Report 214

Report #214
Skillset: Shadowbeat Skill: Crowcaw
 Org: Harbingers Status: Completed Jun 2009
Furies' Decision:
Will lower the power cost and increase bleeding. Replacing paralysis still under
consideration.
Problem: Crowcaw as it is causes 200 bleeding and two of the following
afflictions- epilepsy, confusion, paralysis, and stupidity, at a cost of three
power. The bleeding is fairly negligible (although it does help with another
Shadowbeat ability, Shadowpulse), and paralysis is something that can be
achieved by other means including colourbursts, familiars, fetishes, in addition
to paralysis being the affliction caused by Shadowpulse itself. Basically, while
it is hardly useless as is it could use some refinement.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Lower the power cost to 2 to be comparable to other
 targetable bard songs, increase the bleeding, and
 change the paralysis affliction to another such as
 paranoia, peace, reckless, amnesia, or addiction.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #2: Keep the ability as is, but (and this is reaching,
 but an idea we've kicked around) with each use of the
 Crowcaw ability increase the target's insanity level,
 capping at a low level of insanity and disappearing
 from the target after a period of time of being away
 from the casting Harbinger's vicinity.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #3: When cast, the Harbinger and allies in the same room
 gain increased resistance to afflictions similar to
 those in Crowcaw or have them removed, in addition to
 the usual Crowcaw effects.
Player Comments:
---[Llandros on 6/15 @ 14:53 writes]:
The Cacophony had Queens Lament changed from 3 power to 2 power by removing the
stun and leaving the blackout and shackles. Crowcaw could use a buff but for it
to be comprable to a 2p bard song it should be changed to 2 affects
---[Ceren on 6/15 @ 21:56 writes]:
The stun was actually left out of the description of the skill in the Problem
for some reason. As far as solution 1 goes, the only other 2p bard song that I
can think of is queenslament, which as Llandros said, received the lower power
cost by removing the stun, so the same could be done here. I disagree with the
statement that the bleed is negligable, and in fact consider it the most
important part of this attack since it stacks with the passive bleed and takes
double mana to clot with nightshadeblues. Lowering the power cost and removing
an effect would concentrate the attack on what's important (the bleed).
---[Viynain on 6/16 @ 00:03 writes]:
As was noted above, in addition to what is listed, CrowCaw also does give a
measure of stun as well as a blackout - things by which QueensLament got one or
the other removed for the lower power cost. I myself was unaware of the bleeding
mechanic of the ability, let alone the double affliction possibility of it
alongside of the other two effects it currently has. That bleeding as well
boosted by NightSweats could jump up considerably as well, and I'll just have to
disagree with an insanity inducing offensive skill for any powercost. I'd
suggest that if you want to lower the powercost, drop something of these four
abilities to do so, because I don't think anything else need be added,
personally.
---[Ceren on 6/16 @ 01:43 writes]:
There's no blackout actually.
---[Nejii on 6/19 @ 04:53 writes]:
WOAH, no insanity attrition.
---[Shamarah on 6/20 @ 18:35 writes]:
A hearty "lolnothx" to solutions 2 and 3. I doubt I need to discuss why insanity
is a terrible idea, but just in case: if the cap on the insanity is below the
part that blocks commands, it's useless, and if the insanity can reach the part
that blocks commands, it's retardedly overpowered. And what is it with
Glomdoring envoys having a seeming fetish for affliction curing/resistance? We
don't need more of that. Solution 1 is fine (I'd suggest reckless as the
affliction).