Based upon feedback in the "horse" thread, I wanted to throw out some ideas to discuss. Please note, this is just thoughts and ramblings, this is NOT anything we're planning on implementing for sure. The basic feedback was that the game is slow, especially at the early levels.

So, I started looking at those early abilities and some of them seem odd to receive at level 3 or 5 or whatever.

Why change them? To help speed up the game at the early levels, to help players feel as if they are receiving useful abilities every 1 to 2 levels.

Example: Rend Armor. Useful once you receive Crit Strike or Cleave, but not so useful and noticeable when you are doing minimal damage at level 6.

Example: Mage's Maddening Trick. Useful later when you are actually needing to do crowd control, but not so useful at level 6 when you are just trying to kill a few monsters, gain a few levels, and learn your school.

What would change?

Warrior

  • Move power Strike to level 1. (30s)
  • Leave Rend Armor at level 3, but make it do actual damage AND apply a -armor debuff. (30s)
  • Move Negate Attack to level 7 (rename it to Heroic Shout, make it a Taunt as well as causing the next attack to do 65% less damage) (40s, lower to 30s)
  • Create a new ability called Charge that causes damage to the target and potentially disrupts their next attack (30s recycle)
  • Swap Coordinated Strike (current level 9) and Critical Strike (current level 10)
    • Coordinated Strike (90s, lower to 60s)
    • Critical strike (3m, lower to 60s)

Mage

  • Make Safety a passive
  • Rename Enhanced flame Bolt to Fiery Bolt and move to level 1 (30s)
  • Move Engulf to level 3 (30s)
  • Move Burn Armor to level 5, make it do direct damage (30s)
  • Move Mage's Maddening Trick to level 10 (30s)
  • Move Burnout I to level 7 (50s, lower to 40s)
  • Leave Perfect Spell at level 9 (2m, lower to 60s)
  • Leave Melee Ward at level 7 (5s)
  • Leave Counterspell Other at level 8 (60s)
  • Leave Coordinated Flame Bolt at level 9 (3m, lower to 60s)

Cleric

  • Move Smash to level 1 (30s)
  • Move Instant Heal to level 3 (45s, lower to 30s)
  • Move Power Strike to level 5 (30s)
  • Move Magic Crush to level 7 (45s, lower to 30s)
  • Move Coordinated Strike to level 11 (90s, lower to 60s)

Scout

  • Move Power Shot I to level 1 (30s)
  • Remove Sense Friends/Enemies
  • Add Blinding Shot to level 5 (30s, lower target’s to-hit by 50% for 10s
  • Move Long Shot I to Level 3 (60s, lower to 30s)
  • Move Pinion to level 7 (45s, lower to 30s)
  • Swap Heart Seeker (level 10) with Coordinated Shot (level 9)
    • Heart Seeker (3min, lower to 60s)
    • Coordinated Shot (90s, lower to 60s)

Dragon Adventurer

  • Most Dragon abilities would remain as is. Two changes in particular would be:
  • Refreshing Breeze, lower recycle to 90s (from 3 minutes)
  • Galewind, lower recycle to 45s (from 60s)


What are you thoughts, feedback?