Remove the Timer from Soul Reaping

Remove the Timer from Soul Reaping

(This thread is provided as a convenience to the devs so that this issue can come to their attention without having to wade through pages and pages of off-topic in the update feedback thread.)

It's time to remove the timer from Soul Reaping.

We grudgingly tolerated it when it (arguably) served some purpose. Now that spirits no longer trigger Soul Reaping, that purpose is gone. So, the timer no longer serves any purpose. And we HATE it. So it's time to remove the timer, please.

To elaborate for those who haven't been paying attention to Soul Reaping:
PvP teams used to be able to create infinite energy engines using either: (1) Jagged Bones to create infinite minions in rapid succession, or (2) an infinite supply of spirits cast in rapid succession. First, Jagged Bones was nerfed with a long recharge that made the minion turnover too slow to be worthwhile as an energy engine. That nerf worked, and "minion spam" died. Later, the timer effect was added to deal with "spirit spam," over very strong community complaints that we'd rather see spirits just not trigger Soul Reaping. This nerf failed to destroy "spirit spam" teams (they just worked around the timer), and remains widely HATED among the necromancer player base. Now that a-net has finally implemented no-Soul-Reaping-from-spirits, like the players asked for months ago, both types of infinite energy engines are impossible, and there is no need for the timer to remain. (Moreover, with EotN as the final installment, there's no danger of accidentally creating a new one in a future expansion.)

At the time the timer was added, some people argued that it was also necessary for "PvE balance." Most responded that "PvE balance" does not exist, or, if it does, the devs do not care about it. I think that, with the inclusion of super-powered PvE-only skills like Ursan Blessing, Save Yourselves, and There's Nothing to Fear, there can be no doubt that, if "PvE balance" was ever a real concern, it is not anymore. Simply put, "PvE balance" is no longer a credible reason for nerfing anything.

Finally, I've gone to the trouble of sifting through the mountain of off-topic in the update feedback thread to pull out people's comments in support of removing the timer.

It's time for the timer to go.


[edit: In what may be a vain attempt to maintain the focus in this thread, I've created another thread just for the pet nerf.

Please put the pet comments there and the SR comments here.]

Gj and Ty for the rehash..I hope we see some usefulness come out of this.

-crosses fingers and waits-

I think SR and Pets both need to be rethought altogether.

I totally 100% agree that the no-corpses-from-pets nerf is the dumbest thing since... well, since the timer was added to SR. It's just not on-topic in this thread. Perhaps it deserves a thread of its own.

Not altogether sure why pets don't leave exploitable corpses now. Anyone willing to explain it to me, please do so.

As for the timer. It served it's purpose until the step was taken to remove spirits from SR trigger. It's now time to remove it.

Given a sufficient supply of things dying I've never really noticed an energy shortage (in PvE, I can't and don't comment on PvP balance). My first thought with the spirit change was we might lose the timer, but I don't know that I care that much one way or the other.

Oh, and I really, really don't understand the whining about pet corpses. I can't think of a change that could affect my primary necro less. If you need a corpse that badly in PvE, you're running a build you shouldn't be running wherever you are.

yeah the whole timer thing needs to go, really i mean like pronto.

that and the no minions or wells from pets? wtf is that about, is it alive? when it dies it makes a corpse, thats how the game mechanics work. riiight? or are they tossing crap nerfs out now just to !@#% with the player base.

/signed for remove SR timer
/signed for reverting back pets to leave corpse...what next? ally doesn't leave corpse?

Nah I think they're worried that some "cool" N/R "Bone Minion Petway" will become the new FoTM build or something now that spirits dont give energy.

no, the pet was an understandiable change. leave it theres plenty of other corpses in pve anyway. The soul reaping being reverted back to how it was ages ago with out the spirits sounds approprriate.

remove SR timer <-------> RESOUNDING YES it's Long Over due

Care to enlighten us on why it's understandable then as I'm sure there's several people on this forum who would like to hear it, and going by the fact you menioned pve, I can only guess it's some messed up pvp exploit someones figured out and made someone cry.

In what may be a vain attempt to maintain the focus in this thread, I've created another thread just for the pet nerf.

Please put the pet comments there and the SR comments here.

-------------------------

Thank you to whoever returned the thread to Riverside.

On topic, I'd say they should just scrap their current idea altogether and rethink it. Maybe make it so you gain one pip energy regen based on the number of enemies around:

Soul Reaping.........# of enemies affected.......Area of effect
.....0-6...........................1..................... .......nearby
.....7-12.........................2...................... ....in the area
....13-18.........................3.................heari ng distance (like shouts/chants)

Just my thought and I'm sure there are multiple problems with that ^^ but I think the current SR is just as issue prone if not more so.

I quit months ago after the introduction of the timer.

This nerf was unnessary and I lost faith in anet so I left. I've only logged in twice sense then... to collect hats in July and October. I loved this game but hated the way it was being run.

Please Anet show some common sense.

No reason for the timer. Remove it, or restore the SR off spirits. No need for both.

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Soul Reaping is arguably the best primary attribute in the game already. I have to say I disagree that Anet should remove the timer. Besides, it doesn't matter now. It won't be used in PvP because things don't die reliably enough. In PvE, Necros are already good. No need to give them infinite energy so they can spam 15 energy spells like they're free.

The timer is silly. Always was and always will be.
On the other hand - the energy gain from SR is (still!) insane.

Drop the timer and reduce how much energy can be gained from each death. I'd suggest something like 1 point of energy per 3 or 4 levels in SR.
IF SR shouldn't be rebalanced - keep the timer.
It's the only thing that is currently keeping it in check.


Aye.
Exactly.

Why are people complaining about the SR timer anyway?

In PvE depending on your SR attribute you should be getting at least 30 energy every 15 seconds, which equates to an effective energy regeneration boost of +6.

In PvP outside of builds meant to exploit SR, if you are able to trigger it 4 times in 15 seconds (by killing 4 people in 15 seconds) aren't you winning enough that you don't need that extra energy?

I'll be the first one to argue about the fact that the current method is pretty inelegant but we don't need it back to what it is before.