[SENT/MARA] A couple of things

[Cuiwe]

Yes, Defensive Forms need to migrate to a class passive, but I wanted to raise another important matter. A matter why we have so many bad Sents/Maras: the issue of leveling.

 

The very first thing that jumps out to me while leveling is the Centering/Fury issue. Back before 3,0 we hadn't had this issue because we had Valour/Short Fuse on like level 12. Ever since, we have been struggling to use our core class identity: Zen/Berserk that is, our secondary resource. And what filled this niche while levelling you ask? D.Forms. Don't forget that they give you +2(I think) 2nd res. when struck(in addition to 1 base). What does this teach new players? One VERY BAD habit: to just jump in and let stuff smack you! This is not how it should be played, but if you want to have ANY fun on this alternate class, you need to level like this. What are my proposed sollutions? I'll note another oddity:

 

Namely, Focused/Enraged Slash. Why do Se/Ma get this unnecessary passive at such an early level. I mean, one of the skills listed isn't received until level 56! What gives! So, I'll make a rochade with this passive. Here:

 

1. Valour/SF returns to low levels and replaces F/E Slash.

2. Contemplation becomes a part of Centering/Fury passive

3. F/E Slash is buffed so it reduces the cost of associated skill by 2 instead of by 1.

4. Lower Valorous Call to...lvl 18(?) and give Se/Ma Masterful utility that upon the end of combat refreshes the CD on V.Call, Rebuke and Z.Strike(Sent version of Preparation)

 

Explanations why:

 

1. This is the simplest and the easiest sollution due to it having ABSOLUTELY NO IMPACT on balance. Idk, why they haven't done this already tbh. F/E Slash on level 50 would be just ok(it'd encompass 4 out of 5 listed skills instead of lousy 2 out of 5{in some discs even less!}. Meanwhile, let's try to understand the logic of the BW rochade. They moved Valour because it, supposedly, buffed a skill you didn't have(Valorous Call) while replacing it with a passive that is more usable at the level. But! Let's look at Focused Slash, shall we? It reduces the cost of Slash(largely unimportant skill even while leveling), Cyclone Slash(important only to Ataru users), Zealous Slash(received at 41!), Blade Rush(Ataru replacement for Slash-level 26) and Concentrated Slice(level FIFTY AND SIX!). So, the biggest benefactor of this passive is the Combat/Carnage. The other disciplines? LOL! Meanwhile, Valour/SF buffed a part of Se/Ma that is of UTMOST importance: their secondary resource gain. One must be a fool to think that Focused Slash impacts the gameplay more than Valour does at that point. So, as is clealry visible, it backfired even from their "logic". Why i suppose this was done: in order so they could change it later and say that they listen to fans and to score easy points both with players(because they're "listening") and with the management(because they're doing something). Paper thin, but still.

 

2. This could affect balance, but not by much. The only thing that would change is the fact that you open up the fight with Zen/Berserk and with Inspiration/Bloodthirst(this every 5 minutes!). Not a big change, but bigger than the previous one that's for sure.

 

3. Now, this could screw the balance and Ataru would go into gen.Grievous mode(the scene where he rotates the lightsabres like circular saws-you know what I mean-he is actually using 1 res Blade Rush ). I am not a proponent of this one, but it IS one of possibilities they could explore.

 

4. Yeah, this is a large change. It'd mess up the balance royally and I'm not the one that'll say "PICK THIS ONE" because this one could and in fact would have a lot of unwanted consenquences. But still, it IS very much just that, a possibility.

 

With all that said, something needs to be done about Se/Ma levelling. It just...teaches people to play the class in the wrong way! One thing is if it's boring or if it gets the important stuff later, but it's whole another thing if it actually defeats its purpose(teaching you how to play).

 

Don't you agree?

 

TLDR: Do something about secondary resource!

Edited April 27, 2015 by Cuiwe

[Cuiwe]

250 views no replies. I really left everyone speechless...

[Lysergicacyd]

Tl:dr

[JouerTue]

nah most sents don't even know what zen is, i doubt they get hit in purpose. and how knows how centering/zen works probably doesn't need it to do solo content. it's just a fun factor levelling. i'd rework combat though..boring as hell until like level 45 exactly how it used to be.