DRK QOL changes for 5.4

[Lyth]

I don't think that proposing levelling changes is particularly beneficial mid-expansion. They generally make the most sense in the start of a new expansion: a time when most players are actively levelling, when actions have been both added and removed and when the progression of the job itself changes.

I think it's sensible to standardise Abyssal Drain and Salted Earth such that they provide more consistent effects for both single target and AoE. I think the solution is to increase the single target effect and have diminishing returns with more mobs. SE struggles to balance these types of abilities for some reason, and I'm worried about seeing them just go the Blood Price route with them.

The biggest change that needs to happen is related to Living Dead. The action description and tooltips need to be re-written/re-localised so that they actually match up with how the ability functions. There needs to be a UI element/gauge which shows the amount of healing required to cleanse the effect that is intuitive to newer players and their healers. The beneficial effect shouldn't be terminated early when you satisfy the healing requirements. And it's on the wrong tank. Self-healing very clearly isn't DRK's thing, and won't be unless the devs change around their existing tank identities significantly.

Those are the main points to be addressed mid-expansion cycle.

As for the next expansion, I think the bigger focus should be to build up a unique but unifying theme across DRK's actions. Expand on that 'barrier' concept, and build on the interplay between MP and blood. But that's a much more complex discussion.

[Ekimmak]

The biggest change that needs to happen is related to Living Dead. The action description and tooltips need to be re-written/re-localised so that they actually match up with how the ability functions. There needs to be a UI element/gauge which shows the amount of healing required to cleanse the effect that is intuitive to newer players and their healers. The beneficial effect shouldn't be terminated early when you satisfy the healing requirements. And it's on the wrong tank. Self-healing very clearly isn't DRK's thing, and won't be unless the devs change around their existing tank identities significantly.

The fact that the latest trial boss uses Walking Dead as a status ailment, and I see/am healers struggling with the ailment shows that this isn't a nice status. It's mildly hilarious, but in an appalling way, that they can just copy the effect onto a boss as a mechanic to work around.

I don't think that "It's not as good as Holmgang or Superbolide" is a fair comparison. It's like saying "it's not as cool as lukewarm water." I don't think WAR can really "save themselves" from a used Holmgang, as that requires you to save other cooldowns to save yourself with. I don't know how we're comparing this (is it fighting without any healer, or fighting with minimal healer input?), but when there's enough incoming damage to need Holmgang, you can't really come back from it without a healer. And Superbolide is worse, because neither Aurora nor Brutal Shell is going to save you from an autoattack the moment the cooldown wears off.

I agree entirely that Living Dead is garbage, but don't act like it's the only cooldown that puts you on death's doorstep. It's just the one that needs the most healer input to recover from.

[bundythenoob]

Jeez i've been locked out of the forums since I posted the initial ideas, despite having active membership. I'm upset at what happened earlier in the thread, but lets put that behind us, and get back to the discussion!

I don't think that proposing levelling changes is particularly beneficial mid-expansion. They generally make the most sense in the start of a new expansion: a time when most players are actively levelling, when actions have been both added and removed and when the progression of the job itself changes.

I think it's sensible to standardise Abyssal Drain and Salted Earth such that they provide more consistent effects for both single target and AoE. I think the solution is to increase the single target effect and have diminishing returns with more mobs. SE struggles to balance these types of abilities for some reason, and I'm worried about seeing them just go the Blood Price route with them.

The biggest change that needs to happen is related to Living Dead. The action description and tooltips need to be re-written/re-localised so that they actually match up with how the ability functions. There needs to be a UI element/gauge which shows the amount of healing required to cleanse the effect that is intuitive to newer players and their healers. The beneficial effect shouldn't be terminated early when you satisfy the healing requirements. And it's on the wrong tank. Self-healing very clearly isn't DRK's thing, and won't be unless the devs change around their existing tank identities significantly.

Those are the main points to be addressed mid-expansion cycle.

I highly disagree with your idea about leveling process not being beneficial mid expansion, due to the current circumstances of the game at this moment.

if you think about it, a lot of new players will be coming in the next few weeks due to Heavensward going free to play, and many of those players will be tempted to try out DRK due to the heavy marketing surrounding DRK being the Warrior of Darkness and all of that SHB hype, so ironing out the kinks in DRKs leveling kit and adding slight buffs to Salted, Abyssal, and LD would be extremely beneficial to both new players leveling the job, as well as making the experience smoother for those of us who do daily content for tomes, which is almost always synced under lv 80 anyway.

I do agree that Living Dead desperately needs a gauge to identify the healing required, but I think that sort of thing would require more resources from the devs than simply moving the levels you unlock skills at, which is why I suggested the sort of "band-aid" patch of giving LD a 30% convalescence buff for now.

Not to lessen your argument though, as LD is terribly designed and all of your points were completely valid. I just believe that the skill placement is equally as important for both new and current DRK players.