Report 1849

Report #1849
Skillset: Tessenchi Skill: Various
 Org: Hallifax Status: Submitted Feb 2018
Problem: Tessenchi suffer from high poison reliance, a lack of afflictions
outside the Vitals areas, and no pathway to build hemorrhaging or afflictions
outside of dust below Surge. This report seeks to improve access to reliable
dust hemorrhaging aff (powersap) at lower stances, provide access to threatening
afflictions outside the Vitals areas, and use the only real pathway to do so -
ice afflictions on limbs, as lucidity is a poor balance for monks to try to
stack, and steam affs are not available as part of the Tessenchi design. To
avoid in advance an excessively powerful mutilate sequence at Surge+, a change
to InertialKick Limbs (damaged->mutilated/Surge) is warranted at the same time.
[A:10 R: 1] Solution #1: Swap the effects of HemorrhagicStrike Chest
 (sickening/Base stance) and TessReflection Chest
 (powersap/Centre stance) to move dust hemorrhaging
 aff to Base stance. Because that would give two
 native hemorrhaging affs at Base, also swap
 HemorrhagicStrike Head (hallucinations/Base stance)
 with TessReflection Head (stupidity/Centre Stance) to
 move hallucinations to Centre stance. Change the
 effect of HemorrhagicStrike Limbs (Base) to instead
 only target arms and cause damagedarms. Because that
 would give a too strong/easy mutilate at Surge+,
 change the effect of InertialKick Limbs (Surge) to
 only mutilate a damaged limb if used as Action 1 in
 the kata, and would cure the underlying damaged limb.
 InertialKick used on any other body part would
 continue to function normally in all kata positions.
[A: 9 R: 0] Solution #2: As Solution 1, except HemorrhagicStrike Limbs (Base
 stance) would case damagedlegs instead of damagedarms
 (Veyils suggestion)
[A: 6 R: 4] Solution #3: As Solution 1 or 2, except replace the InertialKick
 Limbs (Surge) effect with a new effect. Idea:
 Aftershock. Ice cured affliction that causes
 lightning damage when cured that scales with the
 duration the affliction has been left uncured. If the
 target already has Aftershock, the kick would do
 additional damage as though Aftershock had been cured
 (without curing it). Damage on Aftershock (100 +
 1.5%) + (100 + 1.5%) * duration of affliction (in
 seconds) / 2. Aftershock does not stack (cannot be
 applied on each limb separately) but an Aftershock
 applied to any limb would check for Aftershock, and
 do the extra damage if already present. This would
 move Tessenchi mutilates to grapple enders.
Player Comments:
---[Ejderha on 2/11 @ 23:30 sets as pending]
---[Tarken on 2/12 @ 17:21 writes]:
Support either solution 1 or 2 (sol 3 is cool, but I think we got told no more
affs in the cure trees, someone correct me if wrong). Powersap+vomiting is a
very strong opening dust stack, but I think that's ok given the specs limited
alternative routes even with proposed changes. I do worry a little that you're
still very constrained to the head or chest in earlier stances, but I think this
is a step in the right direction.
---[Ejderha on 2/12 @ 18:25 writes]:
@Tarken I do think it will probably still be too constrained - if for no other
reason than all 3 native hemorrhaging affs are still on Vitals (excepting only
disloyalty via poison). I'm wary of changing (or trying to change) too much at
once, and this is already a pretty complicated report. I'm also sort of painted
into a corner by the limitation on limb-based ice affs, which is why I went with
Sol3 despite 'no more affs.' Even if still too constricted, this is a solid push
away from the current crippled state where 85% of our relevant/functional affs
are on Vitals.
---[Tarken on 2/12 @ 18:51 writes]:
Yeah, its a definite improvement regardless. I agree with making the changes
then seeing where things stand.
---[Tarken on 2/12 @ 19:04 writes]:
Oops, I meant gut or chest in my original comment, but same deal.
