Slight Sage Changes

[Aravell]

I can think of a few different minor solutions that would make Toxikon less of a complete failure and more of an actually useful and interesting tool without making any sweeping changes to Sage, though I would like to see Sage return to the drawing board and have them actually go through with creating a healer designed for the players who want a DPS-heavy healer like it was originally pitched as.

1. Increase the potency of Toxikon II to something higher than 330 but lower than 660--let's stay 550--and give it a 15 second cooldown so you aren't just storing and dumping 3 uses every buff window. It doesn't make GCD barriers desirable, but at least now you're actually getting some amount of a refund when you do use them. Then, replace the Kardia healing from Eukrasian Dosis with a small barrier, and when that barrier breaks, you also generate 1 Addersting. You can also add the concept someone else mentioned about Pepsis popping barriers also granting you Addersting that way, and make Pepsis also effect the Eukrasian Dosis Kardia barrier. You get 1 free Addersting every 30 seconds.

2. Separate Toxikon from Toxikon II and make both OGCD actions. Both have the same potency, something lower than 330 like 220 for example. Toxikon II has a 20 second cooldown and requires Addersting, which can be gained through GCD barriers (same situation as explained above technically). Regular Toxikon on the other hand has 2 charges and a 20 second cooldown or something like that. Each use of Toxikon has a 50% chance of proccing Addersting.

Both of these require very little effort and use resources that already exist and could very easily have been done at any point during EW. Both accomplish making Sage a more offensive healer like what is apparently the goal of the job, and succeed at making Addersting an at least a mildly interesting resource.

I like the first idea, it seems fair and stopping people from dumping all of it in the burst window is a good thing. The barrier from Eukrasian Dosis would be nice, since it functions that way in PvP. It also puts the damage loss closer in line to what SCH loses for using Ruin II. As for the 2nd idea, I'd have no objection to it, reducing the potency of Toxikon would mean you only have 1100 potency across 5 GCDs minimum and 1540 across 7 GCDs at maximum to dump in burst windows assuming we still can stock 3 adderstings in this scenario, it would also have the side effect of making SGE more active, which is a welcome addition.

[AnotherPerson]

I can think of a few different minor solutions that would make Toxikon less of a complete failure and more of an actually useful and interesting tool without making any sweeping changes to Sage, though I would like to see Sage return to the drawing board and have them actually go through with creating a healer designed for the players who want a DPS-heavy healer like it was originally pitched as.

1. Increase the potency of Toxikon II to something higher than 330 but lower than 660--let's stay 550--and give it a 15 second cooldown so you aren't just storing and dumping 3 uses every buff window. It doesn't make GCD barriers desirable, but at least now you're actually getting some amount of a refund when you do use them. Then, replace the Kardia healing from Eukrasian Dosis with a small barrier, and when that barrier breaks, you also generate 1 Addersting. You can also add the concept someone else mentioned about Pepsis popping barriers also granting you Addersting that way, and make Pepsis also effect the Eukrasian Dosis Kardia barrier. You get 1 free Addersting every 30 seconds.

2. Separate Toxikon from Toxikon II and make both OGCD actions. Both have the same potency, something lower than 330 like 220 for example. Toxikon II has a 20 second cooldown and requires Addersting, which can be gained through GCD barriers (same situation as explained above technically). Regular Toxikon on the other hand has 2 charges and a 20 second cooldown or something like that. Each use of Toxikon has a 50% chance of proccing Addersting.

Both of these require very little effort and use resources that already exist and could very easily have been done at any point during EW. Both accomplish making Sage a more offensive healer like what is apparently the goal of the job, and succeed at making Addersting an at least a mildly interesting resource.

I prefer the latter. Separating Toxikon I and Toxikon II so Toxikon I is on the GCD, 2 charges, 20 second cooldown, but same potency as Dosis keeps its initial use as a weave tool. Toxikon II would be the oGCD that has a 10 second cooldown and requires addersting to activate.
I would put one more caveat to Toxikon II if this is the only addersting skill: Consumes all existing addersting charges upon execution, each charge adding an additional strike to the attack. Activates Kardion to each strike. Unaffected by damage modifiers.

The additional caveat creates a strength to saving up Toxikon II charges for a strong burst heal through Kardia based on how many charges you want to save up, and the unaffected by damage modifiers prevent any issue with only using it during a buff window. Now there's a consistent rewarding play-loop to using Kardia as a healing tool while feeling like a DPS healer without feeling the need to dump it within a burst window for optimal dps.

[TheDustyOne]

If I was to do changes to Toxikon as it is now, I'd either: make it oGCD with no change in potency, or keep it GCD and double its current potency. I'd then give it a 15-20s cooldown so as to prevent spamming it during burst windows.

Relatively simple, makes shielding more rewarding, and doesn't reward spamming heals.

[ForsakenRoe]

Problem with making Tox OGCD is that it removes SGE's mobility tool. As bad as it is having 'scuffed ruin 2', the alternative that changing it to OGCD would bring is 'no ruin 2 at all', and we'd be as immobile as AST. At least WHM can use Lilies for movement, kinda

and doubling it's potency raises the crit variance of the skill. 660 is quite a lot of potency, we can already see the swing on a Phlegma going between a regular hit of like 26k, and a Dhit Crit of like 50k or even higher

[TheDustyOne]

Fair points, although you could technically then make Eukrasia heals be the "I need to move" buttons, as clunky as that sounds, since they are instant cast.

[ty_taurus]

Problem with making Tox OGCD is that it removes SGE's mobility tool. As bad as it is having 'scuffed ruin 2', the alternative that changing it to OGCD would bring is 'no ruin 2 at all', and we'd be as immobile as AST. At least WHM can use Lilies for movement, kinda

and doubling it's potency raises the crit variance of the skill. 660 is quite a lot of potency, we can already see the swing on a Phlegma going between a regular hit of like 26k, and a Dhit Crit of like 50k or even higher

Make Dyskrasia ranged, deal 330 potency to the first target and 40% less than all remaining targets, and cost 1000 MP, but if you hit 2 or more enemies, refunds 50% of the cost. Fixed

[IceBlueNinja]

Have to say though with what they did ast/sch as much as I want the sages change I just honestly have low expectations and fear they may only harm the job more than tweak it abit. We finally see much needed improve on whm, not the best ofc but its something of a start.. whew.