Hmm… basically all I see are attempts to make the archer nothing more than a swordie with “bow stances” If they aren’t swordies, they are mages that require STR and DEX to hit.
I would like the archer tree to 1st have a unique and CLEAR advantage for being in the archer tree. How about skill shots that “always hit” (can’t be evaded or blocked) but can be avoided? We currently have the opposite of this in ranged “instant” targeted damage (for example ranged AA).
So let archer kits be 2 sides of the same coin: (AA) can’t be avoided but susceptible to dodge and block, and (skill shots) always hits but can be avoided.
Another mechanic I would like archers to have is to allow independent action between main hand and off hand. Allow “different hands” to perform skills independent of what the other hand is doing (I’ll get into that later).
Archer
oblique shot /heavy shot / twin arrows
Turn these into short duration buffs that makes it similar to limacon but for main hand weapons.
- oblique shot bounces: 5sec buff 10 sec cd
- heavy shot knocks back: 2 sec buff 4 sec cd
- twin arrows “quadruples” damage: 5 sec buff 7 sec cd
There is already precedence for this in limacon: spread. We have further demonstration in this being possible with DGS (bullet marker) and ram muay (nak muay).
Quarrel shooter
deploy pavise
Turn these installations into actual defensive skills. Remove the damage and the bleed chance. Allow party members within range to gain the ability to block physical and magical damage. Doing so would reduce the block count by 1.
- The mechanic already exists in barrier: devotion. Instead of transferring damage, transfer the “block” to the pavise in order to count how many times the pavise has blocked.
stone picking (remove stone shot)
Turn this into a buff for 1 attack. Your next main hand AA stuns for x sec
rapid fire
There is no reason for this to even exist since every quarrel shoot will have access to multi shot. This can very well be an attribute that changes how multishot works. It could be multishot: rapid fire increase multishot’s OH to 3 (from 2) and cd to 25 (from 14).
- There is precedence for this in wiz cross class attributes like: meteor: flame ground, the old headshot attribute that adds an OH to it, and the old heal: extra healing that increased heal’s cd.
We can keep the other attributes to it making the quarrel shooter have a multishot with 2 enhance attributes to it and a crit debuff.
teardown
Turn this into a complete utility skill. Remove the damage (and the enchance attribute) and reduce the cd. If you really want damage we can add an attribute to have pavise explode when destroyed or the duration ends.
running shot
Turn this into a movement buff “only”. Remove the damage portion of the buff and attach it to an attribute and deploy pavise. Make it so you gain the damage boost when you are in range of a pavise. It could be running shot: covered fire with the flavor text as “Your increased safety under a pavise allows you to focus on your AA increasing its damage”.
Ranger
What is the purpose of ranger? What should it be able to do that base archers can’t. Why not (maybe) skill shots?
barrage
Turn this into a skill shot that fires in only 1 direction at a slower execution time. Give it an increase in damage vs targets that are immune to knock back if you have barrage: knockback.
criical shot
Turn this into a buff that guarantees the next skill (not attack) to crit.
- There is precedence for this in attributes like multi shot: critical but instead of max 25% for 1 specific skill, it could be 100% for the next skill use.
steady aim
Reduce the cd to the point that it has 100% uptime but add in a different penalty For example:
- increase the cd of all missile skills by 100% while steady aim is active
- increase sp cost of all missile skills by 100% while steady aim is active
Another option is make it a buff that only works when not moving
- There is precedence for this in the old sniper serenity (buff is canceled on movement)
bounce shot
There is no reason for this to exist since every ranger will have access to oblique shot. This can very well be an attribute that changes how oblique shot works. It could be oblique shot: additional bounce increase oblique shot’s bounce to 3 (from 2).
time bomb arrow (remove)
Hunter
The problem with hunter is the pet has an AI. If we treat each pet related skill as a skill you can kill to prematurely end, then it would alleviate the AI problem (not performing skills when you use them). There is also the problem that some skills are hard cc and those immune will not be affected by even the damage of the skills.
