I had a thought about Searing Totem this morning when I read the post on mmo-champion that it was getting axed. My idea is to make Searing Totem do ramping damage. The longer it attacks a single target, the more damage it does to that target. That would make it a good ability for bosses. And having niche abilities that are situationally good is fine.
If they wanted to make it a bit more visually interesting, make it get bigger and bigger as the ramping damage goes up, or make it glow hotter and hotter.
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reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
They already did a good version of Searing Totem, it was called Liquid Magma Totem. Plopping that bad boy down and watching it spew fire everywhere was genuinely satisfying.
I kind of go back and forth on the idea of wearable totems. The overall impression I've gotten is that most players view totems' immobility as a QoL nuisance, rather than an interesting gameplay mechanic. And in that regard, the solution seems pretty simple.
On the other hand, I used to play CoH which has a lot of effect-placement and forced movement abilities, and I enjoyed things like all the pulling tools Hunters have in WoW. I like mechanics that have the players trying to draw the enemy to a favorable position or force them out of an unfavorable one, while trying to do the opposite yourselves. So totems requiring some thought and commitment about their placement is an idea that seems fun to me, at least in the abstract. Again, I think a retooling is the better answer than simply giving up and effectively turning totems into auras.
I guess a talent would let players choose which they prefer, but what would you be giving up to take it, and what incentive would Blizzard have to bother trying to make the regular immobile totem play more enjoyable if they had that talent in game?
GW2 banners was a clever take on this. And could be modified for WoW. Basically you cast the spell to plop the totem down, but you can pick it up and wear it on your back, which might have different effects. Like for example, a wind totem increases your attack speed when it's on the ground, but if you put it on your back it increases run speed. Or you throw down searing totem and it shoots fire at enemies, but pick it up and you get set on fire and burn a horrible screaming death.
Were the turrets in GW2 similar to totems? I never played an Engineer or a Shaman. But it seemed like they were interesting there because you manually placed them, choosing the space they affected. Also because there were a bunch of situational turrets.
Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
Turrets in gw2 were similar to totems in that they always had issues and barely worked I guess.
They couldn’t be moved in gw2 but had the ability to both overcharge them for additional effects, and also blow them up. However the cd to drop them didn’t start until they were gone. I think you could just pick them up to reduce the cd though. I remember it being a thing to drop the healing turret, use the overcharge and immediately pick it up for a good heal option.
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Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
The alpha update went live and some of the changes to shaman differ slightly from the announcement. Most notable is that totem mastery was changed. Instead of 4 small buff totems, it drops searing, healing stream, and earth bind. With a 1 minute cool down. So either this was before they decided to remove searing, or it became a talent?
I dunno I kind of like it. But that doesn’t sound remotely competitive with the rest of the row at all.
To be clear I don't mind totems as a concept. Windfury Totem in BC was fun times because it was a unique buff that was potent as fuck.
It was when buff normalization happened and everything you could drop was the same buff that other classes gave that it lost its luster. You had to hit the totem button at least once every minute to drop Searing Totem, anyway, so it's not like there was any actual management, there.
It might be harder to balance, but I'd rather have BC totems than Wrath totems.
Dhalphirdon't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered Userregular
I honestly feel like totems should be on a charge up/drop system, where using certain elemental abilities charges up a corresponding totem which you then drop for an effect.
It would be a rework of more than just totems to make the playstyle work, but I envision it being quite cool to use. It's obviously, at the core, just an aesthetic reskin of other builder/spender concepts, but that's not exactly a bad thing; chi is just a small reskin of combo points, as is holy power, but there's nothing wrong with having game mechanics between classes with just a touch of flavour on them.
You could also have totems that you drop and then cast on directly. For example, you could have Lightning Conduit totem, where dropping it and then targeting it with your Lightning Bolts makes them splash AOE damage with a chance to stun.
If an entire rework of shaman was on the table, I'd love to see shaman do something with combining elements for effects, Divinity Original Sin style. Drop a lightning totem and cast Lava Burst on it to make it burst for electrical fire that stuns as well as burns, or drop an earth totem and shock it with lightning to make it produce a smoke effect that reduces enemy damage done.
I honestly feel like totems should be on a charge up/drop system, where using certain elemental abilities charges up a corresponding totem which you then drop for an effect.
It would be a rework of more than just totems to make the playstyle work, but I envision it being quite cool to use. It's obviously, at the core, just an aesthetic reskin of other builder/spender concepts, but that's not exactly a bad thing; chi is just a small reskin of combo points, as is holy power, but there's nothing wrong with having game mechanics between classes with just a touch of flavour on them.
