The current state of Spiritshifting: Ideas, reworks and more

[Harpagornis]

Yes, i love Druids! And to some extent even more Shapshifters. But i always get the feeling the Spiritshifting in PoE II is not in the place it could be. Yes, the weapons are scaling nicely but: Is this enough to make especially Shifters viable for soloplay on PotD?

 

My question is: What are Shifters missing, what should be modded in or - even better - reworked by Obsidian? But - maybe - you think that Shifters are alreay in a fine place even in the lategame? I am curious!

 

After toying around with Druids a little bit the following ideas went on my personal list so far:

 

The Spiritshift Duration and Abilities scaling with Character Level (+45% at level 20)

Spiritshift Weapons working with Devoted

Base Penetration buffed from 9 to 10

All Forms dealinging a Secondary Damage Type

Stag Defense +20 (?)

 

Stag Carnage Damage Buff (numbers?)

Armor scaling every three Levels instead of four (+2 max AR at level 20)

 

Unique Inspirations for each Spiritshift Form

 

More active Abilities (if someone knows how to mod this in: PM me!)
 

Now its up to you!

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Here you can download the most recent mod version for testing - have fun:

Spiritshifting Evolution 0.93.zip

Edited October 8, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

Hi good job

I like to see new martial abilities & passives, even more I like to see druid as natural class which will mix martial & caster abilities

I will also add, the name and description should changed (maybe you can make this spell only available in beast form)
 

L1 Knock Down (Same skill)

L2 Crippling Strike (Same skill)
L3 Flames of Devotion
 (Same skill but with poison damage and decay keyword)
L4 Takedown Combo (But for player)

L5 Wild Sprint (Same skill which barbarian has)

L6 Savage Defiance (Same skill which barbarian has)

L7 Leap (Jump with AOE damage + Terrify)

L8 - ?

L9 Heart of Fury 

I suggest to move Avenging Storm and all Wildstrike Frenzy - * abilities to L7 instead of L8

Reduce all active spell cast time to 1s - 1.5s

3 passives with +10 acc (vs Humans, Bears, Plants)

I can also image 3 passives tree

Elemental -> Elemental form, +3 armor vs elemental damage -> increase accuracy with elemental keyword ->  l8 +33% Action speed for Elemental spell
Beast -> Beast frenzy, cast frenzy when transformed -> increase accuracy with beast keyword ability  ->  l8 chance to heal self on hit with melee weapon
Plant -> Natural armor +2 armor vs pierce, ice, shock, -1 armor to fire, -1 armor to crash -> increase accuracy with plan keyword ability ->  l8 chance to cast immobilization root with DoT effect for short period of time

L8 - Natural Strength - give +1 to strength bonus each 0.8s, until next active skill use
L9 - Passive - regain 33% chance to regain resource on kill in transformed form
 

Edited September 5, 2018 by mant2si

[Metaturtle]

Bringing up avenging storm to pl7 would be amazing for cheap multi access that's not scrolls. :9

 

I do like the idea of shifter's gaining outside melee abilities since right now they are about as so-so as an eothas priest.

[Harpagornis]

Yeah, getting in more abilities would be great - thanks for your input @mant2si.

 

I will play around with it in the next days even though my modding skills are "suboptimal".

 

With regard to passives i gave each Spiritshift Form an Inspiration to make them a bit more unique:

 

Bear: Tenacious (+5 Might, + 2 Penetration)
Boar:  Fit (+5 Constitution)
Cat: Swift (+5 Dexterity, +100% Stride, cannot be Engaged by enemies)
Wolf: Intuitive (+5 Perception, 50% Graze to Hit, 25% Hit to Critical Hit)
Stag: Resolute (+5 Resolve, periodically gain Concentration)
Stormblight: Acute (+5 Intellect, +1 Power Level)

 

Boar only got flat +5 CON cause it was already the strongest Form (Reg, Raw DoT).

 

P.S. Moving Wilstrike Frenzy to level 7 is a very good idea. Will be done soon!!!

Edited September 6, 2018 by Harpagornis

[Ophiuchus]

I'd like to see the spiritshift weapons function as fists like in PoE:1. Karate werewolf is enticing.

[Manveru123]

Does this look like it needs a buff?

 

[mant2si]

Does this look like it needs a buff?

