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Cleric balance- discuss

juiceboxjunkyjuiceboxjunky Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
edited March 2013 in The Temple
First, let me say I enjoy the style that Neverwinter has chosen for the cleric. Heals through damage is a lot of fun. Not sitting back and playing whack-a-mole with health bars is refreshing. That being said, I do have some concerns.

1. Agro- If you are in the same room as a monster and "think" about casting a heal, the entire room swarms on you like a pinata at a childrens party. Your poor confused tank is then left hitting the badies on the back of the head, hoping one of them will notice him.

2. Small heals/big potions- I do not expect an I win button of healgasmic doom. I would like to be a bit more important in a group then a potion you can buy for a few silver. Add in the fact that there will be cash shop potions that heal you to full and I am left confused. Why was I invited to this party again? Oh that is right, we needed a pinata. Candy tastes good and all, but I want to be a healer.

3. 50 percent smaller heals on self- I get why this is here, to keep the cleric from being the energizer bunny of Neverwinter. However with our heals being so small already, and us being the pinata of the party, we end up using far more pots then just about anyone else in the party. I do not know why anyone long term would want to do less damage, get hit more, and have to pot more then anyone else.

With the game being in beta, it is hard to tell what is a bug and what is intended. This makes it hard to put a finger on what exactly makes a ceric not "work". However most people who have played to 30 will tell you, the cleric is not really working right now.

Super fun concept. Somehow is just missing the mark.
What do you guys think?
Post edited by juiceboxjunky on
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Comments

  • fdjkfdjkfdjnkfdjfdjkfdjkfdjnkfdj Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Honestly I'm stuck wondering what a healgasm is and how much it would cost to achieve one. Other than that this sums up my thoughts entirely. ;)
  • ranncoreranncore Member, Moderators, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 2,508
    edited March 2013
    Clerics can sustain healing and mitigate incoming damage much better than any potion. Potions are still necessary for "oh HAMSTER" moments of spike healing.
    However, their heals really drop off in effectiveness at high levels, and the -50% to self healing + the wonky threat mechanic pretty much makes them dead meat past level 40.
    I understand that it was a little imbalanced at lower levels (previously clerics would never have to take a single potion before level 20 or 30) but I don't think this is a good solution. They should just alter the scaling for all healing powers for a little less at lower levels and a little more at higher levels. And seriously, who gives a HAMSTER if clerics are taking less 5cp potions for the first 4 hours of gameplay than another class - it was never worth taking the time to nerf.

    I'm convinced that the aggro mechanic is simply bugged, and no dev would be stupid enough to purposefully implement such a punishing mechanic for a class that can't block while simultaneously nerfing their self heals.
  • juiceboxjunkyjuiceboxjunky Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Yes ranncore, you probably hit a good deal of it on the head. My heals are not getting bigger, the damage incoming is, the potions are. It. Agro and heals scaling, would make a HUGE difference. Right now though I think I will see about being painted up to be a prettier pinata until they fix it.
  • si1verange1si1verange1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Super fun concept. Somehow is just missing the mark.
    What do you guys think?

    I actually unslotted my self-heal that is 20-24 HP per tick, and slotted another DPS skill. So that gives me DPS that is on par with a guardian, except I'm squishy and don't have a shield. I was running back to the healing circle over and over...as a cleric...because of running low on potions.

    So while MY CLERIC can't cast a cure serious wounds to save her life, I can BUY them in the store when I'm on the death screen. So I think this is completely stupid, and I quit playing.
  • judgebanksloljudgebankslol Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Forgemaster's flame is my personal favorite self heal.
  • l1zardo1l1zardo1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Forgemasters when you critical is f'n insane. I did CT run at L17 yesterday (checked out new build) and only one other person than me had to pot then entire run. That one pot was on end boss.

    Sure I drank a bunch, but was pretty happy with how I kept everyone else up :p

    It levels up to 44, so I don't see many problems there either. Plus by the Paragon levels, if you really wanna heal, you have to go full Divine .... tons of synergy there for +heal%

    I presume that the self heal nerf was aimed for the PvP launch, but its always difficult to balance that and not break PvE and vice-versa. (maybe that debuff could be on PvP maps only)
  • babylonbabylon Member, Banned Users, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    I unslotted all my heal skills and just added dps skills instead, and now am just potting like everyone else. Except I'm supposed to be a healer.

