Kinda scraping the barrel seeing as the last balance change adjusted and buffed most of the UTs. Which is really good. I hope if these suggestions are taken into consideration that it would be in time before the realm rework. How nice would it be if almost every item was useful in some way other than just feed or forge materials.
To make some of these buffs work I’d like to introduce a new game mechanic (which has probably been posted before somewhere).
This new mechanic I’d like to call is: Stacking Procs – When triggering the proc it will grant the effect. If triggered again the effect will gain again and effectively stack, up to a certain specified limit. If the proc is not triggered again the effect will only last the set duration. Unsure if repeated boosts from the same source can be stacked like this in the current game but this will have to be implemented of course. It would also have to be separate from the current stat boosts we have.
Ex. Item requires ability use for activation to gain +5 of a stat for 5 seconds. When ability is used again before 5 seconds you will gain +10 of that stat for 5 seconds. This will repeat until the stack limit. When proc is unable to be triggered (e.g. out of mana or silenced) the effect will deplete and using proc effect again will restart the process.
(Very glad to see an iteration of this idea mechanic being done with Kensei)
Just wanted to present and explain this mechanic in the beginning as it will be mentioned in some items below.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
Shots | 1 |
Damage | 340–390 (average: 365) |
Projectile Speed | 10 tiles/second |
Lifetime | 0.4 seconds |
Range | 4 tiles |
Rate of Fire | 60% |
Reactive Proc | On Shoot: Release a shotgun burst |
Shots: 6 (arc gap: 10°) | |
Projectile Damage: 330 | |
Total Damage: 1,980 | |
Radius: 4 tiles | |
Projectile Speed: 10 tiles/second | |
Cooldown: 3.5 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
Shotgun Projectile sprite:
This is a nostalgic item that’s been stuck in the past. There are other items that essentially do what ASS does but better and are easier to obtain. Need range? CSword. Hard hitting low fire rate? Indomptable. Need both? SSickle. ASS is currently in a weird position.
I think adding a firing proc will give it some new viability while not changing the item too much, kind of like Doku. It would be a shotgun burst similar to what the Stone Guardians do in attack phase #3 and not only would fit thematically but also provide some clearing potential that the item lacks due to its slow firing rate. The proc also has a short true range to receive full damage at about 1 tile range.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
MP Cost | 100 |
On Equip | +5 DEF, +3 SPD |
Effect(s) | Summons a sentient crystal star that orbits you for 5 seconds |
Crystal Star: Inflicts Exposed for 4 seconds, deals 480 damage per hit | |
Special Effect: Shots pass through obstacles | |
XP Bonus | 7% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 1,000 |
Another item that needed to but didn’t get a change last rework.
The big issue is the slow rotation speed of the crystals so that would have to be increased at least by 50%. Also adding passing through obstacles to prevent them from being stuck.
The current damage of each crystal is less than a T3 waki. Buffing the damage the crystal does would really make it more rewarding to use. Typically on average you can have 3 crystals up at a short time giving you around 1440 damage in total (with the buffed damage).
The +3 SPD would also help with mobility to have the crystal to hit more enemies while moving, synergizing well with the bonus DEF as well as you can tank slightly more if hit while moving.
Tier | UT (Limited) |
---|---|
MP Cost | 80 |
On Equip | -3 DEF, +5 DEX, +3 SPD |
Effect(s) | Creates a centered decoy for 1 second |
On enemies: Slowed for 3.5 seconds | |
Throw Time | 1 second(s) |
Damage | 300 |
Duration | 3.5 second(s) |
Trigger Radius | 2 tiles |
Explosion Radius | 4 tiles |
Cooldown | 2.5 second(s) |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | Soulbound |
Feed Power | 750 |
Current item is basically like a vanity. Throwing decoys it extremely OP (see Gambler’s Fate). GF can last ~4s on average with a much smaller cooldown and more versatility. Halving the CD of mimicry to be about double the decoy duration and 1 sec shorter than trap duration would make it more balanced and feel better to use. Also giving the damage of the trap a buff is needed because the original 50 is almost useless. I believe these changes will make the item a really good swapout.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +30 DEF |
Reactive Proc | Sticky: While in combat receive -10 DEX |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 1,000 |
-OR-
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +30 DEF |
Stacking Proc | When Taking Damage: Gain one stack granting -1 DEX for 2.5 seconds |
Max Stacks: 10 | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 1,000 |
The current armor would be amazing to get for beginner players but the hardcap -10 DEX just makes the armor really awkward to use even with the high DEF boost. Pretty self explanatory but rewards players for dodging to not be penalized from the DEX loss. High DEF prevents you from achieving IC sooner.
