Spell Consolidation and its affect on AAs

Raina · 08-21-2007, 01:04 PM

There has been quite a bit of discussion lately on SOEs proposed spell consolidations. What hasn't really been discussed much or lead on that the devs are even aware of(benefit of the doubt given), is what affect it will have on the AAs of each class tree. Aeralik made a post under the assassin boards suggesting some possible consolidations to assassin abilities that they are considering.

"Constriction + Enmesh - similar timed debuffs

Cloaked Assault + Slaughtersault - one powerful AE skill. timer remains the same as cloaked assualt

Villainy line + stances - one self buff either offensive or defensive with the benefits of the villainy line

Spitting Asp + Neck shot - one powerful bow attack

Eviscerate + Jugular - would be bad to merge due to playstyle changes with concealment"

Now 4 of those options affect AAs, 3 can be consolidated in such a way that there wouldnt have to be any changes to the AAs being affected. The Constriction + Enmesh consolidation affects 2 AAs in two different lines, essentially removing one AA from the tree, could be enmesh, could be contriction, could even be both, depending on how they consolidate (if it happens of course). Now what? do we get a new AA to replace it? There were other ideas posted by myself and others that could affect even more AAs.

Im using Assassins as an example, but this affects every class. SOE stated they werent adding new AAs, which Im sure meant a new AA tier, however it begs the question of how they are going to deal with the affected AAs and what if any will happen if an AA is removed from the tree.

Will trees remain the same and there be two different AAs affecting one skill?

Will we get a whole new AA ability to replace it (would be my choice) and do we have any say in what it might be?

What about AAs that have an affect on the ending ability? For example, each ability in the Bleed line for assassins affects the final ability. There have been suggestions for merging some the abilities in that line and if that were to happen, how does it affect how the whole line works?

When I look deep into this consolidation thing, I keep finding more and more branches of affects it could have. They make this out to seem like a fairly simple thing, but when you dig into it, it starts to become pretty complicated and have a pretty wide range of affects, some of which haven't really been put forth by development.

Keep in mind this is intended to be for general discussion, the assassin stuff is merely an example, I dont want a lot of specific class stuff in this thread, that stuff can be done in the respective boards.

Slippery · 08-21-2007, 02:43 PM

I foresee AA's being affected in almost any case they merge anything. Most classes have almost every single spell/ca in an AA. It really does completely change the balance of AA's. Not only do you have to figure out how to change the AA so it is still useful, because you can't just take it out since then you have to lower the end line cost and it is points that can be spent elsewhere, or you have to figure out why people would want to take 2 different aa's both affecting one skill.

Like I said in my post in the main consolidation thread where I brought this exact point up, there is so much more that needs to be done than simply merging spells that most people don't want merged anyways.

Faxon · 08-21-2007, 06:43 PM

hrm this is something that i didnt even begin to consider. i have been to busy making a point of why my classes CANT be consolidated in the first place to think about what the bigger picture would be for AP and what not if they are.

personally if they were to merge multiple skills affected by AP, i would like to see a mix of things done in order to make our current AP still desirable to their respective classes. as an example, may people are saying that if they merge paladin AoEs, holy circle and relentless conviction are the ones to do it with. the thing is, we already have an AP that can allow you to mod the damage of both by 5% per point applied. now, do you really need 2 skills for the same AP? if they were to merge both. one should stay as it is for modifying damage, but add an effect that increases the % heal on the skill and change the second one to make it an increase in chance to stun + decrease resistability per rank.

with monks the story is a little different. the 2 easily merged skills are on a 10s recast, and one has a % damage mod while the other one is a recast reduction. that could stay the way it is.

so yes, this could become a big issue, and i would like to see some commentary from a developer about how things will be handled.

ed: i crosslinked this to the official forums spells, abilities, and combat arts forum for further discussion. http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/p...78408&#4282474

Istaril · 08-21-2007, 08:40 PM

Spell consolidation and its EFFECT on AAs.

Faxon · 08-21-2007, 09:21 PM

lol man today has been slow on posts in this and the official forums. no meaningful replies all day =(

im bored as fuck, being sick sucks ass

Raina · 08-21-2007, 10:01 PM

I made a post about this on the official boards under Achievements fyi, dont want it to look like we are beating the horse to death. Lol Faxon, its that damn Clearcutter Machete to dirge thread that has everyone distracted

and fuck you Istaril for correcting my grammer and having nothing else useful to say, Im not going to change just so it can be an eyesore to you forever

Faxon · 08-21-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raina

Lol Faxon, its that damn Clearcutter Machete to dirge thread that has everyone distracted

woah people are actually still bumping that? i stopped paying attention to it about 3 posts after the last one i made LOL

ChimpyEvans · 08-21-2007, 11:14 PM

Ya, I seem to be the center of drama now. Never expected 124 replies on something as trivial as getting a piece of loot.

The only AA's that might change are recast/casting reduction AA's.

I forsee Spell Consolidation working much like Double Up does. It will just apply a number of different spells with 1 cast and recast.

Stinkfinger · 08-22-2007, 11:28 AM

Well the AA thing is defiantly something to have to work out, but I think that’s is as simply as math and working it out.

For example:

If you combine

Spitting asp and neck shot

Take the two damages and power and casting time, add them all together, divide by 2.

Now you have your new ability “Bow shot”

Say you have 5 aa in neck shot that increases crits by 5 percent

And then you have 5 aa in spitting asp, reduces timer by 40 seconds

Both them abilities now fall under bow shot, so you have 5 percent crit as well as a reduced timer of 40 seconds on the new bow shot ability.

Stinkfinger · 08-22-2007, 12:53 PM

also, there is equipment that are attached to CA's as well, that would have to be worked out