Issues with MCH since Stormblood Rework & Ideas on how to fix them

[Grimoire-M]

I'd suggest reducing Rapidfire's GCD reduction to 2 seconds instead of 1.5 and double the number of weaponskills it affects. That would help with the ping/weaving issue while retaining the effect it has.

I'd also suggest leaving Barrel Stabilizer in and adding a mechanic to Overheat to reset heat to 50 instead of dropping Gauss Barrel when done correctly instead of the penalty. One idea I had is simply to make the goal to reduce your heat below 50 before your wildfire finishes. Allow Hot/Clean/Split/Slug Shot to generate 10 heat at all times, then make Cooldown reduce it by 10 outside of Overheat and 30 during it. Ammo would still reduce heat generation too. Finally, allow heat to go above 100 during Overheat, then after overheating, add a debuff to discourage overheating again too quickly, similar to the Turret debuff from Overdrive.

By doing all of that, you then create a situation where Barrel Stabilizer is used to correct mistakes or deaths without majorly impacting the rotation, and a reward for correct heat management that's rather easy to do (3 Cooldowns or 2 and proper ammo usage)

I agree with what you wrote otherwise.

[Eir_Z]

I really like the idea of Barrel Stabilizer ending an overheat without “losing a barrel” so to speak. However, this is a fairly significant dps buff, so either the Wildfire or Hot Shot buff would have to be reduced.

But, to make the job less ping dependent, Wildfire and Overheat need to change. WF would make sense to be a weaponskill/GCD counter. Pack all your oGCDs in and the final weaponskill or GCD also acts as a trigger for the explosion. Overheat is trickier... maybe just extend it to 12s? Just long enough to allow higher pings and skill stuttering, but not long enough to guarantee a 6th GCD. While we’re on it, someone mentioned slowing down Rapid Fire. That would also probably help out higher pings and general feel of the skill. Not necessarily 2s, but somewhere between 1.5 and 2.

I’m all for increasing heat generation of shots back to 10, though I’d like to take a queue from PVP and up Hot Shot to 25.

[SlayerOmega]

I don't think SE has any intent of doing anything major for class balancing at this point.

Only thing we can do is wait and hope that they get the BRD treatment come next expansion. Especially if they don't add a new ranged next expansion.

[Grimoire-M]

I’m all for increasing heat generation of shots back to 10, though I’d like to take a queue from PVP and up Hot Shot to 25.

That would help out a ton as is to be honest. I can see Hot Shot being used purely as a heat generation skill just to deal with skill speed issue MCH has if it did that instead of the potency buff.

Really though either removing Overheat or Wildfire altogether would probably be the better option long term. As much as I like Wildfire, I can see how removing it and focusing on Overheat would also help out MCH.

[Matthew_Fox]

If you remove Wildfire you basically remove the identity of Machinst. I don't think it it's a good idea.

[SlayerOmega]

Just add 1 or 2 sec to Overheat state and remove that much from the lockout.
This way you don't get screwed due to ping and you won't have to change the 4 GCDs after WF before you re-apply Gauss Barrel.

It's not the change that I'd want. But I think it is reasonable and would go a long ways to reducing how ping reliant the class is atm.

[Zsolen]

If you remove Wildfire you basically remove the identity of Machinst. I don't think it it's a good idea.

I like wildfire, but maybe we need a new identity then. Wildfire made a lot more sense, during Heavensward.

[Velhart]

I think Wildfire itself is fine. I agree if we had just 1-2 more seconds on WF, it would at least address the ping issue and something the developers could tweak. I think what a lot ask for in terms of ability shifting won't be a thing till at least 5.0, but something like a WF adjustment would work wonders for now.

[Zsolen]

I think Wildfire itself is fine. I agree if we had just 1-2 more seconds on WF, it would at least address the ping issue and something the developers could tweak. I think what a lot ask for in terms of ability shifting won't be a thing till at least 5.0, but something like a WF adjustment would work wonders for now.

You can give wildifre as many as 3 conditions (that I can think of) for ending and the end result could be a combo of them: Timer, Number of GCD skills used, and hitting wildfire again for early boom.

[Grimoire-M]

It's more about the fact that MCH relies on lining up Wildfire AND Overheat but doesn't have a good way to deal with failing to line both of those up, especially when skill speed completely breaks the flow of the class at the moment (something I'm encountering because I play BRD and SE loves Crit/SkS gear). Flamethrower's there but it interrupts your GCD to do it for more than a tick.

A quick patch for this expansion would be to reduce Cooldown's heat reduction to 5 or 10 and/or make Hotshot add 25 heat, likely the former.

Long term it one of them needs to go, and I'm leaning towards keeping Wildfire in a reworked form. Or integrating them both together into one effect.