I’d say we don’t need another ability that simply inflicts damage on an enemy from afar – even if it’s coupled with a new status effect – because most classes take advantage of that concept.
I enjoy the concept of the sheath because it is pretty different (combo of sorcerer/trickster) and I feel that it can be useful if tweaked. The teleportation range is way too short and, yes, it is quite frankly a death trap. However, I do believe it has some potential if evolved properly. Here are some ideas:
- Obviously expand the range, but perhaps add a post-teleport cooldown period, such as a 1 second armored to oneself.
- Chained teleports - set 2 teleport locations and bounce around enemies while inflicting damage – thus you could return to original position or bounce to safer spot. Think of it as a hinge or pivot.
- Provide a party defense boost on top of the enemy defense debuff (could be a UT).
After using both abilities for some time on testing, I grew bored of the waki way too quickly; there was nothing new to it. It did not add any kind of pleasurable experience to the game play, and it is simply a safe ability with not much appeal.
The sheath adds risk, requires skill, and could be a fun tool if developed properly. I’d say most people are in favor of the waki right now not because it is a craftful, impacting game design, but rather because the sheath is poor in execution.