Hi everyone, today i come here with something that may be useful to everyone. I took my time and made a Demon Hunter spreadsheet with what i think to be all the issues regarding the class along with possible solutions + some suggestions.
Some feedback would be appreciated and if people like it i think i'll create another one, regarding general game issues and philosophy.
The sharpshooter suggestion seems odd to me. I can't honestly think of something I like better however. I thought of a couple things but they would just change the playstyle too much like Sharpshooter removing all crit chance but for every enemy you hit, your crit chance is increased by x%. That would negate crit chance on gear which would be weird and I'm pretty sure the changes to one with everything is proof that blizzard doesn't want a class that physically has a way to negate one or more stats.
Sharpshooter has always been about crit chance but the changes to Awareness proves that the original concept can change easily as long as the purpose remains the same. So feel free to go outside the mold based on maybe something DH's are lacking offensively. Crit chance and damage isn't exactly an issue and upping those seems unneeded. Of course we could always use more crit damage but something that just boost crit damage is... well boring and I don't think Sharpshooter is strictly a passive that is supposed to increase damage. I feel the original design was much more strategic than something like archery. Anyway I think I'm rambling... So I suppose my point is maybe look back at your list and make some changes to things that you've decided to keep similar just for the sake of being similar. Maybe sharpshooter could work with... uhm... Certain skills perhaps. Maybe some kind of bonus to "single target" abilities or mainly just abilities that require them to hit their target to be effective. Stuff like multishot and cluster arrow DO obviously need to hit but you can kinda shoot in general directions and still do damage. Stuff like impale you cannot.
Thanks for this! Now it's "Increase Crit Chance by 1% for every sec you hit a Critical hit. This effect stacks up to 30 times and lasts 1 second."
I most likely was writing the "possible suggestion" but forgot to finish it and jumped to the next skill/item/subject.
This would basically be a Greater Rift passive for Demon Hunters. But this class already is the highest damager... so i guess 0 chance it will be implemented.
Edit: This topic had a reasonable amount of views so i guess i'll start working on a general game issues.
Not really sure why you needed to make a spread sheet but it dose make it a little easier to read (more so when you have two screens). Everything here is IMO naturally. I'm sure I'll be wrong, but these are my feelings on the points you have brought up.
olas :Taking 1 second to explode is too much time for in-game dynamics. Eliminate the 1 sec delay and make the explosion size smaller to compensate
If you have Emimei's Duffel, they have no delay on exploding, however giving the other options for quivers and skill combinations, it's still not worth it. Even if they removed the delay and removed the legendary (would not happen), it is still an under powered skill that has not many uses.
mpale: Low damage, high cost compared to other skills, lacks AoE, no synergies. Buff damage + add fast ricochet mechanic that hits many mobs / mechanic similar to Multishot + piercing mobs
20 hate is low (multi is 25) considering if you grievous wounds the burst on it is very high with the right combination of stats. However like you said, no AOE and that is a problem when you need massive AOE. The rune overpentration dose pierce but again not much in line for aoe when you have options like elemental arrow lighting ball. I like the idea of ricochet kind of like barb's skill, but it would need a lot more than that to really help. Here is my other thought on it, if you have all aoe skills, it basically comes down to what has the best syngery and supporting items.
altrops: Bad mechanics, doesn't cover enough area, almost only used through Helltrapper. Increase size, make it cover a 180º area, make DHs able to throw it
Caltrops is bad all around, I am in agreement with you. I don't understand what you mean by 180 degree to cover an area, they are activated by proximity in 360 degrees. Caltrops could be better I think by making them a debuff in addition to the slow. Like mobs under the effect of caltrops take X% more damage from all sources. The rune bait the trap is a good quick buff for more CHC but when you are rocking 40%+ it's very minimal bonus IMO.