Second suggestion is similar reasoning, just a more roundabout way of doing the same thing. Though less punishing if you can dodge some shots until the debuff wears off.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +80 HP, +30 VIT |
Reactive Proc | On Taking Damage: Under 33% HP gain Healing on self for 5 seconds |
Cooldown: 20 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
-OR-
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +80 HP, +30 VIT |
Stacking Proc | Cordycepic Growth: Gain +5 VIT for 4 seconds when taking damage |
Damage Threshold: Damage ≥ 40 | |
Max stacks: 4 | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
-OR-
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +80 HP, +30 VIT |
Reactive Proc | On Ability Use: While under 50% HP heal 200 HP to self and nearby players |
Radius: 3 tiles | |
Cooldown: 15 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
The armor conceptually sacrifices DEF for high regen. Though it is rarely used for a swap out generally it is just legendary forge material. I think giving it extra effects will help boost its usability.
First suggestion grants itself healing when under ⅓ HP helping boost regen in a dire situation. Though this would be useless if there are at least one pally and priest available, or if you get sickened.
Second suggestion kinda builds off that idea, granting more VIT on self while low HP to add survivability. In total you can theoretically gain +50 VIT from the armor at full stacks. Though how practical it is in game actually might not be useful.
Third suggestion allows you to have a mini emergency tome while under half HP. Sounds OP if you can get several melees with this armor, but don’t believe it would be any more efficient as a few priests using T1 tomes with a long cooldown. It would also take some serious coordination to make chaining this proc possible. Personally, this is my favorite suggestion.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +180 MP, +10 WIS |
Reactive Proc | On Ability Use: 5% chance to drop an Energized circle for 5 seconds |
Circle Radius: 3 tiles | |
Max Players Affected: 10 | |
Cooldown: 20 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 4% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 500 |
Sort of a similar situation as Fungal Armor where it gives a large boost to a stat without really any additional defensive stats (though VIT is more useful for survivability). It almost feels like a vanity item; which understandably it is just a buffed up version of an early game UT robe, but I think it should have some other quirk. The effect would act as mana refill utilizing the large MP pool and enhance the large WIS it gives and help out other players. It would be a similar energized effect to the Ornaments of Unity.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +30 HP, +5 ATT, +11 DEF |
Stacking Proc | On Ability Use: Gain one stack granting +3 WIS for 4 seconds |
Max Stacks: 5 | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
-OR-
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +30 HP, +5 ATT, +11 DEF |
Reactive Proc | While shooting: 5% Chance per shot to zap nearby enemy |
Zap Damage:250 | |
Zap Effect: Slowed for 2 seconds | |
Zap Radius: 6 Tiles | |
Cooldown: 0.6 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 800 |
The current proc effect doesn’t really work well on a robe class. Since the Esben Staff buff this item is the least desirable item dropped from the dungeon. I think giving it the ability to generate more WIS will make it sort of temporary WIS-mod boosting robe.
