I like the idea behind to earthquake. It makes sense and I really wish there were more 'hybrid' skills that catered to multiple statpacks.
Like Juran said, the problem is that it's not being used as a closer. You shouldn't be able to roll up to a fight with a bag full of earthquake. Honestly, I'd accuse the entire q-staff jab --> feed imbue --> "closer" isn't really a legit mechanic. If it's going to be like that, I'd say drop the damage way below 500. There's no "if I can pull off earthquake" and just a matter of spamming and "when I pull off an earthquake." This is why I flipped the damage bonus into a damage resistance, which would reward prior set up and make it less of a sure thing.
To be honest, Druid needs more appealing outlets for Imbue - i.e more ways to use it so they don't reach 100 (90 is when you can earthquake). Pre-charging should definitely be looked at - maybe Earthquake needs an extra condition before it can be usable, or it needs to have a wind up ("Justus begins to focus, the earth cracking underneath his mental strength" - or, if he's using a STRquake, "Justus raises his quarterstaff high above him, the earth beginning to tremble in anticipation."). I don't agree with altering Earthquake beyond what I have put forth - as usual, this is the result of seeing a level 99 visa elemental use a skill, so you have to be slightly more objective.
EDIT: Perhaps you could pay for half your earthquake in one balance, so it is telegraphed, "Sarrius smashes the ground with his druidic staff, causing the earth to begin shaking.", then I can 'FINISH EARTHQUAKE' (stupid syntax etc) to make the actual earthquake occur. This would obviously cost 50 and then 50. It would let people know somebody is coming to earthquake you. I'm trying to think of ways that don't neuter the skill but make it impossible to be a kill-in-a-can. This earthquake 'prep' would be room bound - so running would be an OK defense against it. I just don't like the ramifications of such a solution because it makes Earthquake seem impractical except when you're holding somebody down somehow.
<div>Message #2062 Sent By: (imperian) Received On: 1/20/2018/2:59</div><div>"Antioch has filed a bounty against you. Reason: Raiding Antioch and stealing Bina, being a right</div><div>****, and not belonging anywhere near Antioch till he grows up."</div>
It was also not doing nearly this level of damage in the beta. The delayed hold imbue into unpreventable lev strip / earthquake gimmick should either do less damage or have some way to prevent it. The large bonus damage is only fitting when you've earned the bonus or when your opponent makes a mistake, not when it's baked into your combo.
I can't find the snippet I posted of when I was Int Druid, as it's on the older forums, but it shows me doing well over 600 damage. So it definitely is comparable to Strength Earthquake.
And Imbue values vanish super quickly. Any kind of hinder and it felt like you lost charge.
Because it is set to drop if you don't increase it in a set period of time. An artifact exists to extend that period of time. It is probably the best purchase for the class, above even the pendant or staff.
<div>Message #2062 Sent By: (imperian) Received On: 1/20/2018/2:59</div><div>"Antioch has filed a bounty against you. Reason: Raiding Antioch and stealing Bina, being a right</div><div>****, and not belonging anywhere near Antioch till he grows up."</div>
Hinders slowing your momentum gain should not change. Otherwise, it's too hard to prevent getting hit by earthquake or whatever else. You should not be able to generate imbue/feather outside of combat, keeping it topped up with the occasional earthsong, before running into a fight and unleashing a two step damage combo of doom.
From tests a while back, that's Sarrius's Absolutely Perfect Earthquake against Khizan.
"On the battlefield I am a god. I love war. The steel, the smell, the corpses. I wish there were more. On the first day I drove the Northmen back alone at the ford. Alone! On the second I carried the bridge! Me! Yesterday I climbed the Heroes! I love war! I… I wish it wasn’t over."
That was without the new STR artifact or Earthsong Strength (I spammed enfeeble for earth buildup), so it isn't ABSOLUTELY perfect.
EDIT: Easy to calculate though, as STR scales equal %s for every attack, so calculate 1 additional STR plus the 10% from Earthsong Strength.
<div>Message #2062 Sent By: (imperian) Received On: 1/20/2018/2:59</div><div>"Antioch has filed a bounty against you. Reason: Raiding Antioch and stealing Bina, being a right</div><div>****, and not belonging anywhere near Antioch till he grows up."</div>
Int one would hit harder than that, I believe. Earthshield and Evasion wouldn't effect it. Pretty nasty, since it's possible to charge beforehand.
I don't think hitting the caster would be a good idea. I also think that the design around Imbue fading HAD to of taken into account the ability to charging it up out of combat. I don't see how something that large could be an oversight. If it were to be removed, I would hope that the nature of that all would be looked at as well.
