The MP Wishlist, 2010 edition
The MP Wishlist, 2010 Edition
This wishlist is the result of several threads started in December 2009 with the intent of finding out what MPs would like to see in terms of improvements to their toolset. Unlike other wishlist threads where the focus is usually on TL7, I created several threads with the intention of seeing where our strong and weak points as a profession are and find out where we could use the most improvement. Therefore this thread will focus on the results of those threads and will be sorted by Title Level, with General requests at the end. The older Wishlist threads this takes the place of can be found at MP Wishlist, 4.0 and Profession Balance Specific Wishlist.
The Discussion thread for this edition of the wishlist can be found here.
TL2: 15-49
- Combined Nanoskill Debuffs: A one-stop shop for debuffing an opponent has been requested for a long while. With Unmakes usable at TL2, a Composite Unmake would be ideal for this TL.
- There is no root/snare calm removal for this title level. Having some sort of removal option for this TL would be excellent.
- One suggestion put forth is that perhaps all parts of the Meta-Physicist toolset should be present and available by level 25, instead of the current progression, where you have some parts of the toolset available off the bat but others are level locked to 75 or 100 (root/snare/calm tools, creations, etc.) or simply aren't present in any way.
- A lower level version of Nano Shutdown is requested to the tune of 300 points, not unlike the version seen cast by Windcaller Yatilla in TOTW, which would fall under the same principles as the "Having all parts of the profession's toolset available by lv 25 or so" concept.
One problem encountered in this TL that isn't really part of the wishlist is that Traders can reach both staggering amounts of NCU as well as outside buffing and can thusly debuff by huge amounts, thus lending to rather lopsided numbers of traders at this TL using the best drains. As one suggestion put it: "Level Lock Trader Drains".
TL3: 50-99
- The same problems with root/snare/calm removal found in TL2 are present here until lv 75, where the first root/snare removal nano is available.
- Some sort of calm/root/snare resistance at this title level would be nice.
- One of the problems facing MPs who pvp at this level is the fact that there is no viable equipment option aside from the highest red shield you can possibly equip and a parry stick of some sort. Another type of defensive option would be nice for this TL so that it's not always about who has the highest QL red shield.
TL4: 100-149
- Runspeed is a potential problem reported at this TL, in that we don't have enough.
- By 100 most MPs can cast the top RK pets and the next pet after this is lv 165 for Biazu. A few more pets, or more improvement to them, or lowering the level locks, would help the long stretch between Caco/TEP and Biazu greatly, especially in light of the improvements in MP nanoskills over the last few years.
- The current top MP nukes, Metaing's Improved Mind Quake and Metaing's Improved Glacial Lance are currently in level locked quests and are requested by lower level MPs, specifically in the 100-118 range.
On the whole, the consensus is that this is the strongest TL for MP play in pvm and pvp.
TL5/6: 150-189 and 190-204
As there isn't a whole lot of TL6 in terms of MP play I'm lumping TL6 in with TL5 in terms of wishlist.
- While our attack pet performs well in TL5 PvM play, it doesn't perform as well in TL5 PvP, being fairly low damage. Either pet damage needs to be rescaled, more pets need to be added, or a lower level version of the nano "Master's Bidding" should be introduced to help out MP problems in pvp at this TL.
- Belamorte has likely been the healpet MPs have been using since TL4 and during TL5 this healpet struggles to keep up with damage in pvm and pvp play. Either adding a percentage heal based on Soothing Spirits (max 10% or so at 201) or adding more healpets and lowering the level lock and reqs on the ones we have would be lowered.
- Crowd control and it's spammability on pets is really apparent at this TL: Most MPs usually have to ignore their pets as functioning or else spam Pet Attention. Crowd control resistances would be useful here, improvements to pet Nano Resist and/or how it works.
- Weapon diversity is a problem at this TL: In order to survive for any length of time, you need a pretty specific setup which includes the Shield of Asmodian and a Parry Stick, pretty much the same combo used in pvp since TL2.
- A specific request to make our Gold Shield line useful in regards to the incoming Parry action is found in the discussion thread.
- The Healing Staff of Alcofribas Nasier is a really good weapon, and not unlike the other Anansi quest rewards for Trader and NT, perfectly usable at TL5, but requires a TL7 quest to obtain. It's requested this staff be moved down a few TLs in terms of availability or just sold in the Ado/Pen gardens. Also would be nice if it would work for our poor healpets prior to Mortificant.
