Removal of Prismatic options

Tyden

I've been away from the game now for awhile. Came in today to see the removal of many Prismatic options.

I have some concerns that certain classes(Druids come to mind) that are hurt a lot by this decision. Will defensive options be considered as replacements down the line?

What justified the decision to remove these skills? Will caravans be adjusted to counter these? Just some questions I felt the need to log onto the forums and ask. Thanks again

Gjarrus

Report #522
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Submitted by: Juran Status : Approved
Skillset : Evocation Skillname : Barrier
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Problem:
When looking at abilities that influence the direction and outcome of combat, none have the dramatic impact of
Prismatic Barrier. Only 25% of classes can bypass it, and an even smaller number can remove it. This results in the skill selectively ending fights completely with no outcome, because numerous classes have no possible avenue of approach. It is not viable to add additional 'counters', because the number of counters required to fix it would remove its established purpose and trivialize it entirely. This effect is magnified during team fights, when
channelled instakills like cleave or gorge are not viable due to the presence of other fighters. The best solution
for Pristmatic Barrier is to push it into a new direction.
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Solution #1:
Repurpose Prismatic barrier into two new effects: For the Lyre artifact, allow players to cast shields on other
people in a similar manner to the Reflection Wand artifact. To not trivialize the impact of the two classes that
already have similar functionality, it should be a slightly slower equilibrium to use than Seraph Aura. For the
Druid, Wardancer, and Shaman versions of Barrier, allow them to work as an active shield tattoo that also grants
reflection, a small health restore, and/or an affliction cure. This would allow it to be used as a more defensive
option than shielding, without entirely negating the offense of the other people engaged in combat.
Solution #2:
Add a 30 second immunity cooldown to Prismatic that starts at the end of the barrier, making it impossible for
someone to barrier at will whenever they need a break in combat.
Solution #3:
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Decision:
Solution 1, with some alterations. You may start being shocked now.
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Juran

There was mention of a Caravan overhaul to make them possible without Prismatic. While that hasn't been done yet, it is 100% on the table.

As for 'defensive options', I don't believe that Druid or Witch needs anything more in their class skills than currently exist. Both classes should be more than fine without Prismatic.

Tyden

Perhaps and perhaps not. While only 25% of the game(as you stated) may bypass it, it's still an option classes with that ability had over those classes.


Druids and Witch(as you bring up) were designed to clearly have somewhat of a "defensive" advantage over those classes. I wouldn't say it's beyond expectations or even unreasonable to request some form of replacement.


As for caravans, yeah there was "mention" of an overhaul but nothing set in stone. So right now, there is a feature that a large majority of the game will not be able to partake in until said overhaul is done.


Again, I am not upset that Prismatic Barriers are gone, but to sit and say the classes that lost said abilities aren't effected their overall kit would be inaccurate.

Juran

Tyden said:

ruids and Witch(as you bring up) were designed to clearly have somewhat of a "defensive" advantage over those classes. I wouldn't say it's beyond expectations or even unreasonable to request some form of replacement.

Witch got Prismatic because no one in the Demonic circle could do caravans without a 500 credit artifact. Druid got it because it was a legacy skill in Groves, and we felt comfortable keeping it when the rest of the skillset was changing.

Neither class was 'designed to clearly have somewhat of a defensive advantage'. With the addition of one-handed Quarterstaffs, ability to use a shield, reduced vulnerability to Metrazol, and a nearly on demand entangle, I don't expect Druid is even going to miss Prismatic very much outside of the situations that Prismatic was impossible to balance for everyone.

Kyraic

Tyden said:

Druids and Witch(as you bring up) were designed to clearly have somewhat of a "defensive" advantage over those classes. I wouldn't say it's beyond expectations or even unreasonable to request some form of replacement.

Wytch was not, actually. Wytch got prismatic barrier specifically because it was required for caravans and demonic was completely reliant on the Lyre for prismatic because none of its professions had prismatic barrier natively. So Wytch got prismatic barrier so that demonic wouldn't have to rely on artifacts to do caravans.

And Druid wasn't really designed with that advantage either. Current Druid got barrier mostly because Old Druid had it, and Old Druid had it because Old Druid was designed back in Achaea before Imperian ever opened and the class design standard back then was more concerned with 'hey this would be cool' and less with 'is it balanced?'.

Juran

Kyraic said:

Wytch was not, actually. Wytch got prismatic barrier specifically because it was required for caravans and demonic was completely reliant on the Lyre for prismatic because none of its professions had prismatic barrier natively. So Wytch got prismatic barrier so that demonic wouldn't have to rely on artifacts to do caravans.

And Druid wasn't really designed with that advantage either. Current Druid got barrier mostly because Old Druid had it, and Old Druid had it because Old Druid was designed back in Achaea before Imperian ever opened and the class design standard back then was more concerned with 'hey this would be cool' and less with 'is it balanced?'.

Two minutes too late.

Tyden

I typed out a response, but I'd rather still pose the question to other parties that feel the need.

Septus

Prismatic removal was probably one of the best things that could be done for the imperian pvp scene. If you killed a competent person one v one who owned a lyre as almost any class it was because they were feeling sporting, and I'd wager there is noone who has come up against the team of all prismatic users with noone who can reliably keep it down and found it a fun experience.

Two thumbs up from me.

Kyraic

Basically it went like this:

You hit the target. If they're not dead they barrier. If you don't have a knight you change target.

Repeat.

Juran

We're moving the game closer to my dream scenario of a shortsword meta.

Galt

By the logic used to remove prismatic barrier, we should do something similar to the various flips - And specifically to flip boots.

They have much the same impact, after all. The only notably difference is that so few classes have flips built in, so they're not seen as so much of a balance issue, but that doesn't make it any more reasonable as an artifact.

Lartus

Prismatic is the bane of pvp.

Theophilus

What will Banishment in Chivalry be changed to/replaced with?

Disembowel isn't all that great--surely Runeguard will get a new trans skill worth having?