rationale on empath sleep skill.

[ollie]

Specifically why does an empath need to hold their hand in the air for the charge up of the skill?

Is this just a carry over from channel?

[Zydana]

Isn't this true of all packet driven (and fist delivered) charged skills?

They want it to be known when you're gathering uhh.. free essence from the environment to concentrate into a magic or skill form? The act of raising you hand above your head signals to everyone that we can see you drawing on that essence. If it makes more sense for your character, you can add a bit of role playing flavor to that. While you have your hand up, you can shout to the heavens commanding the essence of Phantara to do your bidding and to bring forth the power that you need to incapacitate your foe.

Think of it as part of an action of casting a spell.


Mechanically why were these skills written so they have some obvious tell so that you can't sneak a sleep strike on someone? I don't know. Maybe it was pretty darn powerful to put someone to sleep and sleep and magic were harder to resist.

It's still pretty powerful since there's no number preceding the call and it gets around harming your allies that need to be put to sleep like other sleeps do now *grumble*.

[ollie]

The channel skills and sleep were the only skills to have the hand above your head while charging. A numbered vorpal sleep call is still just as powerful when delivered to the back.

[Malachi]

A numbered vorpal sleep call is still just as powerful when delivered to the back.

Agreed. The difference between the two is in order to do 'X Vorpal Sleep' it requires a minimum of 2 skills, a minimum base 35 second charge, and must be delivered via Melee. Cause Sleep is a single skill with a base 30 second charge time that surges and can be delivered via Melee or Packet. Holding an arm up with a packet/fist is a fair trade off in my opinion.