Balance Polishing Mod Release 1.0

[Elric Galad]

OK, I will go with upgrading Weakened to Enfeebled for Corrosive Skin. This is a pretty straightforward and balanced solution, and I do like simple solution.

Also, while we're speaking about bad Wizard spell, I will set Kakaloth Sunless Grasp to 0.5s/4s casting instead of 3s/4s. CP already added a -10 Reflex debuff, so I think it would be a decent opener with a short casting time.

[Boeroer]

2 hours ago, Elric Galad said:

Also, while we're speaking about bad Wizard spell, I will set Kakaloth Sunless Grasp to 0.5s/4s casting instead of 3s/4s. CP already added a -10 Reflex debuff, so I think it would be a decent opener with a short casting time.

Good imo. Even after CP I'd never use this spell because it's just awfully ineffective. I mean it competes with stuff like Chillfog, Slicken, Parasitic Staff etc...

To make it even a tad better and also to match the description/vibe even more

Quote

The caster's hands become so cold as to freeze what they touch.

I personally would bring the recovery down to 3 secs to match that recovery of fists (aka the casters hands ;)).

Too bad this wasn't implemented as a summoned fist...  It's a Conjuration spell after all and it would have been cool to be able to deliver a few more frosty blows with those effects it has. But that would mean two summoned weapons in one tier...

So not making it an actual summoned fist but having the action time/recovery of one is cool with me.

Now that I think of it more and looking at stuff like Chillfog etc. I wonder if it would be unbalanced to add a very short freezing affliction (paralyze+) vs. fortitude. Like 2 secs or so.

It wouldn't mean much on the early levels but with PL scaling it could stay useful even for the late(r) game when the base duration scaled a bit and in combination with INT...? And also gainst DEX-resistant foes...? 

In comparison to: Fetid Caress - which comes at PL 2, has a 10 sec paralyze and 15 sec AoE sicken (takes 4.5 secs to cast though and has no dmg component).

Edited November 25, 2021 by Boeroer

[Elric Galad]

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

Good imo. Even after CP I'd never use this spell because it's just awfully ineffective. I mean it competes with stuff like Chillfog, Slicken, Parasitic Staff etc...

To make it even a tad better and also to match the description/vibe even more

I personally would bring the recovery down to 3 secs to match that recovery of fists (aka the casters hands ;)).

Ok, I was wondering the same.

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

Too bad this wasn't implemented as a summoned fist...  It's a Conjuration spell after all and it would have been cool to be able to deliver a few more frosty blows with those effects it has. But that would mean two summoned weapons in one tier...

It doesn't require to be a Cipher to detect your thoughts about abusing it shamelessly with Phantom spells à la Draining Touch. 

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

So not making it an actual summoned fist but having the action time/recovery of one is cool with me.

Reducing the cast/recovery of weak spells is a good way to make them relevant at high level without making them too powerful. 

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

Now that I think of it more and looking at stuff like Chillfog etc. I wonder if it would be unbalanced to add a very short freezing affliction (paralyze+) vs. fortitude. Like 2 secs or so.

It wouldn't mean much on the early levels but with PL scaling it could stay useful even for the late(r) game when the base duration scaled a bit and in combination with INT...? 

In comparison to: Fetid Caress - which comes at PL 2, has a 10 sec paralyze and 15 sec AoE sicken (takes 4.5 secs to cast though and has no dmg component).

Well, as a general rule, I try to avoid changing the purpose of an ability unless required for redundancy with another ability. Sunless grasp isn't the best spell of the game, but with a fast casting, it would fit its purpose as a minor mid-duration debuff.

 

For those who wondered : Jolting Touch has -25% damages per bounce, and can bounce several times on the same target.
For me, it is ok as WIzard's version of dancing bolt (friendly multi-targets Electricity spell).

Edited November 25, 2021 by Elric Galad

[Constentin Lévine]

2 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Too bad this wasn't implemented as a summoned fist...  It's a Conjuration spell after all and it would have been cool to be able to deliver a few more frosty blows with those effects it has. But that would mean two summoned weapons in one tier...

This is a good idea, giving an excellent reason to use this spell. There is not conjuring weapon at tiers 2 (and considering Concelhault's Draining Touch as, there are 2 at tiers 3).

This is a level 1 spell with  14-20 freeze with  9pen for 3.0s-4.0s, with -10acc for 15s.

