Suggested improvements for Kolto Infusion

[alanisUDL]

As it has been discussed on this forum since the game came out (and on Beta forums as well), Kolto Infusion is barely worth casting pre-Surgical Probes, and most rarely use it (though some PvE min-maxers might find a way to want to weave it into a rotation). I think most operatives will agree that it generally is not worth it to cast when it takes both energy and TA. I wanted to collect some thoughts about ways to improve the ability, through either changing the core ability or through talents.

 

1. Change the cost. Right now, 20 energy plus a TA is just too much when we can use SP for no energy, or a slightly longer KI for no TA (at loss of 5 more energy). Either through a talent, or just changing the ability, lower its cost. I would suggest taking away the requirement of having a TA, or lowering the energy to the 10 energy range. If this might be too much, perhaps add a Cooldown to the heal.

 

2. Add an effect to the heal, either through talents or to the base ability. Something like an added HoT (boring) or a buff (perhaps something like a x% damage buff to target for y seconds).

 

3. Perhaps a high Medicine talent that casting Infusion refreshes Kolto Probes on the target.

[KainXavier]

As it has been discussed on this forum since the game came out (and on Beta forums as well), Kolto Infusion is barely worth casting pre-Surgical Probes, and most rarely use it (though some PvE min-maxers might find a way to want to weave it into a rotation). I think most operatives will agree that it generally is not worth it to cast when it takes both energy and TA. I wanted to collect some thoughts about ways to improve the ability, through either changing the core ability or through talents.

 

1. Change the cost. Right now, 20 energy plus a TA is just too much when we can use SP for no energy, or a slightly longer KI for no TA (at loss of 5 more energy). Either through a talent, or just changing the ability, lower its cost. I would suggest taking away the requirement of having a TA, or lowering the energy to the 10 energy range. If this might be too much, perhaps add a Cooldown to the heal.

 

2. Add an effect to the heal, either through talents or to the base ability. Something like an added HoT (boring) or a buff (perhaps something like a x% damage buff to target for y seconds).

 

3. Perhaps a high Medicine talent that casting Infusion refreshes Kolto Probes on the target.

 

I think these are some of the better suggestions I've seen as far as Infusion goes. Since talenting Surgical Probe, I never cast Infusion any more. Adding an ability to refresh Kolto Probe is inherently dangerous - but adding a cooldown nips it in the bud, and is needed for such an implementation. Medical Therapy would be a good place to stick that (50%/100% to refresh).

 

Beyond that, something more could be done, and I like your other ideas. With a cooldown, it could provide a bigger heal and be bursty, but I want something that doesn't put me on main tank healing 24/7. I'd wanna test the following package:

 

Kolto Infusion

1.5 seconds

Energy: 10

Range: 30m

Cooldown: 20 Seconds

Executes your Tactical Advantage to heal the target for 2547 - 3587. Requires and consumes Tactical Advantage.

 

Medical Therepy: 0/2

Increases the healing dealt by periodic effects by [5 / 10]% and Surgical Probe by [3 / 6]%. Kolto Infusion has a [50/100]% to refresh Kolto Probe on a target.

 

I'd wanna test out this on the 6th teir of medicine:

 

Powered Infusion: 0/2

Kolto Infusion cost is increased by 1 additional Tactical Advantage and reduced by [5/10] Energy. Increases healing of Kolto Infusion by [5/10]% and target gains [7/15]% increased critical chance for 10 seconds. Gain [5/10] Energy.

[Macheath]

2. Add an effect to the heal, either through talents or to the base ability. Something like an added HoT (boring) or a buff (perhaps something like a x% damage buff to target for y seconds).

 

In Rift, there was an entire healing spec of the Cleric dedicated to using a combination of healing and shielding to protect allies. One such ability was a talent that passively allowed one of your heals to also put a small shield up on your target, absorbing damage. It was basically a very small version of the Sorcerer's damage shield, triggered whenever a specific heal was cast. Perhaps a mechanic like this could be added to Kolto Infusion, to give it a unique flavor.

 

-Macheath.

