Force lightening needs a look

[KronikInsomniak]

Compared to most abilities in this game it just does too much.

 

Applies to mirror class

-low resource cost

-good damage

-applies a snare

-no CD

 

Not asking to fix every point, just remove at least one of the above.

 

Something has to give here. There should be a give and take with any ability either in terms of its damage, resource cost, or its mechanics. Right now for all lightening does it is way too cheap to cast and saves a global with its snare. You see players spamming this and not even dipping below 85% energy (whatever you call it). It makes controlling their resources when dps-ing a joke.

 

One of these factors has to go. Sorcerers already have a snare ability so even removing that wouldn't totally gimp the ability to slow players.

 

*edit* This game already has enough CC, a good dmg low cost auto snare ability for a range nuking class is not needed and just makes the game even more imbalanced for melee, and this is coming from a Commando. If Grav Round auto snared, it would be stupidly overpowered.

Edited January 11, 2012 by KronikInsomniak

[Astarica]

I think Force Lightning should be 10m even for Sorcerers. Either that, or make it 30m for Assassins would work too, but then that might be too overpowered.

[JediEwokFluff]

First, it's not a high damage spell and second you have to allocate talent points to make it have no cooldown.

 

It's fine.

[Arkerenos]

First, it's not a high damage spell and second you have to allocate talent points to make it have no cooldown.

 

It's fine.

 

This. It seems high damage because smart players use their talents to pop in instant casts in between to sneak in more damage.

[gevrik]

You forgot:

 

You can't use this while moving... (even though I'm standing perfectly still)

Having to stand perfectly still

 

It's perfectly fine.

[Karast]

First, it's not a high damage spell and second you have to allocate talent points to make it have no cooldown.

 

It's fine.

 

with enough surge everything is a high damage spell.

 

But CC abilities need fixed CD's no CC should be spammable and that's the real issue I feel.

 

It makes interrupting the ability, and using CC breaks pointless. A 10 or at least 5 second cool down is needed.

 

If a JK or Mara could spam force leap every GCD it would be exactly the same issue.

[JMESUN]

no cd if talented. not just no cd

[iamnoobplzhelp]

Yeah, it really doesn't do all that much damage. The reason it may look like it's doing a lot is the sorc is probably casting a lot of DOTs on you THEN casting lightning.

 

I'm a madness sorc and I'll put 3 dots on you then use my lightning.

[sangreal]

No cooldown is a talent, and if you're including talents force lightning does more than what is listed in the OP, such as the instant cast proc.

[Arkerenos]

with enough surge everything is a high damage spell.

 

But CC abilities need fixed CD's no CC should be spammable and that's the real issue I feel.

 

It makes interrupting the ability, and using CC breaks pointless. A 10 or at least 5 second cool down is needed.

 

If a JK or Mara could spam force leap every GCD it would be exactly the same issue.

 

Not really. Force Leap is not only a small stun but it moves you forward. Force Lightning must be channeled. So no, not exactly the same.

[Arkerenos]

No cooldown is a talent, and if you're including talents force lightning does more than what is listed in the OP, such as the instant cast proc.

 

Exactly. Dot a target up a couple times. Instant cast spell. Channel one Force Lightning, maybe two. Follow that by your instant cast, and another instant if your other talent proc'd. Yeah, I could see how Force Lightning could look like it's OP but there's much more to it than.. 1, 1, 1, 1.

[KronikInsomniak]

Exactly. Dot a target up a couple times. Instant cast spell. Channel one Force Lightning, maybe two. Follow that by your instant cast, and another instant if your other talent proc'd. Yeah, I could see how Force Lightning could look like it's OP but there's much more to it than.. 1, 1, 1, 1.

 

I still think the main issue is how it auto applies a snare. Range nukers should not have that in this game with all the CC that is already prevalent. Like I edited in the OP, if Grav Round had a auto snare I would feel stupid OP against most melee or any target I chose to train because I could do dmg while snaring, saving precious globals. Also for the dmg it does with talents it is way too cheap to cast.

Edited January 11, 2012 by KronikInsomniak

[JediEwokFluff]

with enough surge everything is a high damage spell.

Then, it seems Surge would be the thing you have an issue with - not force lightning.

[KronikInsomniak]

Also I wanted to ask, is it standard then to take the no CD/dmg talents? Because if it is I don't see how that is a legit argument. Core talents will always be taken.

