We can almost all agree that there's no real synergy in the kit, however...
1) The issue isn't button bloat, it's an oGCD bloat during our big bursts..all the while there is zero interaction within the kit outside of DA granting a free flood/edge. However, if they do absolutely nothing there WILL be button bloat come next expansion.
I do believe there could be actions combined and given a new animation for said ability, though.
merging Edge/Flood gives us even less abilities that use mana and still doesn't solve the issue of oGCD bloat into one single window. I'd like to keep a single-target and aoe variant, but if they combine them...a conal aoe, please.
2a) I don't believe your Blood Weapon suggestion would actually work well in practice, but I can see what you're going for.
As for Abyssal Drain granting mp, unless it gives us 1.5k per charge (or they massively buff our mp generation), it will NOT be more useful than just having Blood Weapon give us both mp and blood gauge. Furthermore, they would have to skyrocket our blood gauge generation to make up for it. I would rather Blood Weapon just gives the haste it gave when using it before 5.0.
It would be cool to see them merge Carve and Spit and Abyssal Drain into something we use every 60s though. Some heavy-hitting ability with a 3000mp cost.
MP expenditure could be thus:
- Shadowbringer on a one-charge system
- Carve and Spit/Abyssal Drain merge suggestion as stated above
- Edge/Flood
- The Blackest Night
2b) Bloodspiller and Quietus are only uninteresting because we spam it so much.
You mention Salted Earth being a root cause of causing an overweaving issue along with Salt and Darkness feeling like it's meant to be a finisher, but falling flat because of potency, which is not the case.
- Your idea for Salted Earth doesn't change anything because it doesn't solve the issue of the boss moving outside of the puddle. Salted Earth should have some other interaction and stay. That, or just bring Scourge back as a GCD, replacing Salted Earth and Salt and Darkness and make it an aoe DoT we use every 30s that costs 20 Blood gauge. It would kill not two, not three, but FOUR birds in one stone.
- oGCD bloat reduction
- Blood Gauge having more meaningful usage since we would need to ensure we have 20 gauge for an important ability
- Adds a GCD for a much needed change of pace
- even if slight, more interesting downtime
- Salt and Darkness is a mediocre ability with a mediocre animation that only serves as yet another oGCD that feels slapped on to DRK's kit, which DOES cause an over-weaving issue. Nothing about it feels like a finisher.
- Bloodspiller feels much more like it should be a finisher given it's animation, we just got bored of it because of how often we use it. If they're gonna give us any aoe finisher combo, make something of Bloodspiller and either remove Quietus or use it in some form during the combo.
- I criticize Living Shadow a lot now for reasons beaten to death, but to safe..It is just a press and forget overglorified DoT, and I still hold that opinion. However...between LS and S&D, Living Shadow at least holds some identity lorewise.
3) DRK is fantastic defensively, it doesn't need another physical damage mit because of TBN.
- I get why people are suggesting Oblation merging with Dark Mind, it's to reduce button bloat, but it makes far more sense to merge it as an evolution for TBN, as I've stated numerous times. Oblation already feels like it's meant to weaved with TBN. The HP gains we get from power creep has far more to do with TBN not popping than a mere 10% mit does. You even suggested to give TBN more mitigation later on. Dark Mind is incredibly powerful where applicable, and DRK has been known for being the most magic defensive tank, and that's some semblance of whatever identity is left I'd like to keep.
- Bringing Shadowskin back as a low level TBN IS, however, a good change I've suggested as well. The upgrade path should be Shadowskin->The Blackest Night->Oblation.
- It doesn't make sense to make oblation a 1,200 potency heal, the animation itself implies it's a dark barrier protecting you. Moving the mp to that isn't something they would do either, because it would be 3k that could've been used on edge/flood.
- To give DRK some sustain to help it where needed, again, just revamp Blood Price into something that pools damage taken up to a certain heal potency and when it reaches that potency, it heals you for that amount. It would also heal you for whatever WAS pooled at the end of the duration if that condition was not met.
edit: After re-reading a few times, I thought of an issue some people may find with a suggestion i listed above, particularly Scourge returning as a 30s Dot costing 20 gauge. Which may bring up the question of "But we need 50 gauge for Living Shadow in our opener"
Some solutions would be:
- Make it free to use (the least interesting, but simple, option)
- Make Blood Weapon immediately grant 50 blood gauge on top of it already generating gauge
- Make Delirium immediately give 50 Blood Gauge on top of granting the hypothetical Bloodspiller combo for free