A request from an Archer...

Comments

• noddaone

  noddaone#6414

  Member Posts: 1 Arc User

  March 2019

  I have watched several videos that show the choices available to Ranger class in mod 16. With mod 16 ranged attacks will be split between the 2 Paragon choices you have. That means neither choice will be viable for archer only combat. Mod 15 made some changes that helped ranged combat and mod 16 takes that away since you have fewer attacks and less flexibility. Some people will like the new changes since they switched between ranged and melee combat. If I had wanted a tank I would have built one. A jack of all trades class is not a bad idea, give us a Druid and stop messing up the the HR. I remember when the HR class was nerfed a few years ago it was a disaster and I had put about a thousand dollars into the class, for some reason I wasn't pleased. I have been back in the game several months now and spent $340 on my rangers. I expect the company will read my comments and just figure I am a trouble maker. That is not the case, I want the game to succeed. Happy customers spend money, unhappy ones just go to a different store and there are lots of games.

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• kangkeok Member Posts: 1,123 Arc User

  March 2019 edited March 2019

  I know alot people are worried about the nerf to their class in mod 16 and loses their viability. But u have to understand how viability works. With the difficulty scaled down and every other classes getting overhauled, the whole game basically just got reset. Its too early to say any build isn't viable by just looking at the changes. It cant be compared to the past nerf either as all other class are getting the same changes. Its not a nerf. Its a reset.
  
  In my opinion, player are given too much flexibility in the past. U can have so many feat combined to create an all rounded build that has nearly everything. Literally everyone is in god mode in mod 15. When all these feat and powers put together in group content, it create a massive power creep to the game. Its no surprise people later use this flexibility to theory craft the best mix of feats and powers between 5 different build in a group to create the best effect that could 1-2hit bosses. Those classes that are not involved in the broken meta are discriminated from group content.
  
  This time, the developer reduce the feat and power involved in a group by limiting their accessibility. Feats that are powerful are separated into option so player could only pick one and not come out with an overly powerful build. What they did now is for the best of the game so I have no complain. I'm currently looking at this game as a fresh new game.
  
  Although I do worried that range build archer are getting the same treatment in mod 15. But looking the way they tone down the buffs, I might be worried too much. Anyway, those money u put in your character isn't gonna lose much since everybody is gonna lose their gear eventually with new level cap. I actually like to compliment them for choosing the right time to schedule this overhaul.
  

  Post edited by kangkeok on March 2019

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• toadgoader Member Posts: 3 Arc User

  March 2019

  HR is my primary toon and I love the play styles and flexibility that comes with the HR.
  
  Here are some of my opinions on the HR:
  
  Mod 15 HR currently has 3 basic builds... Combat (good damage, fair survivability), Trapper (fair damage, fair survivability) and Archer (good damage, poor survivability) Which of these are going to survive the change? which are going away? and how will our ability to solo be impacted?
  
  Groups

  • I think it is still too early to tell but I suspect that our role as a combat HR will take a huge hit since we are losing life steal. The group healers will be focusing on keeping the tanks alive... so we will have to be our own source of healing... and without LS we do not have near the defense or HP to survive close proximity with bosses. - forecasted verdict: survive: but will need major re-balancing.
    
  • The trapper relies on synergies in role switching... which will take a big hit due to the restrictions in the new skill allocations. We are being forced to choose a single path of specialization to be viable... we either focus on melee or shooting... if we divide our skills between the two we will be ineffective at both roles. forecasted verdict: going away
    
  • The archer relies on strong ranged attacks and avoidance to survive group combat. The ARE the 'glass cannon' of the game. This has always been a challenge as many bosses punish players if they fight from range. Most of their skills are optimal if at longer range and these boss mechanics force them to be at point blank range... where their paper armor and low HP make the HR incredibly wimpy. I don't see this changing in the next mod. forecasted verdict: survive but will be even worse off than before without improved damage avoidance mechanics for the class.
    

  Solo

  • Combat HR are solo beasts. they combine strong and aggressive damage dealing effects and are easily able to handle groups of mobs with ease. The combination good single target and AOE effects coupled with the life steal mechanics make them able to survive all but massive crit strikes from bosses. We lose the life steal effect in Mod 16 and our at-will powers will be nerfed... and now when we are in a group of targets we cant rely on our at-will aoe attacks to deal with groups...and the loss of LS makes our survivability poor. forecasted verdict: survive...but barely. without stronger damage avoidance mechanics the combat HR may be a melee 'glass cannon'
    
  • The trapper will actually be a fairly decent solo build...but, because we are really forced to be more of a specialist, the trapper HR will struggle with larger groups and bosses... kind of a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. forecasted verdict: survive...but an underwhelming soloer
    
  • Archers will be very good in taking down large single targets and small groups of mobs... and will absolutely be destroyed by larger numbers. This will probably be the go to build for soloing the archer will really need to be careful to not aggro everything as they will be overwhelmed rather quickly. forecasted verdict: survive but really needs to be careful that they don't bite off more than they can chew.
    

  Again, the proof will be in the pudding whether my forecasted predictions will hold close to reality. I worry that the designers will break the class that I have spent so much time with. I am hopeful that my HR still can be relevant in the new update and that all of my worries will be for naught.

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• saj01 Member Posts: 5 Arc User

  March 2019

  Im strictly an an archer and have taken it to the preview server. the corden of arrows which is one of the main attacks is useless the second you shoot it you get mobbed. there is no other aoe that you can really use. I remember when the hunter was nerfed the first time you got kicked out of every group and dungeon before it even started. i hope its not going to be the same again. As for at-wills you may as well be shooting spitballs at them. i just hope they do something to change that before it goes live. Wait and see

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• kangkeok Member Posts: 1,123 Arc User

  March 2019

  Sorry for not responding to my own post but at the moment, I don't really care anymore. I m not working for Cryptic and certainly didn't get paid from them. So I'm not gonna trouble myself with preview or any of Cryptic problem. I'm sure they had their plans & schedule all drawn out and I trust their professionalism on delivering it. What worries me is sneaky peoples in the forum trying to tip the balance towards their own class/builds. But I'm trusting on the developer to weed those feedback & suggestion out.
  
  So surprise me, Cryptic. If m16 is good, i'll keep playing. If it isn't, then that's too bad. I'll play other game till Cryptic make this game great again. Thanks again for posting in this thread guys.

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