Hey,
I hereby present an alternative buff system with the intention to solve a lot of the problems of the current system, while keeping overall balance relatively intact.
Mayor goals are the following:
- narrowing the gap between "unbuffed " vs. "pot buffed" vs. "charge buffed" vs. "full buffed (don't worry full buffed mechanic does profit from the change as well!)
- self buffs to be superior to charge buffs (thane, champ, archer, ... specs vs. charge buffs specs)
- allowing group buffing classes to efficively provide ALL members of the group with cap buffs/ close to cap buffs EVEN with only 2 buff classes thereby ...
- solving concentration issues in group
- solving 20 buff cap issues in group play
The simple mechanic change:
I propose to narrowing the gap of unbuffed vs. buffed characters down to 65 points at level 50. This will be achiefed by EVERY CHARACTER gaining automatic buffs (a little similar to vamp buffs but you can still receive normal buffs, still 155 total buff cap)
- +2 points of Str, Dex, Con at each level starting at level 6 up to a maximum of 90 (this counts as buff in regard to cap and debuffs)
- +1.2 points of quickness and acuity (list caster only) at each level starting at level 6 up to a maximum of 54 (this counts as buff in regard to cap and debuffs)
This means every character at level 50 has ALWAYS passive buffs up of 90 str, dex, con and 54 qui, acu AND these buffs STILL stack with pots (lowered value), charges (lowered value), selfbuffs (keep current value) and buffs from buffclasses (keep current value). So buffing would look like this:
character buff value [max 155] = passive buffs [90] + baseline buffs [max. 62] + specline buffs [max 93] <- but still cap is 155
follwing changed need to be done to potions and charges in order to still provide reasonable motivation using them, while still giving a reasonable advantage to buffing classes
- potions: baseline value: 12, spec buff value 18
- charges: con/str and dex/qui: 30
-> this means that a character unbuffed has 90 str/con/dex (65 below cap), pot buffed 120 (35 points below cap) and charge buffed 132 (23 points below cap).
given that the overall power of these buffs is relatively less, I'd strongly suggest to make them 20 minute duration
Situation of self-buffing classes:
All buffing classes except archer classes can easily cap both their respective stats even with blue buffs or low arcane level. Archers need some arcane to reach the dex cap, but it is giving ALL self buffing classes a mayor stat advantage vs. charge users.
Examples: Ranger with 30 pathfinding = blue dex/qui buff (true value = 41), blue str buff (true value = 42)
Without arcana stats are the following:
Str: 90 (passive) + 41 (baseline buff self buff) + 18 (sepc line buff pot) or + 30 (specline buff charge) = 149 (pot) or 155 cap (charge)
Con: 90 (passive) + 12 (baseline buff pot) + 18 (spec buff pot) or 30 (spec line buff charge) = 120 (pot) or 132 (charge)
Dex: 90 (passive) + 12 baseline buff pot) + 41 (specline buff self buff) = 143 (high arcane needed or yellow buff to cap)
Qui: 54 (passive) + 41 (specline self buff) = 93 cap
So a ranger still profits a lot from his selfbuffs. Higher level buffs or high arcane will allow him to cap Str even without pots (for leveling) or to reach dex cap as well.
Situation of buff classes:
Buffing classes can now effectively buff con + str at cap level IF the target also uses pots. This can be used to "save" specbuffs. A group with many buffers can profit from buffing bases AND specs via seperate classes, avoiding the huge buff drop. Groups with few buffers can gain a lot from using either high level specs (capping both stats without any bases needed) or combos of bases + pot specs. Further, even low level specs and low enhancement bases are very useful to the group, giving some more justification to nature and smite specs.
To also solve the huge concentration problems it would be best to allow the access to ALL lower versions of buff spells (grey versions for example)
Examples:
- Group with only 1 enhancement cleric/shaman/druid and 1 pac/friar/bard/warden: low enhancement classes buff str, con to tanks and base dex to casters. IF these values are 47 or higher (pac might need some arcane for that) the specs of a pot buff is enough to reach the cap
str/con/dex: 90 (passive) + 47 or more (bases from group buffer) + 18 (spec buffs from pot) = 155
- Dex/qui for tanks from high enhancement buffer: 90 or 54 (passive dex or quickness) + 65+ (spec buffs from buffer) = 155 dex, 93 quickness cap
- Tanks getting str/con from smite cleric/nature druid: grey con/str + base str, con
Cleric with 7 enhancement specced, 20 total skill: 90 (passive) + 26 con Str, 27 dex/qui (true value buff) + 48 (con true value) = 155 cap for str/con/dex but can't cap quickness and acuity
This means even low enhancement classes can provide cap buffs relatively easy but they need much more buffs. Further, with 3-4 high enhancement classes the group can buff targets with caped bases AND cap specs to allow high value buffs even if one buffer goes down. This means, groups with few buffers profit from being able to buff all members, groups with low enhancement buffer still profit from them AND having many high buffer is still an advantage
Resume:
I think overall this change would do a lot of good. Unbuffed noobs are less of an easy target, min-max player keep an advantage but much less critical (currently pot vs. tripple changed buff is a huuuge disadvantage), self buffing classes DO profit from their selfbuffs and group buffing is much more flexible and retains a good advantage to solo players without the need for massive arcana spec.
p.s. Why not make it a simple stat bonus and make the buff cap 65? Simple, it's the way how stat debuffs work. Debuffs are way more effective vs. buffs than vs. character stats. I don't want stat debuffs to be nerfed, therefore the above system is much less invasive.