Spears, sabres, battle axes, sword and maces get  a base 13-19 with 7pen for 0.7s-4.0s, with innerent bonus (+10%damage for sabres, +5acc for spears...). Another damage type for the coast of 1pen to swords. +2pen for maces for -20% damages to 11-15.

tiers3 summoned weapons Kalakoth' Minor Blight seems equivalent to the Grasp, with 14-20 elemental damages, 7 pen but 0.7s-4.0s, +1.3m radius for the -10acc. Better than a summoned pistol, 15-19 with 7pen for 1.1s-5.0s and +20%lash.

Modals that increase the pen by 2 give a penalty of +50%recovery time, without break the game balance.

So a vanilla sabre with Windmill Slash is 13-19 with 9pen for 0.7s-6.0s.

AS a Grasp a summoned weapon, I suggest, on the Mace model, 11-16 freeze with 9pen to 0.7s-4.0s and -10acc for 15s.

 

But as a spell only add a freezing (paralyse) effect for a shorter duration than the acc penalty, like 6.0s base, would make this one more attractive. What do you think about?

[Elric Galad]

7 minutes ago, Constentin Lévine said:

This is a good idea, giving an excellent reason to use this spell. There is not conjuring weapon at tiers 2 (and considering Concelhault's Draining Touch as, there are 2 at tiers 3).

This is a level 1 spell with  14-20 freeze with  9pen for 3.0s-4.0s, with -10acc for 15s.

Spears, sabres, battle axes, sword and maces get  a base 13-19 with 7pen for 0.7s-4.0s, with innerent bonus (+10%damage for sabres, +5acc for spears...). Another damage type for the coast of 1pen to swords. +2pen for maces for -20% damages to 11-15.

tiers3 summoned weapons Kalakoth' Minor Blight seems equivalent to the Grasp, with 14-20 elemental damages, 7 pen but 0.7s-4.0s, +1.3m radius for the -10acc. Better than a summoned pistol, 15-19 with 7pen for 1.1s-5.0s and +20%lash.

Modals that increase the pen by 2 give a penalty of +50%recovery time, without break the game balance.

So a vanilla sabre with Windmill Slash is 13-19 with 9pen for 0.7s-6.0s.

AS a Grasp a summoned weapon, I suggest, on the Mace model, 11-16 freeze with 9pen to 0.7s-4.0s and -10acc for 15s.

 

But as a spell only add a freezing (paralyse) effect for a shorter duration than the acc penalty, like 6.0s base, would make this one more attractive. What do you think about?

=>

35 minutes ago, Elric Galad said:

Well, as a general rule, I try to avoid changing the purpose of an ability unless required for redundancy with another ability. Sunless grasp isn't the best spell of the game, but with a fast casting, it would fit its purpose as a minor mid-duration debuff.

Well, that and Summoned weapons are also a bit of a nightmare to implement and balance.

Also would feel a bit redundant with fetid carress.

[Boeroer]

Iirc K's Sunless Grasp also has a +10 ACC bonus which is nice. Edit: no it hasn't...

The freezing (paralyze+) was more of a "flavour" thing to emphasize that chilly hand that's touching you.  That's why I said it should be very short. So you're frozen for a very short time and then it melts but leaving you with a chill that causes the ACC malus (and Reflex malus with CP).

I thought that would make the spell more more intersting and "cool" without actually adding much power. And at later levels with all duration shenanigans it could still be useful because the paralyze could last for 5-6 secs or so.

I would still be hard pressed to pick it over Chillfog, Slicken, Spirit Shiels, Parasitic Staff, Thrust of Tattered Veils and so on. But then it wouldn't hurt so much to pick it for some themed build like the "Frosty the Touchy Snowman" or so.  

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by Boeroer

[Elric Galad]

34 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Iirc K's Sunless Grasp also has a +10 ACC bonus which is nice. Edit: no it hasn't...

The freezing (paralyze+) was more of a "flavour" thing to emphasize that chilly hand that's touching you.  That's why I said it should be very short. So you're frozen for a very short time and then it melts but leaving you with a chill that causes the ACC malus (and Reflex malus with CP).

I thought that would make the spell more more intersting and "cool" without actually adding much power. And at later levels with all duration shenanigans it could still be useful because the paralyze could last for 5-6 secs or so.

I would still be hard pressed to pick it over Chillfog, Slicken, Spirit Shiels, Parasitic Staff, Thrust of Tattered Veils and so on. But then it wouldn't hurt so much to pick it for some themed build like the "Frosty the Touchy Snowman" or so.  

 

The chilly part could be an interrupt on hit. Then a 4s recovery could be necessary.

