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As many of you are aware, we have been looking extensively at the Archmage and Shaman careers for improvements in 1.2.1 and 1.3. In this thread we will be giving you some insight into the upcoming 1.2.1 changes, as well as some of the more dramatic changes we are looking to make in 1.3 and possibly 1.3.1.



Because our second and third set of changes are so extensive, we wanted to poll the Archmage and Shaman communities for their opinions on them prior to public testing. That way, we can get a good feel for how the general player sees these changes affecting their daily play.



When replying to this thread, we ask that you stay on-topic as much as possible, and provide clear and concise feedback on the very specific changes we are proposing. Specifically, we'd like you to answer the following questions.


General Questions



1. As a whole, do you feel these changes represent a "Step in the right direction" for the career? If not, please explain which changes seem off to you and why.
2. Rate each change on a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 represents something you absolutely 100% feel should happen, and 1 represents something you never want to see enter the game.


1.2.1 Balance Questions



1. Do you feel that the increase in base damage will promote your role as a healer / nuker hybrid enough that more dramatic changes are no longer necessary?
2. Do you feel that the new "Second Wind" heal in the x13 slot of the healing Mastery Path offers you better utility / usability than the old x13 abilities?


1.3 Mastery Revamp Questions



1. Do you feel that the proposed changes to the Mastery Paths will better encourage players to choose different paths for different play-styles.
2. Do you feel that the proposed changes to Mastery Paths will significantly hamper your existing play-style?
3. Do you feel that the combination of Ability changes and Mastery changes promote your role as healer / nuker hybrid enough that more dramatic mechanic changes are no longer necessary?


1.3 / 1.3.1 Mechanic Revamp Questions



1. Do you believe the adjusted mechanic will significantly hamper or improve your existing play style?
2. Do you believe the adjusted mechanic will better support the healer / nuker hybrid than the current mechanic?
3. Do you feel that the mechanic is effective but not obtrusive to game play?
4. Do you feel that the loss of quick-cast spells is not made-up for by the increase in power represented in the mechanic?





Adam Gershowitz
Producer - Character Systems
Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning



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2. Re: Archmage and Shaman Career Roadmap [ Edited ] 03-31-2009 02:43 PM
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Roadmap Overview



The goal for the adjustment is to allow the Shaman / Archmages to become viable healers and nukers, but not necessarily be able to excel at both at the same time, because to do so would make them entirely too powerful in comparison to the other RDPS or healing careers. In addition, we wanted to work in a way for the AM / SH careers to generally be a bit more survivable, but they will have to sacrifice a little DPS or HPS to do so.



This idea has some significant differences from the way the careers are presented currently, but we feel that it makes for a much stronger presentation without radically changing the way most players actually play (dedicated healers). Ultimately, we want to give the Archmage and Shaman more viable options than simply standing back and spamming heals. Please keep in mind that this is an early design and that your feedback at this stage is extremely important to us.


Schedule of Changes



Because of the scope of changes involved, we have split the Archmage / Shaman changes into three patches. Of course these deadlines may change, shortening or lengthening the time between updates. This depends primarily on the feedback we obtain from you, the community, as well as via game-play testing (both internal and public). Below is the general timeframe for the updates. Specific details will be supplied further in the post.



Patch 1.2.1 - "First Steps" Balance Adjustments



This includes details that we would adjust and clean up regardless of the direction we take with Mechanic or Mastery Paths. These changes focus primarily on the increase of base damage and some small adjustments to limited abilities.



Patch 1.3 - Mastery Path Re-shuffle



These changes focus around changing Mastery Paths to represent distinct play styles. This includes some replacement of less-used abilities and Tactics.



Patch 1.3.1 - Mechanic Revamp



These are the final changes that re-enforce the changes made in 1.2.1 and 1.3, and further solidify the role of each of the three Mastery Paths. This includes adjustments to the base values of abilities that make them work with the new mechanic, and the replacement of numerous Tactics that become out-of-date with the mechanic change.
Message Edited by Jess on 03-31-2009 04:20 PM



Adam Gershowitz
Producer - Character Systems
Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning



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3. Re: Archmage and Shaman Career Roadmap [ Edited ] 03-31-2009 02:44 PM
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( 1.2.1 ) Initial Balance Updates



Overall Goal



There are a number of changes that can be pushed to live regardless of the more dramatic changes potentially in-store for the Archmage and Shaman careers further down the line. As such, we felt that it was in the players' best interests to get a smaller partial update out early that slightly improves the careers as we finalize and thoroughly test the remaining changes.


