The recent bug found in the 65 beastlord stance (and whether or not you think it should stay the way it was is a separate argument - it was found as flawed code that did not work) made me turn a critical eye to beastlord stances. They have one less stance than every other hybrid besides bards (who are more than fine power wise) and their stances are really lackluster. I have always wanted to make Beastlords have more synergy between themselves and their pet. I think revamping their styles are a good way to do that.
Before I begin, this is not a thread to complain about the change to Spiritual Empathy. There are plenty of other threads for that. I want input only into the proposed changes I outline below. These are all very early ideas, and have not been run through the normal dev processes yet. I just figured that after the outcry over the recent stance change, opening up a dialog earlier in the process than normal might assuage some beastlord sensibilities.
The proposal in the abstract is this: Revamp all beastlord stances to be synergistic effects between the beastlord and their pet, and change the beastlord haste AA into something interesting and useful. To compensate, we will add one more attack to the appropriate beastlord pet levels, which equals out to the same damage increase as the pet AA buff.
First, the current stances:
My proposed stances:
I think these stances increase beastlord power and utility a bit, while having the downside of being dependent on an alive warder. On the up side, tricky use of the styles will improve beastlord pet survivability a good deal. I also like how Savage Bond increases Beastlord DPS and Utility a bit when there are two of a mob. I imagine a beastlord slowing two mobs, or getting their DOTs on multiple raid mobs early in a fight before switching to other stances. The one complaint I could see coming up is lack of a pure damage style, but I think that increased utility and pet survivability would overcome that given the current damage style is nice, but not huge.
Now on to the new AA. The AA has the limitation of being a 5 minute recast, and being targettable. Currently it is simply a pet haste buff of 25% that can always be kept on the beastlord pet.
I have a couple of ideas for the AA. Some pure utility, others small pet abilities. I am more open to AA suggestions then I am style suggestions - but here is what I currently am looking at.
Think hard on this one before you call it useless. It is not combat utility, but it sure would add convenience utility. Park your pet at X, and get your group to X later on. I actually worry it might be a bit exploitable, though.
This is more meat and potatoes, but I still think it may be worthwhile as an oh shit moment, nearly always available ability. If your pet has full health, along with focuses, it is basically a mini Call of the Blessed on the beastlord for three ticks.
A pet burn curse. The 5 minute recast keeps it from being crazy high, but I could see some cool synergy happening with burnout, swarm pets and the like and casting the curse.
Comments welcome - if they are on topic. I really like how the styles turned out (but still a Derogatory, shitty or strident posts will net you a forum break at least.
Before I begin, this is not a thread to complain about the change to Spiritual Empathy. There are plenty of other threads for that. I want input only into the proposed changes I outline below. These are all very early ideas, and have not been run through the normal dev processes yet. I just figured that after the outcry over the recent stance change, opening up a dialog earlier in the process than normal might assuage some beastlord sensibilities.
The proposal in the abstract is this: Revamp all beastlord stances to be synergistic effects between the beastlord and their pet, and change the beastlord haste AA into something interesting and useful. To compensate, we will add one more attack to the appropriate beastlord pet levels, which equals out to the same damage increase as the pet AA buff.
First, the current stances:
Code:
Skill Name Level Description
(4) Spiritual Guardian 20 Reduce hate Beastlord generates
(5) Focus of the Lemur40 Raises Damage
(6) Rending Rage 55 Interrupt all spells until exhausted
(7) Spiritual Empathy 65 Share damage with Warder
My proposed stances:
- 4: Savage Unity. Lvl 20. The beastlord's warder mimics all spells and procs cast by the beastlord onto its target. Low stamina drain.
- 5: Feral Bond. Lvl 35. The beastlord broadcasts 35% of all damage received away from him and to his pet. Medium stamina drain.
- 6: Leeching Savagery. Lvl 65. All melee damage dealt by the beastlord becomes health for his pet. Medium Stamina Drain.
- 7: Ferocious Link. Lvl 55. Beastlord hate reduced by 50%, Warder hate increased by 50%. Medium Stamina Drain.
- 8: Incorporeal Warder. Lvl 65. Channel your very life energy into your warder. 100% death save on warder while active. Medium Stamina Drain. Exhaustive.
I think these stances increase beastlord power and utility a bit, while having the downside of being dependent on an alive warder. On the up side, tricky use of the styles will improve beastlord pet survivability a good deal. I also like how Savage Bond increases Beastlord DPS and Utility a bit when there are two of a mob. I imagine a beastlord slowing two mobs, or getting their DOTs on multiple raid mobs early in a fight before switching to other stances. The one complaint I could see coming up is lack of a pure damage style, but I think that increased utility and pet survivability would overcome that given the current damage style is nice, but not huge.
Now on to the new AA. The AA has the limitation of being a 5 minute recast, and being targettable. Currently it is simply a pet haste buff of 25% that can always be kept on the beastlord pet.
I have a couple of ideas for the AA. Some pure utility, others small pet abilities. I am more open to AA suggestions then I am style suggestions - but here is what I currently am looking at.
Throw Spirit. 5 minute recast. 5 second cast. -200 mana. Teleports you and your entire group to the location of your pet.
Think hard on this one before you call it useless. It is not combat utility, but it sure would add convenience utility. Park your pet at X, and get your group to X later on. I actually worry it might be a bit exploitable, though.
Merge Spirit. 5 minute recast. 1 second cast. Absorbs the spirit of your warder into yourself, casting a three tick HoT on you for a total of the pets HP (bard slot).
This is more meat and potatoes, but I still think it may be worthwhile as an oh shit moment, nearly always available ability. If your pet has full health, along with focuses, it is basically a mini Call of the Blessed on the beastlord for three ticks.
Untamed Shelter. 5 minute recast. 3 second cast. -200 mana. Casts a ~1250 spell rune and 750 damage rune on your pet.
Curse of the Wild. 5 minute recast. 3 second cast. 30-60 seconds duration. -100 resist mana check. Casts a curse on your target, increasing the damage the target takes from all pets.
A pet burn curse. The 5 minute recast keeps it from being crazy high, but I could see some cool synergy happening with burnout, swarm pets and the like and casting the curse.
Comments welcome - if they are on topic. I really like how the styles turned out (but still a Derogatory, shitty or strident posts will net you a forum break at least.