Next Expansion AA's

[Voragath]

Ok, time to get the wheels moving. We need to start putting a list together for new aa's and aa's we want upgraded. I'll make the next post into 2 sections: Upgrades and New. Upgrades will be the standard stuff and changes to existing aa's and New will be stuff we don't have at all. From time to time I'll update the list, please be patient but do let me know if your idea goes a week without being added. This is just brainstorming now and we'll whittle it down when it comes time to turn in a formal list to Eli.

Two rules:
1) Don't post outrageous or completely ridiculous ideas. Wanting a 10k/tic mega pet will not be tolerated and does not help. It will also get your idea struck with a note next to it saying Qsnoopyjr (ok, not really, but in my mind it will ) Bad ideas are welcome just not outrageously bad ones.

2) Keep it constructive and civil. It's ok to disagree but it must be 100% factual (no name calling, basic "it's stupid" comments, etc) or constructive. I will reserve the right to be draconian about this thread because we need it constructive. Again, it's ok for someone to post a bad idea because sometimes a bad idea makes someone think of a better one or a way to make the bad one good.

[Voragath]

Upgrades:
-Elemental Forms upgrade
-Servant of Ro
-Host of the Elements
-Twincast % and duration increase
-Turn summoned upgrade and improvements (inc dmg, crit chance, lower reuse)
-Remove pet requirement from drape and invis added
-Upgrade Reclaim Energy to give us mana and health on a pet's death (trying to merge some good ideas on this. I think it can be coded to watch for the pet death message)
-Unlink/merge Shifting Elements lines and upgrade
-Make shared health do a normal /pet shield but also heal mage for 50k (or a big number)

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New:
-AE-type version of Malo (this may need to go to spell thread too)
-Crit chances and increased crit dmg for DS's
-AE pet heal for 30k (or LoH style) on moderate reuse (10'ish min)
-a DD with 15 minute recast that acts like strike of many nuke with unlimited pet DD (they might not go for this and there's some reasons but I'll keep it on the list for now)
-slowly allow our summoned nukes have a chance to crit for more damage or a better chance to crit for the 32k it has right now or both; maybe 2 different lines for this.
-Group version of a Fire Core-style ability (I'm wondering if EU makes a good candidate for this)
-AA fade that kills all pets then invises (or pops a distraction mob like CoN that fades you and depops after X time)
-Innate Velocity on Pet
-Swap pet (supposedly not possible by code but they made the roster. "Now in the Station Store: Pet Roster for the low price of 5000 $C!!! )
-Pet DI (I'm thinking this is more spell-like so I'll cross post it in spells)
-AE Heal for pets
-FB for pets
-AA extend symbiosis duration
-Pet dopplegang
-Mana heal if pet gets killshot
-AA harvest

[vlada]

new
A cirt chance and destructive fury line for damage shields.
Free target or targeted AE or beam malo on a long recast
a 10 minute recast instant cast, 30k AE heal that only effects pets with 75 range
a DD with 15 minute recast that acts like strike of many nuke with unlimited pet DD

upgrade
rank 4, a signification more powerful Elemental Form of X
they kill our servant of ro and host of the elements line? no upgrade for host in 2 years, 1 year for SoR

[Tweelis]

New AA
Make one that will slowly allow our summoned nukes have a chance to crit for more damage or a better chance to crit for the 32k it has right now or both; maybe 2 different lines for this.

[deadman1204]

some way to synergize with other casters
Melee disciplines and abilities can help everyone in their group - so people want them in the group.
Who really cares if it's a wizard vs a mage in your group. We need a group version of fire core or such

[Calebe]

New ranks of passive innate twin cast. Up the % chance to twin cast.

As we all know the spell version of twincast duration was lowered after release. So how about an extended twincast passive AA to effect the spell to make it last an additional 10 seconds.

The next 2 AA idea's READ BOTH before you make a judgement, because I would be against the first idea but taken together, it makes sense and would be a true mage escape. Not perfect, but it would cover at least 95% of all situations.