Summary of Changes



1. Increased "Base" Damage for Damage Abilities - Damage on both the AM / SH is low, even when compared to other healers. As such, a moderate increase to damage will happen regardless of further changes.
2. Replace x13 Healing Mastery Ability - Both the Archmage's "Magical infusion" and the Shaman's "Shrug It Off" will be given a more useful effect in addition to something more unique and only available to the AM / SH healers.


Example #1 - Damage improvements



Archmages and Shaman will see around a 25% increase in most damage spells. Below is an example of improved spell damage for the Archmage. Shamans will see similar gains across the board on their spells.



1.2 Radiant Lance



* Base tooltip value of 299 damage at Rank 40.
* Actual damage of 265 for an Archmage with an average of 600 Intelligence, casting on a target that has 400 Toughness and 30% Resist.



1.2.1 Radiant Lance



* Base tooltip value of 399 damage at Rank 40.
* Actual damage of 335 for an Archmage with an average of 600 Intelligence casting on a target that has 400 Toughness and 30% Resist.




Example #2 - Changes to Magical Infusion and Shrug It Off



The old effects of both of these abilities have been removed. Both abilities have been completely replaced with a new "Second Wind" healing effect that will place a buff on the target, and if the target drops below 15% HP, it heals them for a large amount and then is removed. Below are some more details on this change.



* It is instant cast, with a 30 second duration, and a 60 second cool down.
* It costs 55 AP.
* It buffs a friendly target for up to 30 seconds. If the target drops below 15% HP (and is still alive), it heals them for a base value of 1,350 (at full Mastery at Rank 40) and the buff is removed.



For comparison, the 2.5 second heal that the AM / SH have will heal for a base value of 1,125 before stats at Rank 40 with full Mastery.
Message Edited by Jess on 03-31-2009 04:23 PM



Adam Gershowitz
Producer - Character Systems
Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning



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4. Re: Archmage and Shaman Career Roadmap [ Edited ] 03-31-2009 02:44 PM
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( 1.3 ) Proposed Mastery Path Adjustments



Overview



The current Mastery Paths offer AM/SH players with three choices. Those choices are:



* Healing
* Damage
* Buff / Debuff



While useful, a Buff / Debuff path does not encourage Mastery, and when a player does specialize in this path, they are fairly crippled in their primary role of healing or doing damage. As such, we will re-structure the Mastery Paths so that the third path better complements healers by providing some much-needed damage while healing, and complements nukers with some support healing while nuking. The existing Buffs / Debuffs will be re-distributed out between the three paths to give each one support. The roles of the new Mastery Paths will look something like this:



1. Pure Healing
2. Pure Damage
3. Mixed Healing / Damage (Lifetaps)



In addition, we will be retiring one of the less-used abilities in favor of a new x13 ability that is specific to the new mixed-spec path.


Example #1 - New Archmage Mastery Paths



Core Abilities

* Rank 3 - Lambent Aura
* Rank 7 - Dissipating Hatred
* Rank 10 - Gift of Life
* Rank 14 - Walk Between Worlds
* Rank 16 - Cleansing Light
* Rank 25 - Wind Blast



Path of Isha - Focused Healing



* Rank 1 - Healing Energy
* Rank 7 - Prismatic Shield
* Rank 8 - Boon of Hysh
* Rank 20 - Blessing of Isha
* Rank 40 - Rain Lord
* Mastery x5 - Mistress of the Marsh
* Mastery x9 - Funnel Essence
* Mastery x13 - Magical Infusion



Path of Asuryan - Focused Damage



* Rank 1 - Radiant Lance
* Rank 2 Law of Conductivity
* Rank 6 - Searing Touch
* Rank 12 - Radiant Gaze
* Rank 30 - Fury of Asuryan
* Mastery x5 - Cleansing Flare
* Mastery x9 - Scatter the Winds
* Mastery x13 - Dissipating Energies



Path of Vaul - Lifetaps / Personal Survival



* Rank 4 - Balance Essence
* Rank 5 - Shield of Saphery
* Rank 9 - Transfer Force
* Rank 18 - Drain Magic
* Rank 35 - Law of Age
* Mastery x5 - Storm of Cronos
* Mastery x9 - Law of Gold
* Mastery x13 - *NEW ABILITY*



General details for new spell



* The new Mastery x13 ability will be a targeted AoE ability that drains health from an area and restores it to your defensive target. The more targets drained, the more health is restored.


