My thoughts on PvP [Im]balance - The Sorcerer's Tale

[Jimmeh]

Some quick intro.

I'm Jimmeh. I came back to AL to try out the PvP, after getting the best gear. I tried like 7 builds in the first hour, and I've come down to a Ice/Lightning/Curse/Heal option, with points in damage and intellect. I figure if I max my damage output, I'm getting the most I can for my class. Shield just wasn't worth it. I was even more useless.

EDIT 1/20/13 : I need to say that my new build (includes shield, not going to give it away, is great. But it's still not matching the #s of kills rogues can put out... commence reading xD)

So. My point.

Hi Justg, if it's in beta, then would it be fair to say that the current ctf/pvp leaderboards should not have been recorded?

I think this really is a valid point coming from this thread and is currently being overlooked.

The argument "It's in beta" is INVALID. It does not matter that it is being tested -people are racking up kills, captures, and achievements.

If there's an imbalance, and that imbalance is preventing competitive mages and warriors from being on a level playing field, it needs to be addressed immediately. Nobody likes being at a disadvantage.

The fact is, all skill aside, rogues are by far the most fit class for the PvP leaderboards, especially in kills.

#Rogues have high damage killing blows (one shot. etc), and a decent amount of armor in comparison to what you'd see on a sorcerer.

This is all a "group-aside" argument - I am a sorc and I have my fair share of 30+ kills per game, but I'm talking about PUG groups - teamwork roulettes - that's what we're dealing with.

Mages are the worst class for PvP currently in my opinion for several reasons.

EDIT 1/20/13: I would like to point out that the shield build IS VIABLE (and even vital). However - it does not address my point. While I can go 15-2 and have a really nice KD, rogues in the same game can simply get more kills, which is the imbalance I am trying to address here.

# They are slow.
# They are weak as hell. Even with buffs and Arcane Shield and whatever.
# They are the worst in 1v1, 1v anything, really. Useful really just in (2+)v X.
# Their damage / stuns really don't set it apart for how weak they are. The weakest class should be strongest. Or the second weakest class should not have stuns equivalent. It's pretty obvious to any sorc, and even any rogue.

Warriors win the "most annoying" reward.

# There is no way to target - the long range abilities of sorcs are useless in the presence of stuns. 3 warriors and 2 DPS classes behind are often near impossible to kill, given REMOTE (if any) skill and gear. Unless the opposing team has the same class distribution. <-- remember, I'm a 275.9 sorc.
# Idiot players can survive just because they have gear (Wait, what? As a sorc I thought my gear didn't DO ANYTHING)
# Idiot players can survive just because they have gear (Reiteration for emphasis).
# They just have too much hp. And armor. I'm fully geared in the best mage security armor (Demonlord, Charward Assault), with the highest stats. I use my slows, etc. But this is serious - I have to be constantly spacebar-ing a warrior in 1v1 for about 25 seconds to kill him. In those 25 seconds, if I run into another one of his team without my own coming to arms, I'm dead meat.

EDIT (Not valid There is simply no contest.

So, what do I think should be done? (View letters as alternatives)

EDIT: I would like to say I no longer support points 1 and 2 for the purpose of rebalance. I would like to shift focus this post more on leaderboards, queues, and statistics.

1a) Decrease the power of the one shot for PvP purposes, maybe just slightly.

1b) Or, conversely, raise the default armor value for sorcerers. Level 17s should not be able to one shot another class. What type of game even has one-shots?

2a) Decrease the armor value for warriors. They should be strong, but a 5v1 shouldn't take ten seconds.

3a) Reset the leaderboards once all this is straightened out. It sucks for people who care.

3b) If not, break up the PvP achievement board by class. Very, very necessary.

3c) A lot of people will quit your game because they love pvp. Enough said...

4) Adjust the damage of mages, bring back sorcs. Balance the game. Simple,right?

A little off-topic-but-related suggestions...

5) PvP objective achievements? Winning games means nothing...

6) Group queues. Guild queues. Full premades.

7) Abandonment debuffs. Especially if #5 happens.

#Mythoughts.

Yours?