Flatch, I know your style of play and at what you do, no I wouldn't use terrors either if I played your style. But when you get into high speed groups terrors are great even for groupers. What would help you as a grouper? We are looking for suggestions. Sadly most of the vocal people are raiders, and that's why I want more group sk to ask for stuff specifically for group. We are pretty darn good in groups atm though. One thing I want to try to do is reduce our lifetaps that we have memed (by 1) so that we can open up a slot for that day that might someday happen in the next 20 years and we get our dots revamped. Loading one or 2 would be nice. Our agro is in a good place atm, both single target and ae. Our dps is in a decent place atm, and I think with the minor stuff we will get will keep it that way, thus I haven't asked for anything to up that. Our tanking is in a comparable spot to the other 2 tanks, so cant really get anything there either. We are not a utility class as we have been told in the past. but I think this is where we could ask for new stuff without going to far. Maybe a AA version of our AC tap with recourse or AA to make it better so it warrants a spell slot, and wouldn't help raiders much because it doesn't stack with some war stuff/ An AA or new spell for our old atk tap with recourse. An AA or new spell that makes our Bond a group hot A group version of voice of thule (and for pally a group version of Marr's voice to put on dps groups) -- more a raid thing. One thing for raiders would be something that we could pull raid adds to us regardless of level, but have no hate attached to it, I hate waiting for adds that just want to sit in bf nowhere and no ability to ha them over. Please feel free to add, oh and trolls, yeah you can do you too, we need a good laugh.
Most of these are suggestions for all tanks, but here it goes: Suggestion: Increase the synergy between tanks and DPS classes. Example: SK Bite of Chaos (or Pally stuns) trigger a 2-tick synergy that increases the base damage of the next proc/spell by 50%. Explanation: In the raid environment, tanks are always grouped with other tanks and healers. In the group environment, the tank is grouped with both melee/caster DPS. I know tanks are not aDPS classes, but it would be beneficial if there were stronger benefits to grouping tanks with DPS classes. This would be most impactful to grouping tanks and raiding guilds that cannot field the optimum group lineup. Note: I know that our bites can return some mana but it would seem to me that very few classes have mana issues these days. Suggestion: Give tanks an ability that instantly faces the targeted mob. Example: 30-second refresh AA that, when pressed, causes the tank to instantly face the targeted NPC/PC. Explanation: I believe the code is already in place with the “True North” spell that was implemented in the early days of EQ. Now, with extended target, it would be great if I could click a mob on extended target, hit an AA, and instantly be staring in their direction. This would help not only finding specific adds in the midst of the battle fray, but when combined with Ageless, Shield Flash or Deflection, and Bandolier could enable me to more quickly pick up a loose mob. Suggestion: I would love an ability that spreads out SK lifetap heals to the entire group for a period of time. Example: When activated, all lifetaps and health stolen via melee swings is divided amongst the entire group for 60 seconds. Explanation: This makes the SK more effective when the group is sustaining AE damage. This would be useful in group scenarios against an AE’ing named, but it would come at the risk of the SK applying less of its healing to itself in exchange for improving group survivability. Suggestion: An ability, likely with a long recast, that enables you to absorb the next high damage spell as a heal rather than take damage. Example: When activated, the next (X) direct damage spells of 50,000+ to hit the tank is converted into a heal. If the tank is a paladin, it divides the damage and heals the group. If the tank is a warrior, the warrior receives 100% of the heal. If the tank is an SK, the damage bonus on the SK’s next swing will be increased by the amount of the absorbed nuke. Explanation: Not sure one is needed here. Shaman gained a spell with EoK wherein the group receives a heal if an AE goes off above 20,000 damage. Would be very cool if tanks had something similar that enabled them to get through particularly sticky situations. The boss enrages or a dozen adds spawn and the tank needs extra protection from the next few spells while the raid gets everything under control. More to come...
Suggestion: Increase the synergy between the SK and its pet. Example: Buff placed on pet causes X% of all damage dealt by pet to heal the pet’s owner. Or, pet procs a buff that causes SK’s next Lifetap/Spear to do 10% more damage. Explanation: Mages get some really cool spells that cause pet actions to buff the mage and vice versa. A lesser and alternative version could be applied to both SKs and Shadowknights. Suggestion: An offensive, irreversible version of Reaver’s Bargain. Example: Discipline increases all melee damage by 50%. While the disc is active, mana / endurance is drained. Max health is decreased by 20%. Cannot be clicked off. Negate parry / block / dodge (keep riposte?) while active. Explanation: Seems like an interesting way for a tank to add more DPS but surrender the ability to tank. Wouldn’t mind seeing all three tanks get something like this. Helps a bit on tank-heavy raids or raids in which there is only 1-2 targets to be tanked. Suggestion: A self destruct skill not dissimilar to the AE Harm Touch discussed above and act of valor. Example: SK is rendered invulnerable for 2 ticks. All mobs in a 100 range radius go 100% aggro on the SK. At conclusion, SK explodes, harm touching all mobs within range. Reuse time of 60 minutes. Explanation: Not many practical uses, but could possibly be useful on an event like Skyfire. The SK could offer the entire raid up to 12 seconds of safety (to absorb a pending meteor strike) before havoc is unleashed!