Example #2 - New Shaman Mastery Paths



Core Abilities

* Rank 3 - Ey, Quit Bleedin'
* Rank 7 - Look Over There!
* Rank 10 - Gedup!
* Rank 14 - Stop hittin' me!
* Rank 16 - Greener ‘n cleaner
* Rank 25 - Eeeek!



Path of Mork - Focused Healing



* Rank 1 - Gork'll Fix It
* Rank 7 - Mork's Buffer
* Rank 8 - Bigger, Better, An' Greener
* Rank 20 - Gather Round
* Rank 40 - Yer A Weaklin'
* Mastery x5 - Sticky Feetz
* Mastery x9 - Do Sumfin Useful
* Mastery x13 - Shrug It Off



Path of Gork - Focused Damage



* Rank 1 - Brain Bursta
* Rank 2 - Life Leaka
* Rank 6 - Bunch o' Waaagh
* Rank 12 - ‘Ere We Go!
* Rank 30 - Big Waaagh!
* Mastery x5 - Geddoff!
* Mastery x9 - Gork's Barbs'
* Mastery x13 - Da Waaagh! Is Coming



Path of Da Green- Lifetaps / Personal Survival



* Rank 4 - I'll Take That!
* Rank 5 - Don' Feel Nuthin
* Rank 9 - Bleed Fer' Me
* Rank 18 - Yer Not So Bad
* Rank 35 - You'z Squishy
* Mastery x5 - Scuse Me!
* Mastery x9 - You Got Nuthin!
* Mastery x13 - *NEW ABILITY*



General details for new spell



* The new Mastery x13 ability will be a targeted AoE ability that drains health from an area and restores it to your defensive target. The more targets drained, the more health is restored.

Message Edited by Jess on 03-31-2009 04:25 PM



Adam Gershowitz
Producer - Character Systems
Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning



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5. Re: Archmage and Shaman Career Roadmap [ Edited ] 03-31-2009 02:44 PM
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( 1.3.1) Proposed Mechanic Revamp



Overview



The final of our proposed changes is a complete revamp of the mechanic for the Archmage and Shaman careers. This is currently the least "set-in-stone" change and the one we are the most interested in gathering feedback from players on. This change represents a complete 180 from the current mechanic and would significantly alter the AM/SH ability to play as a super-dedicated healer or face-melting nuker.



Many of the final ability adjustments and Tactic revamps will occur simultaneously with this change so that all of the final balance values support and enhance the new mechanic.


What happens if we don't change the Mechanic?



In short, we'll go back to the existing mechanic and make a few more minor tweaks. In addition, we will do a final balance pass on ability values / use, as well as revamp the least-used Tactics with the existing mechanic.



Current 1.2 Mechanic



For this example, we will be using the Archmage, but the exact same changes will occur on the Shaman.



Currently (on 1.2 live), abilities are classified as a Tranquility (heals) or Force (nukes) ability. When you cast an ability, the type is checked. If you have Force points built up and are casting a Force ability, you gain another Force point. If you have Force points and are casting a Tranquility ability, you "use" those Force points to increase the cast time of the Tranquility ability (if it is an instant-cast ability, it gains in effectiveness) and vice-versa if you are casting a Tranquility abilities. The result is that if you have been nuking, your next heal is better, and if you have been healing, your next nuke is better.



1.3.1 Revised Mechanic



The new mechanic changes this behavior away from having to nuke to make heals better to one that reinforces focusing on just heals or just nukes. We would switch to a seven-point mechanic scale, running from three Tranquility to three Force (3 to -3, if you want to look at it like that). At each point, the mechanic grants an effectiveness bonus or penalty to abilities, based on what path the spell is coming from. The bottom chart shows the example bonuses, with +3 being full Tranquility and -3 being full Force.



* +3: 160% of Path 1 (Isha) | 70% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 100% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* +2: 130% of Path 1 (Isha) | 85% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 115% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* +1: 115% of Path 1 (Isha) | 92.5% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 130% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* 0: 100% of Path 1 (Isha) | 100% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 160% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* -1: 92.5% of Path 1 (Isha) | 115% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 130% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* -2: 85% of Path 1 (Isha) | 130% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 115% of Path 3 (Vaul)
* -3: 70% of Path 1 (Isha) | 160% of Path 2 (Asuryan) | 100% of Path 3 (Vaul)



Each time you cast an ability from Path 1 (Isha), you gain a point.

Each time you cast an ability from Path 2 (Asuryan), you lose a point.

Each time you cast an ability from Path 3 (Vaul), you move a point closer to 0. (So, if you are positive it subtracts one point, and if you are negative it adds one point.)



