Possible I22 Stalker improvements


Agent White

 

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Because it needed its own thread:

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Originally Posted by Arbiter Hawk View Post
We're testing three improvements to stalkers in i22:
-Assassin's Strike: using Assassin's Strike outside of hide will be an uninterruptible attack with no windup time, dealing Superior damage. This will allow Stalkers to do very competitive dps.
-All Stalker attacks that are not Assassin's Strike will build stacks of a buff called Assassin's Focus. Assassin's Focus increases your chance to critically strike with the out-of-hide Assassin's Strike.
-Stalker Buffed Max HP will be increased by about 400. This should allow them to fully benefit from powers like dull pain, hoarfrost, etc.
-These changes to Stalkers should make them very competitive top-end damage dealers, and help them with their early attack chain since they can use Assassin's Strike mid-combat.
From here.


 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Supernumiphone View Post
Because it needed its own thread:



From here.
Assassin strike using alt animation borrowed tech from Titan weapons - holy crap suddenly attack chain is better

Assassin's Focus name needs to be changed, as Claws possesses an attack called Focus (and no, don't change Focus's name!)


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Ooo im liking this news!


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Potentially good stuff but hoping the remove the los check from AS in hide.


 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ideon View Post
Assassin strike using alt animation borrowed tech from Titan weapons - holy crap suddenly attack chain is better

Assassin's Focus name needs to be changed, as Claws possesses an attack called Focus (and no, don't change Focus's name!)
I really don't see a problem with the name. I mean after all it's not called just Focus, but Assassin's Focus (abbreviated AF most likely), so I'd say it's not very easy to misunderstand, especially not considering you would probably talk about "Stalker's Focus" to talk aboutthe power, instead of "Assassin's Focus"...

Quote:
Originally Posted by OmniNogard View Post
Ooo im liking this news!
Me too Omni! I don't even have a problem with my Stalker in the first place, but this will just make them Killer!


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:O I..i...I..er...uh...i.I...

I'm worried about the first two...but it might work. You can still use your AS from Hide to deal burst damage OR if you want to just wear down someone like a scrapper you can still deal competitive damage...hrmm I must test this!



 

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If AS does superior damage out of hide, and with an increased crit change..does AS itself need a damage buff? Will there even be a point in using it (after a placate) mid fight?


 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterD View Post
If AS does superior damage out of hide, and with an increased crit change..does AS itself need a damage buff? Will there even be a point in using it (after a placate) mid fight?
I never felt that Stalkers needed an update (And don't get me wrong, I kindly put like these changes), but really, what these changes will bring to Stalkers as I see it is increased demand on them against harder targets, because seriously, if the two first points in the update won't bring our ST damage up to at least being on par with Brutes (or Scrappers maybe), then I'm expecting it to not be WAI :P


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterD View Post
If AS does superior damage out of hide, and with an increased crit change..does AS itself need a damage buff? Will there even be a point in using it (after a placate) mid fight?
I think more of the point will be: will placate even be worth using placate offensively? For example using placate>slash on a Nightwidow doesn't do anything for your dps. The half crits dont make up for the 1.5 sec cast time (longer wen factoring in server ticks) of you not dealing any damage while you cast placate. On my NW adding and subtracting placate from my attack chain while soloing rikti pylons did pretty much nothing for my dps and kill time, and that was before reactive interface came out, so it may actually hurt your dps at this point since placate can't trigger Reactive. I have a feeling that this will put stalkers in a similar situation as my NW.


 

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yeah thats what I was getting at Dread. It might not be worth, during a long fight, hitting placte/bu/as, if you can just hit bu and keep building the crit chance up.


 

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Well if nothing else the third item, presuming it goes through, will breathe new life into my /Regen Stalker. I've been telling myself I should banish that toon to an unused server, but I kept holding out hope that the HP cap issue might actually be addressed someday. It's nice to have my optimism validated.


 

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You forgot this:

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Staff Fighting will be available for Stalkers, Brutes, Tankers, and Scrappers.
Now I go back to the other thread to squee like a child on Christmas morning.


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Quote:
Originally Posted by DreadShinobi View Post
I think more of the point will be: will placate even be worth using placate offensively? For example using placate>slash on a Nightwidow doesn't do anything for your dps. The half crits dont make up for the 1.5 sec cast time (longer wen factoring in server ticks) of you not dealing any damage while you cast placate. On my NW adding and subtracting placate from my attack chain while soloing rikti pylons did pretty much nothing for my dps and kill time, and that was before reactive interface came out, so it may actually hurt your dps at this point since placate can't trigger Reactive. I have a feeling that this will put stalkers in a similar situation as my NW.
I suppose it will be balanced by critical still being double base damage while true hidden Assassin's Strike being triple or whatever it is. So if Placate isn't recharged yet, do visible Assassin's Strike with chance to crit for lots of damage, and if it is, do hidden Assassin's Strike with guaranteed crit for massive damage. :3


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-- High-Roller

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by DreadShinobi View Post
I think more of the point will be: will placate even be worth using placate offensively? For example using placate>slash on a Nightwidow doesn't do anything for your dps. The half crits dont make up for the 1.5 sec cast time (longer wen factoring in server ticks) of you not dealing any damage while you cast placate. On my NW adding and subtracting placate from my attack chain while soloing rikti pylons did pretty much nothing for my dps and kill time, and that was before reactive interface came out, so it may actually hurt your dps at this point since placate can't trigger Reactive. I have a feeling that this will put stalkers in a similar situation as my NW.
That's kinda what I fear might happen. It really designates placate as an optional bit of flare vs a serious tool like it has been. Not to mention, by the sounds of it, using Placate > AS might revert the cast time from the new quickness to the slower interruptible wind up, which comes with it's own pratfalls.

