Earth Magic, Torpor "Thorns" Specialization

Discussion in 'Skills and Combat' started by sappersteel76, Sep 23, 2018.

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  1. sappersteel76

    sappersteel76 Avatar

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    @Atos and Team,

    Greetings Portalarium! I have been giving thought to Earth Magic and how we could further balance its specialization. Disclaimer I have been an Earth mage for nearly 2 years and we have endured several balancing implementations that has left Earth in the dust (Pun Intended). I know your team has been at work in this area and so I began discerning what skills could use a little tweaking. One that came to mind immediately was Torpor, Its long cast time and short duration to buff our Strength has left it a little wanting. So, what if after Specializing in Earth we added a "Thorns" utility to it. This would essentially allow Melee attackers to take damage when they inflict a physical attack while Torpor was active. This could increase with damage as Specialization and Torpor skill is increased. This would also help balance the clear advantage Polearms and other melee attackers have in close combat without having to directly change any of their skills. So, its a win-win situation. The Polearm users don't have any reduction to their "power" and Earth gets a little boost. Additionally, if Possible the Thorns effect could be most potent against Cloth with diminishing effects to Chain and even less to Plate. Furthermore, once the Torpor Skill has achieved 100, allowing some in-game poisons be applied. I appreciate your time and would like your feedback. Thanks again and really appreciate the hard work you all have been putting in the game.

    Case1
    If Earth Specialization is at =>1 and Torpor is =>1
    Then Thorns damage is = x

    Case 2
    If Earth Specialization is at =>80 and Torpor is =>100
    Then Poison may be applied

    Respectfully,
    Thomas Feagin
    USA, SFC(Retired)

    Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win. Sun Tzu
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  2. Mangar

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    Fantastic Suggestion, all for it.
     
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  3. Black Tortoise

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    Im having a hard time envisioning my Avatar getting poked by thorns, while poking with super long 2H glaive, combined with Reach. Do you expect 14-foot long thorns to come out of your skin, somehow not-imparing everything you do?

    I could see some Earth spells getting a boost, but cant see how "thorns" would have an effect on someone fighting with polearms. Maybe if they had a dagger?
     
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  4. Mangar

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    In the same way my friend as Obsidian Armor reflects damage, it`s MAGIC.
     
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  5. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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  6. sappersteel76

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    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  7. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    I don't, but given your OP I assumed you did and asked for confirmation, so thx for that.
    Having said that, and given the reduced dev team, I hope Chris doesn't spend any precious dev time - again - on trying to balance combat for the 10% (or less) who PvP.
     
  8. HogwinHD

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    Ilike the idea, but maybe instead of THorns, add a Damage reflection passive? So say whilst in Torpor , you gain a reflective shield that reflects X amount of damage back at the Attacker
     
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  9. Bigg

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    I’d be happy with a thorns similar to EQ or WoW. I mean torpor already wraps the player in thick thorny roots so why not apply a tick for the same duration as the strength? Pvp or pve doesn’t matter because it would essentially just helps boost a player in either situation and probably be an additional help for tanks to keep hate.
     
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  10. sappersteel76

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    @FrostII, So how does being PVP = OP? PVP is a very important facet of every MMORPG! I am certainly not the best PVPer on the server and this change wouldn't tip the scales. It would just balance them so that Polearms wouldn't be able to steam roll the PVP tourney as they are doing so now. A lot of players are asking for this including other Polearm users. Anyway, thanks for your input and feedback.
     
  11. OzzyOsbourne

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    There is no need to balance pvp in a sandbox mmo.

    The idea is pretty neat. Nobody really uses torpor, I avoid it cause of the lame wait time, it definitely needs love.
     
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  12. Antrax Artek

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    It has been proven that people interested in PvP are more of those not interested in it.
    Players don't do it for different reasons but this does not mean that they have no interest in it, just they don't appreciate the actual pvp system.

    The story of 10% of less of the population is interested in PVP is now an old fable ;)

    References: Shroudbert Steinbot Database
    https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ons-ideas-and-suggestions-poll-inside.141981/
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  13. Dhanas

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    Even If I don't totaly agree with the OP, I think this is a great idea for improve a magic tree. Being so negative and hostile about PVP is just wrong, the OP is talking about a PVP situation but what he's asking is not something useful just in pvp, can be great also in PVE
     
  14. thesometimeslurker

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    Ooooh, that sounds like a fun idea!
     