You should understand that this video was created before all  alchemy and druid nerfs, now druid skills don't scaling with alchemy, Spiritshifting now doesn't scale with PL, potion of spirit shield give only 3 armor, potions Potion of Ascension give you +2 PL

 

What the point pick druid when you can get same damage with Fighter subclass, in this video mostly demonstrating Streetfighter L0 passive, and yes it need a nerf 

Edited September 6, 2018 by mant2si

[Manveru123]

The point is that Fighters don't turn into furries. Having options is not a bad thing. Shifters are fine, you don't need OP alchemy scaling for this.

[mant2si]

The point is that Fighters don't turn into furries. Having options is not a bad thing. Shifters are fine, you don't need OP alchemy scaling for this.

How often you play pure Shifter 

Edited September 6, 2018 by mant2si

[Manveru123]

Never. What's the problem with multiclassing though?

[mant2si]

Never. What's the problem with multiclassing though?

Because main OP idea buff Druid spirit-shifting, not only for special multi-class combinations like Streetfighter, but in General, i.e make druid class viable without multi-classing as monks, wizards, rangers ... etc 

Edited September 6, 2018 by mant2si

[mant2si]

I also want to see few additional spells for druids:

L9 - Great Maelstom (Elemental)
L9 - Dragon transform (Beast)
L9 - Buff (+10 int, +10 str for 30sec) (Plant)

L8 - Aspect of Galawain 
L8 - Tornado
L8 - Spell same as Flagellant's Path (But remains pools with raw damage on the line )

L8 - Buff which will add 25% poison lash for all skills (include spells)

Edited September 6, 2018 by mant2si

[mant2si]

I also want to point that current resource system rewards people to abuse same strategy again and again
I think that why all classes need 2 resources pools 1 with resources that will be regenerated every fight (PoE 2)
1 With resources which will be regenerated only after force rest  (PoE 1)

Then we will be able to balance powerful spells like Maelstrom/Dragon transformation with something less viable like crippling strike and make all people happy

Now because of double resource pool I think monk is the best class to develop shiftier classes, you can give cool L8 - L9 transformation like NWN shiftier for limited resource pool and base transformations for unlimited resources  

I can image next class with interesting gameplay which possible to implement now:
* 2 resources types  (Monk)
* One with base spells and transformation abilities (Mortification)
* Second stay empty until you use base transformation spell (boar, bear ...) (Wounds)
* After base transformation, in both pools disabled elemental spells and you start slowly regain resources for second pool

   (I think that  spells can be disabled by gain them correct keywords and shiftier passive)
   (to regain wound pool, you need new buff with wounds regeneration + and complete disable wound generation from other sources)
* After return to human form, you can't cast melee abilities but now can cast spell from second pool

+ You will solve weapon scaling with power level without additional talent


So your game-play will be always different because you use base transformation and then continue with one of improved transformation (in which you will be able to cast some spells)

Not only that but players will be able to decide if they want to return to boat after each fight and rest or go with unlimited resource and cast base abilities, + fights like Ukaizo (where you can't simple return to boat will give you feeling of resource management from PoE 1)

Edited September 6, 2018 by mant2si

[Verde]

 

Never. What's the problem with multiclassing though?

Because main OP idea buff Druid spirit-shifting, not only for special multi-class combinations like Streetfighter, but in General, i.e make druid class viable without multi-classing as monks, wizards, rangers ... etc

Streetfighter Druid sounds like an extremely odd combination from both a RP and combat perspective.

Edited September 6, 2018 by Verde

[Logos]

 

 

Never. What's the problem with multiclassing though?

Because main OP idea buff Druid spirit-shifting, not only for special multi-class combinations like Streetfighter, but in General, i.e make druid class viable without multi-classing as monks, wizards, rangers ... etc

Streetfighter Druid sounds like an extremely odd combination from both a RP and combat perspective.

 

 

Tyler Durden is a streetfighter/druid 

[Verde]

Haha

[Harpagornis]

From a RP perspective Barbarian works nearly perfectly with a Shifter unleashing the inner Beast to maximum effect. Therefore: Thanks again for your input @mant2si!

 

I fear that implementing new skill settings is far above my mod-skills so maybe i will ask someone else for help after getting a clearer view which skills should be implemented. Lots of work is waiting. Maybe the whole project will never get realized to its full potential.

 

At the moment i am trying to switch Wildstrike Frenzy to PL 7 which seems to be another small step into the right direction! Too bad its not working so far...

[Harpagornis]

After a lot of trying i managed to give Shifters another active ability to increase their utility a lot:

 

Bear: Force of Anguish Barbaric Blow (heavy damage tool thanks to Bears superior might)
Boar: Into the Fray (Boars like to lunge out into the middle of the fray!)
Cat: Smoke Veil (Cats are fast, Cats are sneaky - arent they?)
Wolf: Crippling Strike (giving the Wolf a damage option will put him into a better position)
Stag: Suppress Affliction (Stags are sturdy and never give up - fits well to this theme - no?)