It's still kinda early in the morning and it was a long night so I can't think properly

How would it affect Dual Blades who has a combo linked to AS? I figure, sets like Kinetic Melee or Electric Melee won't have any problems with this new mechanic as KM will simply use placate with Concentrated Strike, and EM will use placate with an AoE like Thunderstrike or for ST use AS...


 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by MAD UMLAUTS View Post
Potentially good stuff but hoping the remove the los check from AS in hide.
Nah. That would be annoying in pvp, where moving around a corner is a great way to counter being AS'd. Not that AS hurts too badly in modern pvp, mind you, but it's still a hit best avoided.


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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo_G View Post
That's kinda what I fear might happen. It really designates placate as an optional bit of flare vs a serious tool like it has been. Not to mention, by the sounds of it, using Placate > AS might revert the cast time from the new quickness to the slower interruptible wind up, which comes with it's own pratfalls.

It's still kinda early in the morning and it was a long night so I can't think properly

How would it affect Dual Blades who has a combo linked to AS? I figure, sets like Kinetic Melee or Electric Melee won't have any problems with this new mechanic as KM will simply use placate with Concentrated Strike, and EM will use placate with an AoE like Thunderstrike or for ST use AS...
I like it- it places Placate squarely in the "solo-friendly, team-optional" category. I solo a lot on my stalkers and use Placate quite a bit- but when I team I barely use it.

I'm guessing it presents a teaming Stalker with options. "Do I want to build up a chance for a critical hide-less AS (which means my damage type will be resisted by the target)? Or do I want to Placate, take the time to hit AS from Hide and hit the target with unresistable damage?" It's a nice choice to have in my opinion.




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Looks good; I guess EvilGeko does work for the devs (or is just in a super-secret beta!)


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Quote:
Originally Posted by Benchpresser View Post
I like it- it places Placate squarely in the "solo-friendly, team-optional" category. I solo a lot on my stalkers and use Placate quite a bit- but when I team I barely use it.
No, you're still going to want to use placate, even in teams. It's just now it decouples itself from AS in general combat. But then perhaps I'm still not sure on what these changes entail...like will this Assassin's Focus allow just an AS crit or an Assassination bonus dmg crit? Will demoralize still go off with just Assassin's Focus? What does Assassin's Focus do if you use Placate first?

Solo or teamed, a placate > tier 9 or something is still good but is just seems to devalue placate > AS where it wasn't most attractive to begin with if you can get nice damage by just building AF.

Now...if AF somehow accumulated and helped AS after a placate as well as without that placate, then that's a different story...or if placate didn't revert AS to the wind-up cast time...then nothing is devalued and placate > AS would be just as attractive as duking it out and building AF...it'd depend on circumstances. Do you need that damage now? Are you already meleeing within an encounter? And how much extra damage do you need to take down your target?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Energizing_Ion View Post
Looks good; I guess EvilGeko does work for the devs (or is just in a super-secret beta!)
How do think so? Did he suggest this or something?


 

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Oh, so Assassin's Strike can be used as a normal attack now? That's great news! That's really great! I'm so glad Stalkers will finally have damage capabilities similar to other classes, because it's been awhile and... yeah... you know, they should.... so this is really good...


*knocks over a stack of spread sheets and sets fire to it.*


Friggin' FANTASTIC.


 

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Remember I said in the Lolstalkers thread good things come to those who wait. Just saying.


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Posted

So they are making Assassin Strike a must-have now? In a way, I kinda like this buff because I find current Assassin Strike not worth it to use in high level content.

So you build up Assassin Focus to give Assassin Strike more chance to critical outside of hide. I wonder if it works like the combo points in SJ where you hit 3-5 times and the next AS is guaranteed 100% critical? ... interesting.

I wonder how high is Superior damage? I am assuming the damage scale is similar to Total Focus?

The HP cap is good change. I know many people want this.


What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.

 

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I just hope it works out as good as it sounds otherwise we will be back to square one again. Increasing crit chance is a good idea but I just need to see how it works in practice. If they start a beta for this soon I want to put together an all stalker tf/sf of some sort just to see the maximum effect on this. Like an all stalker ITF or LRSF. Not to sure if an all stalker Itrial will be possible since its hard enough as it is to get on regular teams I do not think many of the stalkers would have the incarnate powers unlocked or slotted.


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Posted

Well, so far there's no "nerfs" so even if we don't use Assassin Strike, our Stalker performance should be the same with those buffs. At least HP cap is higher.


What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.

 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilRyu View Post
I just hope it works out as good as it sounds otherwise we will be back to square one again. Increasing crit chance is a good idea but I just need to see how it works in practice. If they start a beta for this soon I want to put together an all stalker tf/sf of some sort just to see the maximum effect on this. Like an all stalker ITF or LRSF. Not to sure if an all stalker Itrial will be possible since its hard enough as it is to get on regular teams I do not think many of the stalkers would have the incarnate powers unlocked or slotted.
About all stalker teams, let me remind you of the Stalker Super Team thread in these forums. In there, people are actually making all stalker teams and running content. Hopefully some of them (I know I will!) will join one of your proposed teams on a possible beta to compare the current with the coming.


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