Unstrippable armor: the imbalance created by shouts

LifeInfusion

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

In order to see what skills may be nerfed in the future, let us look at the bonus +armor selection we have that does not rely on stances or enchantments:

Dolyak Signet --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable. caster only
-Can be prevented with "Ignorance".
-Can be shutdown with "Icy Prism"/"Complicate" (if there are other signets such as Healing Signet which can be interrupted).
(logically speaking, nothing removes signets and this will never be used in PvP due to the movement speed decrease of 75%)

Defy Pain (elite) --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable SKILL. caster only
-Can be shutdown by "signet of humility".
(people don't use this in pvp or it would be nerfed for pvp)

Shields Up! --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable shout ; arrows/piercing damage/projectiles are affected
-Can be prevented by "Vocal Minority" and "Well of Silence"
-Can be made more costly by Roaring Winds
-Can be hurt by "Ulcerous Lungs"
(nerfed for pvp once)

Stand Your Ground! --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable shout
-Can be prevented by "Vocal Minority" and "Well of Silence"
-Can be made more costly by Roaring Winds
-Can be hurt by "Ulcerous Lungs"
(nerfed numerous times)

Watch Yourself! --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable shout ; arrows/piercing damage/projectiles are affected
-Can be prevented by "Vocal Minority" and "Well of Silence"; Ancestor's Visage; Sympathetic Visage; Soothing Images
-Can be made more costly by Roaring Winds; Soothing (Ritualist spirit)
-Can be hurt by "Visions of Regret" ; "Ulcerous Lungs"
(adjusted because of paragon energy gain with 0 tactics)

Avatar of Balthazar (elite) --> 2 cast time
-Nonremovable form; caster only
-can be interrupted
(buffed)

Mighty Was Vorizun --> 2 cast time
-nonremovable item spell ; caster only
-can be interrupted
(buffed)

Protective Was Kaolai --> 1 cast time
-nonremovable item spell; caster only
(buffed)

Tranquil Was Tanasen (elite)--> 1 cast time
-nonremovable item spell; caster only
(buffed)

Bladeturn Refrain --> 1 cast time
-nonremovable echo; only to slashing damage
(if this were +damage to all, it would probably be on the to-be-nerfed list)

================================================== ========
STATIONARY

Ward Against Harm (elite)--> 1 cast time
-Nonremovable Ward; stationary
-Can be prevented by interrupts; Signet of Humility
-Can be made costly by "Quickening Zephyr" among other things
-Can be hurt by "Backfire"; etc.
(untouched)

Ward against Elements --> 1 cast time
-Nonremovable Ward; stationary; against elemental damage only
-Can be prevented by interrupts
-Can be made costly by "Quickening Zephyr" among other things
-Can be hurt by "Backfire"; etc.
(untouched)
================================================== ========

This highlights the imbalance of shouts. Shouts are the only ones that seem to affect more than the user, yet are unremovable.

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

Defy Pain isn't a shout. thus Quote:
-Can be prevented by "Vocal Minority" and "Well of Silence". is wrong.

Coloneh

Coloneh

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

D/W

none of those are overpowered at all. most of them could use a buff.

mikez himself

mikez himself

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2007

London

Guildless atm.

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by LifeInfusion
Defy Pain (elite) --> 0 cast time.
-Nonremovable SKILL. caster only
-Can be prevented by "Vocal Minority" and "Well of Silence".
-Can be shutdown by "signet of humility".
(people don't use this in pvp or it would be nerfed for pvp)
a caster skill? eh? its primary is strength what do you mean by people dont use it in pvp or it would be nerfed in pvp? well, this skill sucks for pvp and if you havent noticed.. if theres an overpowered skill, people abuse it

Dodo The Extinct

Dodo The Extinct

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Me/Rt

Quote:
none of those are overpowered at all. most of them could use a buff. I agree.....I don`t really see anything here that is abused that badly. Sure, the Paragon Shouts can be kinda cheap when they are stacked though.

Maybe there should be a maximum of how many you can have on you at one time, or maybe the Paragon armor should be reduced.

LifeInfusion

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yanman.be
Defy Pain isn't a shout. thus is wrong.
my fault. fixed. (I wrote that it is a "nonremovable SKILL" but I keep thinking it is a shout)
Quote: Originally Posted by mikez himself
a caster skill? eh? its primary is strength what do you mean by people dont use it in pvp or it would be nerfed in pvp? well, this skill sucks for pvp and if you havent noticed.. if theres an overpowered skill, people abuse it caster as in it only affects the caster of the skill.

Queen-Of-Disco

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2006

Me/E

the nerf to armor stacking makes this arguement less effective, granted shouts being stacked is annoying to the other team, they are not actually overpowered in anyway. they can be stopped by necro hexes that become a stable when shouts are currently overpowered, and seeing as guilds dont currently run those hexes lets me see that shouts are so no unmanageable that are overpowered and need nerfed

LifeInfusion

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Queen-Of-Disco
the nerf to armor stacking makes this arguement less effective, granted shouts being stacked is annoying to the other team, they are not actually overpowered in anyway. they can be stopped by necro hexes that become a stable when shouts are currently overpowered, and seeing as guilds dont currently run those hexes lets me see that shouts are so no unmanageable that are overpowered and need nerfed Check the date of the post. It was well before the +25 armor stacking change.

Mr_Cynical

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2006

Scotland

Region of Chosen Kings [R.O.C.K]

E/Mo

Shouts are already balanced. The fact that they cannot be removed is balanced by the fact that they aren't as powerful (generally speaking) as an enchantment or stance doing the same thing.