- MPs at TL5 are more susceptible to alpha strikes than a number of other profs if an opponent can get the AR. Some sort of 'oh crap' defense capability should be given to TL5 MPs, especially those who are looking to get out of the mold of 'red shield/parry stick' MPs that seem to be the only viable build in pvp from TL2 through 5. Suggestions are currently: Damage-to-Nano, Damage-to-Pet, and a lesser version of Sacrificial Shielding.
- Further discussion with Lupusceleri wound up with his input stating that while the damage from Biazu might be good in pvp, the AR on the other hand is not. This falls in line with general pet improvements, but his experience most recently with TL5 pvp gives a good point of view for where MPs stand and how best to improve and balance the profession here.
- This being one of the title levels that has the beginnings of the problems MPs face towards endgame, a Lesser version of Sacrificial Shielding is requested, in whatever form it's going to wind up taking after rebalance. Discussion thread here.
TL7: 204-220
- At this TL it's glaringly obvious how susceptible to CC spam our pets are. Improved Pet Attention isn't just a nice toy, it's an absolute requirement, and usually spamming it is the order of the day. Tweaking our pet NR, adding resistances to our defensive Evocation lines, and giving IPA short-term resistance to CC tools are all suggestions put forth to try to give the pets some amount of time to act in pvp.
- When our pets are actually able to engage an opponent, the opponent's immediate reaction is to start kiting. This cuts the amount of damage the pets can do down to a fraction, since they're busy trying to get back into range and even with the boosted runspeed all pets enjoy, the sync issues make it really difficult to match up with the target at melee ranges. Suggestions to make an opponent stand still long enough for our pet to GET to them are both new mezz pets with much higher AR (and/or lower NR checking mezzes) with lower break chances than 100%, and adding a short snare to the cold nuke line to slow down the target enough to have the pets catch up are both ideas put forth on how to improve pet usefulness in pvp at this TL.
- Pet base AR can be improved on both the Attack Pet and Mezz Pet. Mezz pets line could be extended up to 220 for more effectiveness in PvP.
- Players have requested several times that Sacrificial Shielding have a 30s or more lockout instead of 30s recharge as it sits now. Much of this is to do with inability to use the other parts of their toolset while under 30s recharge. MPs are very cast-heavy even without SS and often sit in nano recharge during pvp and most pvm, and having no access to their toolset because of SS recharge doesn't help matters at all.
- More evades or AAD. Currently the ONLY tool we have to mitigate incoming perk damage is through simply being unperkable, which doesn't run into the blockers from SS.
- Extensions of nuke lines: We get MIGL and MIMQ from TL3-4 and use them for the next 100 levels. More nukes would be nice!
- Improving the SL DD Debuff line: We cast 3 total nanos to debuff damage up to -920 damage from mobs or players. That's 6 seconds in nano recharge, and part of the reason why MP players complain about being in nano recharge 100% of the time. Merging the debuff lines would make this simpler and save time and grief. Improving our -healing and -nanodamage debuff lines would also be useful considering the amounts of boosts to both currently around, we're not shutting down their healing, just removing the gobs and gobs of bonuses everyone gets. -920 is also something of a drop in the bucket against modern endgame content, an idea is to give MPs a scaling DD debuff not unlike how traders have a scaling AC debuff, only scaling on the target's level instead. THis would give MPs a more flexible tool for assisting on high level boss-type mobs.
- Improved healpet healing or more healpets. Mortificant isn't able to keep up anymore, at all with modern healing requirements.
- Improve weapon buffing support from buffs, perks, and symbiants for non-creation weapon users. (Some of this is already in the works with Ranger perk extensions and Blunt Mastery)
- Pet pathing needs another looking at, mob pathing in general as well. Pets are still unable to clear a step a pixel or two higher than it's fellows.
- More damage from our SL pets: The damage was great in SL, 2 expansions and one booster later and it's way behind the curve of AR progression and damage boosting available. More damage is coming from the MP in high damage setups instead of the pet, which is a bit backwards considering we're a pet-based profession. There's been no input from the player base so I'll add my suggestion for damage in lieu: Endgame pet should be hitting for 2.3k per hit at minimum after buffs, etc., to become viable in PvM play as well as pulling their own weight in terms of the pet/master damage equation.