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Class Changes: Pyrotech Powertech / Plasmatech Vanguard


EricMusco

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Hey folks,

 

Here are the changes that are planned for Game Update 5.3 for Pyrotech and Plasmatech:

 

Note: All changes below are currently in development and are subject to change before being released.

 

Powertech

Pyrotech

  • Increased the Searing Wave damage bonus given by Superheated Flamethrower from 20% to 50%
  • Reduced the burn damage of Incendiary Missile by 10%
  • In addition to its previous effects, Rain of Fire now increases the damage dealt by Incendiary Missile by 10%
  • Increased the critical damage bonus given by Firebug from 10% to 15%

 

Vanguard

Plasmatech

  • Increased the Ion Squall damage bonus given by Pulse Generator from 20% to 50%
  • Reduced the burn damage of Incendiary Round by 10%
  • In addition to its previous effects, Rain of Fire now increases the damage dealt by Incendiary Round by 10%
  • Increased the critical damage bonus given by Plasmatic Assault from 10% to 15%

 

DevNotes: The changes to Pyrotech / Plasmatech are aimed at bringing the discipline up to its intended target DPS. With the change to Superheated Flamethrower / Pulse Generator, we wanted to make Searing Wave / Ion Squall more than just an ability used to buff the next Immolate / Plasma Flare. It can now pack quite a punch of its own.

 

We reduced the damage dealt by Incendiary Missile / Incendiary Round as part of our changes to bring the Innovative Ordnance Mercenary / Assault Specialist Commando down to its target DPS, but the Pyrotech Powertech / Plasmatech Vanguard did not need this change, so we offset it with the change to Rain of Fire.

 

Finally, we wanted to give the all-too-predictable Pyrotech / Plasmatech a little more variability with their damage, so we increased the critical damage bonus slightly for some of their abilities with the change to Firebug / Plasmatic Assault. On the whole, Pyrotechs / Plasmatechs should see a significant DPS increase and parse in the realm of the new Hatred Assassins / Serenity Shadows.

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as one of the last pyrotech in pvp in the red eclipse (yes you can count us with only one hand..) i approve the damage buff. we needed it.

 

BUT

 

- the spec needs to spread 2 dots and just not one, like other DOT specs.

 

- survivability is huge factor of pyrotech weakness, even comparing to adanced prototype.

 

we needed some help in the discipline tree too. :(

Edited by Thaladan
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as one of the last pyrotech in pvp in the red eclipse (yes you can count us with only one hand..) i approve the damage buff. we needed it.

 

BUT

 

survivability is huge factor of pyrotech weakness, even comparing to adanced prototype.

 

we needed some help in the discipline tree too. :(

 

As they have said, they are fixing damage first to bring things in line where they want them to be. At that point, they will look at utilities/survivabilty (as if a class hits like a wet noodle, it having a few more defense to even it out makes sense). The incremental changes is way better than doing it all at once (as that will just cause something else to end up the new arsenal merc).

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Damn, was hoping for resource management help. Oh well, looks like there'll still be a lot of Rapid Shots/Hammer Shot...

PLEASE, you don't understand, there's no point in buffing our dps if it only lasts a few seconds before we're out of ammo.

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Damn, was hoping for resource management help. Oh well, looks like there'll still be a lot of Rapid Shots/Hammer Shot...

PLEASE, you don't understand, there's no point in buffing our dps if it only lasts a few seconds before we're out of ammo.

BTW, IO Merc/AS Commando is also in DIRE need of resource management/DoT-spreading assistance.

 

"Oh, it's not that bad"

Trust me, it's that bad.

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Honestly, I really like these changes and feel like they are perfectly in line with the DPS curve you earlier have described, in particular, I must say I like the thought about the critical damage bonus. Naturally, I am not sure how it will work out in reality, but it's a cool addition and something I had not initially thought about as a possible readjustment to the spec. Edited by RikuvonDrake
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Soo, basically we have to wait for 5.4 before this spec is viable in PvP with zero defensive's being added to the tree or tweaked, i mean; couldn't a defensive have been added to their AoE taunt?? or anything added to their tree that currently exists??

