Work In Progress: Earth Balance

Been Earth since it dropped. Would like some more clarification or more of an open discussion on our changes. Would certainly Help ease the tension.

Its always deserved better than it received.

You're like 97 pages too late. Basically update is done with notes on test, we're just twiddling our thumbs until it drops. I'm hoping for one more round of tweaks though.

i was curious about what i suggested all the way back on page two of this thread. i wanted to see if i changed my mind on some things after what is being changed was put on test. below ive one-lined things i either dont care for anymore or dont want and put an * beside things that have been taken care of. things i still think should happen are bold. i made some notes in parenthesis. interesting.

Hopefully Monday a green name can comment on here seeing as gu37 will most likely be out next week to address these concerns.

Our remaining concerns from most important to least important.

-Moving striking stones to a higher dmg modifier and boost the base dmg to be appropriate for it's new modifier. Switch it with rumble crush perhaps?

-moving upheaval to a higher dmg modifier and benefit from crushing as well. Switching it perhaps with gemstone Shield or epicenter?

-increase tectonic breaks range

-power costs for debris field and tectonic break needs adjusting

-adding another effect to epicenter such as daze or knockdown

-remove pi requirement for the knockdown on localized tremor

-pet cosmetic changes

Did I miss anything important guys?

@WreckingBall. I personally want an earth armor animation to indicate when AS tanking is being applied correctly and when to reapply after using powers overtime instead of just waiting for a move to cool down while blocking and reuse it and assume you're safe and of course to look awesome while tanking (pretty much something along the lines of ices armor). Plus with the update and us being able to extend the absorption affect a lot longer then 12secs it might help out new players going to the earth power and tanking with it to get a decent visual effect.

Also don't forget we want Striking Stones to use the hand clapping animation and the big rock fists removed from Reinforce. Lower priority changes, but we do want them.

I have just two little animation suggestions:

Debris field New Animation: You spin around creating a dust storm. 2 second cast time

Striking Stones New Animation: You summon two rocks up from the ground and then clasp your hands together smashing nearby enemies. 3 second cast time

why on earth would you want longer cast times?

^ this!

It's kind of late in the game for new animations. Before WM was revealed I was in favor of doing as you suggest, make Striking Stones a channeled ability and making it a 60% modifier. Since WM has dropped though, powers with cast times are somewhat difficult to justify on one's loadout.

For Tectonic Break I'd be fine with it either becoming full range aoe, or having its range remain the same but with a lower power cost or higher base damage (or both). For a tier 5 power it does booty damage.

EDIT: I know it's not going to happen and that it goes against me saying "no new animations" but I still want dust hands for Reinforce.

Why isn't tectonic break on par with Mass Terror?

Questions like that are exactly what we would like to be addressed. Same with debris field and inferno? Same power cost but inferno is so much better.

Gemstone shield - full shield upon activation - some benefit for aftershocking

Jack hammer slight damage increase on aftershocks

I've never played Mental but I see Mass Terror mentioned quite a bit when Tectonic Break is discussed. I'm guessing both are point blank aoes but aside from that I'm clueless. What makes Mass Terror superior to Tectonic Break?

i completely understand why some want gemstone shield to work like a regular shield. but it isnt supposed to, its just for a bit of extra absorption that lasts as long as your resto+dom stats will let it. if you think about it that way, maybe youll feel better about how it works.

now my previous suggestion, i think, would be great for everyone that wants an earth shield. just add it to reinforce. reinforce for tanks would work the same way it does now with the benefit of it now being an actual shield on activation.

edit - for damage stance, reinforce would work the same, and of course that shield would be a lil plus. having to use totem to reach 10% crit chance balances this out i would think.

What's wrong with spending an extra PP for HLS? Even with Pet tanking, I use it and GS for the instant heals. Then with Soothing Sands you can potentially have 3 self heals.

haha or that too. i was trying to help explain why gemstone should work how it does more or less. i also know some dont like the long cooldown on HLS.

Mass teror is a Max range Pi apllicator that has 11 ticks of Dots and a small burst tick. Same animation and tier as tectonic break

Mass Terror is actually centered on your target. It has a pretty wide range, sets up Terror, and inflicts a strong DoT on enemies after a smaller, but still decent, initial hit. Basically as far as AoE PI applicators go it's one of the best.

Tectonic Break probably has about the same range, but it's centered on you. So the only way to Daze a group of enemies is to be pretty much in melee range of them. And the damage is maybe a third of Mass Terror's (I don't have actual numbers), once you add up the DoT. It's just worse in virtually every way. No contest.

Edit: Ah, ninja'd again.