And bear in mind I'm saying this as someone who isn't even using the class anymore.
Int one would hit harder than that, I believe. Earthshield and Evasion wouldn't effect it. Pretty nasty, since it's possible to charge beforehand.
Even if the earthquake is based off intelligence it will do bludgeoning damage, so I don't see why it would bypass earthshield or evasion.
Even if imbue was changed to only charge off offensive actions it would still be entirely possible to charge ahead of time using a friend to hit, so I don't think that would impact the situation in any way at all.
Instead of focusing on imbue, another restriction could be added to earthquake itself, preferably one that has little to no bearing on non-group combat. Perhaps something as simple as the druid having to be in a single room for a minimum of 15 seconds before being allowed to cast it.
You can choose if it's blunt mental or blunt physical, but I always thought that the mental/physical property only affected whether or not it scales with strength or intelligence and collars. For resistances the mental/physical property should be irrelevant, because it's blunt damage it will always be affected by armour, surcoats, evasion and anything else that would show up under RESISTS BLUNT.
You can choose if it's blunt mental or blunt physical, but I always thought that the mental/physical property only affected whether or not it scales with strength or intelligence and collars.
That's right. Hailstorm is/was also blunt/mental and my armor worked on it just fine.
Here we were, happily being our usual selves, happily talking about imbalances, happily arguing away, happily flaunting our er.. knowledge and then you come along and post something relevant to the thread topic. How very dare you.
Anyways, imbue can be charged to max in about 17 seconds. This is with actually attacking someone. Once it's max, you are two attacks away from instantly killing pretty much anyone. All you need to do is combo delayed drag + knockdown + entangle. Now you are pretty much totally guaranteed earthquake on a prone and levitation lacking target. I am a Druid and I just want to say, this is -not- reasonable. Entangle should not be able to function in a combo because aside from defeating the druid before they pull this off, the only way to avoid this is to leave the room every time you see a circling root.. through rubble and entrap.
Earthquake damage is fine. The modifiers at which it gains massive damage could stand looked at. If you remove delay-writhe, you likely make this much more difficult.
Edit: in fact removing delayed-writhe would be perfect.
Post edited by Sarrius on
<div>Message #2062 Sent By: (imperian) Received On: 1/20/2018/2:59</div><div>"Antioch has filed a bounty against you. Reason: Raiding Antioch and stealing Bina, being a right</div><div>****, and not belonging anywhere near Antioch till he grows up."</div>
I'm not saying earthquake isn't fine. The artifacted damage is to be expected. But like you said, the modifiers could stand to be looked at. You see, it's not delayed writhe even. It's delayed time. Basically, you use knockdown and entangle plus empower drag with delay time. 2 seconds later, they lose levitation for a second. 2.75 seconds later (if you're fast with spec in damage) you have a .25 second window to hit them with earthquake. They will still be prone. They will still be lacking levitation. If you spec in speed this window is even easier to attain.
You order a mighty earth golem to attack Auvryist. A mighty earth golem obeys your command. A poisonous wisp flies at Auvryist and stings him painfully. [poison] Feather level: 10% You focus on empowering a wild magick quarterstaff and it turns momentarily [drag] grey as the power of Earth infuses it. You adjust the next effect on a wild magick quarterstaff to be time-delayed. [delay - time] You smash a wild magick quarterstaff viciously across Auvryist's legs and watch [knockdown] him fall helplessly to the ground as the bones break. The drag empowerment has been infused into Auvryist. All empowerments have faded from a wild magick quarterstaff. bal:2.57 You point your quarterstaff towards Auvryist and an animated hawthorn root entwines itself firmly around him, entangling him in strong vines. equ:2.75 <520H 403M 105E> [-- db] [-31] Auvryist rubs some salve on his legs. <520H 403M 105E> [-- db] You take a drink of an elixir of mana from a sinn vixen vial. [mana] Your mind feels rejuvenated. <520H 485M 105E> [-- db] [+81] Auvryist stumbles as the earth suddenly begins dragging him down. <520H 485M 105E> [-- db] +<+ Balance! +>+ <520H 485M 105E> [-b db] +<+ Equilibrium! +>+ You concentrates and presses a wild magick quarterstaff firmly against the ground, and stand firm as the imbued power of Earth is unleashed in a massive earthquake that shakes everything around you. As the pounding of earth proves too much for Auvryist, his broken body collapses soundlessly to the ground. You have slain Auvryist.
