Thread: How would they fix PLD 4.0?

I prefer the idea of shield swipe being an oGCD that uses mp and is on a 15-25 second recast rather tham a spammable GCD that would use Tp like a warrior.
Instead, i like the idea mentioned of an effect somewhere in circle of scorn that spreads goring blades DoT to all enemies it hits.
You would use flash to round them up shield swipe for a nice aoe with damage and emity, fast blade, riot blade (add more mp regen since we will be using more), FoF, GB, CoS. The ideaidea being we no longer need to spam flash or rotate RoH combo to hold good aoe emnity.

Originally Posted by Truck

I prefer the idea of shield swipe being an [AoE] oGCD that uses mp and is on a 15-25 second recast rather tham a spammable GCD that would use Tp like a warrior.
Instead, i like the idea mentioned of an effect somewhere in circle of scorn that spreads goring blades DoT to all enemies it hits.
You would use flash to round them up shield swipe for a nice aoe with damage and emity, fast blade, riot blade (add more mp regen since we will be using more), FoF, GB, CoS. The idea being we no longer need to spam flash or rotate RoH combo to hold good aoe emnity.

You realize that CoS would then be a 550n-potency ability, right? With just 3 GCDs setup, it'd be almost 40% stronger than Deathflare (almost 50% if you compare FoF vs. RS), or almost roughly twice the damage of Warrior's Decimate.
This also wouldn't reduce Flash or RoH usage (except by allowing for a higher portion of RA given the massive GB-CoS enmity spike). It would only prevent GB rotation, using it instead only every 3 to 4 combos (to ensure the full duration is ready for CoS spread, if high skill speeds would otherwise waste 3-5 seconds' duration).

Originally Posted by Claire_Pendragon

While Im not currently looking at all the comparable numbers like CD timers, you'd lose 15% dmg from tank stance in larger pulls, and stopping to flash between would effect your over all dmg done.

I honestly dont think it's as broken as you make it out to sound. (But its a good reference to compare it to them)
Another possibility, is just lowering the potency of the GB DoT when spread by CoS. (Though I'd not really like this option too much, due to the fact most mobs should be near dead by the time u even land this attack.)

Just another idea to toss out then:

In place of Provoke, now a role-skill, add Brandish, a physical AoE, with some things that differentiate it from, say, Overpower or Unleash. Add the Gladiator trait, Into the Fray, which generates mana an a tiny portion of TP with chance mitigation dealt. Riot Blade in turn now inflicts a 12-second extendable bleed instead of generating mana. (Later applications extend, rather than replace, the DoT.) Goring Blade duplicates the bleed, increasing its duration on the main target by up to 24 seconds, and splitting the remainder to inflict or extend the DoT across all nearby enemies.

Brandish - Weaponskill - 120 TP - Strikes once per nearby enemy across random nearby targets, inflicting 50 potency (-10 per repeated strike) and extending most debuffs by up to 3 seconds. This does not break combos. Additional Effect: Following a block, Brandish causes your next weaponskill to duplicate 50% of its effect as an AoE.

This would be about as ridiculously powerful, but it would also integrate more points of decision into gameplay, and should feel more involved overall. Try it on for size, and see if that level of setup is at all to your liking. Just some idea exploration to pin down what areas of power would or would not make enjoyable gameplay in actual practice.

If SE figures on keeping the damage-type-debuff dynamic, they could get really spicy and make PLD apply - and deal - all three. Spirits, Riot do piercing, shield stuff does blunt, most stuff does slashing. Would add:

- (Riot Blade gains piercing debuff instead of MP restore)

- (Royal Authority applies slashing debuff)

- Shield Spin: oGCD on a 60s cooldown, deals blunt damage, applies 30s blunt debuff and gives a Shelltron-like effect for magic

- Lunge: oGCD dashing stab into enemy from range. Deals piercing damage.

- (Circle Slash): Requisite AoE damage button, but combos off of Riot Blade and restores MP.

- (name): Big flashy oGCD attack, three hits a la Dream Within Dream, but one of each damage type. Each hit deals additional damage if enemy has lowered resistance of that type.

Obviously not actually happening, but this is half for fun anyway. First two new skills are maybe a little too DRK-homogenizey, but just brainstorming etc.

Just improve Flash visually so it doesn't look like shit (hell make it look like Griffin's flash or something) and actually does damage. Make it a trait or something so you don't need to waste another ability slot on it. Maybe add another trait to further improve Circle of Scorn, as well.

May or may not be a popular idea, but for me I would love to see some more utility in the form of Debuff effects coming from the PLD, revenge style debuffs. The vareious GCDs having added effects based on the stance they are in.

Example:

Rampart - Reduces Damage by 10% for 20 seconds
*Under Shield Oath - Inflicts "SLOW" on attacking enemies for 10 sec, debuff can trigger on the same target every 30 sec*

Fight or Flight - Increases physical damage dealt by 30% for 30s.
*Under Sword Oath - Converts 25% of physical damage dealt into TP for 15 seconds*

I see Shield Oath turning several skills into useful utility without losing their current use. I mean we all love Eye for an Eye, having the PLD as sort of a trap tank, that is attacking him/her weakens the enemy constantly would do nothing but raise the party's overall effectiveness without ever messing to much with it. While adding effects that benefit the PLD in both dps and OT usefulness can only help as well.

Those are just examples, it would not be a dichotomy that is to say each skill would not have an different effect with both stances. Some would have an effect with one, some the other, and some no effects at all. But I feel giving some enemy debuffs in a defensive stance, while boosting personal buffs in offence would allow the PLD to be both useful and seriously more interesting to play.