Report 872

Report #872
Skillset: Nekotai Skill: ScorpionFury
 Org: Nekotai Status: Completed Jun 2012
Furies' Decision:
See announce news 2052.
Problem: ScorpionFury is a 10p defense that consumes 3s balance to confer 500ka
worth of Nekotai poison mods for 1 minute. Although in-form poison mods are
valuable, the defense itself is worthless. Used in momentum gain stages, basic
raze (which could be every other form) halves effectiveness. SF robs prompt
power which could be better used towards 3p lung mods or 6mo forms. The poison
mod spread is fully achievable in-form by 4mo anyway. The skill is not
worthwhile for the loss of balance, cost of power, short duration of effect, and
fact that poison mods are more easily invested in-form.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Rework SF into a 6p, 1min defense to increase
 effectiveness of Creehai by a percentage, and
 increase damage of Nekcree by a flat amount.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #2: Delete SF. Create a new poison mod to be useful in
 momentum gain: 75 - 100 ka to delay individual poison
 affliction by 0.3 to 1.0s. Regular transfer & shrug
 rates apply.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #3: Delete SF. Create a new 5p guardian scorpion def - a
 counter like Blacknest guardian crow, not a true ent
 - that fires charybdon when attacked. 100% transfer.
 Shrugging rates apply.
Player Comments:
---[Hiriako on 6/19 @ 16:22 writes]:
Does ScorpionFury act as BullRage does, and attach both specialization as well
as basic kata modifications? If so, I think it's more powerful than apparent at
first glance. Also, what percentage does Creehai already increase poison
application by, and how much does Nekcree increase damage by?
---[Janalon on 6/19 @ 19:32 writes]:
No. As per the AB, "For a period of time, you will be riled up with the fury of
the scorpion, giving you the physical energy to put the following modifiers in
all of your attacks: nekcree, shocree, and creehai."
---[Janalon on 6/20 @ 19:46 writes]:
@Hiriako, all poison mods proc upon successful transfer / bypass shrug of an
envenoned nekai (or heel dart) strike. Informally I recount Creehai halves shrug
rate and Nekcree adds minimal poison type damage (which can be reduced with DMP
defense). It's not that these skills aren't valuable... they are the backbone of
Nekotai combat. Rather, they don't work in a 10p, 1min def when they can be more
simply inserted into a kata form. Just for the sake of comparrison, can you list
every kata and spec mod BullRage adds?
---[Hiriako on 6/21 @ 17:14 writes]:
From what I've seen, Bullrage adds all the mods. From Kata: Gouge, speed, break,
stun, concussion. From Shofangi: rake, shoflai, kumaki, bullstrength.
---[Hiriako on 6/21 @ 17:15 writes]:
It does sound like ScorpionFury's a bit weak. I agree that the skills are
crucial to Nekotai combat. Poisons are how you all function. But I will say one
thing about Bullrage. It is completely impossible to have any momentum when you
come out of it. You're powerful during that time, but you're left at 0 at the
end. Mostly, however, due to the effects of the basic kata modifiers.
---[Janalon on 6/22 @ 11:37 writes]:
I imagine BullRage & ScorpionFury were intended to extend ka caps, especially in
early momentum where ka is limited. Though in the case of BullRage, it sounds as
if the momentum penalties associated with the kata mods drain momentum quickly.
10p is costly enough, but 10p and 5mo sounds broken'ish (especially for a trans
skill). Let me go on record saying that I don't want to "fix" ScorpionFury by
adding basic the kata mods to parallel BullRage, as that would induce another
problem and not present a fix.
---[Rivius on 6/23 @ 15:49 writes]:
In regards to solution 1, there's very little issue with this problem, so long
as the damage increase to Nekcree is not made excessive. Solution 3 is fine in
principle, though I'd prefer if it either lasted a period of time or only had a
chance to fire similar to darkspirit. Solution 2 sounds like it intends to stack
poison afflictions easier, though I'm not entirely convinced this is necessary
for the nekotai skillset especially and wary of how such a skill might manifest.
Are there any specific combinations you had in mind with this solution?
---[Janalon on 6/29 @ 04:24 writes]:
Nekotai is geared towards counter attacks. ScorpionSpit and ScorpionTail in
particular are geared against limb-based, melee attacks from warriors and monks.
Solution 3 was conceived to bridge the gap with all other attack types. I
envisioned solution 3 to provide a counter against all non-limb attacks to
exempt monk/warrior limb attacks. I believe crota hits at long intervals are
equitable to our other counters in regards of offsetting the opponents offense.
Nothing more I need to say about solution 1. Solution 2 could have its effects
toned down to better fit into the suggested ka range. I meant for solution 2 to
provide more uncertainty and annoyance in poison curing than buffing Nekotai's
ability to stack afflictions.