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Butcher's Focus bonus (Serene Hood/Goristro's Horns) way too unreliable, ideas to make it relevant
r4nger
Member Posts: 7 Arc User
Players want to move on from this helmet. I understand moving on from one item to seek a new and more beneficial one is part of this game's idea of progression, maybe. Yet this bonus is not intended to be disregarded by players, in fact, a new hood has been added to the game with the same bonus, which suggests that the item should still be considered. It's been a while since it's not everyone's favorite, yet for many players it's the only option they have.
Reasons why it's no longer a viable head piece (as it once was):
In AOE/mob trashing scenarios, it's unrealistic to expect to have x10 stacks of Butcher's Focus coming out of the hood. You have to hit for more than 10% your HP to proc 1 stack of 1% Critical Strike for 10 seconds. Mobs die within 2-3 seconds or even less, which makes it impossible to hit that mob twice in order to land a hit hard enough to proc the hood again. In a dungeon, while trashing mobs, a player can expect to sustain a very small amount of stacks, such as perhaps, x2. Making this hood useless in AOE. Not even Rogues with Path of Blades can sustain more than 2-4 stacks of this bonus. Back a while ago, Band of Air procs were significantly much stronger and frequent, and using this encounter power they were more likely to proc the hood for a higher number of stacks in AOE. I guess all of us were. Not anymore since the ring now hits for around 60k damage (best case scenario) and that's nowhere near 10% of our hit points. There's new masterwork head gear, which many players have chose over Serene Hood recently, that provides them with more consistent Critical Strike, but this isn't an option for all players, some of us simply cannot fit it in within our builds, given that it provides only ratings, and not percentages. > (Perhaps, you can do something about that, making this MW Barbute give 7.5% instead of 7500 ratings) <
The issue I see here is, an item that feels, as it is, unable to give its full potential, unless we're fighting against something that lives long enough to stack up the bonus 10 times, such as a boss. So we're left with nothing for AOE.
Possible solutions to make the head piece much more reliable for all players:
There's another "Butcher's" bonus in the game, called Butcher's Frenzy, from the Recap's Cap head piece. This item gives 1.5% Power and Movement Speed when you damage or heal your target for more than 10% your HP, up to 5 stacks. This doesn't differ much from the 10 stacks bonuses, yet it's much easier to sustain given the higher amount per stack, and less amount of stacks to its full potential. However, nobody uses Frenzy, a DPS is likely supposed to have their Power capped from the get go and not have to stack it up. My suggestion here is for Butcher's Focus (Serene Hood/Goristro's) to be re-vamped into something similar to Butcher's Frenzy. I would not mind to have 2.5% less Critical Strike off of the hood, if I'm sure I'll have consistency (we never really hold onto 10 stacks anyway). 5 stacks is much easier to sustain than 10, and with higher %s per stack, much more beneficial for all players to consider.
You can split 15% stats into Critical Strike and Movement Speed (similar to Frenzy) for a total of 7.5% each. Very useful in AOE. Or simply reduce the amount of stacks needed for a 10% Crit Strike to just 5 stacks like Frenzy works. 5 stacks of 2% Crit. Making this hood, again, a great choice for all players to use both in AOE and Single Target scenarios. Right now as it is, had became a "starter hood", easy to obtain, and easy to consider temporary. Temporary only for those able to fit something else into their builds, not for everyone.
Consistency is crucial. We're getting newer content in the game that is really challenging, and we've been witness to several nerfs and adjustments that one way or another had made capping our stats, much harder. I think a little adjustment to this item can help all players quite a bit, including healers, and won't involve any game-breaking turnouts such as over-power, we're talking about the same maximum amount (10%) or even a bit less (7.5%) but simply much more consistent, to make this item great again.
Hoping this is considered and discussed. Regards.
Reasons why it's no longer a viable head piece (as it once was):
In AOE/mob trashing scenarios, it's unrealistic to expect to have x10 stacks of Butcher's Focus coming out of the hood. You have to hit for more than 10% your HP to proc 1 stack of 1% Critical Strike for 10 seconds. Mobs die within 2-3 seconds or even less, which makes it impossible to hit that mob twice in order to land a hit hard enough to proc the hood again. In a dungeon, while trashing mobs, a player can expect to sustain a very small amount of stacks, such as perhaps, x2. Making this hood useless in AOE. Not even Rogues with Path of Blades can sustain more than 2-4 stacks of this bonus. Back a while ago, Band of Air procs were significantly much stronger and frequent, and using this encounter power they were more likely to proc the hood for a higher number of stacks in AOE. I guess all of us were. Not anymore since the ring now hits for around 60k damage (best case scenario) and that's nowhere near 10% of our hit points. There's new masterwork head gear, which many players have chose over Serene Hood recently, that provides them with more consistent Critical Strike, but this isn't an option for all players, some of us simply cannot fit it in within our builds, given that it provides only ratings, and not percentages. > (Perhaps, you can do something about that, making this MW Barbute give 7.5% instead of 7500 ratings) <
The issue I see here is, an item that feels, as it is, unable to give its full potential, unless we're fighting against something that lives long enough to stack up the bonus 10 times, such as a boss. So we're left with nothing for AOE.
