Okey to be a flat honest if we look into what scouts are fast degraded during this x-pack a) Epic 2.0 abilities b) Ascending class c) Dagger storm I don't know about others but those are topping my parse on any short duration fight. Yes as a BL I do have my primals coming into play with prolonged fights but still not on the top (not even on top 3) But that way we advancing now (higher level Epic 2.0 skills/higher level of Ascending skills ... possibly some new foci Ascending skill enhancers etc.). Bear with me for sec - imagine you GMed/Ancient all your Ascending and Epic 2.0 ... where from will be lion share of your DPS comes from? .. Does EQ2 move toward elimination of class diversity - last step remain ... introduce Epic 3.0 universal for all scouts and add 10 more levels of Ascending? I do not saying its bad or good I just saying this is happening
IMO , We are probably looking at the beginning of ascendant expansion, Next we will prob see healer arch types release that will negate bleed through or do some crazy healing abilities.
I understand but with spells in the game that already target bleed through I think that maybe they are looking to expand this but really who knows.
Since ascension seems to be the only path of growth we are expected to travel I very much hope that the next round of abilities are not of the direct damage variety. I am sad to see archetypes become a minor part of our build but am hopeful ascension can find a way to allow diversity. The above suggestion of archetype based ascension abilities would be a very welcome thing.
I just saying that EQ2 rapid degrading to 3 class game - Tank-Healer-DPS more levels into Ascending will completely destroy any existent classes, none class specific Epic 3.0 will finish it
Negating Bleed thru is impossible. However, circumventing it is 110% possible. As fast as it can penetrate a ward, you can refill said ward,100% if not increase its protection value. I've played this game since launch and have much insight on all ways feasible to make healing easier and stronger. And I pride myself on my ability to find current mechanics and use them to my advantage. So to answer your question directly, yes I experience zero applicable bleed-thru in expert zones because I negate its application.
I miss the old style Assassin. This new focus on slow casting spells and buffs is boring, a far cry from the intense and involved playstyle of old. Also the complete mismatch in balance between the dps classes is boring; I enjoyed the hairline competition with my friends in raids. Now it is which class happens to be OP at the moment (BL's apart who are obviously the pet class of the devs). And it is boring to be hit with the nerf bat every time you start to get somewhere with your dps and have some fun, then it's back into the boring box of relative mediocrity and the only way to get out is to spend real life money to progress. And if players as a community find a way to progress that is outside of that box, bang goes the nerf bat again (xp gain nerf). And Bang goes the nerf bat if we players start to take down mobs fast. It is boring to keep coming up against artificial gates that exist only to slow you down so you end up sitting counting days until you can progress again. This focus on keeping things slow, boring and repetitive is getting really, really old. Where is the intensity, involvement, focus, speed, competition and fun? I spent an hour on the phone during the last raid tonight. It didn't make any difference. I did decent enough dps, the mobs went down fast enough, we didnt' wipe etc and yet I was main assist the whole time. Reading this post and the original posters insights, where do you think this game is going? It is already slowed down and dumbed down to a nigh intolerable level.
There is no real reason to roll a non-pet scout dps anymore (aside from the rare raid mechanic where one is required to take a named for some amount of time). There are too many disadvantages: Hanging autos that still have to be timed for procs (that hang and don't fire frequently), close proximity attacks vs ranged/limited attack radius, no nice mage-type tools such as dispells, stoneskins/heals/rebirth... etc. Better off to roll any casting pet class, or even any other general utility class because the days of pure dps scout has past. Scout focus hasn't progressed beyond melee/aoe mechanics which on the whole do jack for their parse - unlike pet classes who for some reason actually gain from having dps mod. What the hell sense does that make? Pets will benefit from melee stats and players don't? I agree with Whiomaju - I main an assassin as well. The new focus on mage stats, the long cast/long reuse ascension spells that are required for maximizing our (now limited) dps is completely contrary to the play style that drew me (and possibly many others) to the class to begin with. Balance the main classes again - if you want scouts to be chain mages, then change their mechanics and AAs to actually be beneficial again, give them more ability doublecast to be on par with mage dps (I unfortunately exclude sorcs from this catagory, because for some reason, this game hasn't been able or willing to make the changes to get them from AoM to KA). Now with mages all running around with epics and high fervor, they're double and triple casting, and t1 non-pet scouts are having a hell of time keeping up, or even showing respectable numbers. Autos hanging and nothing proccing, Undas hitting for a lot more than assassinate (every 15 sec, mind you, as opposed to 2 min with newly crapped reset rune changes), other problems with long reuse timers and absolutely nothing outside of ascension spells (which everyone else has too) to sustain damage between full chains... There are many more examples, but as usual, we're probably all pissing in the wind. I have no hope anymore that these comments (most of which have been brought up multiple times )will be read, acknowledged or ever corrected. I couldn't imagine running a business that way.