[Tuckervb]

Looking at some of the spells we got it seems like all of them state "requires and consumes TA" why not give KInf a talent to not consume TA at all not just the "Regrant" that KP has. That way with Kolto probes procing TA you can cast KInf>SP for a fast small heal and Kinj>SP for a slightly longer bigger heal.

[Comnenus]

Kolto Infusion is swiftly becoming my go-to 'oh ****' heal at high level; the throughput far outstrips Surgical Probe and the only reason I'd use Probe over Infusion is if Energy is an issue.

 

That said, it's a little awkward to use, primarily because it both costs a stack of TA and has a rather high energy cost. I think the most straightforward answer would be a high-tier talent that reduces the energy cost by 5/10/15, or even just 5/10.

[marshalleck]

Kolto Infusion is swiftly becoming my go-to 'oh ****' heal at high level; the throughput far outstrips Surgical Probe and the only reason I'd use Probe over Infusion is if Energy is an issue.

 

That said, it's a little awkward to use, primarily because it both costs a stack of TA and has a rather high energy cost. I think the most straightforward answer would be a high-tier talent that reduces the energy cost by 5/10/15, or even just 5/10.

 

Replace that talent for Diagnostic Scan which grants energy and attach that effect by default, to encourage low level ops to learn energy management. This could be a decent idea.

[Comnenus]

If I had to pick a talent to replace with this hypothetical one, I think it'd actually be Med Shield. It's high enough in the tree to limit it to pure medics, and Med Shield is... underwhelming for such a high-tier talent. Perhaps, if Shield Probe were targetable I would feel differently, but at the moment Med Shield is completely lacklustre. Sure, perhaps it's useful in PvP, but the vast majority of PvP-centric medics opt to use a more hybrid spec where they go Lethality or Concealment after Surgical Probe.

[steinsgate]

3. Perhaps a high Medicine talent that casting Infusion refreshes Kolto Probes on the target.

 

Ooh, I'd take that one.

[Comnenus]

I think the best way to go for a mechanic like that would actually be to have Diagnostic Scan refresh KP.

[booshido]

Hit two birds with one stone --

 

Have KInfusion when used immediately after DiagScan give the healing effect without using TA or energy, or put up a small absorb shield, or put a stacking minor hot, etc.

 

Essentially make using 2 of our abilities worthy of the gcd plus the cost. Hell, you could even replace the DiagScan talent of refunding energy with anything mentioned above.

Edited January 12, 2012 by booshido

[Fluhi]

Remove the TA requirement to use

 

Add around a 6-9 second cooldown

 

Make it consume all TA stacks which per stack adds a effects. Like adds a absorb buff to target strengh based on TA consumed like 5% or 10% per stack, add more heal to it like 25%-50% per stack, and/or reduces energy cost by 50% per TA, etc. Swap sedatives talent with chem resistant inlays talent, and replace inlays talent with the consume TA effects or add it to that talent and pushes it out of 31 point lethality/concealment specs.

[Phishass]

I was thinking something like this; first diagnostic scan should be able to cast on the move, Then let it give some kind of buff that let the next kolto infusion be an automatic crit. With kolto infusion ide say let it consume a TA and keep the same cast time. But let it also put a hot on the target or refresh kolto probe, or consume your probes for the healing that would have been dealt, that be nice. lol

[Jonis]

I see Kolto Infusion as our training TA healing skill, in preparation for Surgical Probe. We receive it at level 10 and provides us a use for our TA, however it is not as good as Surgical Probe. Operative healing guides say Kolto Infusion is our "cheap" heal that uses TA, until we unlock Surgical Probe. I just turned lvl 30 and I don't use Kolto Infusion anymore. With my Kolto Probes stacked and maintained I receive enough TA to keep the tank up and control my energy.

 

So in short: Why change it when it's meant to be replaced with Surgical Probe? If I could change anything to our healing, I would add a TA team heal spell, to add more tactical gameplay.

[alanisUDL]

So in short: Why change it when it's meant to be replaced with Surgical Probe? If I could change anything to our healing, I would add a TA team heal spell, to add more tactical gameplay.

 

Talented, we have only five total heals. None of these should "meant to be replaced".