[Gorstog]

Not really. Force Leap is not only a small stun but it moves you forward. Force Lightning must be channeled. So no, not exactly the same.

 

that, and i think force leap is completely mitigatable and lightening is not.

[CHRISGG]

it ticks for 400 damage

 

lol

[Maxxacre]

Force Lightning doesn't do particularly high damage, even when compared to other Sorcerer abilities... it also requires the Sorcerer to remain stationary, and being that it's channeled, it is also the easiest ability to interrupt.

[Aowar]

You forgot:

 

You can't use this while moving... (even though I'm standing perfectly still)

Having to stand perfectly still

 

It's perfectly fine.

 

 

you also forgot....it works regardless of los

[Arkerenos]

I still think the main issue is how it auto applies a snare. Range nukers should not have that in this game with all the CC that is already prevalent. Like I edited in the OP, if Grav Round had a auto snare I would feel stupid OP against most melee or any target I chose to train because I could do dmg while snaring, saving precious globals. Also for the dmg it does with talents it is way too cheap to cast.

 

I can understand that the constant 50% snare can get annoying. I know I substitute my Force Slow in for when I re-DoT my targets for added annoyance. But I don't think that should be counted against him/her. I think it should be something to add onto the resolve system changes. Make snares actually add to the Resolve bar, even if at a slower rate. That way a Sorc could still deal out a nice amount of damage if played well but not keep his target snared forever.

[Leiloni]

OK I don't think people understand all that's going on. Here is why the skill is perfectly fine.

 

-You have to stand still to cast it.

-You have to use up 11 talent points in the Balance/Madness tree to get rid of the CD

-You have to use up 3 talent points in the Balance/Madness tree to make it do decent damage

-The Balance/Madness tree is based around DoTs and CC - slow damage over time, no burst damage at all. The only way they can kill people is by controlling them long enough to allow their DoTs to tick off. Otherwise you'd be up in our squishy cloth wearing faces killing us in a matter of seconds while we barely did any damage to you.

-Anyone not specced halfway into that talent tree isn't spamming it and shouldn't be able to bother you all that much with it.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Leiloni

[Arkerenos]

you also forgot....it works regardless of los

 

This is completely false. Yes it autoturns you, like many things. But you CAN LoS a Sorc's Force Lightning. The texture may lag a little due to connection or the generally known ability delay issues.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Arkerenos

[Arkerenos]

Otherwise you'd be up in our squishy cloth wearing faces killing us in a matter of seconds while we barely did any damage to you.

 

This. Static Shield can't hold someone off for that long.

[Ruuprect]

I think the only reason this seems a little OP is that there are so many inquis in every WZ, so all you see is force lightning all over the place and get hit by it over and over again.

 

The points most ppl have made make sense in that you have to put points in it to make it CD and you have to stand still while casting.

[Astarica]

Force Lightning, like most ranged attacks, is overpowered in Huttball where you can have a firing brigade camped on top of a catwalk that takes 30 seconds to walk up there, and on top of its decent hitting ability it also snares you to ensure it now takes you 60 seconds to walk up there. It's probably not any harder to deal with then any staple ranged DPS ability (say, Grav Round) but knowing that doesn't help you if your pull/charge move is down, or better yet if you don't have one of those moves at all.

[Arkerenos]

Force Lightning, like most ranged attacks, is overpowered in Huttball where you can have a firing brigade camped on top of a catwalk that takes 30 seconds to walk up there, and on top of its decent hitting ability it also snares you to ensure it now takes you 60 seconds to walk up there. It's probably not any harder to deal with then any staple ranged DPS ability (say, Grav Round) but knowing that doesn't help you if your pull/charge move is down, or better yet if you don't have one of those moves at all.

 

I can understand your annoyance during a situation like that. But for things like Huttball, you shouldn't just be standing there eating it. If you're a melee class who doesn't either have a closer move(not sure who does and who doesn't for sure) or has yours on CD, don't try and just last it. You need to LoS that caster and draw him out, get him down on your level where you can smash his Ionized clothie self.

 

I'm not trying to teach anyone how to PvP because I, myself, am decades away from being a "Supa PvPeh Masta", but you can see how Force Lightning can be mistaken by people as super overpowered when it was just a situational mishap.

 

As playing both a Sorc and non-Sorc in PvP just about everyday. I don't think Force Lightning needs changed. I personally think Snares should have an impact on the Resolve bar.