Keep in mind, much of what is posted here is no longer relevant in the current games design. But i figured.. i might aswell have an archive of all my feedback somewhere.. so here it is!
Well here we are again. We find ourselves constantly coming back to this topic of “the spec tree”, “customization”, “and individualism”. And we constantly find ourselves in the dark as to what Mythic plans to do. However many of us have already long accepted that mythic will not add a spec tree (prays some game dev company will pick up and use the HEX system). So what do we do now that mythic won’t flush their old system for a new? Try to use the pieces of the puzzle they left scattered on the floor, and try to rebuild them into something that might work.
I’ll Warn you all now, my ideas may be a tad radical, and some of you will call me a heretic, but I feel they can add something to the game. Any who, Lets dive into it shall we?
As always I based my Spec tree around the tank/blackorc, an archetype I have a deep love for. The concept at its core can be applied to any archetype in order to better the game. But for now, I’ll just focus on the Black orc.. And later on, on weapon types for multi users.
SPEC TREES or ABILITY LIST.
Being that spec trees are no longer an option, we will have to find another way to solve for the lack of spec options. Which I believe I have come up with a possible solution which will have one black orc, be different enough then another black orc besides him. But that will come into the light in the Tactics and Weapon Section.
Warhammer Online offers each class the means of acquiring every ability they will have from level 1-40, each ability scaling with you as you level, which means you don’t really notice any changes with each ability. Also leads to blandness, and the feeling that you’re not really growing as a char. On top of that… you constantly feel as if you don’t have any real options or features on your player, and tend to rely on morale abilities for the most part of your attacks.
We need to Do away with this feature. And collapse those 40 levels of abilities( Avg 20 total abilities spread over 40 levels).. and smash them down into each tier.. So that each tier itself gets about 15 abilities, then every tier after that would have an ‘special’ ability that was not offered in the previous tier. Now I’m not saying the game will have 80 totally different abilities per class.. Heck no! it would still have the 20. But each tier as you level, you can purchase the newer higher versions of that set ability from the trainer at the set level of which it is allowed. Lets break it down into a visual.
Clobber: Builder: a Basic Melee Attack
Clobber will forever be clobber in the current build of the beta. And this is just not attractive. It’s fine and good for tier 1, clobber is clobber, great. You acquire it at level 1, and you use it until level 40. Boring. It scales as you level, shows no real improvements. Makes you feel as if weapons don’t really matter.
Now lets change clobber, Lets have it so that it doesn’t scale as you level. And totally relies on a few factors of your character.
-Version of Ability
-Weapon DPS
-STR
-Weapon Skill
With that idea tossed down, we can then reclac how clobber works..
Level1 Clobber T1: DPS + STR + Weapon Skill = Clobber Damage
Level 11Clobber T2: +3% Dam(Clobber T2 Enhancement) + DPS + STR + Weapon Skill = Clobber Damage.
Level 21 Clobber T3: +6% Dam + STR + Weapon Skill = Clobber Damage
Level 31 Clobber T4: +9% Dam + STR + Weapon Skill = Clobber Damage
With this type of unscaling set up, players will strongly rely on weapons as they level, Right now, weapons don’t feel as they matter much. The basic Chart Below would also tack on whatever Tactics you have active and upgraded on your character.
Tier 1(1—11) Tier 2(12-21) Tier 3(22-31) Tier 4(32-40)
Clobber L1: DPS+STR+WS L12:3%+DPS+STR+WS L22:6%+DPS+STR+WS L32:9%+DPS+STR+WS
Lob Choppa L2: 20% snare/rear * * L32: 40%snare/rear
Trip em Up L3: DPS+STR+WS = DOT+35% snare L14: DPS+STR+WS = DOT+45%snare+5secs L24: DPS+STR+WS = DOT+55%snare+10secs L34: DPS+STR+WS = DOT+65%snare+15secs
Right in the Jib L5:ARM+STR+intrupt L16: ARM+STR+1s Stun L26: ARM+STR+2s Stun L36: ARM+STR+3s Stun
Da Challenge L6: Taunt 30Sec * L27: Tuant 60sec + -10%dam *
Friggin Roar(nostack) L3: 10Secs 10% debuf L14: 15sec 20%debuf L24: 20sec 30%debuf L34: 25sec 40%debuf
Save Runts L7: L18: L28: L38:
Shut yer Face L8: L19: L29: L39:
Toughen up L4: L15: L25: L35:
Savin hide L9: L20: L30: L39:
Can’t Stop Waa L10: * * L32:
Git off L6: L17: L27: L37:
Down ya go L11: L20: L30: L40:
Rock Ard L5: L16: L26: L36:
Where you goin * * L29: L38:
Arm Breaka * L20: L30: L39:
Outta My Way * L13: L23: L33:
Da Big Un L11: L21: L31: L40:
Engage* L9:
I’ll fill in the rest later. But one should get the basic idea as to how a skill can improve per tier. Giving the player a Sence of real growth and gain throughout the characters progression. Some players might even not buy some skills that they simply do not use. Some might buy every possible skill Just incase. But with that type of set up, we at least FEEL our ability improve. Via longer durations, more damage, better crit rates etc etc etc.
