Sevvy Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) My question to Bioware would be: How often do you want us to use Rail Shot? In which case, instead of an internal cooldown, why not do one of 2 things... 1. Prototype Particle Accelerator talent reduces the cooldown of Rail Shot by... 2s/4.5s/7.5s(for a total of 7.5 seconds off the cooldown of Rail Shot) Those numbers are pulled out of thin air. Instead, plug in numbers you feel would be reasonable in regards to how often you think we should be able to use Rail Shot. 2. Prototype Particle Accelerator: Rocket Punch reduces the cooldown of Rail Shot by 1s/2s/3s and Flame Burst reduces the coolown of Rail Shot by .5s/1s/2s. Again, numbers I just pulled out of thin air. Obviously, testing would need to be done to see if that would be inline with what Bioware thinks the cooldown of Rail Shot should be, but you get my point. The reason I bring this up, is because I do not like RNG. Especially when the bread and butter mechanic of an entire spec for a class depends on RNG. In my opinion, that is poor design. And it has created a false representation of Powertechs in the PvP community, because Powertechs that hit hard can throw a Thermal Detonator on someone, then get a couple of lucky PPA procs and potentially Rail Shot someone twice and kill them. But none of my opponents remember the times that I had to wait out the 15s cooldown of Rail Shot to use it again, or the times I had to re-apply my DoTs over and over again because they were being dispelled properly. Instead of remedying the real problem, and normalizing the frequency of being able to use Rail Shot, the RNG element of Prototype Particle Accelerator still exists. In the past it could win or lose you a fight by either proc'ing a lot, or not proc'ing at all/enough. You lived and died by the sword. Now, with the 6s internal cooldown, the upside to the RNG aspect of Prototype Particle Accelerator has been removed. Not only due to the potential reduction in damage/burst because of using Rail Shot less, but also for Rail Shot's ability to help regulate our Heat. This is a band-aid applied to an already broken mechanic. I think the most damaging problem that will be created by this nerf is going to be Heat management. Edited March 17, 2012 by Sevvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malvantyr Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I would approve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevvy Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) I would approve. It makes more sense imo. And this is something I've been thinking about for a while now, not just since I've heard that we were going to be nerfed in 1.2. Another thing I thought of, too... Gone are the days of running into a fight and opening with Flame Burst to get CGC up on someone. Prototype Particle Accelerator procs are beyond sacred now. And if it procs with Rail Shot already off of cooldown, you just hosed yourself. Which means I'm going to have to Incendiary Missile more often now, which will make Heat management as Pyro even worse than it will be after this nerf. Ugh, this is going to be a mess. And it's so easily fixed. Edited March 17, 2012 by Sevvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assaultrooper Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I personally signed up for the RNG, for the luck-based spec as its the only one like that in this game! AND even then I would /bump your solution even more than Biowares 6 sec cd. Cause if that goes live I wont have the "crazy" burst that RNG COULD provide me, yet I would now have to deal with RNG as a negative factor! Meaning ***? Now I wouldnt be able to pull high dps cus of RNG but I COULD go for an entire fight without the proc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevvy Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) I personally signed up for the RNG, for the luck-based spec as its the only one like that in this game! AND even then I would /bump your solution even more than Biowares 6 sec cd. Cause if that goes live I wont have the "crazy" burst that RNG COULD provide me, yet I would now have to deal with RNG as a negative factor! Meaning ***? Now I wouldnt be able to pull high dps cus of RNG but I COULD go for an entire fight without the proc... That's the problem with RNG for Pyro now. It used to be live and die by the sword. Now it's just die by the sword. How is that going to be fun for us? Seriously. Edited March 17, 2012 by Sevvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assaultrooper Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 It makes more sense imo. And this is something I've been thinking about for a while now, not just since I've heard that we were going to be nerfed in 1.2. Another thing I thought of, too... Gone are the days of running into a fight and opening with Flame Burst to get CGC up on someone. Prototype Particle Accelerator procs are beyond sacred now. And if it procs with Rail Shot already off of cooldown, you just hosed yourself. Which means I'm going to have to Incendiary Missile more often now, which will make Heat management as Pyro even worse than it will be after this nerf. Ugh, this is going to be a mess. And it's so easily fixed. If they dont change their minds, I think COUGH* I might give AP another try... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevvy Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 If they dont change their minds, I think COUGH* I might give AP another try... Have you run Iron Fist at all? With Quell not generating any Heat, it's going to be pretty awesome. I run it from time to time, and while you play a different role, I think it'll still be really fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapex Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) The patch notes did state that the chance to proc PPA will be substantially increased (update: it's 45% Flame Burst and 60% Rocket Punch) to offset the 6 second internal CD. What they are basically saying is they want the Rail Shot to be on a 6-9 second CD, down from 15, but in a more imaginative way than a raw -9 second cooldown talent. That said, I agree with the OP: make the abilities consistently lower the CD of the ability in order to remove both the RNG and the internal CD. The problem with internal CDs is that you are urged to avoid using the abilities that proc the talent until the internal cooldown ends. This is bad if you wish to maintain an optimal damage rotation or pattern and is generally a band aid solution when something else can be better designed instead. I would change the talent a bit from what the OP proposes, however. I don't like how the PyroTech tree is bottom-heavy: past 18 points, you get very powerful (but boring) bonuses to your DPS and they don't directly change your playstyle. I'd like if Flame Burst was taken out from PPA BUT Thermal Detonator and Unload helped lower the CD of Rail Shot: Each activation of Rocket Punch, Explosive Dart, and Thermal Detonator and each second of Unload have a 33/66/100% chance to reduce the cooldown of Rail Shot by 2 seconds. I don't see PPA ever being balanced so long as you can DoT, slow, and proc a Heat-free and CD-refreshed Rail Shot with one single ability. If we throw some of the weight to these other powerful abilities that most people hardly use, not only can we keep PPA balanced and fun but also help differentiate PyroTech further from the other trees so our class can truly have three vastly different playstyles. Edited March 17, 2012 by Mapex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umpire Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Here's my take on it front a PVP Tank http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=3479883#post3479883 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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