moke Screen: Was used almost only to be chained but can't be chained anymore. Increase cd greatly (60 sec) but make it last 5 to 8 sec + make movement unhindered
This basically would be the 'OH @#$@#' button. I like the idea but I think if they changed it to be if you use any skill or action other than moving it removes the effect. That way you are not using it and just running way out of the way. Personally I've never really used SS because it's very lack luster and it's easier to just avoid getting into bad spots and then tumble out. If there was a big CD on it, there would not be many other things to dump DIS into.
hadow Power: Not good enough to be worth a slot except if used with Shadow's Mantle set. DH dynamic is avoid damage, not take it + regen, so turn life per hit mechanic into CC, or a speed buff. Example: "Enemies you hit become enveloped by the shadows, becoming immobilized by 5 seconds", animation would be enemies hit with it get black like when DH uses SS
Shadow power is worthless. Even with the change you are thinking, it still is not good enough IMO to take up a slot on my bar. I don't know what would be good but it needs to be different.
reparation: Never used to restore Discipline because of high cooldown/low regeneration. Create 2 separate skills (1 regen hatred, 1 regen discipline) + make discipline regen skill as good as Punishment
The problem is not the skill it's self, but what we can use dis for. Regenerating hate was the idea a while back, but then blizz changed it, now it's worthless. It's again a skill that solves a problem that dose not need much help. Hate and disc are not in short supply, part of playing the game is going to be managing the resources.
an of Knives: High cooldown, low damage, affects a small area, bad mechanic, no sinnergies. The +40% armor rune is used by some Straffers. No idea what to do with this though, just remove from the game and create another
I have to agree. It either needs an overhaul or remove for different more interesting skill. DH are ranged no melee.
pike Trap: 2 sec arm/re-arm time too much for game dynamics, low damage, low cap. Buff damage to something like 1000% WD + remove arm, re-arm time, increase cap to 5, make DHs able to throw it.
I would rather see this just combined with caltrops and eliminate this skill for something else.
engeance: Absurd cd with no mechanic to reduce it, weak runes, only used with Strafe. (Make a Vengeance set/redesign a leg cloak) with a mechanic to reduce the cooldown, revamp runes
Agree the CD could be reduced or a way to reduce the CD of it, however the runes I think are mostly good. If you push the runes too much, then this skill becomes the end all be all skill that everyone will figure out a way to reduce the CD on to almost nothing. Kind of like how CMWW used to be.
ain of Vengeance: Low damage output for a high cooldown, almost all runes have bad mechanic. Turn it into the Demon Hunter's Earthquake (make it cost 60 Hatred + increase damage to 4000-5000% WD)
Good idea but leave the cd where it is, just incress damage and area of effect. Rework runes a little. 30 second cd is reasonable. 1500% base damage is not.
gt;Combined passives<
TofH: yeup, change it.
NS: It wont go back. It was too op and basically if you did it right, gave you permanent SS. You have to take damage or be in danger sometime or it's not fun.
Brooding: Needs to be changed, like you said, if you are not moving you are doing something wrong.
Archery: Uhhhh I don't know why you think they are not good bonuses, they are in the top 10 across the board of passives used.
Perfectionist: It's a great skill if you are have subpar gear and need more survival. Could it use a little more of a boost? Sure, but have to be careful how it's done becase we don't want it to be a mandatory skill.
Sharpshooter: Needs to be reworked, but the way you are recommending would still put it near the bottom where it is now. If I was asked, I would make it increase crit based on the amount of crit damage you have as a %.
Single out: If the radius is reduced it would be TOO good, again want to have that balance of good, but not mandatory.
gt;Combined items, not gonna go everyone of them<
Over all most of these items could use a little help but some should just be left alone, while others should be reworked. The problem is a lot of the items and set items make you choose what kind of build and play style you want to do. Some are better than others of course but some are just not worth it at all. Build variety is better when you have more items and sets that encompass more skills and the skills them self's are options and not requirements.
All IMO of course. I'm not hardcore or super high paragon or anything like that.
