I don't agree with the way Epidemic was nerfed.

Before I start this post, I'd like to make it incredibly clear that epibouncing needed to be addressed as it was eclipsing all other classes.

However, I really don't like the way they decided to change it. It makes taking the skill for cleaving adds much less attractive. It feels terrible to cast that skill and watch the add's health pools slowly trickle down, whereas before they'd go down pretty fast.

I believe this method of nerfing Epidemic makes bringing a Condi scourge even less attractive. This should be reverted and replaced with a new method of preventing epibounces.

My proposition is to have epidemic apply a buff to all affected targets that blocks any incoming Epidemic casts for 10 seconds. If anyone tried to epi out on a recently affected, the skill will be blocked. This solution prevents epibouncing while restoring the powerful cleave necro once had.

Does anyone else have other solutions?

I often wonder why people say certain things need to be addressed as it's overpowering in the way of dps and beating other classes. There has to be some class or build that is the top of the charts in dps.. why can't it be necro with the use of epi?

We have to face facts here, the one class that has the biggest chance of getting caught with their pants down with no escape is necro. Their support is questionable at best and mobility is non-existent. By default, they should be the highest dps class. When you look at a class like ele, why do people assume they have to have the highest dps? Their mobility and utility is insane (as is a warrior), so these classes as an example (should not be able to have the highest dps output). Give it to the class with questionable support and no mobility through a niche skill.

Many necro players have suggested this change and I believe it's fair. Endless condition swapping is pretty OP.

@DeadlySynz.3471 said:I often wonder why people say certain things need to be addressed as it's overpowering in the way of dps and beating other classes. There has to be some class or build that is the top of the charts in dps.. why can't it be necro with the use of epi?

We have to face facts here, the one class that has the biggest chance of getting caught with their pants down with no escape is necro. Their support is questionable at best and mobility is non-existent. By default, they should be the highest dps class. When you look at a class like ele, why do people assume they have to have the highest dps? Their mobility and utility is insane (as is a warrior), so these classes as an example (should not be able to have the highest dps output). Give it to the class with questionable support and no mobility through a niche skill.

We have quite a bit of sustain with Parasitic Contaigon and a very large HP pool. Barrier can mitigate lots of damage if used properly. Scourge has a 4s cooldown condi cleanse baked into every single build. I think Scourge brings plenty to the table and has an appropriate amount of DPS considering all the safety there is in playing one.

In any case, the overall damage of Scourge is off-topic for this thread as it's about Epidemic as a skill for cleaving, not as a skill for making more single target DPS.

The problem isnt that epi was nerfed. It was that condi necro got nothing in return for its nerf. The key word is balance. There was no balance in necros part of the "balance". It was almost completely one sided with said nerfs.

@"Lahmia.2193" said:The problem isnt that epi was nerfed. It was that condi necro got nothing in return for its nerf. The key word is balance. There was no balance in necros part of the "balance". It was almost completely one sided with said nerfs.

That's like in a relationship.If you take something, you need to give something.Not only take take take and no give. Else you might end up not getting loved anymore anet. Especially if you do this over and over and over again to necro.

That remembers me of a song i heard this morning in the radio...

Well i really wouldn't mind the scourge/epi nerf ifA) scourge would have gotten a real supporter, that can be run in raids and not falling behind the other supportersB) If reaper got a decent buff (i don't care if Condi or power)

Well at least there's not much left that can be taken from necro.So there has to be a decent buff next balance patch right?!Or are these nerfs a setup for an incoming rework?

Im feeling useless right now

While i dont really care about the skill the cut was hard but truth be told from a fair perspective necro mains hinging on epidemic should have never been a thing and only shows how bad of a spot the core state of necromancer is in.

One of them did say that they have other reworks planned in the future hopefully necor / reaper/ scourge is in the near future.

It was necro's main use in parties, we were expecting a nerf but we needed compensation buffs for all other dps aspects. They only buffed 2 reaper shroud skills, all the other stuff are nerfs. Scourge became useless for example. Epidemic was a big factor for Necro's dps output, necromancers need much more compensation. At least they could have made it an instant skill so it would have more chance to hit.

@Umut.5471 said:It was necro's main use in parties, we were expecting a nerf but we needed compensation buffs for all other dps aspects. They only buffed 2 reaper shroud skills, all the other stuff are nerfs. Scourge became useless for example. Epidemic was a big factor for Necro's dps output, necromancers need much more compensation. At least they could have made it an instant skill so it would have more chance to hit.

The way I see it, those are 2 completely different problems that need to be viewed separately. Epi bounce is insanely broken by multiplying nearly a whole party's worth of damage. That is one issue that exists exclusively by the mechanics of the skill. Epi is not the benchmark, its very obvious its an outlier. The Necro not having a viable option outside of that is a different issue, and needs to be addressed as such.

This exact same problem exists with the Chrono tank, where the viability of the build hinges almost entirely on 1 mechanic....... the ONLY reason they haven't touched it yet, is because doing so also breaks how they've been trying to balance Raid DPS checks, and alternative comps are too complicated for Raid groups to want to run. For all the crap WvW meta has been getting about broken class balance....... Current Raid meta practically hinges on Chrono carrying Quickness/Alacrity by itself. If you were to drop the Chrono from the group comp, how does that affect viability with other classes trying to fill in for it?

No boons or conditions should be extendable indefinitely.

Copied boons or conditions should have either fixed durations like with Signet of Inspiration, or reduced durations like the current Epidemic.

Can we please keep this thread on topic? I understand that you're all upset about your DPS, but this thread is about alternate solutions to keeping Epidemic's strong cleave without enabling epibouncing.