    /confused about role now

    Oh that's right - pinata!
    THIS IS CLERIC AGGRO IN BW3
  • khupa1khupa1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users Posts: 96
    edited March 2013
    3) Healing word = Heal from 1469-1689

    The real healing = I average 553. I have Power of 861 (+35) Wis 23 (+17%) lv 35...

    And pretty much that was the healing %, So it didn't make any sense the -50% drop they did.
  • babylonbabylon Member, Banned Users, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Problem is we're so squishy that we need more pots than any other class. Without heals we're broken.
    THIS IS CLERIC AGGRO IN BW3
  • angrynordangrynord Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Hard to discuss balance at this point, because its the end game that matters, but must say i agree with most here, and the "self" heal is just to bad. either we need to be able to take more dmg, like letting Cleric use the heaviest armor, or need to get some proper heals to our self. Helps a lot when we get a Tank companion, makes life much easier for solo at least. I think the aggro is bugged. Hard to say if Healer cleric will feel this way at end game, but in other mmos ive played healer i felt like an important part of the group, here i feel kinda useless.
  • l1zardo1l1zardo1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    khupa1 wrote: »
    3) Healing word = Heal from 1469-1689

    The real healing = I average 553. I have Power of 861 (+35) Wis 23 (+17%) lv 35...

    And pretty much that was the healing %, So it didn't make any sense the -50% drop they did.

    I have a fairly strong feeling that is the total amount healed for duration of that HoT and not 'per tick'
  • watzdenclyffewatzdenclyffe Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    With a combination of a divine boosted Forgemaster's Flame and our third At-Will (the one thats not a spears name I can't remember that gives temp. hp) and that life steal at-will I can keep everybody topped off and in the fight quite well. I however get completely hosed on every encounter. I die the most, I'm usually in the top 3 for most damage taken. But at least I've broken 200k in heals.

    I feel confident in my role as a healer, but the aggro is rediculous.
  • ranncoreranncore Member, Moderators, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 2,508
    edited March 2013
    Forgemaster's Flame, as has been pointed out, is a crazy good skill.
  • l1zardo1l1zardo1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Shhhhh :p

    *runs from nerf bat*
  • angrynordangrynord Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    Yes, it is very good, but still feel that the cleric has a way to go. Fixing the self heal would be a nice step in the right direction
  • fdjkfdjkfdjnkfdjfdjkfdjkfdjnkfdj Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    The problems lie in great part not to keeping our group alive but rather in keeping ourselves alive. We are squishy. We have to heal ourselves as well as the group. Agro cant be kept by tanks and we recieve only half of our healing. Healing does not scale. These problems become more and more obvious as we level and don't scale with the mechanics of the party.
  • khupa1khupa1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users Posts: 96
    edited March 2013
    l1zardo1 wrote: »
    I have a fairly strong feeling that is the total amount healed for duration of that HoT and not 'per tick'

    Correct...
  • joeldgnjoeldgn Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 76
    edited March 2013
    Leveled to 41, mostly in group and I can say that I tried everything to avoid pulling aggro.
    I spent almost all my money on pots.

    I think the issue is not that healer aggro is broke, it is that it is stacking because when you toss a seal up on a mob and everyone is hitting it the heals are off the charts in small amounts. What I think is that the tanker/damage dealers need to actually pull more aggro to balance it out.

    Several of the boss fights it was crazy, I would wait for a bit to let them get aggro, toss a seal up and boom I have the boss chasing me around for the rest of the fight and I am living on pots.

    Love the class, and I especially love the tab-alt (divine) versions of the powers, I got a really good chance to try them all out and I can say this class is well thought out.

    Just let the aggro guys actually 'get' aggro, or give them skills to actually pull the aggro or life will be tough for us clerics in group.
  • narkolethicsnarkolethics Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 29 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    First, let me say I enjoy the style that Neverwinter has chosen for the cleric. Heals through damage is a lot of fun. Not sitting back and playing whack-a-mole with health bars is refreshing. That being said, I do have some concerns.