I was writing a text that was already 9 pages long and i hadn't covered half of what i covered in the spreadsheet, so, yes, that is why i used the google spreadsheet. It makes the reading a lot easier.
"If you have Emimei's Duffel, they have no delay on exploding, however giving the other options for quivers and skill combinations, it's still not worth it"
I knew about it but the point is to improve the skill alone, not need an item to make it that way. That quiver isn't worth a slot, besides, end-game Demon Hunter doesn't involve primary skills (in most cases), so Bolas would merely be a progression skill.
"20 hate is low (multi is 25)"
20 Hatred is high considering what the skill does and the damage output. Multishot costs 25 but is one of the most effective skills, Penetration costs 20 and sucks.
" I don't understand what you mean by 180 degree to cover an area, they are activated by proximity in 360 degrees"
It means that, when used, Caltrops would cover a 180º area in front of you. It would be like a semi-circle.
"NS: It wont go back. It was too op and basically if you did it right, gave you permanent SS."
Maybe you didn't read the entire spreadsheet, but i covered this... i said that SS was nerfed and you can't have perma SS anymore even with Night Stalker, so why change the mechanic of Night Stalker?
And i didn't suggest to just make it back to the way it was, i suggested a nerfed version of that same mechanic.
"Single out: If the radius is reduced it would be TOO good,"
I mean to reduce it a little, not a lot.
"Build variety is better when you have more items and sets that encompass more skills and the skills them self's are options and not requirements."
Some feedback would be appreciated and if people like it i think i'll create another one, regarding general game issues and philosophy.
Enjoy (or not):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ErScj2gRSLT5Xvmifqy3lMtJDRdGNmsOhN8e0Ii5UKM/edit#gid=0
Sharpshooter has always been about crit chance but the changes to Awareness proves that the original concept can change easily as long as the purpose remains the same. So feel free to go outside the mold based on maybe something DH's are lacking offensively. Crit chance and damage isn't exactly an issue and upping those seems unneeded. Of course we could always use more crit damage but something that just boost crit damage is... well boring and I don't think Sharpshooter is strictly a passive that is supposed to increase damage. I feel the original design was much more strategic than something like archery. Anyway I think I'm rambling... So I suppose my point is maybe look back at your list and make some changes to things that you've decided to keep similar just for the sake of being similar. Maybe sharpshooter could work with... uhm... Certain skills perhaps. Maybe some kind of bonus to "single target" abilities or mainly just abilities that require them to hit their target to be effective. Stuff like multishot and cluster arrow DO obviously need to hit but you can kinda shoot in general directions and still do damage. Stuff like impale you cannot.
I most likely was writing the "possible suggestion" but forgot to finish it and jumped to the next skill/item/subject.
This would basically be a Greater Rift passive for Demon Hunters. But this class already is the highest damager... so i guess 0 chance it will be implemented.
Edit: This topic had a reasonable amount of views so i guess i'll start working on a general game issues.
If you have Emimei's Duffel, they have no delay on exploding, however giving the other options for quivers and skill combinations, it's still not worth it. Even if they removed the delay and removed the legendary (would not happen), it is still an under powered skill that has not many uses.
20 hate is low (multi is 25) considering if you grievous wounds the burst on it is very high with the right combination of stats. However like you said, no AOE and that is a problem when you need massive AOE. The rune overpentration dose pierce but again not much in line for aoe when you have options like elemental arrow lighting ball. I like the idea of ricochet kind of like barb's skill, but it would need a lot more than that to really help. Here is my other thought on it, if you have all aoe skills, it basically comes down to what has the best syngery and supporting items.
Caltrops is bad all around, I am in agreement with you. I don't understand what you mean by 180 degree to cover an area, they are activated by proximity in 360 degrees. Caltrops could be better I think by making them a debuff in addition to the slow. Like mobs under the effect of caltrops take X% more damage from all sources. The rune bait the trap is a good quick buff for more CHC but when you are rocking 40%+ it's very minimal bonus IMO.