 

You changed the Arsenal Merc / Gunnery Mando's defensive in "Chaff Flare / Decoy" from their skill tree why couldn't the same be done for the extremely squishy Pyrotech/Plasmatech???

 

Not enough done imo, to a spec that has been utterly forgotten for so long..

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BUT

 

- the spec needs to spread 2 dots and just not one, like other DOT specs.

 

Today someone declared they wanted to have the same dotspreading of Innovative Ordinance Merc and use a GCD cast plus a 2? GCD delay grenade to spread one dot then an instant plus a GCD cast grenade to spread the other one.

 

Well that's one way of looking at it, it's highly likely what was meant was spreading two dots really easily like Dirty Fighting slinger and Balance sage.

Edited by Gyronamics
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(...)

 

You changed the Arsenal Merc / Gunnery Mando's defensive in "Chaff Flare / Decoy" from their skill tree why couldn't the same be done for the extremely squishy Pyrotech/Plasmatech???

 

Not enough done imo, to a spec that has been utterly forgotten for so long..

 

+1.

 

that's why i previously said the spec needed some change in HIS tree about survivability too. and not just waiting a change of utilities.

 

Today someone declared they wanted to have the same dotspreading of Innovative Ordinance Merc and use a GCD cast plus a 2? GCD delay grenade to spread one dot then an instant plus a GCD cast grenade to spread the other one.

 

Well that's one way of looking at it, it's highly likely what was meant was spreading two dots really easily like Dirty Fighting slinger and Balance sage.

 

one solution or the other, we need to have the possibility to spread our two DOTs more easily than waiting to see an ennemy in 10m radius of his mates to die..(for scorch) :rolleyes:

Edited by Thaladan
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Changes were anticipated, also useless. No one will play this in PvP or PvE. This entire discipline damage mechanics and survivability have not worked in 3.0, have not work 4.0 are not going to work in 5.3.

 

This spec has fundamental issues that are way beyond damage output (though it is an issue).

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The DPS bump was desperately needed. I could not justify playing a spec that had less survivability than AP while also doing less damage. Even after a DPS increase, the defences of the spec need help. Balance wise if a class is going to be this weak when it comes to survival, the damage needs to be even higher to compensate. I don't think you want to go there, but the glass cannon balance of the spec needs tweaking. Either with more cannon or less glass.

 

Dot spread could use a quality of life change. It's pretty challenging to use the dot spread cooldown effectively to achieve maximum AOE effectiveness. Tab targeting scorch in AOE situations seems kind of wonky. Would be nice to see a spec mechanic that allows the spread of both dots.

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Hey folks,

 

Here are the changes that are planned for Game Update 5.3 for Pyrotech and Plasmatech:

 

 

 

Both pyrotech and advanced prototype needs defense buff, and pyrotech needs dps buff. Thanks for doing one of these issues, however you should consider both specs defense skills, since at the moment these two specs are THE SQUISHIEST in the game, even squishier than juggernauts...

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Good dps changes just drop the cost of flame burst by 5 and the spec should be good. Unless of course you redo the rotation and put scorch dot to last 15 secs and not 30. I just find overall this spec requires too many fillers in it and possibly should be redone. DPsing and constantly checking heat and using basic or flame burst (which doesn't do a great deal of damage either) so much is kind of lame. Edited by MuskyBoy
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BTW, IO Merc/AS Commando is also in DIRE need of resource management/DoT-spreading assistance.

 

"Oh, it's not that bad"

Trust me, it's that bad.

 

I concur. Nerfing incedinary missle will not help this.

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IMO these buffs are a step in the right direction, but I'm not sure if it will bring the spec in line with the other 'dot melee specs' in their role-group. Same problem with Hatred.

 

Just don't see how these buffs will put it at the level of Anni (pretty balanced) or Lethality (maybe a tiny bit overtuned).

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