things i dont like so far

[Ark]

Use shield

you knew this was coming, at least the potion got balanced, people still have doors, the skill is ALL OVER the place. and the amount of protection it offers for being a basic skill is so far over tuned its not funny (for instance according to GMs, a shields protection is worth the same as, 1 life point, enchant weapon, etc.) fine forget size then, but it should not be the most common level 1 skill in the game.

Structure points

wow

1.Critical Strike changes charge times to 10, 15, 20 seconds

BWAH? is it possible I'm coming to the defense of critical strike? well sorta, just remove curved and balanced blades! that said I hate progressive time reduction as its annoying to deal with, we now have skills that have variable times depending on what other skills you have, BWAH? even if someone was cheating we could not tell because the time can change. 5 per 4 is fine if you guys are finally removing exotic damage bonuses, and is fairly in line with empath strength wise. no need to come up with a crazy new time mechanic that exists nowhere else in the game. it also helps the newer players that would otherwise be unable to afford the now REQUIRED exotic items to make this skill overtuned.

[GM-Phil]

I will merely state this -

Structure points - We used a system that was already in place as a way to make a rule that allows a player to determine how to destroy something, without a Gm making a field call - previous to this there were multiple tagged items in game that there were no rules on how to destroy - I want to destroy this First Aid Kit - sorry you cannot, or go find a GM.. So now there is a system in place for that. Aside from people playing with that new ruling for the first year, it really changes no major mechanics on how things work.

Critical Strike - We chose not to get rid of the Exotic Items, many people like using them, and so we chose to balance the skill by adding 5 Seconds to each level. This still leaves this skill as a very good skill even without items, and now encourages people if they so wish to try to get a Curved or Balanced Blade. Just like many of the other Exotic items make a skill better, but are not essential.

in no way do I see a person NEEDING a Curved or Balanced blade to be an effective Critical Strike character. If you do I am sorry for that.

[Ark]

people like curved and balanced blades because there is no choice, its a flat damage increase (or time reduction that = damage increase) that's like asking do you prefer to do 4 damage or 6 over 5 seconds. . .hmmmmm I wonder.

5 seconds for 4 damage is nearly IDENTICAL DPS as 10 seconds for 4 damage AFTER the inclusion of a curved balanced blade
5 seconds for 4 damage = 0.8 dps
7 seconds for 6 damage = 0.857 dps

you NERFED a base skill, then expect people to purchase exotic items to get that skill back to doing the damage the base skill was doing before you nerfed it, how very EA of you.

[Vivac]

Haven't you been complaining about rogues being overpowered for a while? Finally after they made some smart adjustments there will still be something to complain about.

10, 15, and 20 are reasonable increments. Even better if you find an item. (similar to a codex or a first aid kit) you dont need a first aid kit to be good at first aid, it just makes you more efficient. That is what curved balanced was in the game for; to enhance critical strike. The problem was that critical strike was too powerful before and 2 second 6's and 10's were prominent.

A warrior with basic critical strike (or anyone for that matter) and a curved balanced could do a 6 every 2 seconds before Skill Mastery potions. If you don't see the issue with this than I have no words.

Upping the charge times and keeping Curved Balanced was a good move IMO.

[Ark]

you will find numerous threads created stating my issues with critical strike and rogue as a whole dating as far back as 2012, I was well aware of the issues and advocated change for years so please don't even "i have no words" and btw skill mastery does nothing to base critical strike if you already have a curved / balanced blade, as you cannot reduce the damage to less then 2 sec, it only starts having a (broken) effect if you stack more critical strike.

they are fine with 4 damage over 5 seconds,(as seen by the fact that its the same dps of the new version after the inclusion of exotic items) they are NOT FINE with 4 damage over 5 seconds time and damage after the inclusion of a curved balanced blade, instead of removing the item that is causing the problem they change an entire set of skills and introduce a new complicated variable time mechanic not seen anywhere else in the rules.

they balanced an entire set of skills and the game around a singular item, instead of removing the problem item. this is TERRIBLE design. the balance is good, the way it been done is horrid.

I started threads talking about how broken rogue was in 2012, I fought EVERYONE on this issue and was blown off, its taken 4! years to get some kind of change on critical strike, and they did it wrong, there is not even much you could change given the lack of variables you could play around with and they still managed to mess it up.

[GM-Mike]

First, you need to tone it down.

Second, I appreciate your feedback.

Third, the only reason this change happened is because it was advocated for by a rogue.

Fourth, we didn't balance a skill around an item. I agree that would be stupid.

There are other points I could make but I'm on vacation. Bad timing to go on vacation right after a rules release, but the player voice is important to me which is why I took time away to respond. Sorry the response isn't more fleshed out. Okay, back to family...

[Ark]

ill hold off for a bit, enjoy your vacation mike and don't worry about larp till your back.

[Nick]

Not much a fan of how the feedback looks as well when it's less constructive criticism and more "you did it not the way I wanted so it's wrong."

I've been playing a Rogue at WH since my first event. I've unwittingly been running the numbers we presented here for 2 years. Like a play-test I wasn't even aware of. Why? Because I had mis-read the times and how certain items stack. Which was funny to me when I found out. So I'd been running Crit Strike at higher times, with and without exotic items and potions that modify the skill. I also did this while a GM for Finalhaven, because my (incorrect) knowledge of the skill stuck with me.

I found no real game-breaking problem wielding these times for Crit Strike, then adding exotic items and potions into the mix. If anything looking at the spike damage available to a Rogue (or DPS if they snag the two exotic items and a Skill Mastery Potion) I found no problem increasing the times to what the new rules reflect. Am I the only Rogue? No. But at least I could provide some worthwhile information on the system when we discussed changing the times during our big meeting.

[Ark]

you have no idea how irritated I was / am with this change. but I have kept it off the forums talking with GM's privately because A) its a lot more easy to have a conversation that way, and B) I don't hurt any feeling or scare people off the forums

that said I also refuse to change my post to one that is more flattering to myself because if I make a mistake or act stupid then ill simply own up to it.

its not just about balance, but how its achieved and interacts with the game as a whole, what precedents it sets, where power is shifted to, how fair it is to everyone (you can VERY EASILY end up with two groups of players, we are already at that point in some ways, and what problems THAT can cause)

FH also has a small number of variables to work with in its balance, Crit strike is a charge, and damage, not much to work with but there were OBVIOUS solutions. this is not a do it my way, its just that you had a nail sticking out and I said use a hammer, so the GM's decided to create some sort of pneumatic nail driving device that uses all sorts of power and air pressure and creates a lot of noise and ended up hitting the nail and damaging all the wood around it, and all I can do is shake my head and yell "why didn't you just use the hammer?!". saying you should use a hammer was not "my way" it was just the most obvious correct way so I suggested it.

but as I said I'm keeping the important discussions private on purpose, works out better for everyone that way ^_^ is critical strike more balanced now then it was? yes. was it done in a good way? no.

[GM-Phil]

That is you opinion, and you are welcome to it. In my opinion your suggestion was not what was desired. We move on.

[Ark]

That is you opinion, and you are welcome to it. In my opinion your suggestion was not what was desired. We move on.

ditto