I’m very happy with Barbarian so far, and the game overall. I’m in love with this game, which is why I’m here to give feedback.
BARBARIAN ATTRIBUTES ARE BORING
They are all, with the exception of increased duration on Warcry, simply increased damage. Let’s come up with some interesting and easy-to-implement attributes.
Embowel-
- Increase enemy knockback distance per attribute level [toggle]
- Enemies knocked into other enemies (who were not hit by Embowel) take damage
- Remove self knockback [toggle]
- Increase self knockback [toggle]
Items 3 and 4, when toggled simultaneously, cancel eachother out. Alternatively, we could just restrict to have only one toggled at a time.
If the Devs felt like being extra cool with item 4, they could even add a stylish backflip animation as you jump off of your enemy.
Here’s a couple other ideas for Embowel, which I think would serve better as natural aspects of the ability than attributes.
- 2nd instance of damage scales off BOOT EVASION or BOOT WEIGHT
- Reduced endlag on ability use
- Both instances of damage are dealt at separate timings, rather than the moment the ability connects
Item 1 could facilitate leather based Barbarian builds if scaled on evasion, as well as provide synergy with Stomping Kick. Scaling on weight would strengthen plate builds. The damage formula could take the greater of the two values, rather than both.
Items 2 and 3 seem like bugs. For item 2, there is a lengthy period of time after Embowel is completed that you are left in standing animation, and then length seems to be random. Dashing breaks out of this endlag MUCH sooner than trying to attack. As it is now, It takes about 0.5 seconds of cognizant effort, in addition to the awkward lag, just to figure when I’m able to attack again. This bug combined with Embowel’s relatively low damage make it almost not worth using when Helm Splitter and even Thrust are available.
Item 3 is technically a nerf, but the ability just doesn’t feel right with all the damage occurring up front, as it makes the kick appear to do no damage. I’m certain this is a bug, because the numbers come out at different timings. It would feel much more crisp and satisfying if the damage lined up with the numbers.
Attributes are a very interesting aspect of this game, and could allow for unique build paths and end builds. I chose to propose new attributes for Embowel because it is my favorite ability conceptually. Only giving one ability new attributes might skew the viability and favorability of builds that don’t use it. Stomping Kick and Cleave both deserve new attributes. I do not believe Helm Splitter deserves many, if any, new attributes because it offers so much on it’s own: Higher damage, Hard CC [stun], Higher AoE ratio, and Multiple uses before cooldown.
I’m not saying Helm Splitter should be nerfed; I very much enjoy the ability. Nor am I saying all abilities should be equally strong, because generally there’s only one you’ll omit. What I am saying is, we can open up new routes for builds while increasing how fun they are to use.
Thank you for reading this. I would love to hear what others think, and I am interested in seeing others come up with interesting attributes for my favorite class.
