Level: 65, Gear: 204 pvp, Discipline: Serenity Shadow, Companion: Akk Dog, influence lvl 30, Healing Role Mission: Star Fortress Heroic Was able to solo, though took a lot of resting between fights to wait for cooldowns to be up. Had to rearrange utilities just for the expected fights, which felt good. This particular content felt more challenging, which I appreciate, but at the same time all the other easier content (planet heroics, star fortress solo) has become more tedious and grindy. A balance would be good. Also wish there were better payout for micromanaging companion abilities, might make the other content feel more challenging.

Like most of the changes so far. Something for balance/madness shadows/assassins would be refreshing.

If we go down this road then why not increase range of all force abilities along with your modification of raze, so that you do not need to be in melee at all ? And why not allow death field to automatically apply both discharge and crushing darkness on all targets ? And the most practical and easiest solution to all the problems you mention: why not just make madness assassins identical to madness sorcerers ? I do not think CD/Mind crush is supposed to be applied on multiple targets, not they way they designed it. I get the sense that they have strict targets on ST and AOE damage each spec must have, so I am pretty sure they are not going to make madness assassin a pure (over the top) AOE spec. And why not make the same changes for madness sorcerers, whats different for them ?

Yep, but there is no variety and boring animations as you said. Yes i feel the force technique conversion idea + whirling blow would be good. Maybe allow spinning strike to automatically grant 3 stacks as well, so that with crush spirit, balance shadows can be very effective finishers.

Actually, I don't mind your vision of balance. I don't mind being a sustained damage dealer with less single target pressure. What I cannot stand is holding a double bladed saber and doing nothing with it. Somehow that bothers me a lot. I want to be a shadow, I want to use the saber and the force (not exclusively one or the other) and I want to feel like a controller on the battlefield. So if we were to do that, as you said, it is important to decrease the ramp up time, and I hope the double bladed saber attacks (whirling blow/ spinning strike, if not shadow strike) have something to do with it.

It is because he really liked that spec (and so did I). It is not as if any suggestions and arguments here will be taken word to word by the combat team, they have their own ideas about the spec (as they should), so there is no reason we should not be dramatic, drastic and nostalgic in our suggestions I agree with the dot damage reduction part, they should probably be removed. It hits pure dot classes like balance pretty hard. But I actually prefer the pyro merc way of doing it (instead of a passive 15 % DR), because it requires some input on the part of the player. Good pyro mercs are real hard to duel against as balance, mainly because of this (combined with the fact that they have heavy armor), mind crush barely tickles them. So yeah I would like them removed, but if they have to include it, it must be active in some form, so that there is some window where dots could still hit hard.

I think it definitely meets their expectations, but the optimist that I am, I think they are going consider feedback and fix it. Even inspite of our disagreements, all of us think balance/madness needs fixing in terms of engagement and gameplay. So I am sure they will get to it, not now, but in the next expansion. Which could be a year from now. Well there is only so long one can remain optimistic.... Which is why they need to interact more with the community.

Mind ward is pretty decent, but it could use some improvements. And lambaste of course is pathetic.

This is a good point. Adds to the argument that we need more single target pressure, and not over reliance on dots.

Relax, it is just a difference of opinion. Though I do feel that you are a bit too stubborn on the aspect of shadow strike, and I get that. I would be too, if I was forced to use an ability I do not like. I for one do not really think that you will be forced to use shadow strike in balance/madness, irrespective of our opinions . But can you atleast agree that we need more melee options to make use of the double bladed lightsaber we wield ?

Phasewalk is an awesome escape ability, so is sever force + force spped combo. If you feel you cannot escape, try using these abilities more often. Similarly for staying on target, sever force + force speed, more than enough. But I think with the current state of utility (exfiltrate, and so many root cleanses), an instant force lift and an additional snare wouldn't hurt.

A double bladed lighsaber is a bit excessive for a pure force user.

Actually the combat team might agree with you on this one (though I never understood why they included it for KC if they felt it was clunky in the first place). As to the other two points, how can we be sure it does nothing ? Logically speaking, if something would be included it would be because it does something to enhance the gameplay. Whether it does something or not is an issue to discuss once we have a blueprint of what is expected.

I agree with this. I am repulsed by over the top dependence on stealth for the infiltration tree. I used to like the spec before 2.0: not as much as balance, but decently. Now I just don't like both our dps trees. The saving grace is that I do have fun with a 0/23/23 hybrid, which is kinda fun once you get used to it. Yeah and I don't get the shadow strike hate. Even before they implement something (hell, even before they intend to implement something), how can one say it does not synergize with the tree ? What if it increases damage based on number of dots, or increases crit chance of dots or some such ? Yes, and I agree that the shadow strike implementation for tank tree needs to be better.

Though I would like Shadow strike, I would be fine if they went instead with any melee ability (preferably spinning strike proc and something really good with whirling blow, not the current lambaste talent point). I want synergy with melee/stealth/resilience, because that's what distinguishes shadow from a sage. i like the force conversion idea, and granting all stacks when exiting stealth would be a nice way to get synergy with stealth, for e.g.