Skill Customization

[Shurrikhan]

The problem is that the customization choices in specializations will only go so far as the customization in battle choices. If fights are all essentially endgame raid models, there will only be one best choice set (whatever best matches the sidestep-nuke-repeat, etc. patterns of 'raiding'). Even if there were more variation in endgame styles, etc, you'd still be pigeon-holing yourself into a certain type thereof. I'd rather just see more tools in general (more than can be used within any singular pure-dps or pure-tanking, etc. style/rotation), and each ability having more interesting effects, based on underlying mechanics. I can't promise that this would move us further from 'ideal compositions' and the like, but it would at least help us feel like a more integral part of the fights, rather than each dps feeling like they're just doing their own thing. Free-cannoning should still be something 'worth' doing, but it should be a choice, not a standard for lack of anything else to do.

I'd rather have these bonus from armor sets rather than the skill itself, that way there wouldn't be a linear optimization towards the character.

Even just some simple, quick-fix sort of changes would make gearing for physical classes more interesting. A single TP-recovery combo (not going to happen) or (my preference) having Invigorate be affected by Skill Speed would allow dps to use new rotations without sacrificing long-term dps. (Or just give Straight Shot a more aggregating critical strike chance/rating gain, instead of a flat duration buff, or slightly alter Heavy Shot's SS crit proc mechanics, so that Skill Speed can actually keep up with critical strike rating in terms of extra (effect) on attacks.) Though at the same time that would mean that there are fewer truly inferior stats, and BiS would be a smaller difference, and gearing even more linear... even if less uneven across classes. Hmm...