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Class changes and balance in Game Update 1.3


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Senior Designer Austin Peckenpaugh lets us in on details around class changes and balance in Game Update 1.3.

 

I think it’s important to first communicate that not all class changes are meant to address balance. In fact, I try and treat usability, quality of life, and balance all as equal parts of good class design. To that end, when class changes come to a server near you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your class was “too good” or “too bad” prior to the patch. In fact, it’s just as likely that these changes are meant to address kinks or even pains in your day-to-day play, ability functionality, and rotations.

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Edited by AlysonBridge
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Some very interesting (and good) changes alluded to here. Can't wait to see the full patch notes! Just hope healers will be seeing a little love and attention to! All in all, while this might be a content-light patch, I'm hoping the number of balance and quality of life issues being addressed will be quite large.
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Saw some things referencing Tank AoE damage not affecting CC. Any word on if this will apply to any other AoE? I know I'd like to be able to cast Death Field with my Sorc and not break CC...

 

I doubt it. Tanks worry about Threat gen, positioning, and proper timing of cooldowns. Making the new AoE smart for them makes sense.

 

DPS on the other hand focus on one thing only, and that's DPS. It's the least mentally taxing role to play in any MMO, and keeping your DPS up without breaking CC is part of your job.

 

At least with these new changes, a tank can much more easily pull packs of mobs away from CC so that the DPS can AoE unhindered.

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The Shadow/Assassin tank survivability changes went too far for high-end PvE tanking with the armor multiplier downgrade.

 

Shadows were already pretty much considered the worst choice for end-game PvE tanking because they are the easiest to get gibbed. They had the least armor, the little self heals don't mean much when you're taking big boss damage, and their shield mechanic isn't as reliable.

 

PvE guilds were already prioritizing the other two tank AC's. After this, most of the high-end guilds will disqualify them altogether from main-tank roles.

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Yet another nerf to the concealment and scrapper trees, biochem effectively removed from pvp...

 

So you ARE going the same way WoW has gone, guess my SWTOR subscription will go the same way my WoW subscription has gone once 1.3 hits.

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I thought it was mentioned previously that they will improve the useablility of healers and I see no mention of that here or in the full patch notes :(

 

Good change to Sniper/GS tree. I'm interested to see how well this plays out :) After being Lethality for so long, I kinda doubt I'll go back to MM, but at least it'll feel like it's not gimped.

 

Just read all of the Sniper/GS notes... Very nice!! Really looking forward to the changes :D But with the change to Target Acquired effectively being PvP-only (unless you really DO mean armor penetration), will the PvE set bonuses change?

 

Just read ALL the notes... I'm really looking forward to this patch :D

 

And very surprised nothing was done with healing. I guess it's hitting all the right marks :confused:

Edited by psi_overtake
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Hmm some pretty nice tank changes, though I didn't have any problem keeping aggro on my jugernaut I welcome these changes with a smile ;D.

 

Agreed. Although it wasn't too bad before these changes I'm not going to complain about the increased utility. Any time I had to fight around a group of cc'd enemies I'd lose a pivotal part of my rotation (wither) so that I would not awaken the others. I'd have to do a lot of taunt/attack juggling to keep the ones who were awake on me instead. Though I think it does help distinguish skilled and non-skilled tanks I won't lament the changes.

 

Now I'll just have to only worry about making sure I don't hit discharge by cc'd enemies.

 

It is unfortunate however that they decided to lower the armor and health regen for assassins/shadows. Though I'm not too worried.

Edited by MillionsKNives
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so now my shadow tank and my healing sorccerer are nerfed beyond belief.

 

quote:

Rather than hit armor or self-healing too hard, we’ve opted to adjust both by a much smaller amount.

 

The healing generated by Combat Technique/Dark Charge has been reduced by approximately 50%.

The healing generated by Harnessed Shadows/Harnessed Darkness has been reduced to 8% in total (down from 12% in total).

The armor provided by Combat Technique/Dark Charge has been reduced to +115% (down from 150%).

----------------------

 

you said much smaller amount yet I see a change of 50% (not small at all) and another change of 35% (again... NOT SMALL).

 

why cant you just increase the effectivness of armor rating? Is it because you dont want people to be playing consulars or inquisitors... unless they are dps?

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I've never had the problems with my Juggernaut that so many complain about, but I can at least understand the decision to improve AOE threat. But really, was avoiding CC breaks really so hard? It seems like we're quickly approaching "trained monkey" skill levels :(
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Tanksassins are being nerfed due to the pvp QQing and now the PvE people will have to suffer for it, reducing the armor % buff from dark charge is a horrible idea.

A assassin tank doesnt even come close to the armor rating of a BH when both are in tank stance.

ANd lets not forget that assassins have to actvate a ability every 20 seconds to keep defenses at a maximum rate while the ability does not even guarantee a 20 second duration sins it works with charges.

 

And no buff to DPS assassins?

You failed here bioware, you're going to end up with a game where every inquisitor is a sorc.

Edited by Exiled-Phoenix
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The commando changes don't really help assault specialist much, since Target Lock is at the base of the AS tree and thus also easily attained by a gunnery commando. I've been assault spec'd for the last few weeks, and enjoying the mobility, but these changes mean I'll be going back to gunnery. The commando AS tree needs some high-level love BW!!
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Tanksassins are being nerfed due to the pvp QQing and now the PvE people will have to suffer for it, reducing the armor % buff from dark charge is a horrible idea.

A assassin tank doesnt even come close to the armor rating of a BH when both are in tank stance.

ANd lets not forget that assassins have to actvate a ability every 20 seconds to keep defenses at a maximum rate while the ability does not even guarantee a 20 second duration sins it works with charges.

 

And no buff to DPS assassins?

You failed here bioware, you're going to end up with a game where every inquisitor is a sorc.

 

He addressed the armor discrepancy problem by stating that they can and do self-heal to make up for it. And second, there are PLENTY of assassins in PvP and an adequate number in PvE. I don't think this is going to be a problem. And if it is, they'll have 50s on the server to make changes before live hits.

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