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  15. Bjord Hammerfist

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    I think this sounds great!
     
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  16. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    Oh please, @Antrax Artek gimme a break.

    You, as a mod, should know better than to use - as your so-called "proof" - the results of a poll that began with a title "PVP Community Talk..." in which a grand total of 113 different people participated.

    As a "Forum Moderator" you, of all people, should be completely aware that the vast majority of people who don't care about PvP will see a thread titled "PVP Community Talk..." and never bother to even read it, much less participate.

    And you have the unmitigated gall to say that this PvP "Poll" of yours - where only 113 people participated - is PROOF that more people are interested in PvP than are not....

    As a "Forum Moderator" you are supposed to be unbiased, but your statement here is anything but.

    113 people (many of those against PvP) is most certainly not "proof" (that people interested in PvP are more of those not interested in it) - by ANY stretch of the imagination.

    Why don't you ask Chris to use his metrics to tell us what % of our population frequents "PvP Only" areas, like Shardfalls, Ruins and Blood Bay. How 'bout that ?
     
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  17. kaeshiva

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    The whole PvP thing aside....

    For PVE Purposes -
    I like the intial suggestion, earth magic has felt a bit unloved as late, when most other magic specialization trees get some sort of ability to reduce targets resist to their element, making them once again viable on larger targets. Even sun magic gets a stacking -sun resist buff from casting searing ray at things. (So does fire, air, death, water...)
    Earth gets no such benefit which has left it far behind in terms of viable offensive magic use.
    I'd suggest either give earth this benefit as well, or, your torpor change would give us something 'else' instead to make it more balanced.

    The big problem I have with torpor is that it is so awkward to use due to the 'it makes it so you can't do anything for a time'.

    I don't think anyone really uses this reactively - the defensive benefit it gives is not significant enough to lock your character in place unable to do anything. I think the only way I'd even consider using a skill that locked me out of doing anything for xx/time would be if it made me completely invincible. Otherwise I'm better off casting a heal, moving behind something or doing just about anything other than casting torpor. Mostly if at all, I'd use it for a pre-combat short term str buff.

    I suggest the skill just be reworked entirely - make it a decent duration buff damage shield (say, same scaling as ignite weapon in terms of time) and have specialization make it reduce earth resist of things that hit you! Get rid of the defensive component and stun-user component - they aren't really useful.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
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  18. Vodalian

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    Torpor is a skill with flawed design, but it has potential. If we can make it more interesting and useful it would be great, and I like this idea. If this can also help balancing pvp it would just be an added bonus. An update is needed in any case.
     
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  19. Paladin Michael

    Paladin Michael Bug Hunter

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    Don't moderate the Moderator ;)
    Just kidding!
    I think he's aware of that and other forum reader, too.

    I am not a PvP player, but I think every idea has the right to be talked about. Especially if it will help all kind of user of a skill, equal if (not) PvP...

    And for sure no forum statistic can represent the whole truth!

    Only the Oracle can or ... @Chris ;)
     
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  20. Antrax Artek

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    Thank God, being a community ambassador does not involve not being able to express myself about topics related to the game, on the contrary, I have every day to interact with other players, gather ideas or thoughts about the game and I am happy to bring their thoughts to light with the goal to improve the experience of all kind of players, this means being unbiased.

    I noticed with pleasure that players of all kinds participated in the thread mentioned, in the references was mentioned also the "Shroudbert Steinbot Database" which showed that despite a low number of players playing with public stats on more than 200 players (with active public stats) involved in atleast a pvp fight in the last month.

    Asking for a metrics of a % of population that frequents "PVP Only" areas would have no relationship with the number of players that are interested in pvp or would play PVP if changes were made to the system, using the wrong metrics to determine how much percentage of the population is interested in a certain playstyle would lead to an incorrect result, this could be one of the reasons that led to the false belief that less than 10% of the population is interested in pvp.

    By the way let's try to not bring more Off-Topic contents to this thread.
     
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