[Boeroer]

There's already Thrust of Tatterd Veils for very reliable interrupts (and that's the only reason to get it imo) and there's also Slicken - so I wouldn't give another interrupt effect to Sunless Grasp.

[Elric Galad]

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

There's already Thrust of Tatterd Veils for very reliable interrupts (and that's the only reason to get it imo) and there's also Slicken - so I wouldn't give another interrupt effect to Sunless Grasp.

But in this case, it's not the main purpose of the spell. This is a debuff spell with a bit of damages.

Once more, BPM doesn't intend to change the flavour of abilities, unless obvious redundancy with some other abilities. Adding an interrupt is within the limit of a small change, adding an additional effect isn't.

EDIT : but yeah, I can see why adding an Interrupt is a bit redundant.
I'm just trying to say I'm not in favor of adding a Paralysis effect and I was trying to find a compromise  

Damages could upped a bit, maybe to 16-24, to align with barbs of condemnation which is a bit of a twin spell (higher range, lesser PEN).

Edited November 25, 2021 by Elric Galad

[Boeroer]

1 hour ago, Elric Galad said:

Once more, BPM doesn't intend to change the flavour of abilities

Adding the freeze affliction to a freeze spell is not changing the flavor of an ability to me but an emphasis on the flavor - while adding an interrupt would change it. But maybe that's just me.

1 hour ago, Elric Galad said:

I'm just trying to say I'm not in favor of adding a Paralysis effect

But it's a freeeze effect.

My compromise was that it's extremely short so it has no significant impact on the workings of the spell but is just more of a cool flavourful effect instead of a useful CC component.

By the way: I tried the spell at lvl 20 with a Sage (30 INT) and the duration of the -10 ACC scales pretty nicely up to 45 secs. 

1 hour ago, Elric Galad said:

Damages could upped a bit, maybe to 16-24, to align with barbs of condemnation which is a bit of a twin spell (higher range, lesser PEN).

If you'd like to tweak the damaging part of the spell I would go for even more PEN instead of base dmg.

PEN can be a problem for Wizards (at least on PotD) and having one high PEN ability at low levels would make sense and make in a serious alternative to stuff like Fan of Flames etc. maybe? 

It could be explained with the need to touch the enemy (description). You would make sure to use a freezing hand on places that are not covered with thick armor I presume. Thinking about teasing my wife when I come home with really cold hands... I put them on her uncovered neck of course so she may squeak and squirm.

Also the term "piercing cold" has to mean something, right?

I was thinking about really high base PEN - in the range of whaz M's Precisely Piercing Burst has. But maybe that's too high? It would grant Overpenetration often which entails kind of a dmg boost, too... I don't know. The base damage isn't high so maybe that's okay? 

Maybe auto-hit wouldn't be bad either... It surely has its appeal. But there's already Minor Missiles and Thrust oTV which are auto-hits, hm...

Eh - I'm just shooting out thoughts here... I don't advocate for putting them all in at once. At least not for now, hehe...

Edited November 25, 2021 by Boeroer

[Bosmer]

Since we are talking level 1 spells with interrupts .. does anyone of you use/pick Mind wave? I could see it's potential due to aoe-interrupt .. however, the casting time makes it nearly impossible to interrupt a specific activity. I think the damage is ok and somehow in line with the other abilities, e.g. soul shock, and after BPM all other spells have their usefulness .. what's your take on this? 

[Elric Galad]

15 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Adding the freeze affliction to a freeze spell is not changing the flavor of an ability to me but an emphasis on the flavor - while adding an interrupt would change it. But maybe that's just me.

But it's a freeeze effect.

My compromise was that it's extremely short so it has no significant impact on the workings of the spell but is just more of a cool flavourful effect instead of a useful CC component.

By the way: I tried the spell at lvl 20 with a Sage (30 INT) and the duration of the -10 ACC scales pretty nicely up to 45 secs. 

If you'd like to tweak the damaging part of the spell I would go for even more PEN instead of base dmg.

PEN can be a problem for Wizards (at least on PotD) and having one high PEN ability at low levels would make sense and make in a serious alternative to stuff like Fan of Flames etc. maybe? 

It could be explained with the need to touch the enemy (description). You would make sure to use a freezing hand on places that are not covered with thick armor I presume. Thinking about teasing my wife when I come home with really cold hands... I put them on her uncovered neck of course so she may squeak and squirm.

Also the term "piercing cold" has to mean something, right?

