Alternate Everquest

Class Info => Druids => Topic started by: Peete on April 12, 2019, 12:09:34 pm

Title: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Peete on April 12, 2019, 12:09:34 pm
I was brain storming the other day with some folks concerning Druids and their current viability on the server. For the most part druids have been underwhelming. I would like to propose that druids get an attack debuff now, instead of waiting for when they grow up. Ideally, it would be similar in power to the current slows, meaning if you parsed a mob it would have roughly the same damage output  over a set period of time.  Also to avoid under performing mobs, attack debuff and slow would not stack right now.

For example:
Ro's Illumination   
Druid 62
1 : Effect type : Decrease AC by 50
5 : Effect type : Decrease ATK by 80

We might have to play with the numbers to see what makes the most sense.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Dolmir on April 12, 2019, 12:38:59 pm
I like the idea to give Druids something to help out their viability in groups and raids. For technical reasons I don't think it would be implemented by an ATK reduction.

In general, we are cautious about adding new things because of the problems with nerfing them later down the line if they end up being too strong. We will definitely keep this suggestion in mind when considering changes to the Druid class.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Peete on April 15, 2019, 06:43:29 pm
Well before the idea gets shot down, Druid's do get an AC and attack debuff at lvl 62 that does stack with slow. I'm asking if it would be beneficial to the class and game if it was introduced earlier and did not stack with slow.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Dolmir on April 15, 2019, 07:02:18 pm
The relationship between AC, ATK, and actual damage is very complicated and I think it would be unwise to try to balance an ATK debuff. The marginal value of each point of ATK is subject to the defenders AC and other factors and the whole formula is very difficult to model. In addition, at all ranges the actual damage done is highly variable, so any experiments regarding efficacy of ATK debuff need to be fairly lengthy. Players would have to go to pretty great lengths to quantify the value of the spell. This is why I suggest that the idea be implemented not as an ATK debuff. I didn't mean to give the impression that I disagreed with the idea entirely.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Eldarian on April 15, 2019, 09:48:07 pm
let me discuss with
the night king

perhaps a happy medium can be found
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Dalbun on April 27, 2019, 10:59:07 pm
Druids start to struggle early and never gain momentum. Their healing is weaker than Clerics and they don't have something like stat buffs and slows the way shamans do to offset it. They're glorified taxis and mobilizers and I guess they have good regenerative buffs, but they need their identity earlier than 50 for sure.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Eldarian on April 30, 2019, 04:15:06 pm
Druids get a slow *looks at aa tree*
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Dalbun on May 01, 2019, 10:37:49 pm
Ok, great, but that's when you get AAs. Unless there's lvl 20 AAs now, that doesn't help people feel less sting choosing druid as their duo healer. Sure endgame matters, but getting there does too.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Jduncan on May 02, 2019, 05:27:46 pm
Leveling is fast here, a druid as it is, is perfectly capable as a 2nd box healer to get to 51, after 51 yes they could use some work.

They have a damage shield, regen / chloroplast, sow, decent heals leveling, decent dots, root, beast charm ( used the heck out of it in jagged pine) snare, HP buffs, ports etc, getting there isn't a issue, I did it with a druid box duo easily, and other have to.

I'm not for giving them a slow, and cleric's shouldn't have the undead slow either imo.  They should have their dot damage increased, big heal increased, a lesser heal over time than cleric's ( but at least a decent HoT).  Maybe give them a second 4 per tick self only mana regen spell that stacks with everything.  Or a reverse damage shield like the cleric used to have ( mob attacking does damage to itself when it attacks ).
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Dalbun on May 02, 2019, 07:28:01 pm
Maybe for you, but I'm finding I try and go ham with warrior, heal/dot with druid, and I run out of mana way too fast. The mana regen is as slow as P99, but without the lots of people to group with.

There also aren't any of the good Quad kiting zones as there were in Kunark yet.
Title: Re: Make Druids Great again
Post by: Reaver on May 20, 2019, 08:51:54 am
Druids have received 2 new spells as of last week. One should help tremendously with mana costs on regular fights, and the other should help druids become more competitive on hard fights.  For the first, it is available on many druid spell vendors at level 10. For the other, check with any city's Druid Guild Master for hints on how to get started.