The Decoy power would have a 10 second recharge with only a ten second duration so they dont always follow you around.
Discuss