Report 383

Report #383
Skillset: Blademaster Skill: Heartpierce
 Org: Ebonguard Status: Completed Jun 2010
Furies' Decision:
Heartpierce's damage and bleeding upgraded.
Problem: Heartpierce is a critical level affliction which causes an additional
chunk of damage when it fires. However, this chunk of damage is on its own not
really threatening or damaging enough for a critical-level affliction-- it
causes no afflictions, and with high-precision weapons (required to get to
critical in the first place) it isn't really even threatening.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Make Heartpierce cause 1 burst vessel on the target
 when it lands.
Player Comments:
---[Xenthos on 5/29 @ 14:31 writes]:
Not sure I'm going to stick with this one, but it is an idea for trying to get
Blademasters a bit more away from head / legs as primary focus. Heartpierce is
a woefully underused skill, and at 1 vessel per heartpierce it shouldn't be able
to stack up too well unless you're already in trouble anyways (through parry,
stance, & rebound). But it would give Blademasters a bit wider a range for
"troubling" afflictions vs. primarily legs/gut (and head for the behead).
---[Veyrzhul on 6/1 @ 10:40 writes]:
What about the arms for hemiplegy/collapsednerve and gashchest (to stun)? Both
are useful and used commonly. As I see it, Blademasters have no bodypart not
worth going for
---[Veyrzhul on 6/1 @ 10:41 writes]:
,expecting to have a useful critical level affliction on each, as well, is a tad
much, I'd say. As I already posted on the forums, I'm all for working on warrior
specs, but I personally think that axelord and bonecrusher are the ones in need
of improvement.
---[Xenthos on 6/1 @ 21:56 writes]:
Useful, yes. Critical-level and life-threatening, no (nor are they intended to
be). Great for support and working on some pressure building, but not quite the
same thing as, say, getting amputated. Nor is there a request to make critical
life-threatening afflictions for every body part here! The useful criticals are
Behead and Tendon (head & legs). Gut has Disembowel (not-useful), Chest has
Heartpierce (not-useful), arms have no critical. Compare to PB (Behead and 4
limbs for amputate), Axelord (Behead, 4 limbs for Amputate, and SeverSpine).
Gashchest is medium, so you don't even have to build up wounds to get it. It is
further a hack only, so it's pretty much attained when swinging at the head
(aiming for slitthroat or behead usually). As such, when you're getting it,
you're most likely wishing you had hit the head instead.
---[Xenthos on 6/1 @ 21:59 writes]:
Bonecrusher, on the other hand, is in the same situation as the one I'm
discussing for BM: It has bashbrains and leg-mangles. At the same time it
doesn't have the "hold 'em here" that is Pinleg, so I'd agree with you that it
could use some re-examining now that it is no longer stun central. I just don't
have an idea for it (the "burst vessels" thing for BC doesn't make much sense
for the current affliction set they have, but could possibly go for a critical
chest affliction for BC that acts much the same as heartpierce would with this
suggestion-- damage and a vessel).
---[Xenthos on 6/1 @ 22:08 writes]:
It would make more sense to try and get them a critical affliction that is more
in theme with the skillset and is a bit more life-threatening, though, to make
up for the not-having-pinleg. As I said, I don't have an idea for that at this
point!
---[Xenthos on 6/12 @ 23:56 writes]:
Finalizing now as there have been no further comments at all. Ah well. It is
difficult to modify the report / readjust if there are not comments before the
finalizing. I will hope that just means there are no further comments, and not
that nobody has been reading it!
---[Fillin on 6/28 @ 19:23 writes]:
Fine with blademasters getting this, though I think bonecrushers could use a
similar upgrade. Swing or strike for CrushAorta at critical chest, anyone? If
anything, it could be a little stronger and give 1 burst vessel with a 50%
chance of two, instead of the bonus damage. And maybe even replace the
lackluster FractureArm with PoundArtery to give blood clots on the arms.