Report 544

Report #544
Skillset: Ecology Skill: New
 Org: Blacktalon Status: Rejected Mar 2011
Furies' Decision:
We do not find this to be necessary.
Problem: As the druid's equivalent to the mage Psionic tertiary, Ecology, as a
whole, lacks a suitable means of actually helping druids build towards a kill
within their meld, much less without. Playing off of the vast potential of banes
in Ecology, a new skill is proposed to help alleviate this lack of killing
potential.
Solution #1: Create a new skill in Ecology called BloodBane that, much like
 the other banes, is 3p and lasts a minute, causing the affected
 to suffer anywhere from 125 - 150 bleeding whenever a fetish
 strikes, successfully delivering the poison or not.
Solution #2: As above, however, replace BatBane with BloodBane for druids who
 choose Ecology, keeping BatBane for the sole use and benefit of
 Ecology bards.
Solution #3: According to some comments, either of the above and have bond
 sting cause bleeding on a BloodBaned target as well.
Player Comments:
---[Viynain on 1/29 @ 02:29 writes]:
Report renewed to take comments into account.
---[Senna on 1/31 @ 05:09 writes]:
Either solution; Ecology Druids need some love too!
---[Lehki on 1/31 @ 16:17 writes]:
Still think more bleeding is the last thing Harbingers need, so solution 2.
---[Raeri on 2/1 @ 07:20 writes]:
I would think that Harbingers could output more bleeding via their CrowCaw spam
than via fetish spam, within the same space of time. Solution 1, as long as it
is fetish attacks only - though 250-300 bleeding per berserkfetish seems a bit
high now that I think about it, as it makes DesertSmudge kinda useless (could
buff that while we're at it, I suppose). Does your solution include fetish
attacks via armoured familiar, and are the numbers open for tweaking?
---[Lehki on 2/1 @ 15:32 writes]:
There's nothing stopping you from burning a DesertSmudge and then using Fetish
attacks during the delay.
---[Viynain on 2/2 @ 22:25 writes]:
Indeed, the aim is to introduce an ability to help build towards a kill using
Ecology, and BloodBane+DesertSmudge would be a good combination among others as
Lehki points out. As for the suggestion to make armoured familiar hits cause
bleeding as well, I have no problem with that if folk like it as long as the
emphasis on the fetish hit causing bleeding goes through. As for the numbers,
I'd say that range is high enough to be of use but low enough that it won't
overwhelm someone at least clotting and using chervil wisely, I think.
Suggestions and comments are always welcome though.
---[Sahmiam on 3/2 @ 02:49 writes]:
I'm against this mostly for the synergy already existant in Glomdoring with
bleeding and mana usage. Not denying the problem, but I think more bleeding in
an org that has quite a bit of it already is not only unneccessary, but also
unhealthy for game balance.
---[Iasmos on 3/2 @ 11:59 writes]:
I pretty much agree with Sahmiam. Solution 2, I -might- support, but not 1 or 3.
---[Viynain on 3/3 @ 07:52 writes]:
Totally open to suggestions to bringing Ecology up to par offensively outside
the meld, by the way, if people think bleeding isn't welcome. Unless folk pipe
up with actually viable ideas, I might just stick with this certainly possible
solution rather than the lack of other alternatives.
---[Raeri on 3/4 @ 08:22 writes]:
An Ecology insta of some sort would be useful, I suppose, if you could devise
one. Especially since ecologists aren't allowed to use crotamine. (And every
other spec has an insta of some sort...)
---[Talan on 3/8 @ 19:02 writes]:
I'd support either of these. Raeri has it right that a Harbinger going for
bleeding would be better served utilizing CrowCaw. The biggest thing this would
do is giving a boost to the single fetish attacks, which are pretty poor at
present (one venom from the restricted list, shruggable), yet which comprise a
lot of the skill. I don't think there are any kill conditions based on the
amount of bleeding - though I've heard the idea being bandied around some,
that's a bridge we can cross when we get to it. I think in the mean time this
could be a useful addition for all ecologists.
---[Veyrzhul on 3/9 @ 17:24 writes]:
How about an insta based on poisons and bleeding, then? Kill instantly for 8
power if the targets has 5 poison afflictions on them (not sure if the game can
distinguish affs given by poisons from ones given otherwise) and a certain
amount of bleeding (shouldn't be too high). Doesn't cost power or take eq if it
fails. Just an ad hoc idea.
---[Viynain on 3/9 @ 20:13 writes]:
I've a semi-written follow up to this report that will be tossed up in the
future. The main concern is making Ecology build towards a viable offense at
this point in time, though the suggestions are appreciated.
---[Sahmiam on 3/12 @ 06:08 writes]:
I'm less concerned with Harbingers using the skill and more concerned with the
druids using it in conjunction with Harbingers. I think an insta based on
poisons and bleeding would be cool, but again, I fear it synergizes too well in
Glomdoring. Nekotai can do ridiculous bleeding and have ways to increase poison
applications. If there was a way to limit outside help in some way, then perhaps
it would be a good solution.
---[Viynain on 3/12 @ 22:41 writes]:
Since the original proposition was to incur bleeding when any poison hits, the
comments taken into account earlier limited it only to fetish strikes - suitable
to keep it useful for druids and bards without affecting other poison sources.
Group combat is what it is right now, and it would be good to be able to
synergize with your allies rather than doing your own thing - kinda like how
warriors can work with other warriors for a nigh-insta pinleg. As for the insta,
my plans are to make that revolve around bleeding rather than poisons
considering the sheer horror which is the situation of maintaining more than one
affliction for an insta to work, let alone shruggable poisons. Read:
deathprophesy.