The second suggestion would be similar to how the souls from Soul’s Guidance work, but instead it would come off the player and shoot a “freeze ray” to a random nearby target.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +20 HP, +20 MP, +21 DEF, -3 SPD |
Stacking Proc | On Taking Damage: Gain one stack granting +2 ATT, +2 DEX for 3 seconds |
Damage Threshold: Damage ≥ 90 | |
Max Stacks: 3 | |
XP Bonus | 7% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 1,100 |
-OR-
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +26 DEF, -3 SPD |
Reactive Proc | On Taking Damage: 20% chance to spawn a homing projectile towards enemy |
Projectile Damage: 400 | |
Projectile Speed: 16 tiles/second | |
Projectile Radius: 7.8 tiles | |
Projectile Effect(s): Shots hit multiple targets, Ignores defense of target, Shots pass through obstacles | |
Cooldown: 0.25 Seconds | |
XP Bonus | 7% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 1,100 |
(Controversial suggestion)
For an endgame armor it feels so lackluster. A tanky leather armor would be better suited for midgame UT where players who lack experience or skill to dodge can rely on more defense. Likewise endgame has more armor piercing shots so defense doesn’t make a difference.
That being said, I think this proc would be useful for the endgame. Risking getting hit for a DPS boost. Somewhat goes thematically with the armor description where the armor would “absorb” damage and turn it into some buff for the wearer.
With the second suggestion, the proc when active would target the furthest most enemy within the radius and home in on it. All enemies in front of the target would get hit with armor piercing shots. I think this effect will utilize the high defense of the armor and work thematically with the already piercing effects of the UT set. The projectile radius is the average between the max radius of the void bow and quiver of darkness.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +15 / +10 / +21 DEF (respectively) |
Special Effect(s) | Alien Combat: Negative Status Effects are reduced by 25% |
Reactive Proc | (When alien weapon or ring is equip) |
Taking damage when below 100 HP: Gain Invulnerable for 2 seconds and Dazed for 5 seconds. | |
Cooldown: 60 seconds | |
XP Bonus | 6% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 750 |
The current alien armors are very unreliable and only function to be there for the full set effect. Since the entropy reactor is so rare I think giving them a special effect would make the items really useful since they don’t give any other stat bonuses besides defense. This new effect would also trigger with the passive effect turning the 5 second daze to 3.5 seconds when active. I also think buffing the current reactive proc to trigger at more HP and have a shorter cooldown would be justified. To balance the new buffs the reactive proc would only trigger if you had a weapon or ring equip as well. The special effect would remain even when armor is the only alien gear equiped.
Low-tier tweaks
Arguably very important because these items are ones newer players will run into so they should have some alternative or unique function to showcase Untiered Items other than just random stats.
(RINGS POST HERE)
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +25 MP, +2 ATT, +5 DEF, +3 DEX, +3 SPD |
XP Bonus | 3% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 275 |
The robe is incredibly fragile; it should at least be a glass cannon type of robe. Having a minor ATT added to compliment the DEX makes it more of a DPS-orientated early game UT. Small MP boost as well.
(Only robe that gives 5 DEF which is between T4&5, MP amount equal to a T7 robe, and ATT amount equal to a T10, but still provides no WIS compared to other tiered robes instead gives DEX and SPD. Pretty balanced for its function and availability IMO).
Tier | UT |
---|---|
On Equip | +20 HP, +20 MP, +10 DEF, +5 VIT, +5 WIS |
XP Bonus | 4% |
Soulbound | |
Feed Power | 450 |
The addition of slight HP and taking some MP off (to equally match), allows some synergy of the additional VIT and WIS. Small buff for survivability which is what the UT set is focused on fits it thematically. Personally I think this would make a really nice beginner robe. A weaker shendyt.
Tier | UT |
---|---|
MP Cost | 90 |
Effect(s) | On enemies: Curse and Slowed |
Curse Radius: 3 tiles | |
Curse Duration: 3 seconds | |
Slowed Radius: tiles | |
Slowed Duration: seconds | |
XP Bonus | 4% |
Feed Power | 200 |
I always found the stasis on this orb to be useless and almost counter-inteuitive to the slow. I think replacing the stasis with a fixed curse would allow more flexibility especially in later game.
Hopefully all these items get considered to be reviewed in the near future.
There’s still some STs that also need to be reworked/buffed but that’s for another post.
Please feel free to leave your opinions and discuss. The more attention to this kind of stuff means the more likelihood it will be brought to the attention of DECA’s team.