Balance in PvE

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

It exists, and it's important. If it didn't exist, there would be no conceptual problem with 1-hit killing monsters while having no chance of dying yourself.

Therefore, despite what a lot of players on these boards seem to think, skills need to be both buffed and nerfed to correct for imbalances in PvE.

Discuss.

bloodvayne

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

N/

Liar .

kazjun

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2006

HoVa

W/N

You can practically slaughter whole mobs solo whilst being invincible with the right build right now anyway...

Redfeather1975

Redfeather1975

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2006

Apartment#306

Rhedd Asylum

Me/

PVE may be tough to properly balance.
Even though mobs can be gimped...weak skill bars, not spontaneous and very predictable, they do however get certain advantages...quicker reaction time, higher energy regen, multi-bars (chromatic drakes)....stuff like that.
And content is pretty broad, there are battles ranging from 1 big super immune boss, to 20 lvl 20+ mobs.
I have no idea how to properly balance a skill considering how PVE battles are very different than PVP.

Omniclasm

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Guild Hall

A/

True, so then lets get rid of all AoE skills. Nerf eles some more since they usually make about 50-60% of an "elite" missions group. Then we need to nerf all of protection prayers, because focusing everything on one warrior, making him invincible while he tanks 30 monsters is sort of overpowered.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Omniclasm
True, so then lets get rid of all AoE skills. Nerf eles some more since they usually make about 50-60% of an "elite" missions group. Then we need to nerf all of protection prayers, because focusing everything on one warrior, making him invincible while he tanks 30 monsters is sort of overpowered.
You mean like with the addition of AoE panic? Or with the prot bond nerf? No? Perhaps you were referring to the removal of the gear trick? No? Ok, then you were clearly referring to the armor stack cap. Not that either? Hmmm, then you must be referring to the warrior absorption change. I'm still wrong? Well, in that case you're clearly referring to the searing flames nerf. Not that either? Crap, I'm bad at this. Maybe you're talking about the monster AI updates so they don't instantly go after the first thing in sight. Wrong again? Ok, must be the spirit bond nerf you're talking about now.

Well, I give up.

Hollow Gein

Hollow Gein

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Menos Espadas

N/

^LOL...maybe you should. You'll end up beating a dead horse with this.

darkknightkain

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2007

P/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
It exists, and it's important. If it didn't exist, there would be no conceptual problem with 1-hit killing monsters while having no chance of dying yourself.

Therefore, despite what a lot of players on these boards seem to think, skills need to be both buffed and nerfed to correct for imbalances in PvE.

Discuss.
It would be nice to have pve balance (skills, map, mob lv, distributions, compositions, patrol path, AI, allies AI, npc pathings... lots of things can be done) , but the point is moot if anet still have their skill change pvp-driven without any consideration to pve.

Even if anet can and does achieve your perfect pve balance right now, it will just be broken again upon the next pvp-driven skill change. After all, it is simpler to whine on boards to get any skills don't like nerfed for pvp, rather than have the build/team augmented to handle the deficiencies.

And that pvp-skill change will be in when, next month? When that happens, the pve imbalance will just go back to square one again.

artay

artay

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

Australia

The Agony Scene

E/

You can't balance something that doesn't exist.


I know that didn't make sense, so quote me, I dare you.

Patrick Smit

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2006

NiTe

Balance would exist if mobs would be programmed according game rule, with so many parameters not according game mechanics you can't possibly manage PvE balance right.

Crisis Redux

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2007

W/

separate pvp and pve skill balancing

Yichi

Yichi

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Guild Hall, Vent, Guesting, PvE, or the occasional HA match...

Dark Alley [dR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by darkknightkain
It would be nice to have pve balance (skills, map, mob lv, distributions, compositions, patrol path, AI, allies AI, npc pathings... lots of things can be done) , but the point is moot if anet still have their skill change pvp-driven without any consideration to pve.

Even if anet can and does achieve your perfect pve balance right now, it will just be broken again upon the next pvp-driven skill change. After all, it is simpler to whine on boards to get any skills don't like nerfed for pvp, rather than have the build/team augmented to handle the deficiencies.

And that pvp-skill change will be in when, next month? When that happens, the pve imbalance will just go back to square one again.
Because farming runs are so much more important than a player driven tournament worth thousands of dollars...

FelixCarter

FelixCarter

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

Mo/Me

I agree with the OP. But ANet has been more "Nerf" lately and less "Balance".

I'll use Seed of Life again (sorry, peeps) as an example.
When comparing it to other healing skills (assuming your Heal/Prot Prayers and Divine Favor are high enough), SoL is anything but worthy of the skill bar now.

