Dread Knight - Bugs and Issues - 4th March 07

[Arcadi]

Below are issues and bugs current for Dread Knights, balance issues ignored.

Stances
Armor of Darkness - AoD currently does not add a full 10% mitigation. The precise number currently being 9.00% added. AoD also does not add any mitigation to spell mitigation, it is currently unclear whether this is intentional or bugged. Clarification on this stance is needed.

Shadow Meld - States that it "modifies your to hit ratio by 5%", what effect this is supposed to have is unclear, it needs to be represented by a + or - 5% modifier. 5% Evasion is unclear, there is no "evasion" statistic on character screens aside from spell evasion. 5% additional parry does not appear on character screen. I have not seen any noticable gain of parry when in this stance. The stance still references having 5% extra dodge, which Protective Fighters are not supposed to have. Since the stance is supposed to add a flat 5% it may be that Protective Fighters start at 0% dodge and can gain a positive effect, but this as well is unclear. Needs clarification.

Abilties
Bleak Foeman - Can not be cast with only a shield, requires both a shield and 1-handed weapon. Ability only states a shield requirement. Sometimes displays block animation before the ability triggers, leaving the buff up. The following block displays no animation. Using Bleak Foeman than casting a spell will activate Bleak Foeman using up your block and removing the buff. (ex. Use Bleak Foeman, cast Tortue, block animation triggers, Bleak Foeman buff disappears)

Devour Strength/Mind - Self-buff is applied before or seperate from resist checks, ie. The mob can resist the spell and you are still buffed. Unknown to be intentional or bugged.

Shadow Step - Many issues with collision detection inside of dungeons. It is very easy to get stuck inside of objects while using Shadow Step. Shadow Step can also fail if used with an ability that is just about to be refreshed. Shadow Steps cooldown timer activates but no ability is used and you are not teleported. Shadow Step is occasionally used up if a check for an open area behind the mob is failed.

Wrack/Ruin-Incite/Inflame - After using the first ability Wrack/Incite, if you are stunned before Ruin/Inflame is used or runs out the icons do not reset to Wrack/Incite. This also can occur when the target dies while Ruin/Inflame is still active Wrack/Incite must be used from a seperate icon or from your spellbook. Doing so will activate Ruin/Inflame, if then successfully used the icons will reset like normal. Also if Ruin/Incite is clicked before the global refresh of Wrack/Incite completes the ability fails to activate.

Vengence - Does not become active everytime a block occurs.

Ravaging Darkness - Still applies buff to yourself even if the ability misses and the mob is not debuffed. In this case though you do not gain the beneficial endurance regen, despite having the buff. Needs clarification on intention.

Vile Strike - While this is technically a balance issue it is completely off-base. Vile Strike does x + 267 where x is weapon damage. Wrack does 4(x) + 207. Solving this for x, the only way for Vile Strike to match Wracks damage is if x is 19.666 or about 20. Hence it should be obivous that at 38 a Dread Knight should not be doing a base damage of 20 and thus this is an obsolete ability. Ability triggers and lights up on critical even without DV level 3, though if used it will fail and use up the reaction chance.

Nexus of Hatred - Aggros mobs within AoE range that are not in combat with you or attacking your defensive target as well.

Cull - Entire line of spells is missing. No response has been given why it is no longer available.

Aggro Issues
Aggro generated from Life-taps is very unclear, Scythe of Doom seems to generate almost no aggro on mobs. Clarifaction on what is actually happening would be useful. This has no hard evidence, only assumptions.

Log Lines:

Harrow
[12:22:40] Young Leaper's <highlight>Harrow IV</color> heals you for <highlight>377</color> hit points.
[12:22:40] Young Leaper's <highlight>Harrow IV</color> heals you for <highlight>332</color> hit points.
[12:22:42] You have slain Young Leaper!
[12:22:42] <BLUE>You are healed as you draw 711 points of Young Leaper's life from it.

Scythe of Doom
[12:23:31] Ksaravi Raider's <highlight>Scythe of Doom III</color> heals you for <highlight>94</color> hit points.
[12:23:32] You have slain Ksaravi Raider!
[12:23:32] <BLUE>Dark energies heal your health for 378 points.
[12:23:32] Your <highlight>Scythe of Doom III</color> hits Ksaravi Raider for <highlight>378</color> damage.

