Developer Update: Class Changes and Balance in Game Update 1.4

This ^

We got an interrupt, it could be worse!

Interesting changes. Though I wonder if there's more in the pipe than just what's presented here. For example, nothing changing with Power-techs or Marauders.

Looks like Scoundrels are finally getting a short duration movement speed increase. 50% increase whenever we use Sneak. Cooldown reset whenever we leave stealth (encouraging us to use sneak to close gaps in stealth, and close gaps afterwards). 6 seconds doesn't feel very long, but maybe it's long enough. Personally, I'd trade 6 seconds of 50% speed, for 3 seconds of 100% speed.

Disappearing Act goes down to 2 minute cooldown standard, with the ability to bring it down further to 1:30. Should be pretty useful.

No changes presented about overall DPS though. It's still pretty front-loaded, and dependent on Upper Hands. I'm hoping there's a few other changes related to Back Blast/ Sucker Punch that simply aren't mentioned here. Sucker Punch in particular could really use a bit of tweaking.

Possible signature, thanks for the giggle.

We need to test this on the PTS asap!!!

Some interesting changes that we can't even begin to 'discuss' properly until we can test them ourselves. Open up the PTS and slap that bugger on there please

Almost full War Hero Sorc heals here. I'm pretty expert at staying alive by kiting (as good as one can be against melee types that have lots of gap closers), and I have to warn you that the changes to Overload and Electrocute are going to significantly reduce survivability for Sorcs/Sages.

Overlord is a "skunk's tail"-like defensive cooldown in kiting: I turn my butt toward the enemy, knockback, and then create separation by moving away, usually in search of a LOS breaking obstacles. With the new ability, I'll have to face my foe and then trigger Overload and then turn around and then run away. That's hard to do in practice because lag prevents quick movements like that. Another use of Overload was to knockback an enemy while standing at a corner of LOS and then going around that corner. Not possible with your new cone effect. Adept close-range fighters are already skilled in moving through you, making it difficult to use forward-facing effects on them consistently (particularly with a narrow aperture cone at very close range, I imagine). So this is a major nerf to an ability that, talented with Electric Bindings, was one of our few escape mechanisms. We're already very squishy, and melees already have lots of gap closers. Why you want to reduce survivability is beyond me. I've heard lots of complaints, but "sorcs always get away" was not one of them.

Similarly, Electocute was a preemptive opener at 30 meters. If you could get it off before the leap, you could try to run away. Not so at 10 meters. The leap has likely occurred already and some melded have CC immunity after leaps.

These two changes favor melee types at he expense of a class already regarded as too squishy by most. I meant his feedback in a constructive light and not as a complaint. I Enjoy the class and it's limits as is. But less survivability against melees is not the right direction for balance.

Ok, please clarify if I'm misunderstanding the changes but what I see is the changes you've made to resolve are completely in the WRONG direction and will make stun locking even WORSE!

• Decreasing the rate resolve builds due to stacking mistimed stuns is bad--now it will effectively take longer to fill a character's resolve bar thus will be able to controlled for a longer period of time.
• Adding more slows and stuns and decreasing stun break time for "some" characters is just insane!!

You need to reduce the prevalence of stuns overall not increase it!!!!!!

SUGGESTION:
Remove all stuns as soon as the bar is completely full. Too many times characters are properly chain stunned and remain stunned while having a full resolve bar, only to see the resolve bar quickly fall to zero as they are released from CC and usually by then, are swiftly killed.

I actually think this will help sorc and sage survivability immensely, we're given a escape ability which removes all roots and snares and grant immunity from them, we're given a instant self heal, and lastly our alacrity modifier grants now immunity to interrupts, finally I can lay down my heavy fire without getting interrupted halfway

Question: Will the Lightning Effusion talent continue to reduce the CD of Force Speed? Right now it reduces it from 30 secs to 20 secs with two points in the talent.

A 10 sec cooldown would be fun with force speed, especially with the added immunity