That Should solve the issue with character progression. Now lets dive into a simple way to fix the Tactic System.
This can’t be any easier. First and foremost, Make all tactics at their core, useful, and with the means of growing.
Each Tactic will have 4 levels. The first level of the tactic is already unlocked when you purchase the tactic.
For this example.. we will use a Shield Tactic.
L1: +5% blocking
L2: +5% blocking(10% in total)
L3: +5% blocking(15% in total)
L4: +5% blocking(20% in total)
A player from level 5-40 has access to select up to 18 tactics out of a list of 30, every level(after level 5 and up) a player will gain 1 Tactic Development Point. Which can be used to increase the level of a tactic. Be it a shield tactic, a HoT tactic, or a Great weapon Tactic.. whatever the tactic is.. it will increase %5 for each point used on it. A player should be able to max out about 9 Tactics out of the 18 he selects from with this method. Which in turn should give a pretty good variation on Spec from one black or to another black orc.
Now Finally the last piece of the puzzle, the last adjustment that would make everything just fall into place. And that’s Getting the spec out of the weapons the player is using. Yes, in theory it seems a lil weird, how is someone supposed to define their spec by the weapon they choose to use? Well on top of the tactics you already have chosen prior, and your playstyle, you will have weapons that each provide a set way of attacks/use/damage/enhancements. So let us now introduce WEAPONS SPECS!
Lets think about our weapon types.. We have Great Weapons(2handers), normal weapons (1handers that work with shields), projectile weapons (guns and bows), wands, staffs, and shields.
First, Each melee weapon type (hammer/axe/sword) Needs to have it’s own set characteristic. They need more depth then just the graphical different and racial restrictions they currently have.
These are Baseline core characteristics all weapons of a set type would have across the board. No matter what level the weapon is.. at it’s core.. these are the enhancements each weapon should get(depending on type).
SWORDS: Bleed Proc (3% 1hander, 9% great weap)
HAMMER: Knockdown(3%1hander, 9%great weap)
AXE: Crit ( 3% 1hander, 9%great weap)
SPEAR: Knockback(3%1hander, 9% great weap)
That is the core, the basics of each weapon, small enhancements each weapon will provide on top of which ever tactic is being used, as well as which ability is being used along side the weapon.
GREATWEAPONS, (2handed weapons)
Great Weapons offer an increased range over the normal 1handed weapon/shield. A player gives us his ability to defend in order to take up an offensive means of attack. Each great weapon type would not only offer what it’s weapon class offers, but also offer a different type of range on each attack, and radius of each attack (be it a finisher or a builder, each can be defined based on the weapon being used).
In the Graph above you see how using a different weapon type can offer a differt type of attack damage being dealt to you surroundings with a great weapon. PBAE, COE, TAOE, and FCOE..
G.Ham: PBAE(point blank Area Efftect)(swinging the massive hammer around overhead) Damage being greater from the center point out. Adding a 9% chance of knockdown.
G.Sword: COE(Cone of Effect)(taking a swing with the great sword) Damage being greater from the center point out. Adding a 9% chance of bleed.
G.Axe: TAOE(Target Area of Effect), having each add around the center target take the full damage as the center target, as well as an increase chance to crit.
G.Spear: FCOE(focus Cone of Effect) a much longer ranged weapon, which has a 9% chance to knock a target back to 12feet(max spear range) keeping the target at bay using the spears range as an advantage point.
How and when are these weapons used with such powerful addons? You need to take into consideration what a user is giving up when using a great weapon. Defense is gone(I’ll get to shields later within the post).
Lets create a lil example of when the great weapons will fire it’s huge AOE/COE addons.
Black orc is using a Great Sword(CoE 6ft), and he attacks with his clobber style. The attack will be COE.. but the only target taking any REAL damage would be whoever he has targeted directly. Everyone else within the 6th feet will just take slight splash damage.
However, if the black orc uses a Finsisher like Trip them up, it would have the full effect of Trip them up, in terms of damage and duration to all that are within the CoE(fall off damage for those hat are further from the center point of course).
These Great Weapons will also tack on delays in reuse timers for abilities.
NORMAL WEAPONS(1 handers with shields)
The core of these weapons will still have what the baseroot skill of the weapons are. (knockdowns/knockbacks/bleeds/crits) The shields will offer better defense of self and teammates/a balance of both/weapon haste.. all depending on the size of the shield.
A Small shield would increase the haste rating of the 1handed weapon but give you less defense vrs Projectile missiles(arrows and bullets).
The Medium Shield would offer a solid balance between weapon speed, and defense(sort of like what we have now, being able to protect yourself + 1 target) And giving you solid defense vs. projectile missiles.
The tower shield would offer amazing protection, but at a major cost.. Your haste rating will be greatly reduced, but in turn, you can block almost all projectile missiles (arrows and bullets) and even reduce magic damage by 50%! as well as protect more then 1 ally at a time.(max 3).
………….
I’ll add the rest later on guns/bows and reuse timer adjustments. I need sleep right now.
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