Suggestion - Vindicator Damage/Support/Hybrid customizable playstyles

[Pariax.9674]

The following post suggests medium size changes to make the current Vindicator more customizable towards specific playstyles and niches while still staying as true to the dual legend identity as possible. A hybrid playstyle akin to the current vindicator is still very much possible. Playstyle focus is determined by choice of grandmaster talent.

This suggestion is the most far reaching i've come up with, smaller scope changes are suggested in the revenant forum (here). Balance and specific Boni are subject to review ofcourse, this is meant to transport a  gameplay design concept only. 

 

With your choice of Grandmaster Trait you can focus on either offensive playstyle with a dominant Luxon Utility, a defense and support playstyle with dominant Kurzick Utility or a hybrid role allowing total mixing of Utilities. Your focus expresses in your Utility skills, your dodge behavior, as well as your F2. 

Commiting to one Legend as dominant causes your Utility to always reset to the chosen Legend’s type when coming off cooldown. While on cooldown, you can use the ‘secondary’s’ legend’s Utility with a bonus that shifts it towards your prefered playstyle (see below). Your dodge shifts towards heavy AoE damage for Luxon or Aoe Healing and Barrier for Kurzick. 

Your F2 Skill is a long Cooldown that doubles down on your dominant Legend and allows you to use its Utility in its highest potency, but at a price. 

Choosing the hybrid Adaptive Tactics allows you to make dynamic use of both Utilities, profit from both Legends Utility boni, and use dodge for both heal and damage. However, hybrids do not get access to a commitment F2 cooldown. Instead, they use F2 to get even more control of their Utility state and get rewarded for frequent switching with additional endurance.

 

Grandmaster Traits

 

Archemorus leads the Charge (Luxon Offense)

Utility is Luxon when off CD. When on CD, allows use of Kurzick skills with additional Luxon boni.

Grants Luxon Commitment (F2). Using Kurzick Utility refunds 5 sec of F2 Cooldown. 

Dodge is powerful AoE damage

 

St Victor leads the Defense (Kurzick Defense)

Utility is Kurzick when off CD. When on CD, allows use of Luxon skills with additional Kurzick boni.

Grants Kurzick Commitment (F2). Using Luxon Utility refunds 5 sec of F2 Cooldown. 

Dodge is powerful AoE heal

 

Adaptive Tactics (Hybrid)

Utility switched between Luxon and Kurzick on use. Grants Endurance.

Kurzick skills gain additional Luxon boni, Luxon skills gain additional Kurzick boni.

Grants Alliance Tactics (F2)

Dodge is powerful AoE damage and Heal

 

 

 

Ability Boni:

Selfish Spirit Kurzick bonus:  Heal nearby Allies for every target affected

Nomad’s Advance Kurzick bonus: Grants nearby Allies protective boons at arrival

Scavenger Burst Kurzick bonus: Grants Protection to nearby Allies based on targets affected. Your Next Treesong grants Quickness to all nearby Allies based on enemies hit.

Reaver’s Rage Kurzick bonus: Grants nearby Allies Barriers based on targets affected

 

Selfless Spirit Luxon bonus: nearby Allies release a single   Luxon damage wave (See Selfish Spirit) that heals you for enemies hit.

Battle Dance Luxon bonus: Archemorus deals damage at start and end of the dash. Your next Nomads Advance grants a short evasion

Treesong Luxon bonus: affecting targets grants offensive boons to you

Awakening Luxon bonus: Grants yourself Might for every target affected

 

F2 Abilities:

 

 Alliance Tactics (F2 Hybrid):

Switches all Utility skills based on their current state. Grants Endurance on use. No Energy cost, 10 Second Cooldown.

 

Luxon / Kurzick Commitment (F2 Luxon/Kurzick):

Refreshes all Utility skills. While active, utility skills have no Cooldown and do not switch form on Use.

Utility skills inherit the Luxon/Kurzick bonus of their counterpart for the duration.

Skill Energy Cost increases with each subsequent use of the same Utility. Can be recast to cancel effect.

Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 60 sec.

(In non-Vindicator stances, this could increase potency of utility skills at the cost of higher energy costs, possibly even applying no cooldowns,

depending on balance)

 

 

 

Gameplay Thoughts & Comments:

 

Grandmaster Talent choice allows for customization of playstyle and does not limit the vindicator to a hybrid role.

Commitments (F2) allows for windows of powerful focus on offensive/support, while clever Use of the full range of options (the “secondary” Utility) makes these windows more frequently available.

Hybrid playstyle allows for the full range of powerful synergies that rewards dynamic playstyle and good control of switching.

Keeping the secondary Utility and combining its hybrid nature with boni and a reward for the chosen playstyle hopefully creates a unique “alliance feel” while still allowing for a playstyle focus.

Energy costs, cooldowns, and legend boni provide ample balancing levers to fine-tune specific playstyle performance and safeguarding against abuse. 

 

 

Thanks for reading and be nice! If you arent into suggestions, thats fine, this is not meant to ruin the favorite part of your profession. Constructive feedback and discussion is very welcome ofcourse!