Balance or lack of, what do you think DB devs balance vision is?

"Any addition of new content, new AAs, new spells, tends to shift the class balance, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally." Sheesh. Listen closely from 39.35 to 39.37. That's what the previous poster was talking about.

if were talking balancing .. why dont beastlords have Tracking ? hmm

Shifting class balance is wildly different from deliberate imbalance or class favoritism, and likely means the opposite - with the release of new AAs, content, and spells they sometimes intentionally try to shift the current state of balance (or lack thereof) to how it "should" be.

He was vague enough that I suppose it's open to interpretation to some extent, but I think it's pretty hard to read/hear that and draw the conclusion that "class favoritism or imbalance was deliberate."

I was only trying to be helpful in pointing out what Coa was referring to, nothing more but I don't disagree with you.

They've completely lost the plot when it comes to balance. You thought that they'd learned something from the ench dot changes? Nuh-uh

Changed Slot 2 from "Decrease Hitpoints by 2675 per tick" to "Decrease Hitpoints by 23919 per tick"
Changed Slot 2 from "Decrease Hitpoints by 3674 per tick" to "Decrease Hitpoints by 20117 per tick"
etc..

What could possibly go wrong?

So yesterday I was basically tied with a shaman on a 7min burn, as a necro. I did 303k dps with bard/ench and the shaman was at 290k also with bard/ench. I looked at the casts and see that the shaman spent about half his time part-time dotting while doing other things, slowing, healing, buffing, etc.. what the...?!?

It's so bonkers you can't make this stuff up.

You sir haven't been here long have you

Here's my take on balance...
1. Did it die? Yes? Good job everyone! No? Something needs to change.

2. Can I solo/Molo? Yes? Picked a class that's diverse. No? Didnt do something right.

I've played all classes to atleast 100 and deleted ones I didn't care for. Ranger for example...Played it, didn't like it. Was it OP nah, just not my cup of tea. Any class can Molo some can straight up solo. The issue isn't balance it's how you play. If your a cleric trying to Molo and can't figure out why you keep dieing, do something different. Balance means nothing as long as stuff gets dead. I'm still trying to figure out why balance matters when techinicly this is a grouping / raiding game made for people to interact and do stuff together, yes I know a majority box accounts, heck I do. But when YOU can't do something on your own don't cry about it, ask for help, believe it or not there are people out there who like to help people.

New balance vision:

1. Are there too many mages? Yes -> nerf pets. No -> go to 2.

2. Are warriors complaining about mages? Yes -> nerf pets. No -> go to 3.

3. Are shadow knights posting videos of their solo achievements? Yes -> nerf life steal. No -> go to 4.

4. Are enchanters boasting about their class? Yes -> nerf them. No -> go to 5.

5. Are wizards doing too much DPS? Yes -> nerf necros. No -> go to 6.

6. Are berserkers doing too much DPS? Yes -> buff druids, shamans, and enchanters. No -> go to 7.

7. Are berserkers STILL doing too much DPS? Yes -> nerf pets. No -> go to 8.

8. Are rangers complaining? Yes -> Brad McQuaid will turn it around, go to 9. No -> go to 9.

9. Do rogues still exist? Yes -> go to 10. No -> more locked doors.

10. Are clerics about being too one dimensional? Yes -> there are still main clerics? Go to 11. No -> go to 11.

11. Are beastlords-? Yes -> nerf pets. No -> Go to 12.

12. Are bards complaining about having too little DPS? Yes -> nerf bard mana songs. No -> go to 13.

13. Are monks complaining about having too little DPS? Yes -> they can feign death, go to 14. No -> go to 14.

14. Is it a nice day out? Yes -> YAY, leave work early! No -> go to 15.

15. What's a paladin? Yes -> nerf pets. No -> go to 1.

DoT changes are simply a long game to nerf how spell focus work in my view. You give the increase in DoT's now and the nerf to focus later. Most classes will see a drop of 100% in sustained, 200% burst in damage once spell focus for DoT's changes to same system as nukes.

Atleast that's my theory of what is happening.

I got a laugh out of this, well done. In all seriousness though, I have never really seen class balance worse then it is currently, and I have been playing for a very long time. I understand class balance is never going to be fully achieved, and the variety and uniqueness of each class is what makes EQ the great game it is. However, what I am seeing in game now really makes no sense.

This is not going to be an easy fix either. They are going to either have to nerf multiple classes, or boost multiple classes, and it's going to have to be a major boost for some to even get close to relevancy again. Right now it seems like each month they are making changes to the game with little to no testing, and are just hoping for the best.

- yellow trash mobs should take a group geared group with 15k AA 40-60 seconds
- yellow trash mobs should take a raid geared group with 20k AA 20-40 seconds
- all classes should have fun using their trademark abilities
- all classes should be desirable in group and raid
- soloing can be allowed for some classes, but it should be slow and intricate
- pets should only be good tanks vs a single mob, and with attention to pet survival
- tank classes should require some abilitiy usage when tanking more than one, and never more than four. Four mobs should deplete tanks and healers fast, and be a risk
- no ae over 4 mobs at a time
- no kiting, no fear kiting (?)

Basically, a mixture of guesswork and wishful thinking

Devs balance MO atm:

Give same base upgrades to every class archetype.

Then give X amount of AA and Y amount of spell skills to each class as "unique" stuff.

Release content.

Give 6 months to 2 years and then nerf stuff down.