    1. Agro- If you are in the same room as a monster and "think" about casting a heal, the entire room swarms on you like a pinata at a childrens party. Your poor confused tank is then left hitting the badies on the back of the head, hoping one of them will notice him.

    2. Small heals/big potions- I do not expect an I win button of healgasmic doom. I would like to be a bit more important in a group then a potion you can buy for a few silver. Add in the fact that there will be cash shop potions that heal you to full and I am left confused. Why was I invited to this party again? Oh that is right, we needed a pinata. Candy tastes good and all, but I want to be a healer.

    3. 50 percent smaller heals on self- I get why this is here, to keep the cleric from being the energizer bunny of Neverwinter. However with our heals being so small already, and us being the pinata of the party, we end up using far more pots then just about anyone else in the party. I do not know why anyone long term would want to do less damage, get hit more, and have to pot more then anyone else.

    With the game being in beta, it is hard to tell what is a bug and what is intended. This makes it hard to put a finger on what exactly makes a ceric not "work". However most people who have played to 30 will tell you, the cleric is not really working right now.

    Super fun concept. Somehow is just missing the mark.
    What do you guys think?

    Agree...agree..agree...Fix the healer to be a usefull helaer (i love clerics....i was a bit disappointed on cleric utility).
  • juiceboxjunkyjuiceboxjunky Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    I was talking with a friend yesterday and we came up with a fairly jaded opinion of why the cleric was hit with the nerf bat. There will be potions/scrolls of healing in the cash shop. Now Neverwinter has to have a cleric, it is after all D&D. However if they make us effective along with having super easy to get potions for a few silver, then who would pay real life cash for heal potions.

    I know this is a jaded view, I do not have any issues with heal potions in the cash shop, I just hope they are not gimping clerics to boost those sales. I have not really see free to play games with a healer in game do cash shop heal potions well. Usually one or the other comes out on bottom. I am afraid it could end up being the cleric.

    Again NOT a cash shop bash at all. Just a concern that this may be a battle between cash shop sales and class balance.

    (yes I know people will not want to just spend hundreds of dollars on heal potions in cash shop, my concern is does PWE know that?)
  • babylonbabylon Member, Banned Users, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    I was talking with a friend yesterday and we came up with a fairly jaded opinion of why the cleric was hit with the nerf bat. There will be potions/scrolls of healing in the cash shop. Now Neverwinter has to have a cleric, it is after all D&D. However if they make us effective along with having super easy to get potions for a few silver, then who would pay real life cash for heal potions.

    I know this is a jaded view, I do not have any issues with heal potions in the cash shop, I just hope they are not gimping clerics to boost those sales. I have not really see free to play games with a healer in game do cash shop heal potions well. Usually one or the other comes out on bottom. I am afraid it could end up being the cleric.

    Again NOT a cash shop bash at all. Just a concern that this may be a battle between cash shop sales and class balance.

    (yes I know people will not want to just spend hundreds of dollars on heal potions in cash shop, my concern is does PWE know that?)

    That's my suspicion as well, we have a massive thread going on in Information and Discussion forum about this very thing.
    THIS IS CLERIC AGGRO IN BW3
  • fdjkfdjkfdjnkfdjfdjkfdjkfdjnkfdj Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    I had my best success at survivability by choosing to willfully not heal the party. I took seal off of my bars and played as dps. Even in this scenerio it only takes the first add wave to spawn and im back to doing the benny hill shuffle. The reason for this is that all of our best dps skills have heals attached to them. At level 50 most of these heals only splash for less than 10 points. I am lead to believe that the successfull cleric contributes to the group by kiting each successive wave of adds while the group kills the boss. I played a mystic in Tera and this strategy worked in those awkward early days of the active combat phenomena. It works even better in this game due to the fact that a healer will really not need to heal anyone other than themselves because they will have all of the agro and pots easily cover those who dont avoid the poo.

