How I Would Improve Specter as a Dedicated Support Spec

[Za Shaloc.3908]

I felt a bit inspired today to think of ways I'd like to see Specter improved. It was the elite spec I was the most hyped about, but also the one I was most disappointed in when seeing how few changes were done between the last beta event and EoD launch. There's a ton of potential in the spec but I still don't think it's quite there. Please keep in mind that this is strictly in terms of how I view its performance as a support, not a dps. I speak mostly from a WvW perspective as I don't PvP. I do some endgame PvE stuff and I do think a lot of this is also relevant for that gamemode.

Before suggesting any changes, I'd like to identify four primary issues I see getting in the way of it becoming a better support.

1. The UI is still very limited and unaccommodating to this new style of support. In largescale WvW specifically, it is extremely noticeable, and generally makes for a very unfun time due to feeling like one has to fight the UI the whole time if wanting to take advantage of the [single] targeted support aspects of the elite spec.
2. The elite spec has too high of an emphasis on single target support. While this is a neat idea in theory, this is not how the rest of the game is designed. You can feel Specter's potency in smallscale scenarios (2v2's probably being the most notable), but it really starts to fall off as numbers increase, and I don't think this is a viable niche for it to occupy. While I think that single target support should still be an aspect of Specter, I think it needs to be de-emphasized in order to fit in with the rest of the game.
3. The core traitlines have nearly nonexistent synergy with allied Siphon. I know this may seem like a bit of a nitpick, but it is something that I find to be incredibly restrictive to the support playstyle. There is a ton of missing potential in traits and I would like to feel highly encouraged to use Siphon on an ally when playing a support role. I don't think that most of these can be applied in a blanket way so I have made a number of suggestions that are slight deviations from the traits' current functions. With Specter being so vastly different from the rest of the class, it needs to feel properly integrated to the rest of the class via its core trait synergy. 
4. The healing power scaling is all terribly low across the entire spec. Currently it hardly feels worth it to build into healing power, which should never be the case.

 

General UI Changes:

• There is now an option for "Enable all allied healthbars". Currently, visible allied healthbars are limited to those in either a party or squad (unless you highlight them with your cursor). In order to enable more fluid and intuitive gameplay in open world PvE and unorganized WvW play, this has been enabled as an option in the Settings tab.
• A unique marker now appears over the target's head when the "Set Personal Target" keybind is used. This is only visible to yourself as it is a personal target only. This can also be enabled via the dropdown menu when right-clicking on their nameplate avatar. 
• There is now an option to enable additional nameplate/healthbars for Call Targets and Personal Targets in the Settings tab. These would be slightly unique in appearance in order to differentiate them. (This would essentially function like Focus Targets in WoW in that they would be permanently visible on your UI unless a certain range threshold is exceeded).

 

Core Trait Changes:
There are a number of traits that currently have no effect when Siphon is used on an ally. This should simply not be the case as it severely handicaps build synergies and discourages the Specter from using Siphon on an ally. Siphoning an ally currently feels rather lackluster because of this. 

 

Trickery:

• Thrill of the Crime: Now procs when used on allies, but at 50% reduced duration.
• Bountiful Theft: When targeting an ally, now removes 1-2 conditions on nearby allies instead of removing boons. Vigor is now applied, but at 50% reduced duration.
• Sleight of Hand: When targeting an ally, applies 1x stab for 2 seconds to that target only (does not affect self). 

 

Shadow Arts:

• Hidden Thief: Not sure what to do on this, because I feel that stealth on such a short CD when used on an ally would be broken. Perhaps put it on an ICD? I am not particularly a fan of ICD-based proc traits so I'm sure there's a more creative path for this one.
• Rending Shade: When used on an ally, instead removes 2 conditions from nearby allies.

 

Deadly Arts: 

• Serpent's Touch: When used on an ally, now applies regen to them.
• Mug: When used on an ally, heals both yourself and target. Values adjusted if necessary.
• Even the Odds: When used on an ally, applies 5 stacks of might to them.
• Improvisation: Now also reduces the cooldown of shroud skills by 10-15% as it gets no value from the double stolen skills. Utility skill recharge reset now also functions when used on an ally.

 

Critical Strikes:

• Sundering Shade: When used on an ally, now applies 5 stacks of might to them.

 

Specter (General):

• Baseline heal/barrier values for most skills (Scepter, Shadow Shroud, traits) lowered and healing coefficient values increased in order to incentivize building into healing power. Each gamemode should be adjusted individually.
• You can now tether more than one target. Tether is broken if target exceeds the range threshold. Maximum potential number of tethered allies increased to 5. Tether duration now capped at 20 seconds from the time the Siphon/tether occurs (if you Siphon an ally, the duration starts as soon as the skill lands. Entering shroud with an ally targeted will trigger the tether duration start at that time, or refresh the duration if the targeted ally was already tethered).
• A new icon and a faint purple/black aura now also appear on siphoned allies while the Specter is out of shroud, better indicating to the allied target that they are being focused for support.
• Both the new icon listed above as well as the "Shrouded" icon (which appears on the siphoned/tethered ally while the Specter is in Shadow Shroud) indicate the tethering Specter's name. Both also list the remaining duration of the siphon/tether effect.
• The "Shrouded Ally" icon that appears on the Specter now will list all tethered allies as well. Icon now stacks in number based on how many allies are tethered to the Specter.

Scepter:

• Shadowsquall (Stealth Attack): Continues to heal the targeted ally if they break LoS after the initial cast. Does not work if obstructed or if range threshold is broken.
• Shadow Sap: Now is AoE around the target when used on an ally. Numbers adjusted accordingly.
• Measured Shot: Heal is now applied AoE around the target when used on an ally. 
• Endless Night: Continues to grants barrier and boons to the targeted ally if they break LoS after the initial cast. Does not work if obstructed or if range threshold is broken.
• Twilight Shot: Now pierces when an ally is targeted. Only pierces allies; ignores enemies. 