You could also have totems that you drop and then cast on directly. For example, you could have Lightning Conduit totem, where dropping it and then targeting it with your Lightning Bolts makes them splash AOE damage with a chance to stun.
If an entire rework of shaman was on the table, I'd love to see shaman do something with combining elements for effects, Divinity Original Sin style. Drop a lightning totem and cast Lava Burst on it to make it burst for electrical fire that stuns as well as burns, or drop an earth totem and shock it with lightning to make it produce a smoke effect that reduces enemy damage done.
The time to do all this would have been Legion, i think
Bunch of customization options for Night Elves and Draenei, including leaf hair.
Bunch of Warrior changes including Single-Minded Fury. So there's that.
Druids can now pick forms at the Barbershop.
Some more Warlock changes, and no, Demo still doesn't have an interrupt.
Some other stuff.
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reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
Longer. Tails.
Finally, draenei fan art will be lore accurate.
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
So when you say druids pick forms at the barbershop, do you mean the appearance differences that are currently tied to hair color, or will this be how they handle alt-forms from stuff like glyphs and legion's transmog forms going forward? Or both?
So when you say druids pick forms at the barbershop, do you mean the appearance differences that are currently tied to hair color, or will this be how they handle alt-forms from stuff like glyphs and legion's transmog forms going forward? Or both?
They've said that all druid forms will be available in the barber shop, including the artifact forms. Currently on the alpha the artifact forms aren't available, but they specifically mentioned them couple of days ago when they originally talked about this feature.
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited June 2020
Either option would've been nice (even just no longer being locked to one set of colors from the racial defaults based on a single cosmetic choice), but having all of it through that menu is great.
I'm guessing the Mage Tower ones will still be gone forever, for those of us who weren't around to earn them while it was a thing.
Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
Looks like hints of the legendary effects are finally coming up in alpha. They have to be pushing to get those and soulbinds in testing soon along with some big announcement. They said they want to get this stuff more testing than things had in bfa, and time is ticking for this shit to be hitting preparch.
Either option would've been nice (even just no longer being locked to one set of colors from the racial defaults based on a single cosmetic choice), but having all of it through that menu is great.
I'm guessing the Mage Tower ones will still be gone forever, for those of us who weren't around to earn them while it was a thing.
the mage tower ones being no longer acquirable would be in line with all the other challenge mode cosmetic rewards being gone forever after each expansion ends.
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited June 2020
Yeah, not a fan of those either (like, the only Monk outfit I particularly like was one of them), but that's why I figured this announcement wouldn't affect their availability.
Even then, it's less that there was a mage-tower locked appearance that bothers me, but more that none of the alt-colors for them can be earned either if you didn't get the mage tower one in time.
Dunno. I think that you could introduce things like old PvP sets and old Challenge Mode/Mage Tower rewards to the Black Market Auction House, but when Blizz floated the idea with some old Cata PvP sets on datamining people threw a fit so there was that. And limited time rewards are an incentive to keep the subscription.
Now I can say that because I got my Mage Tower appearances for the classes I play: Monk and Shaman. And don't care about playing Druid (I just found it boring), so not having Werebear or Laser Cat is not a big deal to me. But I understand that for many people it is a big deal. That being said, there will be more limited time rewards and likely more Druid forms, if they are going to make an UI for it. So you will get some, eventually.
Hey Folks, im looking for a guild full of social friendly folks. I just want to have some folks to chat with while leveling and stuff. Horde or alliance dun' matter to me. Wannabe Hardcore endgame or casual just messing about are both fine as long as they're social. I level pretty quick.
CorriganX on Steam and just about everywhere else.
....technically so is the G&T guild but the population has largely shifted to non-forumers. Good choice if you’re pursuing Mythic raiding but don’t want bleeding edge, top 100 scoreboard first kills intensity.
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Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
edited June 2020
Yeah the shamblers on chogall horde is the guild with the most pa forumers left. Not very active right now though. A few of us still doing m+ but no raids. Typically they clear heroic then break until next raid.
I was thinking of leveling something again but I’ve been busy trying to get super corrupted and just enjoy the end of bfa enhancement before maining it in shadowlands. I don’t level quick though so I would just fall behind.
Kai_San on
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Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
Oh wow just got to see that not only can we finally catch up corruption resist, but the reveal stream has a new date. Hoping so hard this is when legendary effects and soul binds are finally shown. A move to beta seems obvious though since that typically happens when all the leveling content is in.
Yeah the shamblers on chogall horde is the guild with the most pa forumers left. Not very active right now though. A few of us still doing m+ but no raids. Typically they clear heroic then break until next raid.
