Shred and 2 Gun Mojo, Why are these now AoE?

hasukurobi

The way things have often worked is that you had an Attack that was more or less designed for clearing a group with relatively weaker damage overall (Which is fine because group trash tends to be weaker) and one that hit a single target a lot harder. This was good because it tended to make the initial choice for moves a little simpler. "I need one boss killing single target attack and one trash mob AoE attack at least in this build." Simple.

Now by adding AoE to these previously single target attacks you are complicating this issue and making other attacks like Frenzy and SMG/Minigun etc more questionable. Why bother having a dedicated AoE attack when the more powerful single target attack is now AoE?

Shred applies bleeds better than Frenzy and costs less also meaning that despite the slightly larger cone you get with Frenzy it is largely a worthless skill atm.

TGM got a cost increase to deal with its AoE ability which certainly is not appreciated. It was perfect for hammering a single target while using actual AoE attacks to deal with groups but now things like Lead Tempest are basically there as a defensive move rather than actual AoE damage output because you would be way better off just TGM than using something like that.

Some might say this is an upgrade to both skills but honestly if it is then it is one that is not really needed nor really asked for to my knowledge. Single target attacks really do not need to be made AoE if there exists proper AoE attacks in that set.

Just to be clear I found everything else about the changes to be very welcomed and appreciated. I do not want this to sound like hate or just picking on the Devs like they can never do anything right or such nonsense. That is not the point of this post. I just want to call attention to this issue with these particular decisions and this new direction.

flowcyto

Well, that single target attack now being a powerful AoE (TGM) is only a tight cylinder (so can be tricky netting >1 target) and eats energy like a sumo to a buffet. So there's still good reasons to take the other Muni AoEs.

I too didn't like the paradigm shift for TGM, but Burst Shot was added to the mix to validate that, I'd have to assume.

I do overall like the changes to the combos- thus far. I do admit that Frenzy now overlaps perhaps a bit too much w/ Shred. But they can always tweak the 2 powers a bit more. I just hope that's not the end and we see all the other combos revisited, and the old 90-120 degree cone melee AoE's to get a face-lift (as they are really outmoded, imo).

riverocean

Well with 2GM I think it was an attempt to balance a power, that went sort of awry. Because now... 2GM becomes the only power you need to take. I have an AOPM healer that only uses 2GM as an attack. It's literally, the only attack you need. It does aoe, it buffs you, it debuffs your targets, it heals you.... . It's a "do everything power now".

I guess it's balanced by the tier move now?

As far as shred, Well Shred, shred, massacre has long been a basic bestial attack chain. Now it's even better. Doesn't really impact the powers at all...and suddenly you're even more of an AOE machine.

My only fear is we're going to get a serious nerf to these powers later, because they both perform so well now.

vonqball

Cleave is looking pretty terrible next to the new shred.

flowcyto

Yeah I hope the other combos get a lock-at next, esp Cleave and Beatdown. Maybe also look into making Onslaught a formal combo.

Edit, spoke to soon, it seems, just checked the pts again.