Originally Posted by
Guaran
....I made a simpler suggestion that accomplishes the same thing. A higher Determination and Primal Roar, which would add +400 values vs the current +200ish ones. The Ancient Primal Roar and Ancient Determination would not stack with each other or with the current t5 ones, but a Dragon can have both abilities in the character tab, alongside the current Determination and Primal Roar. Basically choosing which to use puts the player into that specialized combat style, or by using the old versions of those abilities can choose to stick with their current playstyle and build.
The balance is achieved by linking timers 100% with Gold Rage, for the Ancient Primal Roar. If dev's so decided for balance reasons, could also link the timers to Ravage and a few other dragon melee attacks as well. So for a nice, viable, spellcaster playstyle, the dragon gives up Goldrage, Ravage, etc. But gains +400 power, +400 Primal, +400 Dragon Breath, +250 spell attack skill. The timer for Ancient Primal Roar could be 60 minutes, and it could set backwards by 60 minutes the melee abilities' timers that the dev's decide should not be given to the spellcasting player. Also or alternatively to the timers being shared, the Ancient Primal Roar could have -400 T&C, -400 Strength. That would also limit the melee attacks as well. I would leave tailwhip and drain strike alone though, so the spellcaster has some small defense.
Then simply use the flipside for an Ancient Determination. +400 t&c, +400 strength, +400 Dragon Breath, +250 attack smill, -400 primal, -400 power. I would say it shares a timer with dragon spell abiltiies as well, but we don't really have any. Adding some new spell abiltiies (not spells) that could then be made unavailable by sharing timers would balance it, along with making a real spellcaster dragon a possible and viable option.
New spell abilities:
Primal Blast VII
2 Extra Attacks
+70 Attack Skill
500% Damage Adjustment
Automatically hits
Delay 20
Range 35
Hoard cost 3300
Recycle 1:00
shares timer with Gold Rage for 60 seconds
Target Effect: Blinded VII
Modifies delay by +5%
Modifies recycle by +5%
-20% Chance to hit melee
-40% Chance to hit ranged
lasts 60 seconds
Primal Evisceration III
4 Extra attacks
Delay 20
Range 35
Hoard cost 250
Recycle 1:00
shares timer with ravage for 60 seconds
Level 87
The new spell abilities could be quested and come in lower tiers which would allow a Dragon to play as a spellcaster from a young age. Their timers would be shared for 60 minutes with Ancient Determination, and would therefore be unusable if a Dragon uses that ability.
The Hybrid class would just keep using both of the older t5 versions of Determination and Primal Roar, which would continue to stack with each other as they do now. They could use both the new spell abilites as well as Gold Rage, Ravage, however they do share timers with each other, so it would be one or the other.
I am undecided if + and/or - to Focus and Dexterity is really needed, since those are already low to begin with.
The new buffs:
Ancient Primal Roar
Delay 80
Recycle 0:05
Range Self Only
Target Effect Ancient Primal Roar
+400 Power
+400 Primal
+250 attack skill spells only
+400 Dragon Breath
-400 Tooth & Claw
-400 Strength
Duration 60:00
Does not stack with Determination V, Primal Roar V, Ancient Determination
Ancient Determination
Delay 80
Recycle 0:05
Range Self Only
Target Effect Ancient Determination
+400 Strength
+400 Tooth&Claw
+250 attack skill melee only
+400 Dragon Breath
-400 Primal
-400 Power
Duration 60:00
Does not stack with Determination, Primal Roar, Ancient Primal Roar