Its no longer even between mage DPS and Scout DPS - not even betweet pet or not pet class It basically degrade down to follow a) do you have epic 2.0 ability or not b) do you have epic 2.0 ability that have massive DPS or not c) do you spend $45 or so per epic skill to GM it d) do you have Ascend 10 e) do you have RIGHT Ascend 10 f) do you have you Ascend skills ($$ again) upped up Lastly how many Pot Tithe you got In this list you do not see any thing to class related The difference between mages and scouts is mages use Unda as a universal skill that remain from ye'old good time and scouts using dagger storm . BL staying above the pack (not always mind you) only because of skills that actually scaled better with Pot inflation compare to CA - Primals
I don't agree with C and F, but the rest are completely accurate. Sure you can pay to improve, if you want, but it's nowhere near required, especially if you have all the rest.
VGScastaway nails it with his post above. Bravo. DoomDrake is also correct of course when he points out that there are entirely new game mechanics now influencing our dps based on ability/willingness to pay real money and/or luck with the draw when it comes to class epic buffs/spells/abilitites. It is worth pointing out that the Devs went out of their way to close down path g) the ability to farm Tithe pot points. These two views are complementary.
I agree with you for general grouping purpose don't get me wrong But from what I see so far I GMed by accident my warder (wanted ally lol - so had enough resources to just master them) - and GM buffed warder + Master Savage ally are completely different level of Epic 2.0 beastlord compare to just apprentice/apprentic About Ascending - biggest jump happens at odd steps apprentice to journeymen and adept-expert and I do suspect same hold true for master-grand master with ancient giving spells something new (like fervor for buff). By my observation going from apprentice to expert doubled damage of Septic Strike going to GM will probably tripple it from apprentice level And while you likely to be adequate DPS wise with group anyone with more advanced level of training your spells will double your parse
If everything from this point on is going to be all about ascension abilities/epic abilities, then why not do a massive spell consolidation? They can't add hotbars because of coding restrictions (I've heard), so cut the junk and filler abilities down and merge them into a muti-facit debuff (or whatnot). A lot of other assassins I know have taken all that junk off their hotbar for space reasons - and because they're sick of recast triggering on "Torture". I haven't taken them off because I wouldn't feel right in raid just standing there without even busy-work filler garbage to cast. Might as well afk autoattack and wait for ascension spells to come back up.
Honestly as a BL (which is very different compare to vanilla classes) my whole fighting cycle looks like that Tide - temps - savage ally - septic - virulent - revocation of life - blood pact - savagery boosters - savage ravaging hitting not stop with inclusion of dagger storm than its up and as soon as my chain up blew it (again if any temps up fire them) - as soon as savage ally, septic and VO up hit it once target about 20ish% life remain or less than 10 (depend on type) hit tainted mutilation My biggest damage contributor - Savage Ally My biggest hitter - Septic Strike (2B not something very uncommon) My top 5 contributor on the fights that last less then 90s do not include any CA or even Dagger storm On any fights that last like 5 minutes or so only hardest hitting primal getting into top 5 Because game mechanic - I am not even bothering anymore with any primals that require stealth because it will kill doublecast effect believe you or not but truespirit venom when it double cast hit a lot harder then eagle talons, same goes to luclin vs. sonic screech and shadow leap Basically nowadays key of been on the top of the food chain Have you epic 2.0 with GMed skills and be one of classes who got great or at least good epic skills Be correct Ascending class with at least expert level of abilities -= going to GMed abilities will elevate your even more Get good clicky and truck load of Pot with high fervor and you all set