Racials
Fury of Ghann - Other Dread Knights I have talked to say that this does not work with Dread Knight abilities. I have tested it.
Spiritual Bond - Limited testing seems to show that this does not work with Dread Knight abilities. I have not tested it thoroughly.

I will try to keep this updated as changes are made and I get more abilities.

[jedilabrat]

SoD's cost of endurance doesn't offer enough back in either damage or lifetap. Further the lifetap is basically such crap that honestly just remove that portion of he ability, and seriously jack up the damage and hate generation.

I would like to see them hold their word and bring SoD back to what it was before a usable and worth while skill at a high cost which it was.

[shrikke]

Below are issues and bugs current for Dread Knights, balance issues ignored.

Stances
Armor of Darkness - AoD currently does not add a full 10% mitigation. The precise number currently being 9.00% added. AoD also does not add any mitigation to spell mitigation, it is currently unclear whether this is intentional or bugged. Clarification on this stance is needed.

Shadow Meld - States that it "modifies your to hit ratio by 5%", what effect this is supposed to have is unclear, it needs to be represented by a + or - 5% modifier. 5% Evasion is unclear, there is no "evasion" statistic on character screens aside from spell evasion. 5% additional parry does not appear on character screen. I have not seen any noticable gain of parry when in this stance. The stance still references having 5% extra dodge, which Protective Fighters are not supposed to have. Since the stance is supposed to add a flat 5% it may be that Protective Fighters start at 0% dodge and can gain a positive effect, but this as well is unclear. Needs clarification.

Abilties
Bleak Foeman - Can not be cast with only a shield, requires both a shield and 1-handed weapon. Ability only states a shield requirement. Sometimes displays block animation before the ability triggers, leaving the buff up. The following block displays no animation.

Devour Strength/Mind - Self-buff is applied before or seperate from resist checks, ie. The mob can resist the spell and you are still buffed. Unknown to be intentional or bugged. If a mob resists Devour, the mob is not aggroed, or broken from an activate sleep/mez.

Shadow Step - Many issues with collision detection inside of dungeons. It is very easy to get stuck inside of objects while using Shadow Step. Shadow Step can also fail if used with an ability that is just about to be refreshed. Shadow Steps cooldown timer activates but no ability is used and you are not teleported. Shadow Step is occasionally used up if a check for an open area behind the mob is failed.

Wrack/Ruin-Incite/Inflame - After using the first ability Wrack/Incite, if you are stunned before Ruin/Inflame is used or runs out the icons do not reset to Wrack/Incite. This also can occur when the target dies while Ruin/Inflame is still active Wrack/Incite must be used from a seperate icon or from your spellbook. Doing so will activate Ruin/Inflame, if then successfully used the icons will reset like normal. Also if Ruin/Incite is clicked before the global refresh of Wrack/Incite completes the ability fails to activate.

Vengence - Does not become active everytime a block occurs.

Ravaging Darkness - Still applies buff to yourself even if the ability misses and the mob is not debuffed. In this case though you do not gain the beneficial endurance regen, despite having the buff. Needs clarification on intention.

Vile Strike - While this is technically a balance issue it is completely off-base. Vile Strike does x + 267 where x is weapon damage. Wrack does 4(x) + 207. Solving this for x, the only way for Vile Strike to match Wracks damage is if x is 19.666 or about 20. Hence it should be obivous that at 38 a Dread Knight should not be doing a base damage of 20 and thus this is an obsolete ability.

Shield of Fear - No animation

Aggro Issues
Aggro generated from Life-taps is very unclear, Scythe of Doom seems to generate almost no aggro on mobs. Clarifaction on what is actually happening would be useful. This has no hard evidence, only assumptions.

Log Lines:

Harrow
[12:22:40] Young Leaper's <highlight>Harrow IV</color> heals you for <highlight>377</color> hit points.
[12:22:40] Young Leaper's <highlight>Harrow IV</color> heals you for <highlight>332</color> hit points.
[12:22:42] You have slain Young Leaper!
[12:22:42] <BLUE>You are healed as you draw 711 points of Young Leaper's life from it.

Scythe of Doom
[12:23:31] Ksaravi Raider's <highlight>Scythe of Doom III</color> heals you for <highlight>94</color> hit points.
[12:23:32] You have slain Ksaravi Raider!
[12:23:32] <BLUE>Dark energies heal your health for 378 points.
[12:23:32] Your <highlight>Scythe of Doom III</color> hits Ksaravi Raider for <highlight>378</color> damage.

