I really have no experience with Claws so I'll stay away from that one. However as for the rest- there's no need whatsoever for splash damage in MA, neither does it fit the powerset. Storm and Thunder Kicks are single-target animations, and they should stay that way. Not every set should be a AoE specialist, doubly so for stalkers. Eagle's Claw maybe... but I'm still not convinced.
EM- Forget splash on ET.. I'd rather have it on Barrage and modify Stun ala Clobber.
DB? With the changes to AS coming.. having the Sweep Combo at 12 now and can be used out of hide is more than enough. A Combo at 6? You fly through the low levels so fast that a Combo is wasted. I'd argue that DB is getting the MOST boost from the AS buff, anything else isn't needed.
As for your request for Quick Recovery? Wishlisting- not needed at all and highly unlikely to happen. Would Quick recovery be nice? Sure.. but Stalkers are BURST specialists- not sustained DPS like Brutes.. if you can't manage End on a Stalker than QR isn't going to help. (DA would be the only secondary that would need more END... Regen and WP it's overkill)
I do like the SR suggestion though!
"Well, there's going to be some light music and a short note of apology saying, 'The universe ended last week, we're really sorry, we don't know what you're doing here, didn't you get the message?'"- Steve Moffat
Quote:
Asking for a small amount of aoe on 1 attack in the sets that have None is Hardly asking for every set to be an aoe specialist. There are NO scrapper or brute sets that have 0 aoes. I see no reason stalkers should be any different.|
Originally Posted by Benchpresser
I really have no experience with Claws so I'll stay away from that one. However as for the rest- there's no need whatsoever for splash damage in MA, neither does it fit the powerset. Storm and Thunder Kicks are single-target animations, and they should stay that way. Not every set should be a AoE specialist, doubly so for stalkers. Eagle's Claw maybe... but I'm still not convinced.
EM- Forget splash on ET.. I'd rather have it on Barrage and modify Stun ala Clobber. DB? With the changes to AS coming.. having the Sweep Combo at 12 now and can be used out of hide is more than enough. A Combo at 6? You fly through the low levels so fast that a Combo is wasted. I'd argue that DB is getting the MOST boost from the AS buff, anything else isn't needed. As for your request for Quick Recovery? Wishlisting- not needed at all and highly unlikely to happen. Would Quick recovery be nice? Sure.. but Stalkers are BURST specialists- not sustained DPS like Brutes.. if you can't manage End on a Stalker than QR isn't going to help. (DA would be the only secondary that would need more END... Regen and WP it's overkill) I do like the SR suggestion though! |
Hopefully you're right about DB, but I'm unconvinced.
As for QR, after the changes Stalkers will in fact be single target DPS specialists and will therefore be in need of some endurance help sometimes, imo.
There is no such thing as Burst damage in AV fights, and the new mechanics encourage us to scrap it out more. Placate is now only a survival tool, not a dps increase, in most situations. Which is probably as it should be.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Stalkers are different from Brutes, they fill a different niche as ST specialists.. AoEs go against that.
I've been testing my DB/WP over on Beta a lot.. believe me.. it feels like a whole new set now with the AS change- it helps DB double by allowing another combo (and a useful one at that) to be regularly used and helps the S/L sets as well.
Now I see your point about END with the change- but I still don't see the need for QR. I see it much more likely and useful to lobby for the END cost of AS to drop a bit- thats where the majority of your end drain now is. (I've actually been pushing for this as have others)
Placate has always been a survival tool, this change just.... well makes it glaringly such 
Sure Burst is useless in AV fights.. but now, Stalkers are VERY useful in the endgame with things like the Prisoner phase of the BAF or killing the Adds or hunting down the Seers in a TPN.
"Well, there's going to be some light music and a short note of apology saying, 'The universe ended last week, we're really sorry, we don't know what you're doing here, didn't you get the message?'"- Steve Moffat
At the very least, Placate should not be part of any combo. Either that, or it should be made very fast for all sets so that it is not a dps loss to use it.
