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Breakthrough is too difficult to land

eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
edited July 2017 in Power Discussion
The problem with the way the current blocking works, is that it requires the defender to make a mistake for the attack to be able to bypass their block.. .

Now in a game that already has really obnoxious things like active defense rotation, with simultaneous near constant health regeneration, having block the way it is just makes a game where defense seems to heavily outweigh attack (it already did before this particular change, but it is much worse now..)

Add on top of that the high mobility of the pvp in general, and you've made it significantly more difficult to kill defense based players..

If the defender makes no mistake with their block timings, their block will never drop. That basically puts the power in the hands of the blocker..And this is a block they can pop up and down in an instant if they so choose; even tap it repeatedly..Even if you're using a rapid attack with breakthrough, it is still too easy for them to avoid it by tapping..

Now maybe something like this works well on a quick reflex game like say.. A fighting game? But on Champions, the visuals of the block can't even keep up with the effect of block, especially when the blocker is moving around, the block animation often outright just gives way to the movement... What does that mean? It means you can't see when you use break through to even catch the person who would be using block. The effect of breakthough, and block are near instantaneous, but the visuals are not..It just makes the whole thing a roll of the dice most of the time.

If block is to stay like this, you need to make it so the attacker CAN bypass their block should they choose; it shouldn't come down to a fighting game style reflex match where the defender is in the position of power, especially when the visuals can't even keep up.

How would i fix it? I have three ways i'd think about changing it..

1. Give block a cooldown, or after pressing it make it stay on for a certain period of time; a period long enough for someone to land a breakthrough. This solves the issue of people just block tapping past everything, and nullifying the majority of attacks..

2. Just revert breakthrough (crippling challenge) to what it was before.. Afterall, this is only a change that impacts pvp; and there is no offense equivalent of blocking, having something that outright cuts it out of pvp seems more fair than what we currently have; which is basically just an extra layer of defense in a game with too much stacked defense.

3.Add a health bar to the block, and remove breakthrough; only have this healthbar in pvp encounters.
Post edited by eva1988 on
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  • flyingfinnflyingfinn Posts: 8,408 Arc User
    Oh this was about pvp.
    Never mind then.
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  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User

    Oh this was about pvp.
    Never mind then.

    Well, it's relevant to beating up Baron Cimitiere and slightly speeds up beating on viper power armors, but yeah, it's mostly irrelevant in PvE.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    gradii said:

    1. No. that would break so much its not even funny.

    2. No. it was unbalanced before becuase it basically made block worthless in pvp.



    What Breakthrough needs to do is disable blocking even if you're not blocking at the time for 10 seconds, HOWEVER after those 10 seconds you get a buff which prevents it from being disabled again for 15 seconds, sort of like how Nailed to the ground and Freedom! work.​​

    The reason the second point is valid is explained in the second point. What is the offensive equivalent of block? There isn't one. So why then is it a problem that block be worthless in PVP? It was actually more balanced that way..

    I guess an offensive equivalent to block would be to remove all defense for a huge damage boost. I'm of course not suggesting they should add this, but just pointing out that it is a defense without a counter; and when stacked with other defense it becomes a much greater challenge than it should be...Point being, it isn't fun not being able to get through someone's block on top of all other defense when there is no definite way through it...it is frustrating more than anything; and the poor visual timing doesn't help either.

    Also saying "that would break so much that its not even funny" isn't actually an argument. If you're going to say something like that, you're going to have to explain why, or it doesn't really add anything.


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  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    gradii said:



    eva1988 wrote: »

    1.

    Also saying "that would break so much that its not even funny" isn't actually an argument. If you're going to say something like that, you're going to have to explain why, or it doesn't really add anything.


    "Ever tanked a cosmic? oh wait you were the one who wanted active defenses nerfed...​​"

    I think you're misunderstanding how long I was implying the block be toggled on. If someone pressed block they would then have to stay blocked for a second or two, just enough time for someone to hit them with a breakthrough. That would make no difference to pve.

  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    "Ever tanked a cosmic? oh wait you were the one who wanted active defenses nerfed...​​"

    If block were locked on for a second or two after putting it on, just enough time for someone to hit it with a breakthrough; how would that impact pve? It would barely have an impact at all..

    And yes, active defense should still be reduced in effectiveness. But for some reason people have an obsession with cheating within the rules.
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    eva1988 said:

    If block were locked on for a second or two after putting it on, just enough time for someone to hit it with a breakthrough; how would that impact pve?

    It would make a significant difference to the ability to time your blocks and get in slower moves between cosmic attacks. Or if it was set to more than a second, get in moves at all.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017

    eva1988 said:

    If block were locked on for a second or two after putting it on, just enough time for someone to hit it with a breakthrough; how would that impact pve?

