[4.0 beta] Few minor inaccuracies and glitches

[MaxQuest]

1. Inaccurate health values (48/38): screenshot

 

2. Inconsistent accuracy value: screenshot. Character's accuracy is 52. But for some reason it shows 60 for Telekinetic Burst on mouseover.

 

3. Blood Sacrifice ability description is quite vague: "Variable Raw Damage to self to restore a proportional level wizard spell resources". Could it be more specific? How much damage, how many spell usages and of what rank? Is that damage a random flat value? Or proportional to current hp? Or to max hp?

 

4. Psion's current focus is "dancing" outside of combat. Let's say you have 7 starting focus on level 1. Due to Soul Mind's passive focus generation, you will see: 7/30 -> 8/30 -> 7/30 -> 8/30 -> 7/30 focus, changing every second.

 

5. Soul Mind ability info popup, doesn't show or mention that the effect is scaling with (character's level) edit: power level.

For single class character it is:

lvl 1+: +1 focus / second

lvl 5+: +2 focus / second

lvl 11+: +3 focus / second

lvl 19+: +4 focus / second

And it would be nice to check if these aren't temp values (because they are quite low).

Edited November 30, 2018 by MaxQuest

[NuclearCookie]

For me Blood Sacrifice flat out doesn't seem to work. Tested it by casting different PL spells, then using Blood Sacrifice. The animation plays but it doesn't let me choose what level to restore and no health gets drained.

[Takkik]

3. Blood sacrifice is variable because it return a random spell slot, dmg depending of the spell slot. Easy to kill yourself if you aren't full life and restore a high level spell. In my opinion it's too random. Blood sacrifice could be added at each spell level with the specific dmg it do (or divide spells in 3 tiers, 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 with a specific blood magic for each)

 

4. Got the same issue. Float value problem when your current focus is calculated?

 

5. Soul mind is based on your cipher power level (not character level). You can see it in active effect in your character sheet. If multiclassed your max regen is +3/s.

[NCarver]

1. Did you make changes to your character via debug commands, per chance? We cache health values and only update maximum health when it is changed formally. So if you made changes via debug you probably just need to take some damage for it to correct itself.

 

2. I'll dig further into this, I'm not sure what the exact issue may be, but it's possible there are outside influences, such as the cipher passive "The Empty Soul" which provides an accuracy bonus to Will targeting cipher spells (which would only affect Telekinetic Burst).

 

3. We are looking into this, the values are variable based on character level. We want to be sure not to make the stat block unreadable or difficult to parse by adding too much bloat. That being said, it may be possible we can trim this down. Thanks for the bug report!

 

4. This should be fixed in our next update.

 

5. The intent is for Psion to generate focus less quickly compared to other cipher subclasses (or lack thereof). However, Psion is unique in that it can consistently generate Focus when other ciphers normally could not, such as when playing attack animations, casting spells, moving, etc...  Psion is specifically intended to fill a gap where cipher previously conflicted with builds not focused directly on damage, or for those that wanted a cipher multiclassed with a wizard, priest, chanter, druid, etc.. who normally would not receive any focus, unless forgoing spellcasting to auto-attack. The current values may appear low, but please give them a try and let us know how they feel.

 

Thank you all for the bug reports!

[Hoo]

5. The intent is for Psion to generate focus less quickly compared to other cipher subclasses (or lack thereof). However, Psion is unique in that it can consistently generate Focus when other ciphers normally could not, such as when playing attack animations, casting spells, moving, etc...  Psion is specifically intended to fill a gap where cipher previously conflicted with builds not focused directly on damage, or for those that wanted a cipher multiclassed with a wizard, priest, chanter, druid, etc.. who normally would not receive any focus, unless forgoing spellcasting to auto-attack. The current values may appear low, but please give them a try and let us know how they feel.

I've felt that the value is too much low to use as you mentioned, i.e., multiclassing the one of the other spell casters. The generation rate needs to be higher imo.

[Takkik]

Why not adding another psion ability : the base regen stay like this, but is not desactivated when damaged. A toggle ability : Concentration, your focus regen is increased by x% but any dmg interrupt it? That let you play between a safe low regen when fighting in the fray, and a speed regen when you stay out of the melee (and could combo with stase like spells).

