Report 1847

Report #1847
Skillset: Music Skill: Passives
 Org: Celest Status: Submitted Feb 2018
Problem: Passive stacking is an extremely strong, while simultaneously
effortless group strategy. This report seeks to target the outsized impact of
bards in group combat by limiting the scope of their mobile passives. Shifting
them slightly from their current role of [best at everything, why aren't you a
bard yet?] to a more defensive group supporting role.
[A: 2 R: 7] Solution #1: Make all bard song effects which are offensive in
 nature (those which currently hit members of your
 enemy list) instead be focused on one target.
 Captivate <target> would replace the old captivate,
 requiring, but not consuming balance. Song effects
 which boost/affect allies would remain roomwide.
[A: 0 R: 8] Solution #2: Subsequent to the acceptance of this solution one,
 each organization would be given an extra envoy slot
 to change one of their offensive song effects to a
 defensive one, if they desire.
[A:11 R: 2] Solution #3: Instead of solution 1 or 2, simply remove the
 blankCHORD skill (2p, strip truehearing from enemies
 room). This would leave truehearing as a useful
 defense in large groups to mitigate passive bard
 stacking, forcing the bards to blanknote each
 individual in the group if they want to take
 advantage of their passive stack.
Player Comments:
---[Ciaran on 2/6 @ 18:27 sets as pending]
---[Tarken on 2/8 @ 12:38 writes]:
I'm not opposed to this. One alternative that I thought about earlier was to
allow something like captivate <target1> [target2] [target3]. So essentially you
have to pick three people to hit, potentially reducing the tickrate of your song
for each one added. I think this might offer some interesting decision making
and let bards fill a design space slightly different to chems, without letting
them passively stack effects on a whole room as is the case now.
---[Ciaran on 2/8 @ 12:48 writes]:
I like that idea a lot Tarken. It seems interesting. If it were taken, I think
it should not only be tick rate though. Otherwise certain effects
(NIGHTSHADEBLUES!!!) would still be 100% effected. Things like damage/fail
rate/drains should be divided between the number of victims. Unfortunately, it'd
probably be a bit of a pain to code in. I really do think it's a cool idea
though.
---[Ciaran on 2/8 @ 12:48 writes]:
Argh, effective, not effected**
---[Danquik on 2/11 @ 07:06 writes]:
I am interested in Tarken's Solution though if not possible am fine with the
solutions presented, at this time.
---[Tarken on 2/13 @ 22:13 writes]:
A simpler version of my previous comment for solution 3 could be to just make
blankchord only take up to three targets too. PLAY BLANKCHORD <tar1> [tar2]
[tar3].
---[Aeldra on 2/14 @ 08:48 writes]:
I like tarkens solution as well, but would be fine with either solution present
---[Moi on 2/16 @ 00:30 writes]:
I feel like solutions 1 and 2 would just make bards into chemwood 2.0 with all
of the problems inherent to that. Solution 3 is interesting, however, in that it
turns the passive effects into an active effect into group combat. Preference is
Solution 3>0>4>1>2.
---[Tremula on 2/16 @ 20:38 writes]:
I do not particularly care for any of these solutions, however I do like
Tarken's solution as of 2/13 and would fully support this one, hence my triple
reject - limiting the effect of bards without completely cutting their
instrument strings.
---[Veyils on 2/20 @ 13:06 writes]:
Solution one sound great except for the removal of captivate audiance. Should be
a new skill and leave CA untouched.