Your reasoning about the ST niche Stalkers fill is Fine (Spines? Elec? Kin? StJ? Staff?), but it in no way justifies keeping these two sets gimped by giving them no AOE at all. No other AT in the game has any set with no AOE at all.
That's a good idea, about the End of AS...maybe instead of just a straight up End reduction, tie it Assassin's Focus. Make it so AF gives a stacking End Red buff to AS along with the Crit buff!
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Unfortunately not every set will be equal. That's why we have a variety of sets. Will that mean some sets are "gimped" to some, sure. Personally I'd like to have the variety than conformity, otherwise just have 1 primary set called "Stalker melee" so everyone can have the same.
The Devs intent is to make Stalkers ST/Burst kings so we need to try and work within that mindset, and unfortunately, some things just won't happen with that as the core idea. Also, Synapse has said more than once he doesn't like swapping powers out. At this point I think we can only hope for buffs to EM when they get ported to Scrappers- since a lot of villain sets only get love when HEROES get them (I'm staring at you EA(
I know Synapse said he'd consider looking at the animation time of Placate, but no time frame- that definitely is progress!
I have a feeling the Devs would be hesitant to tie too many values to the same mechanic, so I don't see AF building End Redux happening. I'd be happy with a 20% reduction in cost (from 14.35 to 11.48).
"Well, there's going to be some light music and a short note of apology saying, 'The universe ended last week, we're really sorry, we don't know what you're doing here, didn't you get the message?'"- Steve Moffat
Quote:
Sweep is available by 8, but it is still going to be terrible, and it will continue being terrible as long as it's shackled to a power with a 90 second recharge that's required for two combos.|
Originally Posted by Benchpresser
DB? With the changes to AS coming.. having the Sweep Combo at 12 now and can be used out of hide is more than enough.
|
If anything is going to be done to increase Stalker AoE potential, which I'm not holding my breath for, I'd rather see a conditional AoE added to one ST attack per set if it directly follows Placate, since Placate is now looking kind of lackluster for most sets.
My current list:
1. Build Up increased to 100% in PvE.
2. Martial Arts
Increase the following attacks' recharge/base damage. I am going to assume they want Martial Arts to excel in ST damage. Well, they need to either shorten the animation time or increase recharge time to get higher base damage because the current MA only excels by like 5%?
- Axe Kick's recharge from 11s to 13s
- Cobra and Crane recharge from 10s to 12s
- Eagle's recharge from 16s to 20s
Now you should have a much "superior" single target damage specialist set. Each kick/punch delivers real pain. With the new change in Assassin Strike, you only want to drop one or two attacks from the list. According to castle's balancing idea, each power choice should be a hard enough choice to make!
3. Energy Melee - I don't have experience with this set but they can add "splash" effect to it to give it some aoe.
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.
Regarding the OP I agree with everything said for the most part. I would just revert Eviscerate to its old, original form. It never accomplished what was intended by making it a single-target attack, so the set lost AoE for no benefit. I think 30% recovery for Regen and WP would be too much. At that point you're basically getting all the powers that Scrappers get but Hide thrown in for free. I think somewhere closer to 10%, or maybe 15% would be more realistic.
The one thing I'd add would be an animation time reduction for Placate. Rather than try to find some way to make the power useful by changing its function, speed it up so it can do what it was always intended to do. Give the new Placate to SoAs too. They don't get full crits so they are hampered by its limitations even more than Stalkers.
Quote:
I agree with this.|
Originally Posted by Benchpresser
Not every set should be a AoE specialist.
|
If you want AoE, get loljudgement
Kill the enemy. Take their souls. Drink their blood.
Quote:
Yes, because asking for a single AoE power makes you a single-target specialist. In this game you are very likely to be facing multiple opponents at the same time. Being only able to fight one at a time leaves you at a disadvantage over sets that can focus on one target OR do AoE, which most can. Taking out a set's only AoE instead of a redundant single-target attack was a stupid decision.
|
Originally Posted by Heavenly Perverse
I agree with this.
If you want AoE, get loljudgement |
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Just because you have ONE AoE attack in the set, it doesn't make you a "specialist". Far from it...