An AA to wipe all aggro, but if a pet up it will kill ALL your pets. Now listen as I am never in favor of killing our pets, but we have Drape now. It will not work without a pet. This is OMG my pet died and I can't drape escape. So it kills off well your pet is dead so the RS pet or mini pets go poof and you drop all aggro and it invis's you. Now we have 2 escapes, one with a pet up, one without. One of the issues with drape, you can't really use it if a RS pet is up or mini pets are on the mob, as you regain aggro. So this is the fix for it. Alternate, the AA will summon a pet (instantly), and invis's you and drops your aggro. The Summoned pet will depop in 5 seconds, is non aggro. So no pet up? No problem this AA fixes it, still have the issue if a RS pet is up though, hence the first idea. I am agreeable to either, 1st idea covers more bases, but both would help us a lot. Now the next one is how to improve upon existing Drape.

Improved Drape AA. This will drop your aago, invis you, drop your pets hate list, and summon companion all in one. So with the above AA almost all bases are covered. True if it is going bad and a RS pet is up and mini pets, use the above suggested AA.

If you have been to Windsong you will notice a lot of summoned mobs. So how about an upgrade to Turned Summoned AA. Lower the recast time, make it do 7500 damage per tick, and if it crits up the 32,000 it does now to 150,000 or more.

Calebe

[Shardin]

never take cross zone coh off the list
never take fix twicast for rs off the list

I agree they forgot to upgrade our summoned nuke proc and summoned aa dot (for how many xpacs now?) And how much can rogues and rangers headshot and assasinate for now? Speaking of which can we get an aa that allows our pet to similarly assassinate/headshot lower level mobs (thinking xp in hotzones)

clean things up:
an aa to simplify buffing pet (burnout/iceflame/velocity/str aura).
any aa to simplify/consolidate all the other aa's and spells we have
get rid of any aa or spell line that has been antiquated

AA to make your pet passively have velocity speed. Rank 2 could be selos speed (this is not OP imo because it only speeds up the pet, not you)

aa that gives your pet weapons (you could have 5 different ones).

Things to make the game less Ghetto:
not really an aa but it is a wish is to fix having to set pet state every time i summon a new pet
would also like to be able to bind more than 2 keys to spell casting
make mercs less retarded, e.g., HEAL ME (mages out there know what I'm talking about). The cleric mercs also have an affinity for tanking over our pets.
make it possible to use hotkey to /pet attack while casting (like you can with mouse clicking the attack button)
add player interface for this new parsing system, or allow plugins or something
update graphics

[svenalo]

1. I am opposed to anything that kills the main pet, and frankly it is seldom the pets causing the aggro issues after Drape because you generally can wait for them to bail or get away some other way - the problem is the merc continues to have aggro, the mob comes charging after it, etc, etc. Drape needs to drop the aggro from our mercs too.
2. I like the combined AA notion of the suggested Drape upgrade though (drops aggro, invis, summons pet, etc...maybe a IVU variant as well)...
3. Aside from upgrades of existing lines, we need something that significantly gives us assistance in the mana (both usage and regen) and DPS areas.
4. While not a aa, we need a "Merc Stand Here" command similar to Pet Guard...that would solve a crapton of problems with regard to the innate stupidity of the merc AI. Maybe make it part of a new merc tier, or just put it in for all, or something.
5. Convienence: Swap pet AA. Maybe as a next tier of suspend.

[Voragath]

Until we get many of our core abilities removed from needing a pet present (Fade, Canni, Thauma, BP effects, of many, etc.) I will not be personally adding to a list for the devs any idea that is going to kill our pet. A "robbing Peter to pay Paul" scenario is not in the best interest of our class at the moment. Boosts rather than shifts are the current interest.

I do like Calebe's idea but I'm not sure it can be done because of how swarms work. If a code change can support such an idea, it'll be fair game. When I update the list, I'll put it there as a super escape pending code support until I discover further.

[Shardin]

can I not edit my posts?

Also, want an explanation or some rational way to upgrade mana regen. There hasn't been a coherent plan over time. For example, Thaumatize pet is ok but where is the upgrade and it is crappy because of how it changes target, if it is upgraded please fix this. I'd like to see all our mana regen put into a single line. Whether it be mod rods, thaumatize pet, or gather, or a buff, I don't care. You could easily just cover it all with mod rods by adding an aa that makes them more effect for the caster.