Herald Shield Needs a bit of a rework

[JeagER.6123]

As title says. It's obvious what anet tried to do with herald shield, small heal and a boon on an aoe on shield 4, and a block and self heal on shield 5. But it doesn't really work. The heal on shield 4 is nice, but protection is fairly useless when the class can cap protection fairly easily with max boon duration without the shield. The block is nice, but useless if you aren't tanking, and the heal is self only.

Now, what would I propose the change to it could be? Theres a few options. That, and you've gotta be realistic about the change too, they aren't going to triple the healing and make shield 4 cap aegis or something, or at least they shouldn't.

I propose 2 changes to each skill, but first, shield 4. First, change the boon it gives. If I had to volunteer any, stability with a short duration, or, resistance with a moderate duration (read, way less than the skill cd). This just makes it so that the boon it gives isn't redundant, but giving it stability might be stepping on Dwarf stances toes, so I think resistance is the better idea. It's a boon not many classes can give, and would give support herald a nice niche to fit into. The other change to shield 4 I would say is for it to drop a field when it comes back to you, either a water or light field, but I'm leaning towards light. This then gives access to condi cleanse on shield without being overbearing, and combos well with mace, which you would be using for might generation anyway. If it gets a water field, reducing it's healing done would probably be necessary too.

Shield 5 is the trickier one in some aspects. The skill is already very good at what it does, a 3 second block with a large heal. This heal, however, should not be selfish, and should be a 5 man heal. This would give shield a notable heal on it, and give shield 5 some use outside of tanking. My other proposed change is to make it give aegis. Specifically, 0.5s (1s with max BD) per pulse, at 4 pulses. The reason I'd suggest this is again to give herald a niche. Giving aegis 4 times on a short duration instead of once on a longer duration, means that herald would be the only class with access to quickly applied aegis, giving it an edge in a fight like, say, gorseval or slothasor, where multiple attacks come in rapid succession. This might be a bit much though, so maybe change it to three pulses, and multiplying the heal by 1.333 with the aegis giving the same duration as I said before.

Do I think these changes will actually get added? Not really, but anet have said to give feedback on changes they're making, and they've just made heal quickness herald a thing, so here's some feedback on how to make it more in line with other support specs

[Aeolus.3615]

i would not like it to pulse aegis that is a huge downgrade compared with what is atm.

 

Just add a base heal value while pulsing to alies as well, with the latest Ventari/ herald changes Herald lost quite some heal output, and we have traits for it while they are weaker than before(due ventari changes).

Or make the trait for shield its heal and condi cleanse aply to allies on 300 range?

Edited August 14, 2022 by Aeolus.3615

[JeagER.6123]

1 minute ago, Aeolus.3615 said:

i would not like it to pulse aegis that is a huge downgrade compared with what is atm.

I mean it do that in addition to the self block. Because you'd be blocking basically the entire duration of the aegis, you wont get the block and the benefit of the aegis, but your party will get the aegis while you're blocking

[Aeolus.3615]

10 minutes ago, JeagER.6123 said:

I mean it do that in addition to the self block. Because you'd be blocking basically the entire duration of the aegis, you wont get the block and the benefit of the aegis, but your party will get the aegis while you're blocking

 

Ok, aegis for party ic now, i would still  prefer shield condi cleanse and heal would effect on alies  even on  a very short range radios.

Edited August 14, 2022 by Aeolus.3615

[JeagER.6123]

Sorry just saw the edit. Having condi cleanse on the shield is a good idea. Not one per person per pulse, maybe just 2 on final pulse, although thats just a gut reaction

[draxynnic.3719]

Now that Herald is being associated with quickness, I think it'd be interesting for Envoy of Exuberance to give some, well, quickness. From a design perspective, this would mean that heralds who take shield can get a source of quickness outside of their facet consumes, which could give them a bit more freedom to use a facet for something else (at the cost of taking shield likely being a DPS loss). From a theme perspective, Quickness seems like an appropriate boon to associate with exuberance.

[Virdo.1540]

Aegis for shield 4, instead of protection, would be amazing tbh. Rest is ok

[Aeolus.3615]

5 hours ago, Virdo.1540 said:

Aegis for shield 4, instead of protection, would be amazing tbh. Rest is ok

That could be interesting since we already have the upkeep for it.

[Shao.7236]

Make shield 4 extend boons, giving it a purpose is really needed. Turning protection into Quickness is not a bad idea either.

Shield 5 really needs an AoE spread effect for allies. Cleansing and Healing at minimum. Protection and Resolution would be a nice addition to it, but with the thematical direction, Quickness could be interesting too from a teamwork standpoint, but not so much for the user IMO.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Shao.7236

[LucianTheAngelic.7054]

15 minutes ago, Shao.7236 said:

Make shield 4 extend boons, giving it a purpose is really needed. Turning protection into Quickness is not a bad idea either.

Shield 5 really needs an AoE spread effect for allies. Cleansing and Healing at minimum. Protection and Resolution would be a nice addition to it, but with the thematical direction, Quickness could be interesting too from a teamwork standpoint, but not so much for the user IMO.

If they gave Aegis or Barrier to Shield 5 for allies it would immediately fix the skill's issues (PvE) and make Heal Herald an actual viable support option compared to FB/Mech (and now possibly Tempest). It's thematic, too, so shouldn't be a problem to fit it in.

[Shao.7236]

9 minutes ago, LucianTheAngelic.7054 said:

If they gave Aegis or Barrier to Shield 5 for allies it would immediately fix the skill's issues (PvE) and make Heal Herald an actual viable support option compared to FB/Mech (and now possibly Tempest). It's thematic, too, so shouldn't be a problem to fit it in.

Barrier sounds good. Could always in the final pulse give an Aegis too.

All pulses could have different effects too.

[JeagER.6123]

34 minutes ago, Shao.7236 said:

Barrier sounds good. Could always in the final pulse give an Aegis too.

All pulses could have different effects too.

I think the idea of all the pulses having a different effect is a good idea. Making all 4 do the 5 man heal, but have it so the first three do a different boon, then the last is a condi cleanse or something like that. Something to note is shield 4 also is 2 pulses, one when it reaches the area you select, and one when it comes back, could do something with that too

[Aeolus.3615]

14 hours ago, JeagER.6123 said:

I think the idea of all the pulses having a different effect is a good idea. Making all 4 do the 5 man heal, but have it so the first three do a different boon, then the last is a condi cleanse or something like that. Something to note is shield 4 also is 2 pulses, one when it reaches the area you select, and one when it comes back, could do something with that too

That makes u more free bait for necros 😕 if we are talking each pulse give a boon ofc, Anet freaking forcing boons on Ventari was already idiotic.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Aeolus.3615

[Esufer.8762]

I'd really like shield to have a condition transfer, not unlike Dagger 4 or Staff 4 on Necromancer. Seems like it would fit nice on builds running Demon Stance, as well as give you a bit more counterplay vs stuff like Harbinger in competitive.