Possible solutions to make the head piece much more reliable for all players:
There's another "Butcher's" bonus in the game, called Butcher's Frenzy, from the Recap's Cap head piece. This item gives 1.5% Power and Movement Speed when you damage or heal your target for more than 10% your HP, up to 5 stacks. This doesn't differ much from the 10 stacks bonuses, yet it's much easier to sustain given the higher amount per stack, and less amount of stacks to its full potential. However, nobody uses Frenzy, a DPS is likely supposed to have their Power capped from the get go and not have to stack it up. My suggestion here is for Butcher's Focus (Serene Hood/Goristro's) to be re-vamped into something similar to Butcher's Frenzy. I would not mind to have 2.5% less Critical Strike off of the hood, if I'm sure I'll have consistency (we never really hold onto 10 stacks anyway). 5 stacks is much easier to sustain than 10, and with higher %s per stack, much more beneficial for all players to consider.
You can split 15% stats into Critical Strike and Movement Speed (similar to Frenzy) for a total of 7.5% each. Very useful in AOE. Or simply reduce the amount of stacks needed for a 10% Crit Strike to just 5 stacks like Frenzy works. 5 stacks of 2% Crit. Making this hood, again, a great choice for all players to use both in AOE and Single Target scenarios. Right now as it is, had became a "starter hood", easy to obtain, and easy to consider temporary. Temporary only for those able to fit something else into their builds, not for everyone.
Consistency is crucial. We're getting newer content in the game that is really challenging, and we've been witness to several nerfs and adjustments that one way or another had made capping our stats, much harder. I think a little adjustment to this item can help all players quite a bit, including healers, and won't involve any game-breaking turnouts such as over-power, we're talking about the same maximum amount (10%) or even a bit less (7.5%) but simply much more consistent, to make this item great again.
Hoping this is considered and discussed. Regards.
2
Comments
How is 5 stacks of 2% over 10 stacks of 1%, considered a nerf?
Or, losing only 2.5% off the total, to get 7.5% movement speed as well, considered a nerf?
Both options will be much more useful to our AOE performance.
I don't disagree with you on that a brand new much more useful item will be really nice. But i'm just trying to be realistic. I don't expect devs to go out of their way either, so I tried to come up with an idea that might not require as much work as new items do.
Thanks for your reply though!
Both gear parts where developed so they would provide additional stat increase, but not just like > here just take stat increase, no thats not how it works.
It was added condition> BUTCHER'S FOCUS, which require to land hit damage, equal or higher to 10% of your max HP.
and it stack 10 times.
What I am reading here is that, you have this helmet, that didn't work for you and now you want that it got reworked mechanic.
Sorry that's not how it should be done.
You mentioned that in AoE it's hard to proc or maintain stacks.
Well thats weird, I actually keep all x10 stacks of Butchers Focus in AoE all time. For tank maybe it's hard to do that, but for dps classes, it is easy thing to do.
Instead trying rework x helmet or any gear part to fit your needs, why not write down suggestion to add new helmet with new mechanic.?
“The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.
Gustave Le Bon.
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I did not take the time to write this down and post it here for people to think that I did it just because I, Me, myself want the Hood to work better for my toon. I have friends too that think the same, plenty that simply hate the Hood. We can't use anything else at the moment, but we don't give up either.
I'll conclude that wanting an item to change is perhaps not a great idea, there'll always be players that have no issues with it and will disagree with me and that is fine. Can do nothing but be glad that it does work for them. Although here I did not suggest a extreme re-vamp of the bonus, but a mere adjustment, I've even set an example of another "Butcher's" bonus that has the exact same conditions, just less number of stacks, which makes it quicker to reach its max benefit. Thought something similar could be done with the Hood/Goristro's, or simply put, less number of stacks higher %s.
If we were to talk about them catering to certain classes, I'd have a lot to say. Several items work wonders for some classes and others are left with just using these items because they don't have a better choice, but they don't work with them. The fact that "Wild Hunt Rider" %11.25% Combat Adv. bonus proc can proc off of each single tick of Path of the Blade on a Rogue and my Ranger could do 3 full rotations and not proc it, is abysmal.
Peace out.
Would you like to share a quick video with us of how do you sustain x10 stacks of Butcher's Focus in AOE, all the time?.
Seriously, plenty here me included would be hugely interested in learning how.
Tanks do not use Butcher's Focus, to start with.
And how does The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind, have anything to do with it?.
Thanks for your reply.
I’m joining to the request.
I also want to see those 10 imaginary stacks
Barbarian: strongest at-will is brash strike with mag of 140. Even with a +10% to brash strike weapon bonus and fully buffed I could not get the at-will to proc even once!
Fighter: strongest at-will is heavy slash with mag of 175. Even with a +10% to heavy slash weapon bonus I could not get the at-will to proc even once!
Ranger: I used the at-will aimed shot mag 260. Consistently 10 aimed shots would give stacks of 8 for the helm.
Rogue: using Duelist Fury mag 35 I could get 2 to 3 stacks after two dozen or so hits. With Gloaming Cut mag 150 I could get 3 to 5 stacks after two dozen or so hits.
Does this mean the bonuses on this gear is no good for a barbarian or fighter? No, as I had no problem proc’ing with encounter, dallies, and mount powers on all these toons. But if you want to reach max stacks and hold them for the fight the Ranger makes it easy.