    It would make a significant difference to the ability to time your blocks and get in slower moves between cosmic attacks. Or if it was set to more than a second, get in moves at all.
    From my experience, most cosmics you block against you hold block over a second, you preemptively hold block to prevent the attack you know is coming. In that case, what difference does it make?

  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017

    eva1988 said:

    If block were locked on for a second or two after putting it on, just enough time for someone to hit it with a breakthrough; how would that impact pve?

    It would make a significant difference to the ability to time your blocks and get in slower moves between cosmic attacks. Or if it was set to more than a second, get in moves at all.
    From my experience, people hold block to preempt the attack they know is coming; they don't press it as the attack happens. In that regard, a second should make no significant difference to a cosmic fight.

    Also, if i recall, block is most effective when used preemptively as it has greater benefits when it is held over a certain period of time.
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  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017

    "You know I told you a much easier way to make Break Through worthwhile already, isn't that what you want, not to break block mechanics, but to make break through worthwhile in pvp?​​"

    What you suggested would basically turn block into a mini active defense. You'd have to kill your opponent in 10 seconds or they'd be back to full health and rotating actives.
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    eva1988 said:

    From my experience, people hold block to preempt the attack they know is coming; they don't press it as the attack happens. In that regard, a second should make no significant difference to a cosmic fight.

    It would be something that could be compensated for, but it would most certainly be significant. Main tanking cosmics is quite timing dependent.
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  • opalflameopalflame Posts: 207 Arc User
    I think it's already balanced by the fact that you really can't do much else while blocking. I mean, it may be hard to do damage to someone who blocks a lot, but they aren't really going to be doing damage to you either. Oh, and if defense really was so much better than everything else, you wouldn't see so many PvPers running around with offensive passives.
    Ink@Opalsky in game
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  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User

    "Lmao. Entirely ignoring the fact that you cannot attack while blocking, and the way it is right now you could just block anytime.
    What you really want is perma block disable isn't it, well that's probably not coming back.​​"

    Despite the fact you can't attack while blocking, there is still on offense equivalent.

    I would prefer block were disabled in PVP over what we currently have, yes. It is just another layer of defense to get past stacked on everything else. But where is the extra layer of offense to counter it? If breakthrough can't effectively bypass block, it just means defense gets a buff over offense.

    "Yeah and I can usually kill people through block if they spam block, it's not that hard for most builds. Furthermore, those builds which DO have the defense to be invincible while blocking don't have the offense to kill me while blocking so much.​​"

    The thing about block, it's usefulness is dependent on the type of block you use, and what rank it is at. On top of that, it is more useful to someone with stacked defense and healing than say a squishy...Defense is all about slowing down how much damage you take till your cooldowns end; and because it stacks with other defense, it becomes a much stronger barrier to kill someone through depending on their build.

    Also, what you're talking about is completely relative to your build. I know plenty of builds that are near invincible which can kill me. You can't say "it is not that hard for most builds" you can say "it is not that hard for my build".



  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    opalflame said:

    I think it's already balanced by the fact that you really can't do much else while blocking. I mean, it may be hard to do damage to someone who blocks a lot, but they aren't really going to be doing damage to you either. Oh, and if defense really was so much better than everything else, you wouldn't see so many PvPers running around with offensive passives.

    While holding block you can wait and stay alive. And defense in this game is all about waiting and staying alive. And you don't see many pvpers using offensive passives.

    Or atleast I don't, and have not for a long time. Mostly it is either a defense passive, or Aura of primal majesty.. However i've seen a downturn in AoPM, so i'm assuming they've probably changed it. Although that might just be because there aren't many pvpers left anymore.


  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    "It would be something that could be compensated for, but it would most certainly be significant. Main tanking cosmics is quite timing dependent."

    I think it'd probably be necessary to time how long people actually hold block during a cosmic fight, because with people blocking before activation, you're roughly blocking for a second anyway from what i can tell.

    Note that i wasn't suggesting both a cooldown AND having the block lock on for a second. It'd be one or the other. Obviously a cooldown would be the worse of the two in terms of PVE.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    They would both be awful and there's really no way either of them could be implemented. Suggestion: Discard those ideas and go in a completely new direction, this is a dead end.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    spinnytop said:

    They would both be awful and there's really no way either of them could be implemented. Suggestion: Discard those ideas and go in a completely new direction, this is a dead end.

    Once again, what does that add if you're not going to explain why?

  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    The cooldown is bad because there are often situations where you block, and let go, only for the situation to become so that you need to immediately block again. For example, you block something successfully and let go of block - at that moment another attack comes at you that you need to block. Actually a frequent occurrence in many types of content, and the block cooldown can easily get you killed in these situations.

