Allow buff/debuff stacking

[durbal]

The non-stacking is, well, nonsense.  It makes almost all buffs and debuffs indistinct.  Oh, he's Dazed, so no need to use Weaken.  No need to flank him since he's blinded.  Durance can have the +Reflex gloves since Sagani already has the cape.

 

It's not logical and it just makes a lot of buffs and debuffs totally superfluous.  There's already limits (time, per-encounter/per-rest uses, item slots) on how many buffs and debuffs can be stacked.  If you don't want players to reduce enemies to debuffed drooling bags of gold or players to gear themselves into buffed, booted, and suited demigods then adjust the numbers.  The current system just doesn't work and it detracts way too much from itemization and combat tactics.

Edited May 5, 2015 by durbal

[Luckmann]

One small correction, though: Flank does stack with everything, including Blind.

Just another one of those little inconsistencies we'll have to learn to live with.

[perilisk]

The non-stacking is, well, nonsense.  It makes almost all buffs and debuffs indistinct.  Oh, he's Dazed, so no need to use Weaken.  No need to flank him since he's blinded.  Durance can have the +Reflex gloves since Sagani already has the cape.

 

It's not logical and it just makes a lot of buffs and debuffs totally superfluous.  There's already limits (time, per-encounter/per-rest uses, item slots) on how many buffs and debuffs can be stacked.  If you don't want players to reduce enemies to debuffed drooling bags of gold or players to gear themselves into buffed, booted, and suited demigods then adjust the numbers.  The current system just doesn't work and it detracts way too much from itemization and combat tactics.

 

Agreed, at least when it comes to Afflictions. The fact that debuffs are packaged into very discreet sets which are limited in number already pretty well limits how much they can be stacked. So long as you can't stacked two of any Affliction, stacking debuffs should be allowed. Buffs, though, not so much.

[Zwiebelchen]

Given the low duration of most buffs and debuffs, this isn't as much of an issue as you guys make it look.

 

Also, the debuff groups aren't terribly big either. Most groups only have 2-3 discrete debuffs in them, so most debuffs already stack by default.

And most of the debuffs in debuff groups actually have a priority that makes a lot of sense from a logical perspective. Just like a mob can not be confused and dominated at the same time.

Frightened and panicking are also practically the same thing, just that the latter is stronger than the first. It makes sense that the stronger one overwrites the weaker one.

 

Literally, the only debuff group that does not really make sense is that a paralyzed NPC can not be knocked prone. Obviously, you should be able to knock someone off their feet if he can't move... but that's more of a balance decision and I can understand the decision behind these debuffs not stacking (as they both greatly reduce deflection).

Edited May 5, 2015 by Zwiebelchen