Elixirs need more style!

[Voidrunner.5093]

Elixirs are still lackluster, and that's not an elixir problem; Engie elixirs are pretty fun.  Throwable is a step in the right direction.  I do miss the drink animation.
My first thought is "make only some of them throwable and some of them drinkable."  That way some of the elixirs can be reenvisioned into more throwable potential.

The Good
Throwables applying condis are excellent!!  an ELIXIR APPLYING LIFEFORCE IS GOOD!!!  This is good.
I like that the heal elixir,  Elixir of Promise applies poison.  It needs to apply more poison since you are sacrificing a heal skill if at a distance.

They dont all have to be throwables, but if they are then no harm

The elite elixir is like this close range bomb because if you throw while you are in its affects then the enemy starts taking 25might of condidamage from 5 different condis.
. . . .give it fear

 

Current effect suggestions
Elixir of Promise should apply more poison 2stacks
Elixir of Ignorance should apply longer blindness 3s (for chill synergy)
Elixir of Ambition could apply fear (long enough for at least 1 tick of terror).

More Interesting Effects
That said.  What more could be done to give Harbinger a memorable elixir set?
Elixirs that do more than just boons, or give wierder boons and condis

I think aoe fear should be in a throwable elixir.
I also think throwable stun break would be unique.
Superspeed instead of swiftness would be better.

Engie has access to invuln in an elixir and thats actually a fun one.
Necro could get one too with a caviat or a boon to make it different from the engie elixir.  Maybe necro could have an elixir that prevents downstate if they take lethal damage within the time frame.  Or just the invuln would be fine.

Interesting Elixir effects can include
Elixirs that summon parasites
Elixirs that apply blight to the enemy (necro v necro might be weird in this one)
Elixirs that turn on friendly fire (a potion that causes the afflicted to go insane)
Surviving Lethal maybe.  IDK something fun and cool.  A death nova on down state while under potion effects would be cool.  Tons of toughness added?  Idk something special. 

These are just directions rather than suggestions.
I'm expressing the desire for more luster in the spec's utilities all previous elite specs have been unique and memorable.  Even the shouts on reaper had tons of style!

Again, a throwable fear potion would be in character.  Fear is also a very fun condi.  This is a missed opportunity

The Elixirs still need a bit more style.  Its almost there just needs just a bit more creativity. 
A fear potion at the very least.

Names
Also all these Elixirs need knew names.  Elixir of Promise is a heal potion thats poisonous to enemies.  Name it something more necro
The Elixir's have the most non necro names, very out of character.  Elixir of Bliss?  sounds like a mesmer.
Here are some necromancer elixir names:

Elixir of Madness
Antivenom Tonic
Witchhunter's Brew
Nightmare Elixir/Elixir of Nightmare
Krait Oil
Spider Juice

Marrow Syrup
Vial of Corruption
Kybright Potion
Elixir of Mercury
Vial of Undeath
Aatxe Elixir
Elixir of Ectoplasm
Jar of Ghosts

Elixir of Anguish is fine

Edited November 30, 2021 by Voidrunner.5093
edits

[Aedil.1296]

Hi I have to admit I missed a lot the drinking animation too! Not sure why we didn't have it as we have that on engi already? 

Also, I agree on the names, you proposed some very nice names! The ones they used are quite anonymous and means nothing really and not very in necro style either. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Aedil.1296

[Ultramex.1506]

And when EoD go live, I hope they will change elixirs icons to make their purpose easier to remember

[Dadnir.5038]

12 hours ago, Voidrunner.5093 said:

Throwables applying condis are excellent!!  an ELIXIR APPLYING LIFEFORCE IS GOOD!!!  This is good.

To be fair, as it is, after the changes the Harbinger will be swimming in LF and don't know how to spend it. As it stand, Elixirs giving LF is more a useless feature than anything. I mean, where are you even supposed to spend LF? You need to only build 35% LF out of shroud to achieve optimal shroud use which is the cycle of being 10s in - 10s out (and in fact it's even lower requirement as gluttony add 10% to all source of LF).

 

12 hours ago, Voidrunner.5093 said:

The elite elixir is like this close range bomb because if you throw while you are in its affects then the enemy starts taking 25might of condidamage from 5 different condis.

Nobody use signet of spite active effect for a good reason. Nobody will use the elite elixir for the single stack of each damaging condition it will apply. This was a useless addition to the skill, really.

 

Personally, I think that they've overloaded elixir with to many effects and that wasn't a good thing to do. As they were, elixirs had relatively balanced effects even if they weren't popular, after the changes announced they will be the most bloated skills of the game, doing way to many things at once.

The Elixirs needed to be polished instead of being bloated.

[Asum.4960]

On 11/30/2021 at 10:03 PM, Voidrunner.5093 said:

Elixirs are still lackluster, and that's not an elixir problem; Engie elixirs are pretty fun. 

Yea, it's just that the Harbinger ones in particular are conceptually bad. 

 

The reason Engie Elixirs work it because they have clear, potent and varied effects, and additional Utility and interaction with the toolbelt skills (which often on their own are more potent than the whole effect of the Harbinger Elixirs). 

From Stunbreak+Invulnerability, to Revival and Endurance gain to full condition to Boon conversion to transforming enemies into Moas, to Transforming yourself into a Tornado etc., they are pretty cool and varied on Engie.

 

Even the blandest Engie Elixirs just granting boons like Elixir U grants Quickness + 2 Stacks of Stability + Vigor + is a Stunbreak (+ AoE Superspeed and Stunbreak to throw at allies). All in one Elixir.

In comparison, even one of the most "potent" Harbinger Elixir's, Anguish, is just Quickness + Swiftness (+ a bit of Weakness now if thrown). Exciting. 

 

The Engie Heal Elixir is Protection, Regeneration and Swiftness + Protection, Regeneration and Vigor to throw AoE + 5560 Base Heal.

Harbinger: Regen + 4808 Base Heal. Same CD.

 

I could go on comparing them, but yea, Harbinger Elixirs, thrown or not, are just boring and lacklustre - all the way through from Icons to usability to Effects.