New Ritualist Skill Update 8/16/07

Pakikid

Pakikid

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Rt/

Code:
Ritualist
    * Ancestors' Rage: decreased casting time to .25 seconds; removed Exhaustion; functionality changed to: "For 1 second, nothing happens. When this Enchantment ends, all foes adjacent to target ally are struck for 30..130 lightning damage."
    * Anguish: reverted skill to its original behavior.
    * Defiant Was Xinrae: reverted skill to its original behavior.
    * Disenchantment: reverted skill to its original behavior.
    * Dissonance: reverted skill to its original behavior.
    * Spirit Burn: functionality changed to: "Target foe is struck for 5..50 lightning damage. If any Spirits are within earshot, Spirit Burn causes Burning for 1..3 second(s)."
    * Wanderlust: reverted skill to its original behavior.
    * Wielder's Strike: increased recharge time to 6 seconds; decreased unconditional damage to 5..50; decreased conditional damage to 10..40; removed exhaustion.
    * Xinrae's Weapon: reverted skill to its original behavior.
This second update helped a lot.  Spirit Burn was in my AB builds so I like the fact that it now causes burning.  Ancestor's Rage is good with a lower energy cost and the 1 second delay doesn't hurt too much with the faster cast time.  Wielder's Strike got de-buffed, but I didn't use it much so it didn't hurt at all.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on this skill update

NinjaKai

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2006

UK

Duality Of The Dragon

One of ANets better compromises as far as Ancestor's Rage is concerned. PvP won't have to worry about being ganked by AR and PvE can still use it as a funtional skill.

Glad they got rid of the exaustion. Silly putting that on the first place.

Aethon

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2007

I can certainly say that I like the changes to Spirit Burn and Ancestor's Rage. I'm not exactly "hip" to the PvP "scene", but by reverting the spirits didn't they leave in a problem they were trying to resolve? Perhaps they'll be getting another look in the near future.

Oh, and I also realize that Ancestor's Rage can't be used on spirits now. A very minor concession (at least for me), but something to look out for if you like to punish those who beat on your spirits.

Calen The Civl

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2006

Rt/

It is possible Anet is looking at redesigning the entire class since they are moving toward more active play. As the class stands currently, it is very passive.

I am glad to see exhaustion removed from a class that cannot handle it.

ZenRgy

ZenRgy

Zookeeper

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australian Discussion Posse HQ - Glorious leader

҉ ̵̡̢̢̛̛̛̖̗̘̙̜̝̞̟&#

N/E

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aethon
I can certainly say that I like the changes to Spirit Burn and Ancestor's Rage. I'm not exactly "hip" to the PvP "scene", but by reverting the spirits didn't they leave in a problem they were trying to resolve? Perhaps they'll be getting another look in the near future.

Oh, and I also realize that Ancestor's Rage can't be used on spirits now. A very minor concession (at least for me), but something to look out for if you like to punish those who beat on your spirits. The problem was Rit Spike (ie. 7/8 rits all using Wielders' or Spirit Burn or Ancestor's Rage / Spirit Rift) to deal massive amounts of damage) not the actual spirits.

It's a good update, they ruined the gimmick build but still kept the skills useful for PvE players.

Goldleader

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mo/Me

I guess the exhaustion experiment is finally behind us.

To be honest, the anguish change wasn't that bad, even with exhaustion.

Ancestor's Rage was a tough nerf. It's a great skill, even for resto rits, assuming you have some points in channeling.

hurric

hurric

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2006

BC

yes that was a scary 1 week. For a moment I thought they were serious but I can finally take my Rit to Gwen (I was totally thinking of taking some other char) and actually play my Rit in PvP as well.

those changes made no sense. Really happy they listened and saw its horrible effects.

TGgold

TGgold

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2005

Flying Gophers

Rt/P

Yay, they actually took my advice for AR =D (Actually, I had said 3 second delay, but a 1 second delay is nicer =P)

I'm happy to see the skills now used as pressure instead of spiking. (Wielder's used to do 120 ever 12 seconds, now it does 90 every 6....I'll take it.)

transparo

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Aug 2007

Rt/

Im glad they listened to the community feedback. Spirit burn and wielder's strike actually deal more damage over time, but with less one-time spike potential.

Just one tad bit thing which bugs me is the AR damage feedback, you do not see the damage numbers since its an enchantment casted upon an ally, there is no way to know whether the skill hits the target or not. But i'll take this over exhaustion any day =)

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Not seeing the big numbers is kinda sad, but since it's an enchantment it becomes hilariously powerful if you spam it on a frontline dervish. Melonni = chainsaw now.

Blue man

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

is it just me or does anyone else think that weilders strike is still spikable with spirit burn as a followup? 7 rits using weilders=630 damage to 60 armor targets(or something around that). not too many people run with over 630 health.

Teh [prefession]-zorz

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

wisconsin

Spiders Lair Kurz [SpL]

W/A

First thing i thought when i heard about the updates about rit/assassins crap the metas back XD, im happy it didnt turn out that way tho

frojack

frojack

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2005

London, UK

Rite Of Passage [RP]

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue man
is it just me or does anyone else think that weilders strike is still spikable with spirit burn as a followup? 7 rits using weilders=630 damage to 60 armor targets(or something around that). not too many people run with over 630 health. If you run around 'naked' sure. Difference is now, all it takes is 1 RoF/Spirit Bond/Infuse etc. to stop it short of outright kill. Failing that, carry a +10al lightning shield on switch and it just goes away.

Heck, do both, and you come to the reason why Rit Spike is quite dead. Rit Spike was always quite susceptible to high offensive pressure. Break through that initial burst and they generally go down pretty fast as they're rigidly locked into a pretty shit strategy. Problem was always doing just that; Breaking through it. Now the damage isn't so ridiculous (and that friggin' ludicrous N/A Necro can't abuse Ancestors anymore) it's far easier to do.

People need to move on. Finally there are some good pressure options on a rit bar. No real utility in that damage, but I suspect theres genuine reason for that (eg. slot compression). I've already started seeing some good support builds in TA which is a good sign.
Unfortunately though HA is always going to be a breeding ground for this kind of degenerate play (still think 8v8 was a less than good idea), so we'll have to see what happens there...