Downstate is Backwards

[CalmTheStorm.2364]

First off, let me say that I'm actually a fan of downstate.  I think it's a clever mechanic that allows for significant counterplay to burst / focus tactics.

 

That said, I also think that Downstate is done poorly and contaminated by lots of gimmicks and cheese plays that make it un-fun and un-true to its original purpose.

 

For starters, it is much too easy to hand-rez a downed player.  It's positively ridiculous that a single player rezzing can out-heal one or more players spamming high damaging attacks on the downed player.  As a thought experiment, grab 2 of your buddies.  Take a baseball bat and start beating on the friend you like least.  Then ask your other friend to start kissing his owwies, putting band-aids on him, and whatever while you keep pummeling the dude.  See if he gets up.  Absurd?  Obviously.  And yet this is exactly what the current downstate is like.

 

The practical outcome of all of this is that the Downstate heavily favors the defending team (the team trying to rez) over the attacking team.  But why is this the case?  The downed player already "lost" by letting himself get downed in the first place.  Why does his team get the advantage in trying to get him back up?  Shouldn't the onus be on the defending team to push the attackers back so that they can protect their buddy and then get the rez?  But the current conditions allow the defenders to rez IN SPITE OF the attackers still being present and actively cleaving the downed player.  This is the reverse of how it should be.

 

Secondly, there are entirely too many gimmicks to get around being interactable/interruptible when attempting a stomp (shadowstep, various forms of invuln stomp, stealth, etc).  This makes it decidedly easier for some classes to stomp than others, and it gets around the whole point of having the downstate in the first place.

 

Proposed changes:

1. -Hand Rezzing heal rate is reduced by 50%.  Self-rez (bandage wounds) remains the same.
2. -Stomp action is interruptible my moving or using any skill (you are, of course, still able to move and use skills; it just cancels the stomp).  
3. -Stomping reveals you, removes all stability and aegis, and exits certain modes that grant invuln (e.g., Engi's elixir s or Ele's mist form). 
   1. Modes like Berserk or Beast Mode are not ended because they don't grant any undue advantage when attempting a stomp.  Rampage would not be ended because the stability would be stripped while attempting the stomp.
   2. this would probably be accomplished by an effect (call it "Executioner" if you like) that you get when you start a stomp and that applies the conditions listed above.  

 

The outcome of these changes would probably push people to cleave more and would force the defending team to play more aggressively rather than relying on scourge  (or guardian) to barrier up and hand rez in the middle of combat.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

Not that I disagree with anything you said, but why did you put this in the warrior forum?

[CalmTheStorm.2364]

...Habit xD

Good point.  I'll find a better place for it 🙂

 

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

6 minutes ago, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

...Habit xD

Good point.  I'll find a better place for it 🙂

 

Ask a moderator to move it.

[Verdict is Vengence.6912]

Yea, this post definitely deserves better placement. But to speak on your point. I don't think the advantage is for the defending team (those rezzing). They have to stop and get enough people on the downed player to rez him before he dies. All the while they're being bombarded by the attacking team.

 

I became convinced that the attacking team is advantageous after using a full glass warrior equipped with rifle and longbow. I [Kill Shot] burst one guy. He's down. The rest of his team sees him downed and immediately rush to rez. I switch to bow and burst with [Combusting Shot] then hit with [Arcing Arrow]. I down a total of 5 people because they went for the rez.

 

It's the only time I downed and killed 5 players alone by myself. It was all because they went for the rez, using the downed player as bait. I think downed state is fine where it is. I admit sustain zergs are a pain though and they can almost instant rez (that's why I advocate "No downed State" in wvw either forever or every other week).