Racials
Fury of Ghann - Other Dread Knights I have talked to say that this does not work with Dread Knight abilities. I have tested it.
Spiritual Bond - Limited testing seems to show that this does not work with Dread Knight abilities. I have not tested it thoroughly.

I will try to keep this updated as changes are made and I get more abilities.

OMG! I am not the only DK out there!!! Awesome! TYVM for this list and the information. :)

[hawnz]

still having issues raising conjuration.

also, the word of ____ line needs to be made unresistable if not completely changed into something worthwhile.

[Tarikko]

I agree word of doom needs flavor, a tiny DD instant cast with a 15 minute cooldown reeks of afterthought when designing the DK.

I saw Xaices post on another forum with his idea to make it a 5 min cooldown, with another word that turns it into a big lifetap (then setting the cooldown to 15)

When I think of word of doom, I'm thinking something that means imminent death. The scary face and evil voice signify this. Perhaps make it a DoT that gives each hit a lifetap (kind of like the shaman feedback).

Another idea is to make word of doom completely cripple the opponent, you have just doomed them with your mightiest curse and they cannot move or cast spells for x seconds, while receiving xxxx dmg which feeds health/energy back to you. (hey look, an anti healer cast that we so need, because as it is now, caster mobs are wayyyyy too tough)

The ability really should be something that adds flavor to the class, as you know, more of that can never hurt. ;)

[DrK]

Word of Doom Something needs to be done with this ability to make it useful. The timer is way too long, the damage way too small, it is resisted and can miss. It does not scale well with the dificulty of the game at all.

Either the timer needs to be lowered to around 5 minutes or the damage needs to go way, way up. It also needs to be made much harder to resist and to not miss.

Cull Where is it?


Endurance/Energy Consumption The endurance/energy costs of Dreadknight abilities is out of line with other classes. The costs of dreadknight abilities are upwards of double that of other classes similar abilities. In some cases, such as that of rescues, this seriously impares the ability of the dreadknight to do their job.

Also, the energy cost of dreadknight spells increases at a rate which does not scale with the small mana pools of Dreadknights. I.E. Dreadknights don't have enough mana to use their abilities as levels increase.



This has been stated before but Dreadknight stances REALLY need to be fixed.

Armor of Darkness is NOT applying 10% mitigation and is lowering both spell and melee damage but only increasing melee mitigation. Is this intended?

Shadow Meld is completely broken and even includes a bonus to a skill (dodge), which drk's have not had since beta.

[Arcadi]

I have added Cull to the list.

While I agree that there are balancing issues with a lot of our spells, I am maintaining this list as a list of bugs and problems where abilities do not do what they are listed to.

Things can get very messy with balancing and I think it is important for our class to first be working as listed and then balanced.

[Maliac]

I have added Cull to the list.

While I agree that there are balancing issues with a lot of our spells, I am maintaining this list as a list of bugs and problems where abilities do not do what they are listed to.

Things can get very messy with balancing and I think it is important for our class to first be working as listed and then balanced.

- The following abilities have received edits ranging from minor to extensive for animations particles and sounds:

*some other classes that we don't care about for the moment*

DREAD KNIGHT
Aphotic Shield
Armor of Darkness
Bane
Bleak Foeman
Cull
Dark Ward
Devour Mind
Devour Strength
Dreadful Countenance
Dreadful Visage
Frighten
Hatred Incarnate
Ravaging Darkness
Scythe of Doom
Shadow Meld
Slay
Symbol of Despair
Symbol of Suffering
Symbol of Wrath
Terror Incarnate
Vile Howl

Interesting to anyone?

[Arcadi]

Quite interesting there. It is a far-fetched idea, but maybe Cull was made a world-learned spell as in the way Psionicists learn spells from Gestalt Stones. Or it could be that it was just removed without notice. Either way this is interesting, hopefully we see some more development upon it.

[Ferrien]

Alot of the current DRK issues probably have some to do with scaling, as before level 30 i used to hate the class, but now at 50 im finding it's actually rather well done.

