PTS Phase 3 - PvP Balance

-_Richtus_- · October 7, 2019

There has been a defensive cooldown "arms race" happening between mercs, snipers and marauders since the end of 4.x where other classes have been left in the dust in comparison. Dot classes like hatred, lethality, madness and pyro are suffering defensively as a result of passive healing / mitigation from doing dot damage not being scaled to account for burst increases in the burst dps classes as well as new defensive buffs given to the top three defensive classes (Merc, sniper, mara). Dot classes have to stay on target to ramp up damage to compete with burst - but they can't do it really unless you are an io merc or engineering sniper because on those other dot classes you melt under returned focus.

And it doesn't stop now. The strong classes get all the juicy stuff with 6.0 and they just leave the bad classes bad. It's really a shame. Seems like they don't have a balancing team at all.

Lhancelot · October 7, 2019

And it doesn't stop now. The strong classes get all the juicy stuff with 6.0 and they just leave the bad classes bad. It's really a shame. Seems like they don't have a balancing team at all.

That sucks I was hoping they would use this 6.0 to buff weaker classes. This is a good time to change up the meta of mara/merc/sniper DPS being kings of the WZs.

Merc healers need love, btw. Been 7 years now, and the merc healer has never once been considered a seriously competitive spec. How long does this spec have to be in the basement and utter garbage compared to the other two healers?

Balameb · October 7, 2019

Does a particular class or spec feel too strong? Too weak?
Do any of the new abilities feel particularly strong? Too weak?
Is there a set bonus that feels too strong? Too weak?
Is there a tactical that feels too strong? Too weak?
Is there a specific set bonus and tactical combination that is over powered?

Sadly i had no time to test multiple classes. I could only test PvP with my hatred sin.

New ability is just crap. Stop with conal shi*, your game engine cannot handle positioning properly.

Tried the Leeching strike tactical, i think it need some work. While it does trigger, I don't like depending on RNG. This spec already has RNG dependant procs and this just add another (other tacticals i think are worst). Even when it procs I also find it very unrealiable, like not working(may have been lag) and i constantly was with low force. What i would change is that when it procs, it needs to reduce its force cost significantly.

This spec still struggles with force regeneration.

CraigOnXD · October 8, 2019

Bioware u need to remove guard from dps for this update it is simply too much in ranked

TheDramaKing · October 8, 2019

Well, congratulations on nerfing Sin dps spec defenses once again.

Force Speed DR lowered from 60% to 25%, another glorious display of game understanding.

Edited October 8, 2019 by TheDramaKing

Raansu · October 8, 2019

Bioware u need to remove guard from dps for this update it is simply too much in ranked

They need to just remove guard period.

Siouve · October 8, 2019

They need to just remove guard period.

Remove tank from arena and make it 3v3 I would say. But there is so much things to fix before...

Death-Hammer · October 8, 2019

Does a particular class or spec feel too strong? Too weak?

I would say sorcerer class still feels much weaker in survivability and dps than other classes like for example Merc and agents ( snipers ).

Beyrahl · October 8, 2019

Does a particular class or spec feel too strong? Too weak?

Assassin defensives remain unchanged, stun DR or Phasewalk back would be a good step in the right direction, or just a rework on current defensives.

Operative while it's gained some very nice things, I still also think needs stun DR. Concealment is also looking a bit too strong.

Sorcerer healing didn't really gain anything good for their new ability, more synergy or just something better would be idea.

Sniper still feel like AoE extended knockback with root automatically applied is a bit too strong, without the root automatically applied is far more reasonable. Along with holoocate, it makes no sense for this class to have this much less use it while in diversion. I also hope that we could consider reworking diversion as a whole, note later on in the post about that.

Marauder's ruthless aggressor still seems a bit much, I feel like marauder should get something different, it has a lot of DR but no real healing option. As the game has gone on, a lot of classes have gained multiple healing options, marauder isn't one of them. Heal ward is laughable, however would be nice if it's healing was a bit more.

Juggernaut Pooled hatred and furious power working together seems a bit strong. Some really large hits are possible with these being used together. I don't think tank should get damage boost from the furious power as it's already got pooled hatred most of the 4v4 heal tanks I have played, immortal was pulling the largest hit every game. Also more to note on tank later on.

Powertech seems iffy. I do think kolto healing being scaled up just a little would make it pretty solid with all the new options.

Mercenary reflect healing still seems silly to have, really puts the juggernaut idea into mercenary. However with the new mass amount of strong aoe this may no longer be that strong.

Do any of the new abilities feel particularly strong? Too weak?

Furious power is super nice, it would be more nice to use it in 1's instead of all at once, potentially too strong in combination of pooled hatred, I think only a slight change if any would make this still really solid.

Holocate this ability is absurd, it can be used in diversion, need I say more?

Volt rush is weak for anything but lightning, even then it lacks synergy outside Elemental convection.

Severing slash has some synergy but not much, the ability alone is silly. It's weak and a conal, which is notorious for not landing in PvP.

Tactical overdrive is rather good, the reset on stim boost may be too strong but only if it was to gain stun DR.

Poweryield is good, but not incredible with a slightly better kolto I think it'd be quite solid defensively.

Is there a set bonus that feels too strong? Too weak?

Gathering storm 20% damage boost seems slightly strong, but it's also probably one of the best sets possible for sorc, it would be nice if it worked for healing also.

Force bound 4 set piece for warrior, far too strong. Another accuracy debuff in the game, an aoe of all things, basically a mini diversion at just as low of a cooldown is absurd. This just SHOULD NOT exist at all. Even more so if diversion was to get reworked.

Death knell set for assassin, this set is incredible for all 3 specs, a really good design imo. The only potential thing I think is the 30% damage boost is slightly strong, knocking it down by 5-15% would be more reasonable, but maybe increase uptime slightly.

Any sets I didn't list I feel are either unuseful or underpreforming, outside of mercenary as I chose not to test it.

Is there a tactical that feels too strong? Too weak?

Elemental convection, the ability to do 3 back to back aoe's with slows and desync on chain lightning. While I don't think the tactical is broken, I do think the interaction with chain lightning is, the ability to use it twice in quick succession makes it incredibly strong in not only kiting but control and damage.

Refraction point (aoe pen blast + followthrough) I feel this is too strong as the splash damage is FULL damage, I feel it should only be around 60% of the full damage or lower.

Cut to pieces the CDR for vengful slam is a bit absurd, in aoe groups you can use it every other GCD, in bigger groups you can just spam it for dots duration. This is an incredibly strong AoE, I do think this tactical needs either reworked or limited to its CDR reduction.

Another to note is the ED CDR tactical, I don't see it on the PTS but it was on there previously, I feel it should be limited to 10 seconds, so it's not absurd for immortal tank.

Any I did not list I feel are okay, or under preforming. I will note the classes I feel their tacticals are all too weak. (Note this is not including mercenary)

Fury, Corruption, Deception - Too weak, lacking tacticals let alone useful ones.

Lightning, Lethality, Madness, Hatred, Vengeance, Annihilation, Pyrotech, Advanced Prototype - The best tactical for each of these specs outshine the others too hard.

I feel there will definitely be new tacticals coming in the future but the ones we're starting for the first three I mention are just too little. The rest just need changes to be more optimal.