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Well given the affliction "nerf", rather than throw alot of F words at Sony, I figure might as well see if any constructive alternatives exist.
PoP Pottery was already weak compared to Taloring, Smithing, and Jewelcrafting counterparts, but now 3 of the 11 items (really only 7 items because components from the 4 elemental planes aren't really gonna be landing in the hands of normal tradeskill folk for a long time if ever) have been downgraded. I'm not counting the Planar Steins since those are um... well.. no comment...
Afflictions no longer affected = Charms, Slows, Mezzes, and maybe a few other things I'm not aware of.
Coming from an Enchanter and Druid perspective since those are my highest level toons.
1.) Ceramic Skull of Decay - Affliction Haste 4
Mez - Didn't work with Mezzes because all mezzes are less than 3 seconds.
Slow - The effect on Slows is minimal since I never am in a hurry to cast slow, in fact usually am waiting a bit before casting slow, so really its a matter of waiting X secs vs. waiting X+2 secs before casting slow. In the event of a resist, its kinda useful to be able to get off another slow faster, but casting multiple slows one after another quickly is one sure way to get summoned and end up dead! The other benefit is getting slow off a bit faster so you can get back to crowd control.
Charm - This is the big hit. Getting a Charm off a few seconds faster can be the difference between life and death. As someone in another post mentioned - the high level stun (or actually I think its a mez) is only 6 secs which isn't long enough to recast charm without the Skull. Doesn't effect Druids as much since they have snare and SoE.
Before I would equip the Skull only when I was charming, and now I won't equip at all.
2.) Ceramic Gavel of Justice - Affliction Efficiency 4
Slow - You only normally cast slow once per mob, so the mana savings isn't game altering.
Charm - You cast Charm even less than you do Slow, so the overall savings in mana isn't too much.
Mez - I agree that this can add up, and a little too strong. I'm not sure that it was so unbalancing that they needed to change it though.
Before I would equip the Gavel with my Enchanter all the time, and never with my druid (only decent spell that worked with it was Winged Death but I haven't used that spell since PoP came out, I end up needing to heal and nuke more these days). Now neither will use Gavel.
3.) Ceramic Shackles of Torment - Extended Affliction 4
Charms - they are random duration, so not sure they are even effected by this focus effect.
Slows - Most normal battles end before a slow runs out, any longer battles, the amount of mana saved by the extra time won't be much.
Mez - If these are extended, I would say that is too strong (I don't own a Shackle so I don't know).
If I owned this, and worked with Mez of course I would equip. As is neither my toons would use.
Summary:
Enchanters have 2 DoTs above level 60, both of which I never have spell slots for and aren't all that good, and so casting them faster, having them more mana efficent, or last longer isn't gonna make one hell of a difference.
Druids have 1 DoT above level 60, but who is gonna equip, let alone buy the Pottery Items to use with one spell?
Shamans - its my impression that the items aren't that useful for them, even more so now that it doesn't work with slows.
Necros - this is the target for these items I guess (never played a necro), but having 3/11 or as I say 3/7 of all PoP pottery items only useful for 1 class is just stupid, considering the 4 remaining Pottery Items are pretty lousy too!
Solutions:
1) Make the items not work with Mez.
2) If can't do 1 due to coding, perhaps make the Gavel and Shackle only work on spells that last longer than say 10 ticks (almost all Mez are less than a minute).
3) Make the stats on the items ALOT better, so that 60+ characters might actually equip the item eventhough the effect only works on 1 or 2 of their spells. (was gonna list the total stats I lose by equiping this stuff, but its not even funny). I mean give the Skull like 25 sv disease... the Shield of Valor like 20ac, or something! The Tier 1 JC Amulet of the Unseen has 25 svm, but the Gavel of Justice has 10 svm.. wtf!
4) If DoTs are under powered, make the DoTs better (do more damage, cost less mana), don't make 3 pottery items and some dropped items with some lame focus effect to fix the problem!
5) Give DoT classes, more High Level DoT spells, and ones that stack and aren't resisted all the time and so end up in the back of the spell book.
6) If worried that the items will end up as twink items increase the recommended/required level (not sure how many Afflcition 1-3 items are out there, so this won't fix all the items)
7) Introduce other PoP (i.e. High End.. not some LoY 35-60 lvl stuff) Pottery Items to compensate for the fact that the current items aren't very good (Currently my 63 Chanter wears 2 tailored items and 2 jc items - soon to be more once I get to tier 3. My 61 druid has 3 tailored items... Ranger 5 smithed, 3 jc. How many Pottery between them? Before Chanter 3, Druid 1, Now Chanter 1 - the extended enhancement one - and only switch it in when buffing.)
8) Make the focus effect BETTER. I mean if you could cast DoTs 75% faster maybe it would be ok.. or use 50% less mana...
I think #3 and #7 together would be the best at this point.