I was thinking of leveling something again but I’ve been busy trying to get super corrupted and just enjoy the end of bfa enhancement before maining it in shadowlands. I don’t level quick though so I would just fall behind.
Yes theres an end of expansion lull right now, but some of us still log in every now and again.
Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
I really need some kind of coordinated event. I still am having fun but deciding to get back into my shaman put me so behind. If people want to do group content please let’s make like one night a week to do it. Even just doing leveling dungeons on alts. I mean with party sync levels don’t even matter now.
They need to bump up the amount of echoes earned from all sources. Having to buy all the rank 3 essences, then a bunch of your best corruptions for your class/spec, and now cores. Too much stuff to buy, not enough resources.
Yeah its funny, I technically have a lot I could be doing (mount and transmog hunting) but after leveling like 5 characters to 120, I feel like theres nothing to do but kick rocks.
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If they wanted to make it a bit more visually interesting, make it get bigger and bigger as the ramping damage goes up, or make it glow hotter and hotter.
GW2 banners was a clever take on this. And could be modified for WoW. Basically you cast the spell to plop the totem down, but you can pick it up and wear it on your back, which might have different effects. Like for example, a wind totem increases your attack speed when it's on the ground, but if you put it on your back it increases run speed. Or you throw down searing totem and it shoots fire at enemies, but pick it up and you get set on fire and burn a horrible screaming death.
If they can be worn, they are paladin auras.
acceptable
anyway totems were an interesting design space... in warcraft 3, a real-time strategy game. They are not interesting design space in an MMORPG.
They couldn’t be moved in gw2 but had the ability to both overcharge them for additional effects, and also blow them up. However the cd to drop them didn’t start until they were gone. I think you could just pick them up to reduce the cd though. I remember it being a thing to drop the healing turret, use the overcharge and immediately pick it up for a good heal option.
I dunno I kind of like it. But that doesn’t sound remotely competitive with the rest of the row at all.
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
It was when buff normalization happened and everything you could drop was the same buff that other classes gave that it lost its luster. You had to hit the totem button at least once every minute to drop Searing Totem, anyway, so it's not like there was any actual management, there.
It might be harder to balance, but I'd rather have BC totems than Wrath totems.
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
It would be a rework of more than just totems to make the playstyle work, but I envision it being quite cool to use. It's obviously, at the core, just an aesthetic reskin of other builder/spender concepts, but that's not exactly a bad thing; chi is just a small reskin of combo points, as is holy power, but there's nothing wrong with having game mechanics between classes with just a touch of flavour on them.
You could also have totems that you drop and then cast on directly. For example, you could have Lightning Conduit totem, where dropping it and then targeting it with your Lightning Bolts makes them splash AOE damage with a chance to stun.
If an entire rework of shaman was on the table, I'd love to see shaman do something with combining elements for effects, Divinity Original Sin style. Drop a lightning totem and cast Lava Burst on it to make it burst for electrical fire that stuns as well as burns, or drop an earth totem and shock it with lightning to make it produce a smoke effect that reduces enemy damage done.
The time to do all this would have been Legion, i think
Finally, draenei fan art will be lore accurate.
They've said that all druid forms will be available in the barber shop, including the artifact forms. Currently on the alpha the artifact forms aren't available, but they specifically mentioned them couple of days ago when they originally talked about this feature.
I'm guessing the Mage Tower ones will still be gone forever, for those of us who weren't around to earn them while it was a thing.
the mage tower ones being no longer acquirable would be in line with all the other challenge mode cosmetic rewards being gone forever after each expansion ends.
Even then, it's less that there was a mage-tower locked appearance that bothers me, but more that none of the alt-colors for them can be earned either if you didn't get the mage tower one in time.
Now I can say that because I got my Mage Tower appearances for the classes I play: Monk and Shaman. And don't care about playing Druid (I just found it boring), so not having Werebear or Laser Cat is not a big deal to me. But I understand that for many people it is a big deal. That being said, there will be more limited time rewards and likely more Druid forms, if they are going to make an UI for it. So you will get some, eventually.
No, that's been fixed.
CorriganX on Steam and just about everywhere else.
....technically so is the G&T guild but the population has largely shifted to non-forumers. Good choice if you’re pursuing Mythic raiding but don’t want bleeding edge, top 100 scoreboard first kills intensity.
I was thinking of leveling something again but I’ve been busy trying to get super corrupted and just enjoy the end of bfa enhancement before maining it in shadowlands. I don’t level quick though so I would just fall behind.
Yes theres an end of expansion lull right now, but some of us still log in every now and again.