    The block locking in is bad because there are often situations where you start blocking and then quickly have to release block to attack. For example, you're pulling dogs off the CCer, you block because your health gets low, just then the dog begins to howl and you need to stun it quickly; your block is locked in, you can't stun it, wipe. You're fighting gravitar and you have to block because the adds have begun to attack you - just then one of her bubbles appears over you and you need to quickly move out of it; your block is locked in, you can't move quickly enough, you're dead.

    I'm sure someone thinking about it for more than a minute could make a long list of examples.
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.
  • opalflameopalflame Posts: 207 Arc User
    I see about the same amount of PvPers using offensive passives as the amount I see using defensive passives. Oh, and I have no idea what kind of build you are using, but if you are using a super tanky build, don't expect to be able to kill everyone. Those kinds of builds just don't do enough damage to kill another tank easily. Just thought I should point that out in case that is what's causing you trouble. If not, you may just need some more damage.
    Ink@Opalsky in game
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User

    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.

    I don't mean block only works for one second, only that it is locked on for one second.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    spinnytop said:

    The cooldown is bad because there are often situations where you block, and let go, only for the situation to become so that you need to immediately block again. For example, you block something successfully and let go of block - at that moment another attack comes at you that you need to block. Actually a frequent occurrence in many types of content, and the block cooldown can easily get you killed in these situations.

    The block locking in is bad because there are often situations where you start blocking and then quickly have to release block to attack. For example, you're pulling dogs off the CCer, you block because your health gets low, just then the dog begins to howl and you need to stun it quickly; your block is locked in, you can't stun it, wipe. You're fighting gravitar and you have to block because the adds have begun to attack you - just then one of her bubbles appears over you and you need to quickly move out of it; your block is locked in, you can't move quickly enough, you're dead.

    I'm sure someone thinking about it for more than a minute could make a long list of examples.

    One second is enough to catch a howling dog. In the gravitar instance it is merely a means of being more cautious when you press block, it is still evadable and "breaks" nothing; on top of that, you can still move while blocking.. I guess to counter this you could just buff movement speed slightly while blocking if it is that much of a problem.

  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    The cooldown is bad because there are often situations where you block, and let go, only for the situation to become so that you need to immediately block again. For example, you block something successfully and let go of block - at that moment another attack comes at you that you need to block. Actually a frequent occurrence in many types of content, and the block cooldown can easily get you killed in these situations.

    The block locking in is bad because there are often situations where you start blocking and then quickly have to release block to attack. For example, you're pulling dogs off the CCer, you block because your health gets low, just then the dog begins to howl and you need to stun it quickly; your block is locked in, you can't stun it, wipe. You're fighting gravitar and you have to block because the adds have begun to attack you - just then one of her bubbles appears over you and you need to quickly move out of it; your block is locked in, you can't move quickly enough, you're dead.

    I'm sure someone thinking about it for more than a minute could make a long list of examples.

    I'd argue one second is enough to stop a howling dog.

    In the case of gravitar, it simply means you have to be more cautious when you block; it doesn't "break" anything, but simply changes the approach required. Also how often does that situation occur? Not very often i imagine. Also, you can still move while blocking; if it were that much of a problem i don't see why allowing players to move faster while blocking couldn't be implemented; slightly faster that is.

    Overall, i see nothing "game breaking" but more something "game changing".

  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    eva1988 said:

    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.

    I don't mean block only works for one second, only that it is locked on for one second.
    Right, you mean a 1s minimum time.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User

    eva1988 said:

    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.

    I don't mean block only works for one second, only that it is locked on for one second.
    Right, you mean a 1s minimum time.
    Wouldn't one second minimum time mean you could only use it for one second? That is the way i'm interpreting it anyway
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    eva1988 said:


    eva1988 said:

    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.

    I don't mean block only works for one second, only that it is locked on for one second.
    Right, you mean a 1s minimum time.
    Wouldn't one second minimum time mean you could only use it for one second? That is the way i'm interpreting it anyway
    No, that would be a 1s maximum time. Minimum time is the shortest amount of time you can have it active.
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  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    gradii said:

    If you could only block for one second at a time dino breath would wipe the tanks at dino, since its more than one second maintained.



    Not to mention things like eidolon's beam.​​

    Which is why i'm not suggesting that.

  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User

    eva1988 said:


    eva1988 said:

    I'm not sure how many situations there are where it's necessary to block for under a second, but there's plenty of situations where a 1s minimum time would be inconvenient.

    I don't mean block only works for one second, only that it is locked on for one second.
    Right, you mean a 1s minimum time.
    Wouldn't one second minimum time mean you could only use it for one second? That is the way i'm interpreting it anyway
    No, that would be a 1s maximum time. Minimum time is the shortest amount of time you can have it active.
    You're right; just when you used the word "minimum" for some reason it seemed like it implied one second is the minimum, and also the only amount of time. But of course that is my fault for misinterpreting.
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    eva1988 said:


    I'd argue one second is enough to stop a howling dog.