And judgement is Incarnate content which shouldn't be used to balance an AT.
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.
Heck, they should put splash damage on ALL versions of Energy Transfer.
Maybe about a third of the damage, no crit chance.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
For Martial Arts they could make it so for Stalkers the first Storm Kick within 2 seconds after a successful hit with Eagle's Claw is a small cone. That way it's strategic.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Quote:
If they give Cobra Strike, Crane Kicks animation, my suggestion would be to turn Crane Kick into a more power Dragon's Tail.|
Originally Posted by Wavicle
For Martial Arts they could make it so for Stalkers the first Storm Kick within 2 seconds after a successful hit with Eagle's Claw is a small cone. That way it's strategic.
|
If not that, then turn Thunder Kick into Dragon's Tail, and either let them have it at lvl 1, or move Crane Kick to level 1 and put DT into CK's current spot.
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
Quote:
Well, Synapse has stated they aren't planning to Remove any powers. That's why my suggestions all involved altering existing powers.
|
Originally Posted by BrandX
If they give Cobra Strike, Crane Kicks animation, my suggestion would be to turn Crane Kick into a more power Dragon's Tail.
If not that, then turn Thunder Kick into Dragon's Tail, and either let them have it at lvl 1, or move Crane Kick to level 1 and put DT into CK's current spot. |
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Basically, if you look at the way StJ and Staff have been designed for Stalkers, it's easy to see that several of the older sets would have been done differently by the current design team.
So they should redo them.
There's this other popular game where they frequently make drastic changes to the powers system. I don't get why it's such a big deal here.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
Quote:
I totally agree with you that they should spend more time on re-designing older sets rather than making new ones all the time. |
Originally Posted by Wavicle
Basically, if you look at the way StJ and Staff have been designed for Stalkers, it's easy to see that several of the older sets would have been done differently by the current design team.
So they should redo them. |
The only down side is that the game is now F2P. They need to spend more time on creating new items/products to keep the company going. Would you pay for an "old" set if it's re-designed in a better way? I may if it's re-designed well.
Each week they are pushing new products to the store. I just don't see them having enough time to re-design older sets.
You can charge money for new sets but not old sets.
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.
The following are my suggestions for spot fixing those Stalker power sets that will still need help after the upcoming changes. These changes would, of course, be ONLY for Stalker versions of the sets.
PRIMARIES
Claws: Add some splash damage to Eviscerate or turn it back into a cone.
Martial Arts: Add some splash damage to Storm Kick, Crane Kick, or Eagle's Claw.
Energy Melee: Add some splash damage to Energy Transfer.
----------------------
Dual Blades: Redo the combo system so that Stalkers get a combo at 6 AND so it does Not involve Build Up OR Placate.
Here's a suggestion I think would work well:
Nimble Slash: Continues Weaken
Power Slice: Continues Empower, Attack Vitals, and Sweep
Ablating Strike: Begins Empower and Finishes Sweep
Assassin's Blades: Begins Attack Vitals and Sweep
Vengeful Slice: Begins Weaken and Finishes Empower
Sweeping Strike: Finishes Attack Vitals
One Thousand Cuts: Finishes Weaken
In addition to Build Up and Placate neither being used in NOR INTERRUPTING combos, and Sweep available at 6 instead of 8: there are two combos that Begin with AS, no combo uses both Nimble Slash and Power Slice, neither Nimble Slash nor Power Slice starts a combo, Attack Vitals finishes with the cone, and Empower does not involve AS.
----------------------
SECONDARIES
Regeneration: Add 30% enhanceable Endurance Recovery to Fast Healing. If you must change the name then call it Quick Healing or Fast Recovery.
Super Reflexes: Increase the scaling resistance from Agile and Dodge to match the total of a Scrapper with Agile, Dodge, and Lucky.
Willpower: Add 30% enhanceable Endurance Recovery to Fast Healing.
----------------------
I also believe fixing the bugs associated with Placate is necessary so that it functions the same for all powersets.
With the changes currently on test and some or all of the changes I am advocating here, I think Stalkers would be pretty much fine.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.