I hereby present an alternative buff system with the intention to solve a lot of the problems of the current system, while keeping overall balance relatively intact.
Mayor goals are the following:
- narrowing the gap between "unbuffed " vs. "pot buffed" vs. "charge buffed" vs. "full buffed (don't worry full buffed mechanic does profit from the change as well!)
- self buffs to be superior to charge buffs (thane, champ, archer, ... specs vs. charge buffs specs)
- allowing group buffing classes to efficively provide ALL members of the group with cap buffs/ close to cap buffs EVEN with only 2 buff classes thereby ...
- solving concentration issues in group
- solving 20 buff cap issues in group play
The simple mechanic change:
I propose to narrowing the gap of unbuffed vs. buffed characters down to 65 points at level 50. This will be achiefed by EVERY CHARACTER gaining automatic buffs (a little similar to vamp buffs but you can still receive normal buffs, still 155 total buff cap)
- +2 points of Str, Dex, Con at each level starting at level 6 up to a maximum of 90 (this counts as buff in regard to cap and debuffs)
- +1.2 points of quickness and acuity (list caster only) at each level starting at level 6 up to a maximum of 54 (this counts as buff in regard to cap and debuffs)
This means every character at level 50 has ALWAYS passive buffs up of 90 str, dex, con and 54 qui, acu AND these buffs STILL stack with pots (lowered value), charges (lowered value), selfbuffs (keep current value) and buffs from buffclasses (keep current value). So buffing would look like this:
character buff value [max 155] = passive buffs [90] + baseline buffs [max. 62] + specline buffs [max 93] <- but still cap is 155
follwing changed need to be done to potions and charges in order to still provide reasonable motivation using them, while still giving a reasonable advantage to buffing classes
- potions: baseline value: 12, spec buff value 18
- charges: con/str and dex/qui: 30
-> this means that a character unbuffed has 90 str/con/dex (65 below cap), pot buffed 120 (35 points below cap) and charge buffed 132 (23 points below cap).
given that the overall power of these buffs is relatively less, I'd strongly suggest to make them 20 minute duration
Situation of self-buffing classes:
All buffing classes except archer classes can easily cap both their respective stats even with blue buffs or low arcane level. Archers need some arcane to reach the dex cap, but it is giving ALL self buffing classes a mayor stat advantage vs. charge users.
Examples: Ranger with 30 pathfinding = blue dex/qui buff (true value = 41), blue str buff (true value = 42)
Without arcana stats are the following:
Str: 90 (passive) + 41 (baseline buff self buff) + 18 (sepc line buff pot) or + 30 (specline buff charge) = 149 (pot) or 155 cap (charge)
Con: 90 (passive) + 12 (baseline buff pot) + 18 (spec buff pot) or 30 (spec line buff charge) = 120 (pot) or 132 (charge)
Dex: 90 (passive) + 12 baseline buff pot) + 41 (specline buff self buff) = 143 (high arcane needed or yellow buff to cap)
Qui: 54 (passive) + 41 (specline self buff) = 93 cap
So a ranger still profits a lot from his selfbuffs. Higher level buffs or high arcane will allow him to cap Str even without pots (for leveling) or to reach dex cap as well.
Situation of buff classes:
Buffing classes can now effectively buff con + str at cap level IF the target also uses pots. This can be used to "save" specbuffs. A group with many buffers can profit from buffing bases AND specs via seperate classes, avoiding the huge buff drop. Groups with few buffers can gain a lot from using either high level specs (capping both stats without any bases needed) or combos of bases + pot specs. Further, even low level specs and low enhancement bases are very useful to the group, giving some more justification to nature and smite specs.
To also solve the huge concentration problems it would be best to allow the access to ALL lower versions of buff spells (grey versions for example)
Examples:
- Group with only 1 enhancement cleric/shaman/druid and 1 pac/friar/bard/warden: low enhancement classes buff str, con to tanks and base dex to casters. IF these values are 47 or higher (pac might need some arcane for that) the specs of a pot buff is enough to reach the cap
str/con/dex: 90 (passive) + 47 or more (bases from group buffer) + 18 (spec buffs from pot) = 155
- Dex/qui for tanks from high enhancement buffer: 90 or 54 (passive dex or quickness) + 65+ (spec buffs from buffer) = 155 dex, 93 quickness cap
- Tanks getting str/con from smite cleric/nature druid: grey con/str + base str, con
Cleric with 7 enhancement specced, 20 total skill: 90 (passive) + 26 con Str, 27 dex/qui (true value buff) + 48 (con true value) = 155 cap for str/con/dex but can't cap quickness and acuity
This means even low enhancement classes can provide cap buffs relatively easy but they need much more buffs. Further, with 3-4 high enhancement classes the group can buff targets with caped bases AND cap specs to allow high value buffs even if one buffer goes down. This means, groups with few buffers profit from being able to buff all members, groups with low enhancement buffer still profit from them AND having many high buffer is still an advantage
Resume:
I think overall this change would do a lot of good. Unbuffed noobs are less of an easy target, min-max player keep an advantage but much less critical (currently pot vs. tripple changed buff is a huuuge disadvantage), self buffing classes DO profit from their selfbuffs and group buffing is much more flexible and retains a good advantage to solo players without the need for massive arcana spec.
p.s. Why not make it a simple stat bonus and make the buff cap 65? Simple, it's the way how stat debuffs work. Debuffs are way more effective vs. buffs than vs. character stats. I don't want stat debuffs to be nerfed, therefore the above system is much less invasive.