This basically would be the 'OH @#$@#' button. I like the idea but I think if they changed it to be if you use any skill or action other than moving it removes the effect. That way you are not using it and just running way out of the way. Personally I've never really used SS because it's very lack luster and it's easier to just avoid getting into bad spots and then tumble out. If there was a big CD on it, there would not be many other things to dump DIS into.
Shadow power is worthless. Even with the change you are thinking, it still is not good enough IMO to take up a slot on my bar. I don't know what would be good but it needs to be different.
The problem is not the skill it's self, but what we can use dis for. Regenerating hate was the idea a while back, but then blizz changed it, now it's worthless. It's again a skill that solves a problem that dose not need much help. Hate and disc are not in short supply, part of playing the game is going to be managing the resources.
I have to agree. It either needs an overhaul or remove for different more interesting skill. DH are ranged no melee.
I would rather see this just combined with caltrops and eliminate this skill for something else.
Agree the CD could be reduced or a way to reduce the CD of it, however the runes I think are mostly good. If you push the runes too much, then this skill becomes the end all be all skill that everyone will figure out a way to reduce the CD on to almost nothing. Kind of like how CMWW used to be.
Good idea but leave the cd where it is, just incress damage and area of effect. Rework runes a little. 30 second cd is reasonable. 1500% base damage is not.
TofH: yeup, change it.
NS: It wont go back. It was too op and basically if you did it right, gave you permanent SS. You have to take damage or be in danger sometime or it's not fun.
Brooding: Needs to be changed, like you said, if you are not moving you are doing something wrong.
Archery: Uhhhh I don't know why you think they are not good bonuses, they are in the top 10 across the board of passives used.
Perfectionist: It's a great skill if you are have subpar gear and need more survival. Could it use a little more of a boost? Sure, but have to be careful how it's done becase we don't want it to be a mandatory skill.
Sharpshooter: Needs to be reworked, but the way you are recommending would still put it near the bottom where it is now. If I was asked, I would make it increase crit based on the amount of crit damage you have as a %.
Single out: If the radius is reduced it would be TOO good, again want to have that balance of good, but not mandatory.
Over all most of these items could use a little help but some should just be left alone, while others should be reworked. The problem is a lot of the items and set items make you choose what kind of build and play style you want to do. Some are better than others of course but some are just not worth it at all. Build variety is better when you have more items and sets that encompass more skills and the skills them self's are options and not requirements.
All IMO of course. I'm not hardcore or super high paragon or anything like that.
"If you have Emimei's Duffel, they have no delay on exploding, however giving the other options for quivers and skill combinations, it's still not worth it"
I knew about it but the point is to improve the skill alone, not need an item to make it that way. That quiver isn't worth a slot, besides, end-game Demon Hunter doesn't involve primary skills (in most cases), so Bolas would merely be a progression skill.
"20 hate is low (multi is 25)"
20 Hatred is high considering what the skill does and the damage output. Multishot costs 25 but is one of the most effective skills, Penetration costs 20 and sucks.
" I don't understand what you mean by 180 degree to cover an area, they are activated by proximity in 360 degrees"
It means that, when used, Caltrops would cover a 180º area in front of you. It would be like a semi-circle.
"NS: It wont go back. It was too op and basically if you did it right, gave you permanent SS."
Maybe you didn't read the entire spreadsheet, but i covered this... i said that SS was nerfed and you can't have perma SS anymore even with Night Stalker, so why change the mechanic of Night Stalker?
And i didn't suggest to just make it back to the way it was, i suggested a nerfed version of that same mechanic.
"Single out: If the radius is reduced it would be TOO good,"
I mean to reduce it a little, not a lot.
"Build variety is better when you have more items and sets that encompass more skills and the skills them self's are options and not requirements."
That is my point.