Simple Suggestions for PvE
Been playing the game a while. The PvP is solid gameplay wise, but the PvE leaves much to be desired atm. Some (easy?) changes that would make a difference imo:
1) Change it so mobs don't aggro on proximity, but instead on the "Challenge to a Fight" option in the emotes menu. This way players will be used to using this function when they encounter other players. To go hand in hand with this:
2) Reduce number of mobs but make them stronger/more unique. The Boss mobs are already a version of this; it would be more straightforward of a PvE option if there were only a few mobs with unique appearances that corresponded with unique moves. This way a player who wants to learn Forsaken style moves for example could easily remember what the Forsaken mobs look like (give them unique gear or unique text when you talk to them or etc.). As it is, fighting groups of mobs makes it difficult to learn moves for new players, and the variation in mobs makes it difficult to figure out which one does what.
3) Provide some incentive for players to formally duel one another via the option in the overworld. Essence for the winner seems like a reasonable reward. Players could earn some amount of essence depending on their current level, and that reward could be forfeit if they take damage from another player before the duel is done.
4) Make loot cairns re-fill after some condition. Perhaps after a certain number of players defeated in formal duels in that area, or simply duels fought in that area.
Lastly 5) Have Will increase how quickly you learn a move. 3 Will for the rate it is now and slightly more with more investment. This way a player who wants to get access to all the moves as quickly as possible, or who wants a few moves in particular, can pump this stat and then respec once they've learned what they want.
1) Change it so mobs don't aggro on proximity, but instead on the "Challenge to a Fight" option in the emotes menu. This way players will be used to using this function when they encounter other players. To go hand in hand with this:
2) Reduce number of mobs but make them stronger/more unique. The Boss mobs are already a version of this; it would be more straightforward of a PvE option if there were only a few mobs with unique appearances that corresponded with unique moves. This way a player who wants to learn Forsaken style moves for example could easily remember what the Forsaken mobs look like (give them unique gear or unique text when you talk to them or etc.). As it is, fighting groups of mobs makes it difficult to learn moves for new players, and the variation in mobs makes it difficult to figure out which one does what.
3) Provide some incentive for players to formally duel one another via the option in the overworld. Essence for the winner seems like a reasonable reward. Players could earn some amount of essence depending on their current level, and that reward could be forfeit if they take damage from another player before the duel is done.
4) Make loot cairns re-fill after some condition. Perhaps after a certain number of players defeated in formal duels in that area, or simply duels fought in that area.
Lastly 5) Have Will increase how quickly you learn a move. 3 Will for the rate it is now and slightly more with more investment. This way a player who wants to get access to all the moves as quickly as possible, or who wants a few moves in particular, can pump this stat and then respec once they've learned what they want.
Comments
Shield: A smart opponent will just back off until your buff goes away, and since running is an option you don't usually end up catching them. Changing Shield to be something like "Absorbs next X strikes" and having it stay until end of combat makes it more interesting. A smart opponent would try to have light attacks eat those hits; a smart user would account for this and plan accordingly and there you have the beginnings of mind games, instead of an ability people just run from successfully, which is what it is now.
Gravity: Useful for the stun, but the debuff seems minimal. A more pronounced debuff graphic (shimmering around enemy or etc) might help communicate the impact of the debuff to the players.
Exhaust: Has it's uses, but still seems a tad underpowered. Longer duration or reduction in shard price might be worthwhile. Coul dprobably use more pronounced graphic like Gravity as well.
Earthquake: Like Gravity but not quite as useful. I understand that this one might be meant for the overworld battles or 3v3 where one would expect more enemies, but at the moment it never feels like a worthwhile option since Shockwave or Gravity can accomplish much of the same thing. Should be removed and replaced. An offensive version of Shield (next X strikes deal more damage) might be interesting.
Silence: Might be useful if the other abilities were more impactful. As it is, denying a single heal or the drawing of a weapon or an errant shock is not worth your own shards and an ability slot, ever. Reduced shard price might be useful, but in the optimal scenario, where Silence is being used regularly to deny ability use, all you're consistently doing is denying the other player his buttons without him being able to do much about it. An "ability counter", like a spell parry that absorbs enemy shard energy might be useful in it's place, and achieve the same end of punishing ability spam.
Also: why are we unable to see enemy shard energy? In most fighting games being able to see the enemy's meter and being able to plan for it's use is an important part of gameplay. Obscuring that information just makes it more difficult on newer players who aren't yet familiar with the rate of energy generation (a problem complicated by the existence of Will) and is something that more experienced players would already know anyway.