Comments
Like Juran said, the problem is that it's not being used as a closer. You shouldn't be able to roll up to a fight with a bag full of earthquake. Honestly, I'd accuse the entire q-staff jab --> feed imbue --> "closer" isn't really a legit mechanic. If it's going to be like that, I'd say drop the damage way below 500. There's no "if I can pull off earthquake" and just a matter of spamming and "when I pull off an earthquake." This is why I flipped the damage bonus into a damage resistance, which would reward prior set up and make it less of a sure thing.
EDIT: Perhaps you could pay for half your earthquake in one balance, so it is telegraphed, "Sarrius smashes the ground with his druidic staff, causing the earth to begin shaking.", then I can 'FINISH EARTHQUAKE' (stupid syntax etc) to make the actual earthquake occur. This would obviously cost 50 and then 50. It would let people know somebody is coming to earthquake you. I'm trying to think of ways that don't neuter the skill but make it impossible to be a kill-in-a-can. This earthquake 'prep' would be room bound - so running would be an OK defense against it. I just don't like the ramifications of such a solution because it makes Earthquake seem impractical except when you're holding somebody down somehow.
And Imbue values vanish super quickly. Any kind of hinder and it felt like you lost charge.
Damage report: raw damage 758 blunt, physical. Attacker: Sarrius
Modifier Value Result
Armour Resistance (379 reducible) 61% 527
Surcoat 15% 448
Algiz Rune Mastery 20% 358
Statpack Damage Modifier 10% 322
Earthshield 15% 274
Evasion Skill 5% 260
Strength Modifier 75 335
Total Resistance 56% 335
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage Taken: 335 blunt, physical (raw damage: 758)
From tests a while back, that's Sarrius's Absolutely Perfect Earthquake against Khizan.
"On the battlefield I am a god. I love war. The steel, the smell, the corpses. I wish there were more. On the first day I drove the Northmen back alone at the ford. Alone! On the second I carried the bridge! Me! Yesterday I climbed the Heroes! I love war! I… I wish it wasn’t over."
EDIT: Easy to calculate though, as STR scales equal %s for every attack, so calculate 1 additional STR plus the 10% from Earthsong Strength.
I don't think hitting the caster would be a good idea. I also think that the design around Imbue fading HAD to of taken into account the ability to charging it up out of combat. I don't see how something that large could be an oversight. If it were to be removed, I would hope that the nature of that all would be looked at as well.
And bear in mind I'm saying this as someone who isn't even using the class anymore.
Even if imbue was changed to only charge off offensive actions it would still be entirely possible to charge ahead of time using a friend to hit, so I don't think that would impact the situation in any way at all.
Instead of focusing on imbue, another restriction could be added to earthquake itself, preferably one that has little to no bearing on non-group combat. Perhaps something as simple as the druid having to be in a single room for a minimum of 15 seconds before being allowed to cast it.
I may be misremembering. 90% sure my Collar effected it, so wouldn't that rule out physical mitigation?
Edit: in fact removing delayed-writhe would be perfect.
You order a mighty earth golem to attack Auvryist.
A mighty earth golem obeys your command.
A poisonous wisp flies at Auvryist and stings him painfully. [poison]
Feather level: 10%
You focus on empowering a wild magick quarterstaff and it turns momentarily [drag]
grey as the power of Earth infuses it.
You adjust the next effect on a wild magick quarterstaff to be time-delayed. [delay - time]
You smash a wild magick quarterstaff viciously across Auvryist's legs and watch [knockdown]
him fall helplessly to the ground as the bones break.
The drag empowerment has been infused into Auvryist.
All empowerments have faded from a wild magick quarterstaff.
bal:2.57
You point your quarterstaff towards Auvryist and an animated hawthorn root
entwines itself firmly around him, entangling him in strong vines.
equ:2.75
<520H 403M 105E> [-- db] [-31]
Auvryist rubs some salve on his legs.
<520H 403M 105E> [-- db]
You take a drink of an elixir of mana from a sinn vixen vial. [mana]
Your mind feels rejuvenated.
<520H 485M 105E> [-- db] [+81]
Auvryist stumbles as the earth suddenly begins dragging him down.
<520H 485M 105E> [-- db]
+<+ Balance! +>+
<520H 485M 105E> [-b db]
+<+ Equilibrium! +>+
You concentrates and presses a wild magick quarterstaff firmly against the
ground, and stand firm as the imbued power of Earth is unleashed in a massive
earthquake that shakes everything around you.
As the pounding of earth proves too much for Auvryist, his broken body
collapses soundlessly to the ground.
You have slain Auvryist.
the claims are stated - it's the world I've created
the claims are stated - it's the world I've created
Fixed.