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Project Coordination

Dsawemd

Legacy Supporter 8
Joined
Jun 16, 2011
I have difficulty deciphering the Balance Team's decisions as to when a class will be looked at. :confused:

This is a thread for us to delegate tasks for the balance team in written record. Who wants to do what, do we even need to do that, when are we going to get on to test for which project, what is the overall direction pvp is heading?

I have some projects to suggest:
If you would like to work on one with me, you can ask me anytime in game, I should be available. If you disagree that a Project(Spec) needs examination/alteration, respond here! If you have one of your own to suggest, suggest it here! Once we decide that a project is underway, we can move the discussion to the individual specialization thread as needed.

Cleric - I need help on suggestions for this one, my only idea is to remove Cleric's helm entirely for a more unique armor spec, while balancing other armor pieces to lower mitigation moderately but not overly much, while maintaining the important Cleric Iron Chestplate of lore. Why Cleric always seems like easy-mode for competitive mastered healer spec pvp: It is the only healer that can mitigate damage like a tanky melee spec. We need to reconcile the healing and damage output with the damage mitigation. Cleric can heal using similar skills and has heal output similar to other healer specs, yet it can take much more damage while doing so. I do not want to see this class lose it's competitiveness, what we can do is realize that Strong Mitigation, Strong Heals, and Low Damage is a powerful combination, and react accordingly.

Samurai - Impermanence, Windwalk, Bladegrasp, Heavy DoTs, Decent Health Pool/Armor Mitigation, Good Melee damage. If I had to pick the aspect that didn't seem to fit the class it would be Impermanence. I think this class is strong, and could see Samurai with a much weaker escape/dispel slows mechanic than Imperm still remain strong. Thoughts?

Necromancer - Needs to have a single skill that requires aiming. Without having to pause and take a single aimed "skill shot", their long range DoTs allow them to kite almost continuously. I want opinions/spec direction comments on giving them a single aim-able shot, and which skill we would change to make Necro aim.

Bloodmage - EDIT: see BM thread for discussion.
They do not often use Transfuse, which is one of the final skills to tie their well-thought out mechanics (in no order: BloodBond, DoTs, Health-as-reagent, limited heals in and out of combat, Transfuse) together. To increase use of Transfuse and to increase skill required to use a main mechanic (BloodBond) effectively, consider increasing Bloodbond's mana tick, as BMs currently have it up nearly all the time.

Ranger - Ice is too strong, and thus too important to rotation since other skills are relatively weak compared to having a toggle-able, near complete lockdown.

Dragoon - Very good at entering/escaping combat, less great at being a competitive warrior spec in terms of offensive output. If we are embracing their dominance of mobility over their damage, then I think they should have more incentives and chances to use Impale/Spear than current implementation. I suggest lowering the cost of Impale and Spear by 1-2 stamina (0.5-1 bar) each, coupled with a slightly lower cooldown for Spear (8 secs instead of 10) and slightly lowered damage for both. I cannot comprehend what math is done to determine how much damage would be lost to make up for the increase in Dragoon's single target "crowd" control potential; the suggestion to embrace offensive mobility over damage throughput would require extensive testing.

Ninja - Commonly seen issue is a %chance mechanic such as Blackjack should not be as game-changing as current implementation (it procs, ninja wins, it doesn't proc, they have a much harder time). We need to either change the way blackjack is used, or lower the proc's importance to a Ninja's rotation.
 

c12095

Holy Shit!
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
As far as assignments go, we have only ever recieved one "official" assignment from Alator when the Balance team was created. After that I pretty much allowed a free flow of testing. Anyone can test any class they feel, they just need to let me know so I can give them the levels on the test server so they can do so.

Honestly, most of the work on the server is done by myself, I usually do most of the testing for any reports done which is why I think you may be feeling confused on how we should be opperating. Get anyone on the team to help you with these projects, if they deny without a good reason, then let me know and I will remove them. I am already getting a list of my own of players to be removed from this team.

One thing that you must remember, we are only here for suggestions, everything must be cleared by Kainzo. Most of your points here have been brought up at one point or another, and either call for a new skill, or moving the class in a direction Kainzo does not want it to go. We have a very limited amount of room we can really play with these classes and I believe this is the reason the team is in the state it is.
 

Kainzo

The Disposable Hero
Staff member
Founder
Adventure Team
Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Location
The 7th Circle of Heaven
The balance team is not created to create new classes / skills - its purpose is to balance the ones currently in the game, in their current state. Ultimately, if new skills / abilities are brought out, I'd hope the balance team would be able to give good insight on the stats of said skill.

Use the suggestion forums if you think a skill needs to be drastically redone or a new one created. (or even a new topic in this area)

Also to note: if the job is being done correctly, there won't be drastic waves of changes. Balance is constant not a roller coaster ride.
 

macura

Diamond
Joined
May 2, 2012
The balance team is not created to create new classes / skills - its purpose is to balance the ones currently in the game, in their current state. Ultimately, if new skills / abilities are brought out, I'd hope the balance team would be able to give good insight on the stats of said skill.

Use the suggestion forums if you think a skill needs to be drastically redone or a new one created. (or even a new topic in this area)

Also to note: if the job is being done correctly, there won't be drastic waves of changes. Balance is constant not a roller coaster ride.
Does the balance team deal with diablo drops (if they come in) and enchantments?
 

macura

Diamond
Joined
May 2, 2012
I think we'll need some more eyes on that for certain
One thing that i really like about diablo drops and why i think that they have great potential is that it would allow melee classes that don't use sword to obtain pvp enchantments on their weapons.
 

Dsawemd

Legacy Supporter 8
Joined
Jun 16, 2011
This thread is my first real attempt to jump into this job, and I will still be looking for reactions to understand your current popular opinion about specs. I must have been tired as I didn't mean to suggest any new skills. I certainly did not mean for a high percentage of these class projects to end in change.

2 questions. One, if I wanted to test pvp with a new skill's cd or resource cost, how can I? I assume we deliberate on Balance forums until we reach a passable starting point and then Kainzo alters it on test?
Two, for a clarifying example: Is suggesting something like altering Blackjack's %chance to a different mechanic something for Balance or Suggestions?
 

c12095

Holy Shit!
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
This thread is my first real attempt to jump into this job, and I will still be looking for reactions to understand your current popular opinion about specs. I must have been tired as I didn't mean to suggest any new skills. I certainly did not mean for a high percentage of these class projects to end in change.

2 questions. One, if I wanted to test pvp with a new skill's cd or resource cost, how can I? I assume we deliberate on Balance forums until we reach a passable starting point and then Kainzo alters it on test?
Two, for a clarifying example: Is suggesting something like altering Blackjack's %chance to a different mechanic something for Balance or Suggestions?

Alator told us if we needed to adjust anything for testing to let him know. I think Kainzo considers that a new skill, I tried suggested it in the past.
 
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