Removal of Prismatic options
I've been away from the game now for awhile. Came in today to see the removal of many Prismatic options.
I have some concerns that certain classes(Druids come to mind) that are hurt a lot by this decision. Will defensive options be considered as replacements down the line?
What justified the decision to remove these skills? Will caravans be adjusted to counter these? Just some questions I felt the need to log onto the forums and ask. Thanks again
I have some concerns that certain classes(Druids come to mind) that are hurt a lot by this decision. Will defensive options be considered as replacements down the line?
What justified the decision to remove these skills? Will caravans be adjusted to counter these? Just some questions I felt the need to log onto the forums and ask. Thanks again
1
Comments
Report #522
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Submitted by: Juran Status : Approved
Skillset : Evocation Skillname : Barrier
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Problem:
When looking at abilities that influence the direction and outcome of combat, none have the dramatic impact of
Prismatic Barrier. Only 25% of classes can bypass it, and an even smaller number can remove it. This results in the skill selectively ending fights completely with no outcome, because numerous classes have no possible avenue of approach. It is not viable to add additional 'counters', because the number of counters required to fix it would remove its established purpose and trivialize it entirely. This effect is magnified during team fights, when
channelled instakills like cleave or gorge are not viable due to the presence of other fighters. The best solution
for Pristmatic Barrier is to push it into a new direction.
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Solution #1:
Repurpose Prismatic barrier into two new effects: For the Lyre artifact, allow players to cast shields on other
people in a similar manner to the Reflection Wand artifact. To not trivialize the impact of the two classes that
already have similar functionality, it should be a slightly slower equilibrium to use than Seraph Aura. For the
Druid, Wardancer, and Shaman versions of Barrier, allow them to work as an active shield tattoo that also grants
reflection, a small health restore, and/or an affliction cure. This would allow it to be used as a more defensive
option than shielding, without entirely negating the offense of the other people engaged in combat.
Solution #2:
Add a 30 second immunity cooldown to Prismatic that starts at the end of the barrier, making it impossible for
someone to barrier at will whenever they need a break in combat.
Solution #3:
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Decision:
Solution 1, with some alterations. You may start being shocked now.
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As for 'defensive options', I don't believe that Druid or Witch needs anything more in their class skills than currently exist. Both classes should be more than fine without Prismatic.
Druids and Witch(as you bring up) were designed to clearly have somewhat of a "defensive" advantage over those classes. I wouldn't say it's beyond expectations or even unreasonable to request some form of replacement.
As for caravans, yeah there was "mention" of an overhaul but nothing set in stone. So right now, there is a feature that a large majority of the game will not be able to partake in until said overhaul is done.
Again, I am not upset that Prismatic Barriers are gone, but to sit and say the classes that lost said abilities aren't effected their overall kit would be inaccurate.
Neither class was 'designed to clearly have somewhat of a defensive advantage'. With the addition of one-handed Quarterstaffs, ability to use a shield, reduced vulnerability to Metrazol, and a nearly on demand entangle, I don't expect Druid is even going to miss Prismatic very much outside of the situations that Prismatic was impossible to balance for everyone.
And Druid wasn't really designed with that advantage either. Current Druid got barrier mostly because Old Druid had it, and Old Druid had it because Old Druid was designed back in Achaea before Imperian ever opened and the class design standard back then was more concerned with 'hey this would be cool' and less with 'is it balanced?'.
Two thumbs up from me.
You hit the target. If they're not dead they barrier. If you don't have a knight you change target.
Repeat.
They have much the same impact, after all. The only notably difference is that so few classes have flips built in, so they're not seen as so much of a balance issue, but that doesn't make it any more reasonable as an artifact.
Disembowel isn't all that great--surely Runeguard will get a new trans skill worth having?
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."