When nerfing the time a skill is in effect, look at its energy cost. 5 seconds of Mass Healing Seed for 10 energy and a recharge of 25 seconds? Definately choose another healing skill...

But with an energy cost of 5 and a recharge of 20 seconds? Now I might take another look at it the next time I'm doing a mission with the Guild.

When balancing skills, balance them. Don't nerf them so that they aren't even worth the trouble.
(Other nerfs may vary. This is just an example of when it's all nerf and no balance.)

matti90

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

ym

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by MistressYichi
Because farming runs are so much more important than a player driven tournament worth thousands of dollars...
We have a winner.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FelixCarter
I agree with the OP. But ANet has been more "Nerf" lately and less "Balance".

I'll use Seed of Life again (sorry, peeps) as an example.
When comparing it to other healing skills (assuming your Heal/Prot Prayers and Divine Favor are high enough), SoL is anything but worthy of the skill bar now.

When nerfing the time a skill is in effect, look at its energy cost. 5 seconds of Mass Healing Seed for 10 energy and a recharge of 25 seconds? Definately choose another healing skill...

But with an energy cost of 5 and a recharge of 20 seconds? Now I might take another look at it the next time I'm doing a mission with the Guild.

When balancing skills, balance them. Don't nerf them so that they aren't even worth the trouble.
(Other nerfs may vary. This is just an example of when it's all nerf and no balance.)
This is a perfectly fine statement as far as I'm concerned. Everyone who has a clue knows that seed of life was overpowered. It needed a nerf. Now, you could easily argue that the nerf was too harsh, of handled the skill in the wrong way. Heck, that's a good thing. All the talk about "imbalance everything, monsters won't whine" bothers me a lot, mostly because it's stupid.

5e is still probably too good for the effect, but lowering the recharge would probably be ok. That way it becomes a more active skill you throw on people getting pounded on for a few seconds, rather than keeping it up on a tank forever. Trouble is, the thing really goes berserk on a bonder.

seut

seut

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

Europa

PvE skill balance is an illusion, when you add craftable god mode items at the same time (assuming the latter 2 are ebon vanguard craft items):
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Grail_of_Might
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Scroll_of_Resurrection
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Powerstone_of_Courage
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Armor_of_Salvation

Series

Banned

Join Date: Aug 2006

I agree. Balance does matter with PvE skills as well.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by seut
PvE skill balance is an illusion, when you add craftable god mode items at the same time (assuming the latter 2 are ebon vanguard craft items):
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Grail_of_Might
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Scroll_of_Resurrection
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Powerstone_of_Courage
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Armor_of_Salvation
One thing is broken therefore everything should be broken isn't really a good argument in my opinion.

seut

seut

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

Europa

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
One thing is broken therefore everything should be broken isn't really a good argument in my opinion.
When one thing is broken twice, it doesn't help trying to fix one crack and purposely ignoring the other.

Omniclasm

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Guild Hall

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
You mean like with the addition of AoE panic? Or with the prot bond nerf? No? Perhaps you were referring to the removal of the gear trick? No? Ok, then you were clearly referring to the armor stack cap. Not that either? Hmmm, then you must be referring to the warrior absorption change. I'm still wrong? Well, in that case you're clearly referring to the searing flames nerf. Not that either? Crap, I'm bad at this. Maybe you're talking about the monster AI updates so they don't instantly go after the first thing in sight. Wrong again? Ok, must be the spirit bond nerf you're talking about now.

Well, I give up.
Obviously you haven't seen the DoA team build then I am guessing? Or basically any elite mission team setup. Good job though, I'm proud, your my brave lil soldier.

Terra Xin

Terra Xin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Mar 2006

New Zealand

Me/R

Excuse the pun, but this thread is too loose to attract any form of constructive discussion.

Pass.

OP you need to make a more descriptive thread next time...

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

When all mobs become lvl 20 and you face no more than 8 in any area then you can ask for balance. Otherwise when you have things that are lvl 24+ using skills and everything 33% faster than you at only lvl 20 it cant be balanced.

acidic

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

stygian veil using gimmicks to do it and is just plain retarded and boring

upier

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

400+ AoE damage from a double speed casting boss anyone?

As long as those things appear A.net can shove their balance ideas where the sun doesn't shine.
They are just lazy - so any talk talk of balance in PvE is just a waste of time.

around

around

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2006

Aussie Trolling Crew - Diplomatic Embassy

I Have Three Pennies [Pnny] - forever in my heart <3

R/

Quote:
When all mobs become lvl 20 and you face no more than 8 in any area then you can ask for balance. Otherwise when you have things that are lvl 24+ using skills and everything 33% faster than you at only lvl 20 it cant be balanced.
Because every mob in GWEN has retarded skill bars amirite?