Dark Knight Megathread

[Bhearil]

Honestly was surprised that Salted Earth wasnt pruned considering how crappy of a skill became on Shadowbringers

[Shurrikhan]

Honestly was surprised that Salted Earth wasnt pruned considering how crappy of a skill became on Shadowbringers

About how I figure that meeting went:

Dev 1: So, we're getting rid of Salted Earth, right?
Dev 2: I suppose so? It's iconic, but it's too much effort to develop snap-placement for it, let alone alone for terrain selection to be queued or done mid-animation.
Intern: Sir, if I may? We only just figured out how to detonate ground effects for an additional effect to units in its area. Should we use that only for Doton?
Dev 2: No, no, I forgot about that. I suppose we might as well use that for Salted Earth, too. It might even make it worth placing?
Dev 1: I don't think we ought to be dealing with an annoyance that exists only through technical issues only by siphoning more and more of a job's power into it. While the skill itself would be more satisfying, the job's throughput would end up increasingly centered upon that annoyance...
Dev 2: We... could just place it below the player. Then it could be queued and wouldn't require the extra click, let alone chance the selector scampering off for console players.
Dev 1: Wouldn't they then just, perhaps deservedly, complain about our solving technical issues only by removing unique freedoms. I know we're not likely to develop any fights where a ticking ground effect would be useful for add-grabs or the like, but the more we simplify things that seem useful for this or that, the more we make it clear that we don't plan to build around any such opportunities for ingenuity. Even if we've made they clear enough already, there are some who hold onto some last bits of hope, and removing those vestiges might really hurt how we're perception...
Dev 2: That's a fair point, but leaving vestigial elements in hope the other teams finally apply them isn't exactly good policy... And honestly, wouldn't players quickly find a way to optimize beyond wasting damage ticks for add-grabs, anyways? Unless the mobs fixate on first threat, preventing healing during that period, it seems unlikely to be an issue. Anything that could make significant use of that utility would then oblige it.
Intern: It... would manually explode now, too. That's good, right?
Dev 2: And that explosion would be wherever it was placed, not where the DRK is presently standing, I assume?
Intern: Umm... Yes? Yes.
Dev 2: Then, we'd still have some way to pull off a niche add-grab, for now, while simplifying its casting.
Dev 1: Let's not call that simplification a unique merit to this plan, please... We both know we should have allowed for specified targeting for ground effects, without needing a macro and its loss of queuing, long before we ever removed Flaming Arrow or Shadowflare.
Dev 2: They're gone and I don't think your one-man campaign is going to bring them back.
Dev 1: You say that like I'm not a fourth of the team...
Dev 2: ...So, placed-at-caster for simplicity and a further manual element unlocked thereafter?
Dev 1: I guess so. Can we at least make sure the manual element doesn't require another button? Could we tie it to the same key, maybe giving it a very brief protection from being accidentally double-tapped?
Intern: Yes? Yes. I think so.
Dev 1: Exploding Earth it is, then.
Intern: The Summoner ability?
Dev 1: ...
Dev 2: Don't confuse him. The turnover's high enough as is.