 

Traits:

• Shallow Grave:  Honestly I can't think of how to change this trait but it needs a total rework as it is another 300s ICD PvP/WvW trait. Not fun to fight against when it actually goes through even with the massive CD.
• Consume Shadows: I'd like this trait to scale off of healing power but I think it'd be clunky if it was simply changed to that without modifying anything else about the trait. I think it needs a partial rework but I don't have any ideas at the moment. 
• Amplified Siphoning: Now also grants shadow force (12-15) when used on an ally.
• Hungering Darkness: Interval increased to 3s in PvE and WvW. (If this is too strong due to more than 1 ally being tetherable, it could also increase shroud degeneration rate by 10-15%.)
•  

Wells: 

• Well of Gloom: Now a light field. Pulsing area heal coefficient increased in PvP/WvW.
• Well of Bounty: Now an ethereal field.
• Well of Tears: Now a light field. Reworked. Damaging component has been completely removed. Now instead converts one condition to healing per pulse. If there are no conditions to clear, it instead grants barrier.
• Well of Sorrow: Increased power damage to compensate for Well of Tears being reworked.

 

 

These are of course just suggestions and I don't think they are perfect by any means, but I'd really like to see ANet put some more work into making this elite spec feel like a complete work. 

[kash.9213]

I like your writeup on possible Core trait synergy, especially Rending Shade. 

I'm not sure a complex system of target marking and monitoring is a solution when factoring the average player but I like your breakdown of it for group and squad play. 

I think Specter is still enemy target focused, but the single targeting can be frustrating and that's what stands out. We're supporting on a group scale by targeting enemies anyway by breaking our barrier if we've traited for that and building Force. We have more reach attacking on a group scale by targeting a single ally which is great but that's where people hit the first noticeable problem. 

I mentioned before that whoever the game is registering as being under your mouse curser on rollover should have a more noticeable highlight and border to fish through crowds when using Scepter. When I pay more attention to the slightly brighter shade of green border and health bar of allies when my mouse rolls over them then I have an easier time clicking on allies at a glance, even with Action Cam. That's not sustainable for us in general though and a more lit ally or enemy character under the curser would lead to faster and easier targeting.

I'd also like to infuse ally buffs and healing with Barrier maybe and while it may sound strong, allow that second hand barrier to spread Rot Wallow Venom. I think that could warrant staying on one ally target for a longer time and in more of a support role, while not entirely missing out on other aspects of the fight. But I'm sure I'm missing some aspect of that idea that wouldn't work or would be op but that's what I feel I'm missing when I'm stuck on one ally target for a minute because they need to stay up and I can't break my barrier group wide during that time. 

Edited April 26, 2022 by kash.9213

[Za Shaloc.3908]

On 4/26/2022 at 3:30 PM, kash.9213 said:

I like your writeup on possible Core trait synergy, especially Rending Shade. 

I'm not sure a complex system of target marking and monitoring is a solution when factoring the average player but I like your breakdown of it for group and squad play. 

I think Specter is still enemy target focused, but the single targeting can be frustrating and that's what stands out. We're supporting on a group scale by targeting enemies anyway by breaking our barrier if we've traited for that and building Force. We have more reach attacking on a group scale by targeting a single ally which is great but that's where people hit the first noticeable problem. 

I mentioned before that whoever the game is registering as being under your mouse curser on rollover should have a more noticeable highlight and border to fish through crowds when using Scepter. When I pay more attention to the slightly brighter shade of green border and health bar of allies when my mouse rolls over them then I have an easier time clicking on allies at a glance, even with Action Cam. That's not sustainable for us in general though and a more lit ally or enemy character under the curser would lead to faster and easier targeting.

I'd also like to infuse ally buffs and healing with Barrier maybe and while it may sound strong, allow that second hand barrier to spread Rot Wallow Venom. I think that could warrant staying on one ally target for a longer time and in more of a support role, while not entirely missing out on other aspects of the fight. But I'm sure I'm missing some aspect of that idea that wouldn't work or would be op but that's what I feel I'm missing when I'm stuck on one ally target for a minute because they need to stay up and I can't break my barrier group wide during that time. 

 

Yeah, I was thinking that having multiple tether targets to micromanage may be overly complicated and unintuitive, but I also felt that my other ideas for facilitating better multi-target support would require a complete rework of how Shadow Shroud works, and I didn't want to dive that deep because ANet seems to want to push it into a very specific playstyle. I felt that multi-tethers was a more realistic that stays in line with their vision, if that makes any sense at all.

 

I totally agree with you about highlighting needing to be more noticeable. I was actually going to mention that same thing in my post lol. In general there's a large handful of UI things that can be done to improve the targeted support experience and I hope ANet knows just how much of an impact these things can have. There are a lot of great ideas from other MMORPGs out there that I would love for ANet to implement.

 

I don't think I quite understood what you meant by your last paragraph. Mind elaborating a bit more?

 

Thanks for your reply! 

 

 

 

[kash.9213]

8 hours ago, Za Shaloc.3908 said:

I don't think I quite understood what you meant by your last paragraph. Mind elaborating a bit more?

I had thought to spread some Barrier through allies non offensive output, like buffs and heals, so that we could actually focus more on one target or our tether, especially when group or squad positioning kind of leaves us with nothing to do. I should have edited that because I didn't think about how quickly Shadow Force could build up through Rot Wallow Venom and that could be too powerful.