On-Use "Utility" Relics for PVP

[ArdoNorrin]

So, last summer, the Devs took on-use stat boost relics out of PVP, replacing them with flat-boost relics that wound up backfiring by becoming BiS for PVE. In response, those were eliminated with the release of 2.0 and the Partisan/Conqueror gear tier, whose relics are all auto-proc varieties. However, the best of these -- the Relic of Serendipitous Assault -- is designed to "lock out" the other healing and DPS relics now that a fix has been entered to keep it from not allowing 2 matched relics to proc together.

 

At the same time, the developers are trying to limit CC in PVP, and one thought was to cause stun breaks to reset on death. This was slapped down with iron might by the PVP community, and the change has been backburnered. A discussion with some friends this weekend, however, gave me an idea that could address both the relic problem and the stun break problem:

 

Why not have relics with on-use abilities that aren't just stat boosts?

 

My prototype is the "Relic of Battlefield Lucidity", which has static bonuses appropriate to its tier (Partisan/Conqueror), and an on-use ability that mimics the class stun-break power, with the standard 2 minute Relic cooldown (making it, on average, 1 extra stun break for every 2 of your class's cooldowns).

 

However, this doesn't have to be the only such relic. A number of utility powers could be added in this way, and would add an additional strategic element since you could only have at most 2 equipped, and they would share a 2-minute cooldown.