This one might be fun. I'm sure there are other practical uses that make this valuable, but I see this as a way to find your target in a big pile of enemies. Problem is if you're in the middle of that pile, you'll be turning your back to others. So I think something like an AE push in the direction you're facing would be nice to reposition all enemies to be in front of you, particularly with shadowknights being the multi-target tank class. Nice, but not necessary; just moving back a few steps has also always worked fine for me. This is also cool and has endless possibilities. But I also think it's about time we get zombies or spectres as pets.
Suggestion: A “super feign” that heals, but also penalizes the SK. Example: Feign death + mem-wipe. A buff is placed on the SK that heals 50k/tick. However, SK is unable to stand for 18 seconds. Alternative Example: Improve our existing mem-wipe feign by either causing it to heal the SK, or place a HOT on the SK that drops if the SK stands up. Explanation: Gives the SK an opportunity to mem-wipe and heal themselves, but only if they remain out of the fight. Suggestion: An ability to “disperse” a swarm of mobs. Example: When activated, the ability is 360-direction PBOE knockback + snare. Shaman and Necros get a directional version of this already with a root component, I believe. Paladins could get the same ability except with a stun instead of a snare. Explanation: Sometimes you’re getting beat up by trash mobs from all angles and you just want to punt everything away. Suggestion: A way to grant the tank temporary summon immunity. Example: When activated, the tank is unable to be summoned for 1-2 ticks. Exaplanation: I hate doing events in which a trash mob just sits there and chain summons you, either into a deadly aura (Sathir’s Tomb raids), or to the point where you can’t pull the mob to the raid/group. Similarly, when you’re doing old content and riposte enables 10+ mobs to all summon you, causing you to ping around like nuts, would be nice to hit a button and gain 6 seconds to group all the mobs together.
These would both be great. I hate when mobs get behind you because of bad pathing and warping. The second I think every tank should get, would be nice.
Theft of hate doesn't stack with ferocity, which all groups can get off a beastlord prior to engage, so this one wouldn't help raiders much either unless they changed the stacking conflict. They'd have to change being able to receive the heal from bond from multiple targets for that imo, or we'll have an annoying new raid job of keeping it up on everything all the time. I liked your original suggestion of improving the non-damage AE aggro spell lines that we rarely load, there's occasional raid situations where I'd like to load them, but whenever possible I try to find another way around it because of how archaic that spell line has become. I'd like a modern underfoot breastplate focus (Touch of Tharoff Fury) & click (Bloodguard's Esurience) and a reduced re-use timer on Unholy Aura (26 minutes is current re-use).
Personally dislike this one because it just doesn't feel selfish enough (i think of SK as the epitome of selfishness). ..any ability that turns us into a muppet for the benefit of others. That's something that I think would suit a paladin. To echo Dreadmore, I can't imagine this being of any help whatsoever, unless a mob had blinded me (which is a pretty rare occurance). It sounds like a tool to assist boxers to me. I'm enjoying reading your ideas, just had to mention my gripes with these 2.
Didn't know about the fero blocking as I haven't loaded that spell in so long could be fixed or a limitation based on group make up, would be more for groupers that didn't have a bst if they didn't fix. The heal could possibly proc each time the recourse hit us from the original bond, something like when our terrors heal, but idk if any of that could work I forgot about UA, bringing that down would be really nice as well. They wont do the bp like the one from back then because they want to control the dmg/healing/utility it provides. But yeah that would be awesome.
Maybe an aa to drain 5% health from each group member every 6 seconds for a heal to us based on the amount taken from others, maybe 75% of the total health taken from them.
Maybe a forced act of valor where it does an AE and siphons 99% health from any paladin within the vicinity?
You’re assuming everyone is at your skill level. A highly skilled tank does not need to be shown where the mob is, they ought to know. But I’ve grouped / raided with enough average tanks that get confused in the shuffle and would really benefit from this ability. I personally don’t think I would use it much at all, but I’m trying to address the needs of some of the less capable folks!
Something that drains the life of the group and heals the SK, especially at a disadvantageous ratio (like 75%) would make this the greatest ability of all time. Especially if Paladins got a similar ability that healed the group at the cost of their health.
Not ALL spells can be deleted. There's actually a flag. Vilify Rk. III Description 1: Increase Hate by 1 Details Raw Spell Data, Lucy Spell View Mana:180 Skill:Conjuration Casting Time:3 Recast Time:30 Fizzle Time:1.5 Resist:Unresistable Location:Any Time of Day:Any AE Range:50 Fizzle Adj:93 Hate Generated:2340 Deletable:No Reflectable:No Focusable:Yes Dispellable:Yes Interruptable:Yes Target Type:PB AE Spell Type:Detrimental Source:Live 10/24
Was I....... Give me that and put me in with 5 pallies, now they actually have a good use in game! see win win, I'm here to boost all tanks!
I guess you haven't played with a semi-decent warrior or paladin then. Or you haven't played with a semi-decent healer. Either way, I recently pulled an entire room in ST with a <3 month old alt warrior that doesn't even have max AAs, an alt cleric and a few alt DPS. Point is, it's not hard to pull a whole room in ST with warriors (not sure about paladins, haven't seen it but I'm 99% sure that you could easily pull a whole room with them).
Assuming similar AA/Gear, the survivability of a Paladin vs. SK when facing 10+ mobs in RoS will be dictated almost exclusively by skill (well timed Spurn, hitting discs, etc.), as well as the quality of the outside healing. SK’s advantage in swarm kiting is no longer a thing thanks to the lifetap nerf from ripostes awhile back.