[MaxQuest]

1. Did you make changes to your character via debug commands, per chance? We cache health values and only update maximum health when it is changed formally. So if you made changes via debug you probably just need to take some damage for it to correct itself.

Indeed I did create that psion via console command OpenCharacterCreationNewCompanion.

I also guesstimate that it was showing 48/38 because of PotD hp bonus. In earlier patches for instance, I was occasionally seeing +15 PotD accuracy on some of my characters; but can't replicate that now)

 

2. I'll dig further into this, I'm not sure what the exact issue may be, but it's possible there are outside influences, such as the cipher passive "The Empty Soul" which provides an accuracy bonus to Will targeting cipher spells (which would only affect Telekinetic Burst).

It's a level 1 Psion with created via console, naked, and with 10 in all stats. No rank 2+ talents taken, including no "Empty Soul".

Plus the difference in that screenshot is 8 acc, while Empty Soul would give +10 acc if taken.

 

Similar thing happens with my MC cipher: screenshot. Popup tooltips show 79 acc. While mouseover tooltips show 79 and 83 acc respectively. No "Empty Soul" is taken.

 

 

3. Blood Sacrifice ability description is quite vague: "Variable Raw Damage to self to restore a proportional level wizard spell resources". Could it be more specific? How much damage, how many spell usages and of what rank? Is that damage a random flat value? Or proportional to current hp? Or to max hp?

3. We are looking into this, the values are variable based on character level. We want to be sure not to make the stat block unreadable or difficult to parse by adding too much bloat. That being said, it may be possible we can trim this down. Thanks for the bug report!

 

Thumbs up!)

Just wanting for the description to be clear without resulting in more questions than answers

 

Have also to note that rank of restored spellusage is proportional to that random damage value, but not to damage actually taken.

For example if you have 1 hp left but are under the effects of Barring Deaths Door you can refresh spell resources even of higher rank than 1.

Which is nice, but the player has no way to tell, unless he tries it. Also he might question if ability to spam BS during death prevention effect is intended. But in either case imo BS shouldn't have it's cooldown nerfed.

 

Btw, unless the 'Blood Sacrifice' mechanics are set in stone:

 

 

I've seen some interesting suggestion on forums to make Blood Sacrifice more reliable.

For example every rank could contain BS of it's own, like that:

 

The health cost could be: 25% * (spell_rank / max_available_spell_rank) * (character_level * hp_per_level + starting_hp).

And if you don't have enough hp, you simply can't cast it.

This will also help with death prevention effects shenanigans.

 

P.S. If I understand right, the intention to make Blood Sacrifice random, was likely to prevent Concussive Missiles, Salvo or Meteor Shower spam.

If it is so, the above suggestion could be extended in the following way:

- Blood Sacrifice restores 1 spellusage of it's rank, and 1 spellusage of one rank below.

- and have the cost at 40% * (spell_rank / max_available_spell_rank) * (character_level * hp_per_level + starting_hp).

 

This way spamming only one spell of a specific rank will become suboptimal, and also more limited from hp requirement point of view.

 

P.P.S. Just my 2c

 

 

 

4. This should be fixed in our next update.

That's neat

It was distracting)

Edited December 3, 2018 by MaxQuest

[MaxQuest]

Why not adding another psion ability : the base regen stay like this, but is not desactivated when damaged. A toggle ability : Concentration, your focus regen is increased by x% but any dmg interrupt it? That let you play between a safe low regen when fighting in the fray, and a speed regen when you stay out of the melee (and could combo with stase like spells).

You read my mind

Just had somewhat similar idea in the morning, in two flavours:

 

- passive: Concentration increases your focus generation by +1 / second; and prevents incoming damage from disabling Soul Mind.

- modal: While it is on, gain 1 concentration every 9s (stacks up to 3). But any incoming damage above 10 removes 1 concentration layer.

> if the modal is disabled: Soul Mind regeneration is briefly paused from any damage.

> if the modal is enabled: Soul Mind regeneration is briefly paused from damage only if you have no concentration.

