Currently there are 3 classes in the game. But the way damage mechanics is setup, sometimes it feels like they are just the same class dressed in different sprites. The reason is weapon damage is being used as the base number to drive just about everything. (Shield Slam is an exception but that's not even an active skill).
For example, the signature skill for each classes are below:
Mage: Singularity, deals 200% weapon damage
BH: Snipe, 5000% weapon damage
Warrior: Shockwave, 800% weapon damage.
Because power, crit chance, and crit damage all applied the same way in the damage calculation, you are left with variations of the same thing. The matter isn't really helped by the fact that all weapons in the game has the same avg damage, just different range (everybody aiming for 1395+ avg).
Since it is all just basic multiplication, there is one demonstratively better way to maximize DPS. This gives rise to cookie cutter builds, and you will be a fool to take the path less traveled.
From previous Red (Developer) posts, Devs are certainly thinking about ways to deepen the game. We don't know when multistrike, ability power etc will come into the game, but without changing the fact that weapon damage underlies just about all the damage calculation, then you will just end up with a slightly more complicated multiplication formulas that still ultimately lead to some cookie cutter build (the best way).
I propose a change in how damage calculations are made with the aim to introduce more variety and trade offs.
I believe this vision is inline with what Devs are aiming for anyway (read the introduction post by Red for details).
Characters can center around their builds on normal attacks. The perfect example is Assault BH. Rapid fire enhances the chosen normal attack. SS gives the char situational flexibility. Leaving one spot free for whatever they want (currently snipe as it does the most damage, but imagine a buff skill that can enhance the normal attack even more like how RF gives 200% CD bonus and SS gives dmg boost). This type of chars will want the biggest, baddest weapon available since most of all they do is about amplifying the damage coming out of those smoking barrels. For them, the current weapon damage underpins all damage calculation works just fine.
Let's consider Shockwave for warrior. This is really just a deafening noise from the warrior. Why should its damage depend at all on the weapon the warrior is using? Let's make skills that don't seem to be a natural extension of the weapon have its own base damage. For example lv 1 shockwave has a base damage of 1000 instead of 800% weapon damage. Lv2 maybe 2000 etc. This separation of skill damage from weapon damage makes it possible for people who focus on skill damage to make trade offs on their weapons. Imagine a scimitar that has 1/2 the base damage of a sword but with a 30% faster attack speed. Mathmatically the sword is still better. And it is if the build is focused on normal attacks. But for a skill focused build, the scimitar might offer better recovery, skill cooldown due to alacrity (oh how I... nevermind) etc. So you give up your normal attacks and focus entirely on the skill damage outputs. Think an orb that has 1/2 the base damage but all its stats are doubled? all possibilities and choices and trade offs to be made and considered.
Just looking for ways to add more depth to the game. Right now everyone near the top of the LB are carbon copies of each other. The competition has less to do with brains and strategies but how often I can re-roll that celestial (I know I'm trolling here) to the absolute max and grind out a few more CLs. Oh yea PC vs mobile.
For example, the signature skill for each classes are below:
Mage: Singularity, deals 200% weapon damage
BH: Snipe, 5000% weapon damage
Warrior: Shockwave, 800% weapon damage.
Because power, crit chance, and crit damage all applied the same way in the damage calculation, you are left with variations of the same thing. The matter isn't really helped by the fact that all weapons in the game has the same avg damage, just different range (everybody aiming for 1395+ avg).
Since it is all just basic multiplication, there is one demonstratively better way to maximize DPS. This gives rise to cookie cutter builds, and you will be a fool to take the path less traveled.
From previous Red (Developer) posts, Devs are certainly thinking about ways to deepen the game. We don't know when multistrike, ability power etc will come into the game, but without changing the fact that weapon damage underlies just about all the damage calculation, then you will just end up with a slightly more complicated multiplication formulas that still ultimately lead to some cookie cutter build (the best way).
I propose a change in how damage calculations are made with the aim to introduce more variety and trade offs.
I believe this vision is inline with what Devs are aiming for anyway (read the introduction post by Red for details).
Characters can center around their builds on normal attacks. The perfect example is Assault BH. Rapid fire enhances the chosen normal attack. SS gives the char situational flexibility. Leaving one spot free for whatever they want (currently snipe as it does the most damage, but imagine a buff skill that can enhance the normal attack even more like how RF gives 200% CD bonus and SS gives dmg boost). This type of chars will want the biggest, baddest weapon available since most of all they do is about amplifying the damage coming out of those smoking barrels. For them, the current weapon damage underpins all damage calculation works just fine.
Let's consider Shockwave for warrior. This is really just a deafening noise from the warrior. Why should its damage depend at all on the weapon the warrior is using? Let's make skills that don't seem to be a natural extension of the weapon have its own base damage. For example lv 1 shockwave has a base damage of 1000 instead of 800% weapon damage. Lv2 maybe 2000 etc. This separation of skill damage from weapon damage makes it possible for people who focus on skill damage to make trade offs on their weapons. Imagine a scimitar that has 1/2 the base damage of a sword but with a 30% faster attack speed. Mathmatically the sword is still better. And it is if the build is focused on normal attacks. But for a skill focused build, the scimitar might offer better recovery, skill cooldown due to alacrity (oh how I... nevermind) etc. So you give up your normal attacks and focus entirely on the skill damage outputs. Think an orb that has 1/2 the base damage but all its stats are doubled? all possibilities and choices and trade offs to be made and considered.
Just looking for ways to add more depth to the game. Right now everyone near the top of the LB are carbon copies of each other. The competition has less to do with brains and strategies but how often I can re-roll that celestial (I know I'm trolling here) to the absolute max and grind out a few more CLs. Oh yea PC vs mobile.
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