I was thinking about really high base PEN - in the range of whaz M's Precisely Piercing Burst has. But maybe that's too high? It would grant Overpenetration often which entails kind of a dmg boost, too... I don't know. The base damage isn't high so maybe that's okay? 

Maybe auto-hit wouldn't be bad either... It surely has its appeal. But there's already Minor Missiles and Thrust oTV which are auto-hits, hm...

Eh - I'm just shooting out thoughts here... I don't advocate for putting them all in at once. At least not for now, hehe...

Honestly, the -10 acc for decent time while doing a bit of spike damages is the selling point.

Wizards have no other way (apart modals) to decrease ACC on a perception resistant for. And Wiz are hungry for high deflection build.

Same for Ref. 10 less defenses before launching a serie of attacks Vs it isn't bad.

PEN is already decent. It's not that piercing  

But I could go with the same damages as Jolting Touch for common theme. 16 - 27.

[Elric Galad]

18 minutes ago, Bosmer said:

Since we are talking level 1 spells with interrupts .. does anyone of you use/pick Mind wave? I could see it's potential due to aoe-interrupt .. however, the casting time makes it nearly impossible to interrupt a specific activity. I think the damage is ok and somehow in line with the other abilities, e.g. soul shock, and after BPM all other spells have their usefulness .. what's your take on this? 

Feels like a Psion / Tactician playing tool

I would use it as a minor damages spells with mini CC effect in this context.

Or as Soulblade "ranged weapon" ? (Arrh 5 focus)

[Bosmer]

25 minutes ago, Elric Galad said:

Feels like a Psion / Tactician playing tool

I would use it as a minor damages spells with mini CC effect in this context.

Or as Soulblade "ranged weapon" ? (Arrh 5 focus)

Yeah that's a good point, Tacticians might really make use of it! There might also be some synergy with complete self (BPM "buffed") and soulblade. Maybe Mind Wave might also benefit strongly from higher attack speed with time parasite (for single class non-ascendants), I'll have to test that out

[Elric Galad]

On 11/17/2021 at 4:16 PM, NotDumbEnough said:

Note that chain lightning cannot bounce back and forth between 2 enemies. Not sure about firebug.

I modded Chain Lightning to bounce possibly several time on the same foe, including monster's versions (as I always do).

The fights versus Auranic Wrath Sigil was... hey... not trivial.

Fortunately Tranquilizing Shot + Blunderbuss (basically 100% chance of deactivating a Sigil for 1 Bond) after Brand Enemy, Gouging Strike and a Missile Salvo helped a lot mitigating this situation.

Seriously, Tranquilizing Shot is a highly underrated ability, especially with multi-hit weapons.

 

Modded Corrosive Skin with Enfeebled.

Modded Sunless Grasp with 0.5s/3s cast/recovery and 16-27 base damages.

[Elric Galad]

Version 1.5.2 uploaded (a bunch of small rework, slightly de-nerfed WoD, some effects can't be extended, various tweaks to Priest, Druid and Wiz spells) :

Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod at Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Nexus - Mods and Community (nexusmods.com)

It seems that Nexus Mod Description has intense editing problem. I had to go through BBC mode to actually change the text, and even then it was seriously lagging. Anyone experienced similar difficulty ?

I'm finally satisfied with Entropy  (and SC Druid as a consequence)

[Constentin Lévine]

Is it you who added the riposte effect to Blessing of Wael or I missed something? And I see that you buff a little bit your version of WoD (Nerf Mod), sound better

[Elric Galad]

3 hours ago, Constentin Lévine said:

Is it you who added the riposte effect to Blessing of Wael or I missed something?

Yes and No, I tweaked it. The original version ripostes by blinding foes, which was really disappointing for a Tier 9 Spell (not to mention redundant with the old Revenge of Skaen).

I tweaked it to random -10 to PER, INT or RES. Which means with repeated attacks, your foes will probably get 2 or 3 of the debuffs.

No I tweaked it again to retaliate on damaged, instead of on hit or crit.

3 hours ago, Constentin Lévine said:

And I see that you buff a little bit your version of WoD (Nerf Mod), sound better

Yeah, +0.25 made it unusable.

Now one still need to catch 2-3 foes to get infinite duration, but this is hard enough to achieve to derserve a reward. Version 1.5.2 WoD is a blast vs Belranga, especially combined with BPM Enchanted Armory and its 100% Miss to Graze  But such is Garden of Life anyway.

The few offenders that remained (such as blade cascade) can't be extended anymore since this version.

