evaluation of damage skill altering items/skills/potions
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:00 pm
ala channel crystals, curved balanced blade, skill mastery potions, sage time reduction buffs, etc. etc.
they provide too much of a bonus that unbalances an in theory balanced system.
channel, critical strike, and other charge time = damage skills are designed to be balanced around base damage, as well as the base damage + (+ = various forms of weapon focus and rage, etc.)
base channel is 1-1 (time vs damage)
after all (KNOWN) items, potions, and skills are taken into account. . .
new channel is 2-13 (time vs damage)
further note all you need to achieve that is advanced level empath channel, everything else is items / potions / buffs
critical strike is similar
base crit strike is 5-4 (time vs damage)
after all (KNOWN) items, potions, and skills are taken into account. . .
new crit strike is 5-15 (time vs damage) Disclaimer: there might be a more efficient path for time v damage on crit strike.
where as base damage. . .has no modifiers, the only way to increase it is via skills bought in game with skill points, and even then you have to invest heavily into various paths and disciplines to achieve competitive results while those with channel and crit strike can branch outward becoming more versatile and gaining more interesting or defensive skills to augment their damage.
why is this a problem?
well because with such wide discrepancies in damage done it becomes impossible for the NPC / GM side to balance accordingly. do you balance for the players doing massive damage? then those just swinging 1 don't have a chance at competing and the encounter feels punishing. do you balance for those only doing 1? then those doing massive damage stomp everything and make the encounter trivial. the same can be said for soak, but that's a different discussion.
my advice?
as it stands now, take basic critical strike no matter what you are (yes even you warriors) and get a curved balanced blade, or just a curved one and a sage time reduction buff. then everyone can at least do 7 in about 2-3 seconds. this is a massive damage payoff for little investment and with the damage aspect of your character taken care of you now have a whole path, discipline, and a little extra to invest in how you want to play, as well as defense and utility, congrats.
they provide too much of a bonus that unbalances an in theory balanced system.
channel, critical strike, and other charge time = damage skills are designed to be balanced around base damage, as well as the base damage + (+ = various forms of weapon focus and rage, etc.)
base channel is 1-1 (time vs damage)
after all (KNOWN) items, potions, and skills are taken into account. . .
new channel is 2-13 (time vs damage)
further note all you need to achieve that is advanced level empath channel, everything else is items / potions / buffs
critical strike is similar
base crit strike is 5-4 (time vs damage)
after all (KNOWN) items, potions, and skills are taken into account. . .
new crit strike is 5-15 (time vs damage) Disclaimer: there might be a more efficient path for time v damage on crit strike.
where as base damage. . .has no modifiers, the only way to increase it is via skills bought in game with skill points, and even then you have to invest heavily into various paths and disciplines to achieve competitive results while those with channel and crit strike can branch outward becoming more versatile and gaining more interesting or defensive skills to augment their damage.
why is this a problem?
well because with such wide discrepancies in damage done it becomes impossible for the NPC / GM side to balance accordingly. do you balance for the players doing massive damage? then those just swinging 1 don't have a chance at competing and the encounter feels punishing. do you balance for those only doing 1? then those doing massive damage stomp everything and make the encounter trivial. the same can be said for soak, but that's a different discussion.
my advice?
as it stands now, take basic critical strike no matter what you are (yes even you warriors) and get a curved balanced blade, or just a curved one and a sage time reduction buff. then everyone can at least do 7 in about 2-3 seconds. this is a massive damage payoff for little investment and with the damage aspect of your character taken care of you now have a whole path, discipline, and a little extra to invest in how you want to play, as well as defense and utility, congrats.