Hunter pets no longer move or attack on their own. Hunter pets will always stay by their owner’s side unless commanded to perform a skill.
Coursing
The only change I want is the removal of reduced duration against players. In its place, the skill ends prematurely if the pet takes 20% its mHP during the skill.
- This means players take full 5.5 sec duration if they don’t damage the pet.
- This would also mean non-players could also end the skill prematurely.
Snatching
Turn this into a pet buff that changes how coursing works. Increase coursing damage against flying monsters. Flying monsters affected by coursing are dropped to the ground. Increase coursing sp cost by 100%
Praise
Turn this into a PET HEAL!!
Pointing
Turn this into a pet buff that changes how coursing works. Monsters affected by coursing have their accuracy and evasion decreased. Increase coursing sp cost by 100%
Rush dog
The only change I want is the ability to “auto-rush dog” like it used to be able to do. It could be rush dog: auto allow auto attacks to trigger rush dog. Rush dog can no longer be used on demand. Rush dog can’t stun. Pet must have at least 50% mHP.
- The HP requirement will allow counter play.
- The removal of stun would be for “balance”
Retrieve (rename)
Turn this into a pet buff that changes how rush dog works works. Increase rush dog’s damage by x% and stun chance by 60% (100% if you have rush dog: stun). Increase rush dog sp cost by 100%
Sapper
The cd (and consequently OH) on sapper skills needs to go. Let its output be limited by the reagents required to set up each skill (give every skill a reagent cost). Naturally, all “traps” need to be skill shots.
I also agree with the suggestion of @Pokart regarding conceal.
Detonate traps
With the suggestion of removing cd (and OH) detonate traps needs to be ground targeted to give you control where the damage happens. Detonate traps would then be your bread and butter as it provides value to otherwise unspent traps. This could very well be your “AA” as a sapper throttled only by your sp and reagents.
Scout
The scout (as pointed out by enough people) is just all over the place. The only things that make some sense to me are camouflage and cloaking. I would like to steer the scout into a class that “prepares” a zone for combat. I think the best way to do that is with debuffs.
camouflage
This is used as a block buff and not to actually hide making it pointless in terms of its name. This could come back around as a scouting tool if you look at it as a survival thing when you are spotted. This would make more sense as an attribute for cloaking. It could be cloaking: survival “use what ever you can get your hands on to survive, cover yourself in what ever you can find in your vicinity allowing you to block a certain number of hits”
flu flu
This somewhat has the right idea (using sounds to create an atmosphere of dread). The problem is confusion just doesn’t “work” (more so in a party setting). What does work, def and mdef debuff. These are simple and “proven” mechanics that do work.
Turn this skill into a ground targeted spell that plants an “arrow” (or installation or what ever aukuras is) that lowers def and/or mdef of all targets in range by a stacking x% the longer they stay in the area.
flare shot
Flares are used for signaling for whatever reason using light
- Help me, I’m here
- Target sighted, come to my location
- etc
Yes you can cause blunt force trauma with it, but that is the case for most objects you can propel with enough force.
Turn this skill into a ground targeted spell that plants an “arrow” (or installation or what ever aukuras is) that buffs accuracy and block pen for party members in range.
cloaking
The only change I would like is to have the ability to stay hidden when you are “forced out” of cloaking. It could be an attribute to remain cloaked after being revealed for x sec based on skill lv. It could be cloaking: blur “remain invisible for [skill lv] / x after losing invisibility”
Also, make the duration short but still 100% uptime. This way you have to keep using the skill to stay invisible for longer periods of time instead of currently being able to “camp” invisibility.
perspective distortion
Turn this into a short dodge buff that allows party members to dodge attacks and magic.
scan
Turn this into a debuff that increases their damage taken (not lower def/mdef).
split arrow
I don’t know what to do with this. It basically has nothing to do about scouting (as defined as gathering information).
– Will edit for more –