Vile strike chain is where i WILL agree with you, at level 50 a vile strike (and the second one elludes me atm) pull off roughly 1000dmg, this is unacceptable, a crit vile strike yesterday yielded me 1600dmg, my damage range of wrack/ruin is usually 2.2k non crit-3k non crit up tp 5k crits. Why is our advanced finisher set weaker by FAR than the one we get before level 10?


The current issues with Scythe of doom date back to beta 4, when myself and a few other DRK's were using it for FAR more than intended. I solo'd dailuk himself at level 21 because i kited him around the zone into a bunch of 2 dots, and i would just spam sod and use the adds to 'feed' myself hp.

Afterwards i reported it, they basically said it needed a 1 minute cooldown which it never got, infact it didnt get much of a change sans a small endurance buff until the recent incarnation in live. Which still does effective cost/dmg aoe as a DRK, but the healing factor of it is pretty much a wash unless your critting with it alot.

We were able to use it in places like cis shidreth mines before the change to pull 50+ mobs at once and aoe them down, i used to farm 5gold in 2 hours doing this at level 28ish there.

Alot of what else you listed is just cosmetic bugs, i dont use hotkeys for my finishers as i got into the habit of clicking the first of the chain off my finisher bar and just hitting g for the second (or G for both if wrack/ruin).

As for the endur/energy costs, we arent out of line as far as endurance goes at all, the only one thats high is harrow, and do you know any other classes able to hit for 3k and heal themself for 3k with such a low cost? Also i never <EVER> have energy cost issues, but im always with a psi so have acumen buffs.

We do however need a new lifetap or SOD needs to be buffed, the return of cull would be nice i suppose. So many times ive seen go completely one way or the other by harrow missing, or RD missing. Our survivabilty is dependant on these and i feel we are balanced around them.

And you stop needing rescues more or less later on, only time i really ever use a rescue anymore is when someone is charming for CC. Our agro generation at higher levels really gets alot better, between torture and our dps i rarely have any problems even with the rescue costs.

[Bubbels]

Just to add to part about Word of _____ . At level 50 we get a spell called Bane that turns our Dreadfull Countenence into a single cast damaging nuke.

Description:

"Consumes your opponent’s fear and uses it to deal 1109-1171 spiritual damage. Reduces Dreadful Countenance to 0."

Maybe a good compromise would be to create lower forms of Bane.

[Lynxal]

Devour Strength/Mind - Self-buff is applied before or seperate from resist checks, ie. The mob can resist the spell and you are still buffed. Unknown to be intentional or bugged. If a mob resists Devour, the mob is not aggroed, or broken from an activate sleep/mez.

You WANT this spell to break mez? It doesn't break mez when it lands either and I don't see why it should. You can snare, devour, and provoke, while something is mezzed.

[Demise]

Bubbels your INT must be super low. Bane should do way more damage than that, or at least it used to.

Also, I have posted these in another forum but here is a list of bugs up to level 35 that have yet to be fixed:

1. Ominous Fate, the damage from the ability seems to count as 1 of the 2 hits before the stun breaks.

2. Symbol of Despair

a) does not scale 50, 70, 80? Shaman get reactive heals for 75, 125, and 225 in the same range.. come on now.

b) No message above the mob to say "Stunned" like other stun abilities.

3. All Symbols, if you are stunned the symbol abilities do not work. Damage shield will not damage the mob, the rune does not absorb damage, and the added damage will disappear for the duration of the stun.

4. DC 3 never gets on the mob. Goes from DC 2 immediately to DC 4. The DC buff (or is it a debuff icon, heh) on us shows the proper progression.

5. DC seems to be resisted or fades off the mob from time to time. Just started happening with the most recent patch.

6. There is a lag between critical hits and blocks and our finishers and counters becoming available. This causes some commands like /reactionautoxxx, and even physically clicking the abilities to not fire.

7. Scourge seems to only do 1 pt of damage for me.

8. If Torture or Fear are resisted they do a full recast cycle instead of just burning the energy and becoming immediately available again.

9. Height is a factor in whether Scythe of Doom or Black Wind actually hit a mob. If the mob is higher on a hill than you neither will hit, and sometimes they will not even cast.

10. Slay damage is not recorded in the log (the message is just not the number amount). Only if it critical hits, and then only the extra damage is printed.

Also, has anyone thought maybe Cull is a mob learned ability? It seems other classes are missing spells at the same level that disappeared the same patch as Cull.