Can Elixir X please just... be a real elite skill?

[Khaldris.9026]

On its surface, getting Lich Form seems super cool, but like... the elite skill is nothing but other profession elites. I get it, the idea behind the skill is a "Mr. Hyde" style transformation. It's a very cool and thematic thing, very fitting for an Engineer elite.

Could this, instead, have an actual unique transformation to it?

[Langeball.9351]

Under the surface Lich Form also seems really cool.

[Khaldris.9026]

1 hour ago, Langeball.9351 said:

Under the surface Lich Form also seems really cool.

But it's not usable underwater... /j

Still joking (but less so), it's only 1/3rd as cool as actual Lich Form.

[bambi.6214]

Yeah, I wish they were consistent and removed the randomness from this skill, as they did with the other elixirs, but alas, it's ANet.

[Kodama.6453]

Really disappointed by this. Engineer players were asking for years for this skill to get it's own transformation and I saw tons of proposals for such. But they do nothing with that feedback and keep it as an unreliable gimmick.

[santenal.1054]

They wanted to make elixir x a more reliable offensive threat and they did it by adding more randomness. 😕 That doesn't make sens at all....

[GEGEZZ.7563]

After playing with it for a while there are common points in gameplay between the transform possibilities. Like using it in wvw requires just a small adaptation. My personal favourite is tornado 5th skill in wvw against raids.

Edited June 9 by GEGEZZ.7563

[Stalima.5490]

well, we could always go crazy and convert it into a gadget called toolshop granting you a random weapon(s) of random professions possibly in a random element for the case of ele while the toolbelt will grant a random transformation or conjured weapon, including for example a full necro shroud or firebrand book.

Edited June 9 by Stalima.5490

[James.6435]

as of now "this is a good time for Rampage" get 'nado, want 'nado get rampage /shrug

now you just wont get want you want 2/3rds of the time

[Stalima.5490]

On 6/10/2024 at 5:15 AM, James.6435 said:

as of now "this is a good time for Rampage" get 'nado, want 'nado get rampage /shrug

now you just wont get want you want 2/3rds of the time

Imagine all the salty engineers that will need to randomly get a lich roll to be the best engineer dps

[Calen.8945]

On 5/25/2024 at 2:51 AM, bambi.6214 said:

Yeah, I wish they were consistent and removed the randomness from this skill, as they did with the other elixirs, but alas, it's ANet.

If it was just the  juggernaut, I'd use it. That's a decent form, but the randomness of it make it a waste to use.

[Dark Red Killian.3946]

Split it into 3 elites. Then you choose the transformation you want. DONE lol

[Vordrax.5243]

Or, if they want Elixir X to just be clones of other professions' skills, then turn it into a kit that lets you pick the form you want and puts them all on cooldown or whatever. I personally would prefer it be a unique transformation though. Elixir X fix and turret fix, let's go.

[Dawdler.8521]

Anet: Yo we heard you liked random skills so we added more randomness to it and made it randomly work on top of that so it’s extra random. Enjoy.

[Stalima.5490]

Just a crazy thought but this is an elixir, what if they made it so you press elixir X and then you get a set of keys that can be used to mix several ingredients to create some kind of effect or transformation, a true mad scientists elite skill

[H K.4057]

I've been playing with this Elixir X a lot after the change, and it's been . . . meh? People still aren't use to Engineers going lich, so they don't remember that the best way to counter lich is to just focus damage.

• Lich 1 was very meh, but it's not worse damage than Rampage autos. Much worse than Tornado, though.
• Lich 2 is bad, and I'm not sure what it's supposed to be used for.
• Lich 3 is very janky, and I did not like it. Rampage and Tornado repeatedly CC, and can force stab from opponents. This let us set up cc chains immediately after coming out of Elixir X. Lich does not let us do this.
• Lich 4 is interesting, but the long cast time is not great and I rarely used it vs. other players.
• Lich 5 is very good, and it even pulses after leaving Lich. A lot of time I found myself hitting Elixir X, pressing 3 and then 5, and then immediately dropping Lich.

Obviously, less consistency on our elite is not great, and Lich in particular is worse than what we already have. It's honestly an unneeded change, and a very hamfisted way of nerfing the elite if that was what they were going for.