[Noqn]

On 11/28/2021 at 7:54 AM, Elric Galad said:

It seems that Nexus Mod Description has intense editing problem. I had to go through BBC mode to actually change the text, and even then it was seriously lagging. Anyone experienced similar difficulty ?

Don't get me started... I've never encountered a site with worse text editing.

[NotDumbEnough]

New Entropy looks fun with Inner Death.

[Elric Galad]

3 hours ago, NotDumbEnough said:

New Entropy looks fun with Inner Death.

To be honest, Inner Death was probably the only way to make old Entropy relevant.

[NotDumbEnough]

It is also frankly insane with Swift Flurry/Heartbeat Drumming now that there's not a limited number of triggers. Also a reliable source of crits even vs. megabosses if you want to stay spiritshifted with wildstrike frenzy, as long as you drink potion of enlightenment, bring SC chanter with His Heart Did Fill with the Light of Dawn, have Brilliant, etc.

Edited December 1, 2021 by NotDumbEnough

[Elric Galad]

1 hour ago, NotDumbEnough said:

It is also frankly insane with Swift Flurry/Heartbeat Drumming now that there's not a limited number of triggers.

And Saint Omaku's Mercy. Still need a high Acc to reliably Hit.

1 hour ago, NotDumbEnough said:

Also a reliable source of crits even vs. megabosses if you want to stay spiritshifted with wildstrike frenzy, as long as you drink potion of enlightenment, bring SC chanter with His Heart Did Fill with the Light of Dawn, have Brilliant, etc.

Sure, if Megaboss can stay enough under Entropy. This part is intended, granted you really need decent Acc to get +4s Spiritshift often enough, granted you also need to pause to recast Entropy from time to time.

If you achieve all that, congratulations, you have a decent combo.

[Elric Galad]

Hi,

I wanted to have your opinion. Currently Shadowed Hunters is a Tier 9 Ranger Ability. It was quite meh, so I modded it to the following :

Shadowed Hunters :
Pet's first bite after using the ability apply a 30sDoT effect (20 raw damages per 3s tick). Note that first pet attack doesn't break invisibility (this is true in the base game)

But I'm not very satisfied, because it basically use a small bug to work, and this DoT feels a bit out of the place.

Also Tier 9 is a very precious Tier (since you get only 3 ability points for it). In my last run as a SC Stalker, I wasn't even tempted  to take it. So I thought it was probably too bad.

 

Therefore I started to think again about the ability. I probably want to do something similar to Enduring Shadows.

BPM's Enduring Shadows provides 20s of invisibility that breaks normally, as well as Swift and +25 deflection for the whole 20s (even if invisibility breaks). It is 0.5s/0s casting/recovery, teleports you and costs 2 bonds. I think it is a good basis to balance Shadowed Hunters.

 

So for Shadowed Hunters, I think I will remove current BPM changes and perform the following changes :

1 - Remove recovery. Easy one and good basis.

2 - Makes the healing effect and -50% not cancellable when Invisibility breaks. Probably will also buff the healing from 8 to 10 health per tick (align with Robust)

3 - Add an offensive bonus. I think about a 60s Intuitive (Tier 3 PER Inspiration) that activates only when invisbility breaks.

All this would worth the Tier 9 point and 3 bonds.

 

Shadowed Hunters will basically be either a small repositionning + general offense and defense buff, or you can use it to basically lick your wounds for 30s and still benefit from a 60s intuitive. 

Intuitive fits Ranger very well, stacks with Hunter's Claw and all their other Acc bonuses, and Synergizes very well with Stunning Shot and any Crits related build (such as Twinned Shot + Frostseeker). Intuitive can give an additive +17.5% crit chance for such build (50% Hit x 25% chance, +5 From Perception). It also benefits the pet. Granted taking Shadowed Hunters will cost you either Heart Seeker, Prestige, BPM's Distracting Traing bond regen or Stunning Shot, so I don't think it would be too OP.

Intuitive was previously only found on Fighter, but locking it at SC Ranger ultimate Tier won't make it that much more common.  

 

What do you think ?

Edited December 3, 2021 by Elric Galad

[NotDumbEnough]

I think it's OK.

 

Regarding Distraction Training: it currently feels kind of bad. It is very hard to get your pet's Deflection to reasonable levels since they can't use equipment. It is the same issue as unmodded game's Riposte: on PotD misses are very rare unless you are fighting very easy enemies. Suggest lowering the duration but also make it trigger on grazes.

Also might want to check whether it has the same issues with friendly fire as Blessing of Wael which you just fixed.