It's time to improve Broadsword

The post that was previously here wasn't contributing much. This edited version takes my thought and actually makes it useful.

Let's say we take the standard Build Up, call it Determination, and add +30% Lethal damage for 30 seconds. This would be due to your determined attacks trying to take out your target and landing more effectively.

The boost to Lethal would affect only your sword powers and related temporary powers if there even are any. So it makes sense conceptually.

It has a longer duration than the universal boost to damage, so it helps level Broadsword with the other sets some.

It would make Broadsword's burst damage even greater, as attacks made with your sword during the first 10s would have +130% damage.

It also has no crash or debuff at the end, which has drawn objections from people reading the thread.

I liked the idea of adding smashing damage, but someone had an excellent point that there's no reason wielding a sword should make non-Broadsword attacks deal extra smashing damage. The workaround for that seemed very complicated though and a main point of the thread has been to keep the solution simple to implement. I think this may be the simplest fix that satisfies all the concerns seen so far.

@Rorn ---- Blue Baron ---- Guardian

Two things I've been thinking about:

1. Change the critical damage from 100% to 150%
2. Add a 100% chance to critical for the next attack or two after BU is used, or perhaps 75% for scrappers/brutes and 100% for stalkers (allowing them to use it for another critical attack out of hide). Keep a little +damage.

I think this mechanic would help both the big number jockeys and the sets overall performance.

There is some quite good ideas here..like the smashing damage and break armour concepts..however...I am still trying to work something out. WHY does Broadsword need a buff?
Not trying to start arguments..but hardly any reasons for the buffing were actually giving..besides the old 'I think it should be so.' Comparisons to Katana are made, and since I have both a BS and Kat scrapper and do not see a huge imbalance, I thought I would look at mids.
For basic Damage...BS is ahead in FIVE powers. Kat in a single one.
For DPA...Kat is ahead in FIVE, BS in one.
For Damage/End...BS is ahead in five, Kat in two.
For DPS..BS is ahead in four, Kat in two.

Is this really a huge deal? Given that the idea of Kat is fast, more elegant attacks, while BS is brute force hacking and chopping. But the comparison that BS is not as good as KAt is a silly one..because...you guessed it..BS is NOT Katana. Why should it be the same, or better?

Oh hang on, my MA scrapper has inferior AoE to my spines..buff MA aoe! No, it just doesnt work. Another guy in this thread said that BS would be his last choice for a Scrapper..fine..that is HIS choice. Going back to the 'Buff set X because I say so.'

Assuming that DPA is just the magical value to which all sets are measured on..lets look at other sets compared to BS.

Battle Axe: wins in 2, loses in 5
Claws: wins in 5, loses in 2
DM: wins in 4, loses in 3
DB: wins in 5, loses in 2
FM: wins in 6, loses in 1
KM: wins in 4, loses in 3
MA: wins in 5, loses in 2
Spines: wins in ZERO, loses in 7
WM: wins in 2, loses in 5

So yeah..most sets do have better DPA than BS. Because, ya know, it is SLOW. Thats because it is a giant sword. Does anyone think spines is a bad set? Anyone? No? Well..spines has worse DPA in all 7 powers..than BS! Wow, how bad MUST spines be then??

Ok, I did slip into less nice arguments..but still. I do not see any reason BS needs a buff. COuld it use one..for sure! What set couldn't use some tweaking. I love my BS scrapper, he hits like a ton of bricks. Lets leave the set, before they change it for the worse.

I have no problems with BS being buffed.

I also have no problems with it being the weakest Scrapper primary.

If it is made exactly as good as the second weakest set, doesn't that still leave it the weakest set?

You can see where the logic goes from there: straight into Power Creep, unless the true aim is to make all sets exactly equal by some metric, in case we should state that metric up front so that all proposals can address that.

Comparing two attacks from Kat to one from BS doesnt really work..since you get two chances to miss.

And adding procs into the mix? How does that give an indication of which sets are better or worse? It simply depends on what sets have more proc-ability. Going by that, it would make rad or dual pistols far and away better than most other blast sets. And the general consensus is..they arent.

Looking through Mids comparing DPA of kat to other sets..it is better than a lot of them. Does this mean they all suddenly need a buff too? Make any argument you want about that, but I think it is because the devs said its gonna be a fast quick set. Hell, look in the powerset description..'A quick elegant weapon, faster than broadsword.' You know..faster?? Like..not as slow?

Just about every time I see a decent BS scrapper on a team, it makes me want to play mine. Because of the damage as much as how it looks. If you don't like the set..don;t play it.

How is the proccing ability in KATs favour when both sets can take the SAME amount of procs??

You want to get rid of the feeling of wishing you rolled kat or mace..so GO and roll those sets. There is nothing at all stopping you. Different sets, different performance. I already said that BS could use some tweaking and a unique feel, but so can just about any of the older sets.

Again, I do not see any issue with BS having worse DPA than Kat..its meant to be slow. Is it an issue that the sets are very very similar? Perhaps it is. All I know is..BS hits harder. If you are that torn up over a minor difference in dpa (I think its minor, at the most) you are too busy playing numbers, rather than playing the game.

Also.. no matter what set you pick, there is ALWAYS going to be a time on a pug, with lots of other sets around..when you say to yourself..Man, I wish I had THAT power..

I had never once been on a team with my BS scrapper, seen a katana scrapper at work, and though..gee I wish I picked Kat instead... But, on the other had, I have seen BS scrappers, on my katana..and wished I was doing their damage.

To quote a convo I JUST saw..

[VirtueUnited]Terra Ryzing: I'm BS/WP atm. Will I suck compared to Katana/WP?
[VirtueUnited]Nightphall: No, Terra
[VirtueUnited]Ouul: Katana tends to flow better, but BS has more CRUNCH to it.

There you have it.

However..

[VirtueUnited]Doctor Tornelco: But BS has that fun smash feel to it.
[VirtueUnited]Doctor Tornelco: But I personally say screw'em both and play Warmace.

So there you go..no BS, no KAt..war wace all the way.

I know my post was subjective. That's because I previously stated numbers, showing DPA of various sets etc..as an example of why i do NOT think BS needs a buff.

If anything, it should be altered, not buffed. In order to make it different to Katana, not just because a set that is meant to be faster, is, amazingly! faster.

I realise that is sorta not very helpful, because I am agreeing and disagreeing..but still!

I still like the idea of changing Build Up to Berserk where it grants a higher amount of damage that degrades during its effect, or better yet, down scaling chance to proc smashing damage from 100% - say 20% over a set period of time.

The other idea I head was what if a new mechanic was added to BS called Follow Through.
Follow Through: your attack was delivered with so much force that your weapon managed to strike another target nearby.

Think of it as a chance to proc additional damage, but in a small area cone like Head Splitter, and only used for single target attacks. The proc damage shouldn't be in the extreme range, but in the range of normal procs, as its meant to impart the idea that you didn't intend to hit the second or third target, but rather it was incidental because you managed to cut through your intended target with such intensity.

Sure against single targets, BS still loses out to Katana, but in area effect, may pull ahead, or even out over time between both sets vs. multiple targets depending on the proc chance, the area of effect, and the proc damage.