I just hope I can sell my Gavels and Skulls before everyone figures out they have been nerfed.
PoP Pottery was already weak compared to Taloring, Smithing, and Jewelcrafting counterparts, but now 3 of the 11 items (really only 7 items because components from the 4 elemental planes aren't really gonna be landing in the hands of normal tradeskill folk for a long time if ever) have been downgraded. I'm not counting the Planar Steins since those are um... well.. no comment...
Afflictions no longer affected = Charms, Slows, Mezzes, and maybe a few other things I'm not aware of.
Coming from an Enchanter and Druid perspective since those are my highest level toons.
1.) Ceramic Skull of Decay - Affliction Haste 4
Mez - Didn't work with Mezzes because all mezzes are less than 3 seconds.
Slow - The effect on Slows is minimal since I never am in a hurry to cast slow, in fact usually am waiting a bit before casting slow, so really its a matter of waiting X secs vs. waiting X+2 secs before casting slow. In the event of a resist, its kinda useful to be able to get off another slow faster, but casting multiple slows one after another quickly is one sure way to get summoned and end up dead! The other benefit is getting slow off a bit faster so you can get back to crowd control.
Charm - This is the big hit. Getting a Charm off a few seconds faster can be the difference between life and death. As someone in another post mentioned - the high level stun (or actually I think its a mez) is only 6 secs which isn't long enough to recast charm without the Skull. Doesn't effect Druids as much since they have snare and SoE.
Before I would equip the Skull only when I was charming, and now I won't equip at all.
2.) Ceramic Gavel of Justice - Affliction Efficiency 4
Slow - You only normally cast slow once per mob, so the mana savings isn't game altering.
Charm - You cast Charm even less than you do Slow, so the overall savings in mana isn't too much.
Mez - I agree that this can add up, and a little too strong. I'm not sure that it was so unbalancing that they needed to change it though.
Before I would equip the Gavel with my Enchanter all the time, and never with my druid (only decent spell that worked with it was Winged Death but I haven't used that spell since PoP came out, I end up needing to heal and nuke more these days). Now neither will use Gavel.
3.) Ceramic Shackles of Torment - Extended Affliction 4
Charms - they are random duration, so not sure they are even effected by this focus effect.
Slows - Most normal battles end before a slow runs out, any longer battles, the amount of mana saved by the extra time won't be much.
Mez - If these are extended, I would say that is too strong (I don't own a Shackle so I don't know).
If I owned this, and worked with Mez of course I would equip. As is neither my toons would use.
Summary:
Enchanters have 2 DoTs above level 60, both of which I never have spell slots for and aren't all that good, and so casting them faster, having them more mana efficent, or last longer isn't gonna make one hell of a difference.
Druids have 1 DoT above level 60, but who is gonna equip, let alone buy the Pottery Items to use with one spell?
Shamans - its my impression that the items aren't that useful for them, even more so now that it doesn't work with slows.
Necros - this is the target for these items I guess (never played a necro), but having 3/11 or as I say 3/7 of all PoP pottery items only useful for 1 class is just stupid, considering the 4 remaining Pottery Items are pretty lousy too!
Solutions:
1) Make the items not work with Mez.
2) If can't do 1 due to coding, perhaps make the Gavel and Shackle only work on spells that last longer than say 10 ticks (almost all Mez are less than a minute).
3) Make the stats on the items ALOT better, so that 60+ characters might actually equip the item eventhough the effect only works on 1 or 2 of their spells. (was gonna list the total stats I lose by equiping this stuff, but its not even funny). I mean give the Skull like 25 sv disease... the Shield of Valor like 20ac, or something! The Tier 1 JC Amulet of the Unseen has 25 svm, but the Gavel of Justice has 10 svm.. wtf!
4) If DoTs are under powered, make the DoTs better (do more damage, cost less mana), don't make 3 pottery items and some dropped items with some lame focus effect to fix the problem!
5) Give DoT classes, more High Level DoT spells, and ones that stack and aren't resisted all the time and so end up in the back of the spell book.
6) If worried that the items will end up as twink items increase the recommended/required level (not sure how many Afflcition 1-3 items are out there, so this won't fix all the items)
7) Introduce other PoP (i.e. High End.. not some LoY 35-60 lvl stuff) Pottery Items to compensate for the fact that the current items aren't very good (Currently my 63 Chanter wears 2 tailored items and 2 jc items - soon to be more once I get to tier 3. My 61 druid has 3 tailored items... Ranger 5 smithed, 3 jc. How many Pottery between them? Before Chanter 3, Druid 1, Now Chanter 1 - the extended enhancement one - and only switch it in when buffing.)
8) Make the focus effect BETTER. I mean if you could cast DoTs 75% faster maybe it would be ok.. or use 50% less mana...
I think #3 and #7 together would be the best at this point.
I just hope I can sell my Gavels and Skulls before everyone figures out they have been nerfed.
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