 

5. The intent is for Psion to generate focus less quickly compared to other cipher subclasses (or lack thereof). However, Psion is unique in that it can consistently generate Focus when other ciphers normally could not, such as when playing attack animations, casting spells, moving, etc...  Psion is specifically intended to fill a gap where cipher previously conflicted with builds not focused directly on damage, or for those that wanted a cipher multiclassed with a wizard, priest, chanter, druid, etc.. who normally would not receive any focus, unless forgoing spellcasting to auto-attack. The current values may appear low, but please give them a try and let us know how they feel.

The intent was clear

And there indeed is a niche for cipher that doesn't get focus from weapon damage, and specifically for a cipher who can cast buffing powers without feeling sorry for the suboptimal stat spread; or can play nicely when multi-classes with spellcasting classes (because he gets something useful to do while his focus is building up).

 

But this is where I'd like to elaborate a bit on stat affinity.

A character can usually do only one thing at a time. And different stats reinforce different actions. E.g:

- damage dealing: MIG, DEX, PER

- damage dealing via DoTs, AoE and Cone attacks: MIG, DEX, PER, INT

- buffing: DEX, INT

- debuffing: DEX, PER, INT

- offtanking: CON, ~RES

 

Because of the plethora of stats needed for optimal damage dealing: it is hard to increase survivability of damage dealers without hurting their effectiveness.

That's why buffers and debuffers, unless they have really strong and really spammable buffs and debuffs, are usually also employed as offtankers. Because you need that wall of frontliners on upscalled PotD.

 

Now lets take a look at psion.

He can't be put on frontline, because focus generation stops when hit. That's already limiting.

 

Also lets take a look at focus thresholds:

- lvl 1 cipher has 7/30 focus, and his highest power costs 10 focus

- lvl 20 cipher has 55/220 focus, and his highest power costs 90 focus

 

For a psion it is hard to keep up, when his focus regeneration only progresses from 1f/s -> 4f/s. Provided that Mind Stalkers can get to max focus under 6s, on per-encounter basis. And any other cipher can get to max focus in 3s on per-rest basis with some specific weapon-related actives.

 

That said, I will try and see how it feels with current values.

But atm it looks to me that Soul Mind asks for concentration related suggestions above, and perhaps a slight tweak:

 

 

 

From:

 

PL1: 1 focus/s

PL3: 2 focus/s

PL6: 3 focus/s

PL9: 4 focus/s

 

to:

 

PL1: 1 focus/s

PL3: 2 focus/s

PL5: 3 focus/s

PL7: 4 focus/s

PL9: 5 focus/s

 

 

 

P.S. Also there is a question: is it ok to consider Psion only in multi-classing context or not.

P.P.S. There could also be new passive talent. Something to strengthen single-class psions, beguilers and a better incentive for sc soul blades to use higher level powers. E.g:

Psychic supremacy [rank 8]: After reaching max focus, your powers that cost more than 70 focus, cost 70.

Edited December 1, 2018 by MaxQuest

[AndreaColombo]

I strongly agree with the suggestion to make Blood Sacrifice more reliable, and the suggestion for the passive and modal for Soul Mind.

 

I also agree focus generation for the Psion could use being quicker.

[Takkik]

I'm curious of your impressions, but I get the feeling blood mage is great at low level but become less interesting at high level. It work like the brilliant inspiration but you sacrifice health. It's great until you can get a reliabe way to get the inspiration (like a cipher). After that what's the point? The subclass don't scale.

 

A few ideas :

> Make the bonus PL level scale with your wizard PL.

> Or have a stacking effect like for the new monk subclass : more blood you sacrifice, better PL bonus you get but each time more health you loose. The defense malus vs bloodied enemies could increase too.

> Closer to death you are, better PL bonus you have. Get a PL bonus at Bloodied and another one at near death. Encouraging you to taking risks to get more powerfull.

> Could replace one of the upper effect with a might bonus.

> Add more blood sacrifing abilities : So you have the base one, good early on to get back spells. As you level up add new ones that give you some uniques buffs, like a might inspiration or raw stats bonus. More blood you give, better bonus. Could be a toggle ability that drain your health in exchange of a bonus. The subclass could have some unique flavor blood spells that use health instead of spell slots.

 

Blood mage give you a great early brilliant inspiration like ability, but when you can get the inspiration with the use of a cipher, or multiclassing as a tactician, it loose it's appeal. I find the subclass miss some punch at max level.