    However was this what you signed up for when you rolled a cleric? or like myself did you think you would contribute to the group by healing dammage, the classic role of a healing class. This mechanic as a whole seemed to work well at the lower levels, i can point to the plethora of low level clerics who love the class as evidence. In the end its that we simply dont scale to the content so we adapt to suceed. It will be curious to see how they react to the data they are collecting when the servers go live again.
  • pallierpallier Member Posts: 149 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    you want a fix... make all heals heal for a fixed % of the targets total health... problem fixed. heals now scale with level and can not be OP because stacking the stats would never make the heals do more and you can worry about raising your damage and health to survive those fights you get swarmed.
    Oh Atari how I miss you!
  • iymalaiymala Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    In regards to cleric balance at this time:
    [–]Cryptic_LordAzrael 5 points 12 minutes ago
    Hi, this is Grant Allen, one of the other combat designers.
    Overall pretty happy with the spot the Cleric is in. In D&D Clerics are more than just heal bots, and I think we've addressed that pretty well.
    Given the nature of the game, we didn't want them healing so well that other players would not bother avoiding damage on their own. This also meant that we could up their damage and let players enjoy a more aggressive healer type.

    In regards to Righteousness (-50% Healing on Self)
    [–]Cryptic_LordAzrael 1 point 52 seconds ago
    This power had a subtle bug to it. It was also reducing the effect of healing buffs. :/
    Regarding Cleric self heals, they will likely remain fairly minor for the Cleric. This is to help balance the fact that Clerics don't need to use as many health potions as other classes. Before the self heal reduction, Clerics would pretty much always have more gold than all other classes.
    It was also creating situations where Clerics would just self heal tank through encounters.
    So as unfortunate as the reduction is, it does make you a more concerned with taking damage in combat, which hopefully leads to a more satisfying experience at the end of the day.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • pallierpallier Member Posts: 149 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    if they dont' want clerics to be heal bots they need to give clerics about 5 more attacks (1 really strong single target, 1 more powerful aoe, 2 non feat based stuns/roots/slow, and some form of melee attack), higher defensive abilities, and something class specific thats NOT a heal. After all rogues have invisible, warriors have block, wizards have a magic burst, and yet a clerics tab power.... IS A FREAKING HEAL. yet hey... they aren't ment to be heal bots right?

    sounds like the devs all have different ideas no one can agree but they try to develop them all at once.
    Oh Atari how I miss you!
  • horrorscope666horrorscope666 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 415 Bounty Hunter
    edited March 2013
    Super fun concept. Somehow is just missing the mark.
    What do you guys think?

    That about sums it up. This isn't a traditional cleric, there is some balance work need for it to make resemblance of being sensical. Will they get it right? I'm about 50/50 on believing that.
  • horrorscope666horrorscope666 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 415 Bounty Hunter
    edited March 2013
    pallier wrote: »
    you want a fix... make all heals heal for a fixed % of the targets total health... problem fixed. heals now scale with level and can not be OP because stacking the stats would never make the heals do more and you can worry about raising your damage and health to survive those fights you get swarmed.

    I can buy that method. Your meat and potatoes single target healer should be at least 20% of maximum health. If someone thinks that is too much, then I counter the enemies aren't doing enough damage. You HP meters should be bouncing all over the place, that is the second part of action combat. What is action combat if you don't take lots of damage and need to recover quickly? It's stale that is what it is. COH was amazing this way.

    There should also be a huge single target healer on a much longer cool-down, 45-60 seconds. This is a life saving move that is tactically used.
  • idontcomehereidontcomehere Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 156 Bounty Hunter
    edited March 2013
    I felt that clerics were just fine, its an action game, they want peoples survival to be more based on their own skill rather than a cleric baby sitting them. Clerics do AMAZING damage and can still provide decent heals, no one else can do that yet.
  • pineappleghostpineappleghost Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited March 2013
    AMA stated that they are internally testing end game content and making sure they are doable without cash shop items. Read the AMA on reddit. There's lots of things pointing out that the game will not be pay2win. Of course they could be lying. Who knows?
  • idontcomehereidontcomehere Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 156 Bounty Hunter
    edited March 2013
    It'd be dumb to lie about something that you know people are going to figure out very soon.
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