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 18:51 writes]:
Reference affliction information in Head/Chest/Gut/Arms/Legs order: Base Arm
Action (HemorrhagicStrike) currently afflicts with
Hallucinations/Sickening/Vomiting/Bleeding/Bleeding. Centre Arm Action
(TessReflection)
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 18:52 writes]:
...currently afflicts with Stupidity/Powersap/Dysentary/Clumsiness/Nothing.
Surge Arm Action (AoagulationSmite) currently afflicts with
DamagedThroat/CollapsedLung/InternalBleeding/Nothing/Nothing.
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 18:56 writes]:
Solution 1 would change the list to
Stupidity/Powersap/Vomiting/DamagedArm/Nothing at Base;
Hallucinations/Sickening/Dysentary/Clumsiness/Nothing at Centre; and
DamagedThroat/CollapsedLung/InternalBleeding/Nothing/Nothing at Surge. It would
also change InertialKick to work like the Tahtetso/Ninjakari kicks and make
Tessenchi a one combo mutilate specialization at Surge as with
Tahtetso/Ninjakari.
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 18:56 writes]:
Solution 2 would be the same, except with DamagedLeg/MutilateLeg instead of
arms.
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 18:58 writes]:
Solution 3 can't really be presented in a more concise fashion, sorry.
---[Veyils on 2/13 @ 19:03 writes]:
I prefer damagedleg vs damaged arms. As a hindering affliction 1 damaged arm
will stop most classes from attacking. Some classes cant attack with broken legs
but a large amount of skills can still be used with two broken legs. Think
having 2x damaged arms would let you outhinder too many classes too well.
Damagedlegs would slow some but not all.
---[Ejderha on 2/13 @ 19:22 writes]:
@Moi thank you for the thorough listing. Regarding the one combo mutilate, as
you note, this already exists for another monk spec. In addition, the proposed
changes would make it less onerous than if we left it alone, as curing the
underlying damagedlimb would prevent easy chaining. As noted above, I'm limited
on limb ice affs, which is why I added an option for something different in
sol3. In addition - and also as answer to @Veyils - keep in mind that this
option has to be effective, as it is NOT a route to build hemorrhaging, it is a
route to force change of stance. There is an answer to being partly shut down on
your offence or being at risk of arm mutilation - it is called STANCE ARMS and
it is super effective. That's exactly what the change needs to make into a
forced choice, so the Tessenchi can threaten with the damagedlimb and potential
for mutilation. I would rather have my offense shut down and be able to escape,
heal up, etc. than 'maybe' be able to make some attacks and be unable to move. I
find damagedlegs to be incredibly un-fun to fight against. This, and being
different from Neko, is why I prefer damagedarms.
---[Moi on 2/13 @ 19:47 writes]:
I agree with the comment above entirely, and think that an 'easy' mutilate for
arms OR legs is appropriate and desirable as a way to force stance changes. But
I also feel that it's important to make it very clear that a mutilate is a big
part of what's being asked for.
---[Ejderha on 2/13 @ 20:17 writes]:
After some discussion on Envoys, I have updated Solution 1 (and therefore also
Solution 2). InertialKick would only mutilate damaged limb if used as action 1,
and would cure the underlying damaged limb. This prevents entirely the one form
mutilate, while still leaving a possibility to stack ice and stick a damaged
limb long enough to pull it off over the course of 2+ forms.
---[Veyils on 2/20 @ 13:10 writes]:
A note about why I think damagelegs is the better option. 1. It'll give the
option to mutilate doable something I think most monks should get access to in a
two combo effect. 2. Damagearms is the more hindering affliction than damged
legs. A single damage arm can prevent many classes from basic attacks where as a
lot of classes abilities can be used with double broken legs. This is based on
the comments and notes where we said that InertialKick should not be able to one
combo mutilate. The suggest was to have inertialkick only mutilate if its in the
first action.