    In the case of gravitar, it simply means you have to be more cautious when you block; it doesn't "break" anything, but simply changes the approach required. Also how often does that situation occur? Not very often i imagine. Also, you can still move while blocking; if it were that much of a problem i don't see why allowing players to move faster while blocking couldn't be implemented; slightly faster that is.

    Overall, i see nothing "game breaking" but more something "game changing".

    "being more cautious when you block" doesn't apply in my situation. You had to block. And then, blocking got you killed - despite taking a correct action, that action got you killed. Bad idea.

    One second might be enough to catch that howl... or it might not. In the latter case, your locked in block got everyone killed, even though the player in question was taking the correct action ( they would have died had they not blocked). Bad idea.

    You asked for an explanation for why your suggestions were bad ideas and I gave them. Your "game changing" amounts to "make people get killed more often in ways they can't avoid even though they took the correct action" which ultimately removes player agency and stinks of unfairness ( those are both things people universally don't like btw ). These are dead ends, go back to the drawing board.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    eva1988 said:


    I'd argue one second is enough to stop a howling dog.

    In the case of gravitar, it simply means you have to be more cautious when you block; it doesn't "break" anything, but simply changes the approach required. Also how often does that situation occur? Not very often i imagine. Also, you can still move while blocking; if it were that much of a problem i don't see why allowing players to move faster while blocking couldn't be implemented; slightly faster that is.

    Overall, i see nothing "game breaking" but more something "game changing".

    "being more cautious when you block" doesn't apply in my situation. You had to block. And then, blocking got you killed - despite taking a correct action, that action got you killed. Bad idea.

    One second might be enough to catch that howl... or it might not. In the latter case, your locked in block got everyone killed, even though the player in question was taking the correct action ( they would have died had they not blocked). Bad idea.

    You asked for an explanation for why your suggestions were bad ideas and I gave them. Your "game changing" amounts to "make people get killed more often in ways they can't avoid even though they took the correct action" which ultimately removes player agency and stinks of unfairness ( those are both things people universally don't like btw ). These are dead ends, go back to the drawing board.
    They can avoid them though.

  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    gradii said:

    a One second Minimum time would seriously screw up the feel of combat, and it would lead to people simply not blocking at all (Dumb I know but when it's annoying to do, some people simply wont.)​​

    You're likely already holding block over one second as it is, I highly doubt it would impact the feel of combat at all.

    Ofcourse, i'm open to other suggestions since people seem determined to suggest one second is too much.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    eva1988 said:


    They can avoid them though.

    Yes, because your ideas haven't been implemented.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited July 2017
    So while you were stubbornly clinging to the dead end ideas, I went ahead and thought up a solution for you that doesn't make dramatic and unnecessary changes to the game's pve dynamic. Here you go:


    When you block, you get the "Counterplay" debuff for 1 second. While you have this debuff, Breakthrough can effect you, even if you stop blocking.

    This gives you the effect you were looking for aka a brief period of vulnerability to breakthrough even if the target only blocks briefly or spams it or any of the shenanigans mentioned. The duration of the debuff can be adjusted longer or shorter as needed to balance it. Importantly, this has no effect on PvE whatsoever.
    Post edited by spinnytop on
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    eva1988 said:


    They can avoid them though.

    Yes, because your ideas haven't been implemented.
    They could be avoided regardless of implementation or not.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    eva1988 said:

    They could be avoided regardless of implementation or not.

    Yeah shut up about that already, I solved your problem for you. Look up one post.
  • eva1988eva1988 Posts: 183 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    eva1988 said:

    They could be avoided regardless of implementation or not.

    Yeah shut up about that already, I solved your problem for you. Look up one post.
    No need to be rude. I knew you'd come up with something with a bit of encouragement.



  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    eva1988 said:

    No need to be rude. I knew you'd come up with something with a bit of encouragement.

    More like I came up with something after enough disappointment u3u
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  • darqaura2darqaura2 Posts: 932 Arc User

    I can deal with people who teleport away; what I'm talking about is Eve teleporting away when we're the only two people on the map and she's not in any imminent danger... it doesn't do anything except postpone her inevitable death. :P

    You're supposed to delay your death. If you're doing otherwise why are you even bothering to pvp?

  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    darqaura2 said:

    You're supposed to delay your death. If you're doing otherwise why are you even bothering to pvp?

    ^ Truth.
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    darqaura2 said:

    You're supposed to delay your death.

    Actually, you're supposed to defeat your opponent. The main problem with teleport is that it buys you time, but it also gives your opponent time.
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