Grit/Blood Weapon Shenanigans

[Giantbane]

It was a conscious decision in the same vein that Shield Oath's functionality is a conscious decision.
I highly doubt it would have been so difficult for them to remove the stance from the GCD that they had to scrap the idea due to time constraints.

It probably went something like "we want grit to be like shield oath, on the GCD, costs mana" and then just made it work like shield oath. I very seriously doubt they put a whole lot of thought (if any) into the removal being on/off the GCD because it wasn't a major issue when they had so much other work to do.

[Ladon]

It probably went something like "we want grit to be like shield oath, on the GCD, costs mana" and then just made it work like shield oath. I very seriously doubt they put a whole lot of thought (if any) into the removal being on/off the GCD because it wasn't a major issue when they had so much other work to do.

Sounds like half of the Dark Knight class really. It just was not thought out well and really needed some actual play testing and revisioning rounds before it was released. There are way too much awkwardness with the class where it seems like they had one direction with the job originally and then changed gears and never actually finished it.

Also you can't tell me that Grit wasn't going to have a spike shield effect associated with it with it's animation effects. It actually blows my mind that damn tank based Dark Knight doesn't have a single spike shield in its arsenal.

[Dotsusama]

Yes, please!

Also, I would like healing to auto-cancel Cleric Stance while I'm at it.

I cannot count the number of times a tank died because I mashed the button to turn off CS, it didn't register, and all of a sudden I'm wondering why I can't outheal the damage the tank was taking.

[Airswimmer]

Yes, please!

Also, I would like healing to auto-cancel Cleric Stance while I'm at it.

I cannot count the number of times a tank died because I mashed the button to turn off CS, it didn't register, and all of a sudden I'm wondering why I can't outheal the damage the tank was taking.

Is this post sarcastic?

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

The skill, Grit, is designed and balanced based on the idea that it's tied to your GCD. Having Blood Weapon, an oGCD skill, deactivate it would change that design decision.

Incoming TLDR posts! You have been warned!!! (Will mostly be in response to Airswimmer)

Whoa, someone actually brought this up lol. I didn't want to bring up GCD's because I wanted to keep the post simple, but now that you brought it up, it can't be shoved under the carpet hahaha!

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

After using a GCD ability (for example Hard Slash), a DRK would have to wait 2.5 seconds before disabling Grit. After disabling Grit, the DRK can immediately follow up by enabling Blood Weapon then using the second GCD attack in the combo (Spinning Slash/Syphon Strike). Ideally, the DRK would have been able to follow up with his second GCD attack (Spinning Slash/Syphon Strike) 2.5 seconds after using Hard Slash. However, since the act of enabling Blood Weapon takes some time, it's only possible to follow up with the second GCD attack (Spinning Slash/Syphon Strike) say, 2.6 seconds after Hard Slash (a 0.1 second "stutter," which is how I'll refer to this delay from now on).

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

Now, say we allow Blood Weapon (an oGCD skill) to deactivate Grit. After using Hard Slash, the 2.5 second GCD starts counting down and Blood Weapon can be activated immediately rather than waiting for the GCD to finish counting down the 2.5 seconds. In contrast to the above paragraph, this DRK can now activate the second GCD skill (Spinning Slash/Syphon Strike) as soon as the GCD expires. That is, Spinning Slash/Syphon Strike can now be activated 2.5 seconds (rather than 2.6 seconds) after Hard Slash. Not only does the DRK have to A) press just one button in order to switch stances, but now he B) doesn't have to worry about that 0.1 second loss in DPS and C) the stance dance is that much smoother. No need for that 0.1 second stutter.

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

I've also thought about the design choices around Grit/Blood Weapon and the GCD. As it currently stands, a 2.5 second buffer is placed between the activation of a GCD skill and the deactivation of Grit. That is, After using Hard Slash, 2.5 seconds must elapse before Grit can be deactivated and Blood Weapon can be activated. That 2.5 seconds may be an important design choice; it effectively makes it so that the DRK has to wait 2.5 seconds (2.6, based on my first paragraph) before beginning to regenerate mana with Blood Weapon.

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

So my suggestion is this: (Note I make a distinction between "GCD skill and GCD ability")

A) Allow Blood Weapon (an oGCD skill) to deactivate Grit. The actual 15-second Blood Weapon buff does not activate until the next GCD skill. Consider this: DRK is tanking in Grit stance. Uses hard slash. Uses Blood Weapon during the 2.5 second GCD. Once the 2.5 second GCD has elapsed, he can use Syphon Strike or Spinning Slash. Only then will the buff activate.

OR B) Allow Blood Weapon to deactivate Grit. However, Blood Weapon is now a GCD ability. That is, it can only be used 2.5 seconds after a GCD skill but it won't trigger the GCD when used. Once it is used, it will go on cooldown for 40 seconds. In this option, the animation of Blood Weapon must be changed so as to not interfere with a GCD skill (Ex: the sword flashes red and becomes spiky or something [lol?]) This is so that Blood Weapon can be activated at the same time as a GCD skill.

[DestroyerOfLargePlanets]

In both options, the 2.5 second wait is preserved. ie: After using Hard Slash while in Grit, the earliest point at which the DRK can begin regenerating MP with Blood Weapon is 2.5 seconds after using Hard Slash. Thus, the 2.5 second wait time is preserved. Moreover, the stance dance in both options remains smooth. Only one key needs to be pressed in order to switch to Blood Weapon. I prefer option A) better because in that option, there is no need to change the animation and also no need to activate Blood Weapon and a GCD skill at the same time. In option B), you'd have to activate Blood Weapon and a GCD skill at the same time in order to be efficient.

What do you guys think of these suggestions? Again, sorry about the shittons of posts -- this is my 9th post on a forum so I have no clue how forum etiquette works lol.