 

As the Inspirations plus the added Abilities seem to be an overkill i splitted the Mod into three parts so everyone can decide on his own what he wants to use.

 

EDIT:

Sharks are now granted with Blood Frenzy. Tekehu will love this!

Edited September 8, 2018 by Harpagornis

[Harpagornis]

I started a new solo naked run on PotD with Devoted/Shifter to test the new abilities.

 

The result so far is pretty good as the Forms get more utility and some nice punch.

 

Wolf is really good now when combining Crippling Strike with Knock Down.

 

The Bear finally punches like he should be with Barbaric Blow.

 

Cats i only use at the end to finish mobs or to get a quick escape with Smoke Veil.

 

Stags are quite sturdy (+20 Defense!) and can easily negate hostile effects - feels great.

 

Last but not least the Boar is still in a strong spot but not so dominating like before. Grabbing enemies with Into the Fray is really funny.

 

The next step would be to give Shifters new autotrain abilities at each PL. If i can get it working...

Edited September 8, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

Cool, could you also add some new elemental spells ? 

[Harpagornis]

I am learning new things each day using trial-and-error so my modding skills have been evolved from "zero" to at least "a little bit".

 

Creating new spells could be very interesting - maybe with some help. What spells do you have in mind @mant2si?

[mant2si]

At first  I can image 2 spells from Ukaizo Guardian boss, Fire Dot + AOE Freeze damage with knockdown effect

[mant2si]

Then some additional limited Transformations (same as Transmuter special ability but for different creatures, Dragon, Adragan (instead of Adragan skin buff)), one more AOE tick RAW damage something like  Crippling Doom form BG2 series with bigger raw damage 

[Harpagornis]

As the modding of per-level-skills for Spiritshifting is still not working i will use the time to shape a plan (hoping that the mod will work in the future!).

 

I think its not a bad idea to treat each Spiritshift Form as an aspect of the characters attributes - lets start:

 

Bear: MIGHT

In my eyes the Bear should be the heavy hitter. He is strong, he is ferocious and should stomp any other Form into the ground when it comes to raw strength.

CL 4 - Barbaric Blow

CL 10 - Thunderous Blows

PL 16 - Spirit Frenzy

 

Boar: CONSTITUTION

The Boar is all about surviving longer fights thanks to its natural regeneration so it should gain even more endurance the bigger it grows.

CL 4 - Taste of the Hunt

CL 10 - Natures Balm

CL 16 - Unbending

 

Cat: Dexterity

The Cat is fast and sneaky - like a Rogue. Therefore it should not only get more slippery but also more deadly at later levels.

CL 4 - Smoke Veil

CL 10 - Finishing Blow

CL 16 - Flurry of Blades

 

Wolf: PERCEPTION

The Wolf is not only a relentless hunter but can also focus any weak spots with ease.

CL 4 - Marked Prey

CL 10 - Disciplined Strikes

CL 16 - Concussive Tranquilizer

 

Stag: RESOLVE

The Stag is an sturdy opponent that never gives up so the bonus abilities should make it even more durable.

CL 4 - Suppress Affliction

CL 10 - Vigorous Defense

CL 16 - Clear Out

 

The PL 6 abilities most probably will make Shifters too powerful so i will implement only the ones up to PL 4. With all of the new abilities i would also remove some of the other mod components like increased AR-Scaling.

 

However: Any opinions on my choices? Suggestions are highly welcome!

 

P.S. All of the bonus Spiritshift Ablities will get new descriptions. If the rest works!!!

Edited September 12, 2018 by Harpagornis

[Harpagornis]

As the ability-per-level-mod is now working (!!!) i would really appreciate any suggestions regarding my ability-picks and scaling!

 

Should i add more strike abilities? Personally i like the huge utility the Shifter now gets so he can deal with a lot of situations without being forced to switch back to human form for emergency spells. Casting may be a good opener but then the Spiritshift Forms will take over control. I like that!

 

Does the whole setup still feel balanced or are Shifter-Druids now a little bit over the top? Remember that i only added the CL 4 and CL 10 abilities as they already give even single class Shifters a lot of options.

 

@mant2si: You advice is always welcome!

 

P.S. I did not touch any spells so far. Maybe thats the next step!

Edited September 11, 2018 by Harpagornis