I kind of wish they'd just give something consistent and unique, like transforming us into an ooze. Oozes in particular have a skill set that feel very fun and useful as an elite, with aoe damage, aoe cc, and a long duration block.

[Langeball.9351]

I love the new lich form, but they really should buff lich 3. Allow us to cast it while moving and increase the range.

 

Lich autos can hit so god kitten hard, but they seem even more bugged than other projectile attacks. So often they will just not do anything. No miss or obstructed. Just fizzle into nothing.

[H K.4057]

7 hours ago, Langeball.9351 said:

I love the new lich form, but they really should buff lich 3. Allow us to cast it while moving and increase the range.

 

Lich autos can hit so god kitten hard, but they seem even more bugged than other projectile attacks. So often they will just not do anything. No miss or obstructed. Just fizzle into nothing.

The issue is that they can't fundamentally change how Elixir X transformations work because they are elites for other classes. The only thing they can do is change the cooldown, duration, and which transformations we get for Elixir X. It's not easy to balance, and just another reason they should give us our own unique transformation.

[Dadnir.5038]

21 minutes ago, H K.4057 said:

The issue is that they can't fundamentally change how Elixir X transformations work because they are elites for other classes. The only thing they can do is change the cooldown, duration, and which transformations we get for Elixir X. It's not easy to balance, and just another reason they should give us our own unique transformation.

They can change how Elixir X transformations work. It wouldn't be the first time they change how a skill work or even totally rework a skill.

Imo Elixir X have a much better CD than Lich form, tornado and even rampage. Cherry on top, engineer have a trait that increase their duration...

Honestly, I believe that engineer would lose a lot by having his own transformation since it would probably get a longer CD.

 

That said, as a Necromancer "main", I've been rooting for lich form to be removed from the game for 10 years already. Seeing the devs keep this ugly thing in game and even give it to engineer feel... Unsavory.

[H K.4057]

10 minutes ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

They can change how Elixir X transformations work. It wouldn't be the first time they change how a skill work or even totally rework a skill.

Imo Elixir X have a much better CD than Lich form, tornado and even rampage. Cherry on top, engineer have a trait that increase their duration...

Honestly, I believe that engineer would lose a lot by having his own transformation since it would probably get a longer CD.

 

That said, as a Necromancer "main", I've been rooting for lich form to be removed from the game for 10 years already. Seeing the devs keep this ugly thing in game and even give it to engineer feel... Unsavory.

The comment I was responding to was talking about changing the way the channel works, possibly even the animation. That's not going to happen just for Elixir X.

I'm sure why you think changing Elixir X to have a unique transformation would increase the CD. There is not evidence or basis for this belief.

[Dadnir.5038]

1 hour ago, H K.4057 said:

The comment I was responding to was talking about changing the way the channel works, possibly even the animation. That's not going to happen just for Elixir X.

I'm sure why you think changing Elixir X to have a unique transformation would increase the CD. There is not evidence or basis for this belief.

Because randomness justify the relatively "low" CD. Look at Lich form on necromancer, it's a 150s CD elite skill, Tornado on elementalist is a 120s CD elite skill and Rampage on warrior is on 90s CD. Engineer, via elixir X, have a chance to get any of those 3 on a mere 85s CD. Do you really believe that you'd get rid of the randomness without paying any price?

[H K.4057]

2 hours ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

Because randomness justify the relatively "low" CD. Look at Lich form on necromancer, it's a 150s CD elite skill, Tornado on elementalist is a 120s CD elite skill and Rampage on warrior is on 90s CD. Engineer, via elixir X, have a chance to get any of those 3 on a mere 85s CD. Do you really believe that you'd get rid of the randomness without paying any price?

Tornado is 60s for Ele in PvE and WvW, while it is 85s for Elixir X in those modes. I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that a revamped Elixir X with a unique transformation could have a 60s CD in PvE and WvW, especially if it has the same niche use of unblockable AoE CC. Another plus for a revamped Elixir X would be for it to actually be worth using underwater again. Right now, we have Plague Form which can be ok if you need blinds. Whirlpool is simply not usable because it no longer does any damage.