When envisioning this on the UI, just imagine that the Current Tranquility shows a positive count, and the Current Force shows a negative count. As such, if you have -3 on this chart, the UI would show +3 Force.


How Spell Effectiveness will change in 1.3.1



Along with the new mechanic and reorganization, the base values of some spells would have to change to meet our new needs. Because heals would be getting a large boost when maxed from the mechanic, we would lower the base value of all heals. The goal is that the "2" point in the system, that heals under the new system are equivalent to what they are now base. This would allow an Archmage who is at full Tranquility (+3) to be slightly more effective than he or she is currently without totally inflating the healing per second value.



Examples of Ability Performance under new Mechanic



Boon of Hysh



* 1.2 Value: Base tooltip value of 1,125 at Rank 40. With 700 Willpower, that would result in a heal of 1,545.
* New Values (Using the same 700 Willpower)
o Base tooltip value of 820
o 3 Tranquility: 1,984
o 2 Tranquility: 1,612
o 1 Tranquility: 1,426
o 0 (Balanced): 1,240
o 1 Force: 1,153
o 2 Force: 1,054
o 3 Force: 868



Radiant Gaze



* 1.2 Value: Base tooltip value of 648 at Rank 40. With 600 Intelligence against a target that has 400 Toughness and 30% Resist, the result would be 573 damage over 9 seconds.
* New Values (Using the same 200 Stat Advantage and moving to the Asuryan Path)
o Base tooltip value of 648
o 3 Tranquility: 401
o 2 Tranquility: 187
o 1 Tranquility: 530
o 0 (Balanced): 573
o 1 Force: 659
o 2 Force: 745
o 3 Force: 915



Radiant Lance



* 1.2 Value: Base tooltip value of 299 at Rank 40. With 600 Intelligence against a target that has 400 Toughness and 30% Resist, the result would be 265 damage.
* New Values (Using the same 200 Stat Advantage and moving to the Asuryan Path)
o Base tooltip value of 399 (upgraded base value)
o 3 Tranquility: 235
o 2 Tranquility: 285
o 1 Tranquility: 310
o 0 (Balanced): 335
o 1 Force: 385
o 2 Force: 436
o 3 Force: 536



Balance Essence



* 1.2 Value: Base tooltip value of 249 at Rank 40. With 600 Intelligence against a target that has 400 Toughnessand 30% Resist, the result would be 230 damage and healing.
* New Values (Using the same 200 Stat Advantage and moving to the Vaul Path)
o Base tooltip value of 249
o 3 Tranquility: 230
o 2 Tranquility: 265
o 1 Tranquility: 299
o 0 (Balanced): 368
o 1 Force: 299
o 2 Force: 265
o 3 Force: 230

Message Edited by Jess on 03-31-2009 04:31 PM



Adam Gershowitz
Producer - Character Systems
Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning



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6. Re: Archmage and Shaman Career Roadmap [ Edited ] 03-31-2009 02:44 PM
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Question : I don't see any mention of improvements to Tactics, will there be further changes to AM / SH tactics in addition to the changes summarized?



Answer : Yes we intend to do a thorough pass on all Tactics, however this is heavily dependent on the Mastery Path and Mechanic changes. As such we will not be going into detail on this until we've finalized that these features will or will no go live.
Question : While it is nice to see a roadplan for the next year+, what is being done right now to help improve my career?
Answer : First off these changes are not necessarily 6+ months out from release. In fact you will see the 1.2.1 changes very very soon. In addition the better the community feedback is the faster we can move forward with the proposed 1.3 and 1.3.1 changes.
Question : The proposed new mechanic looks interesting but it doesn't seem to promote a Healer / Nuker mastery b/c of how long it takes to switch from one aspect to another. Will there be a way to quickly switch from Healing to Nuking on the fly?
Answer : It is our intent that players not be able to rapidly switch from super healer to super nuker. However we are looking into adjusting tactics and even abilities to give players some option to more rapidly switch between extremes. However doing so will not be allowed frequently.

Question: Are you considering how these changes affect other classes and that it may make them obsolete? And if so, will you be altering these other classes in the same cycle to compensate?



Answer: In short we are most definitely considering this. We have no intention to Obsolete any other career in favor of a newly revamped one. That being said please keep in mind if we go with the more dramatic mechanic changes the AM/SH will likely have their base healing reduced. Giving many of the existing healers a good solid head start in burst or instantaneous healing.

The new Mastery x13 ability will be a targeted AoE ability that drains health from an area and restores it to your defensive target. The more targets drained, the more health is restored.