Absorb Nanoline Change

[Gatester]

I have always had an issue where absorbs and reflects generally did the exact same job but in a slightly different way. This can be drawn out into a big discussion itself but I would mostly like to suggest a change to differentiate the two more.

Simply put, I was thinking either reflects or absorbs could stop covering all damage types in exchange for becoming stronger in their specific damage. It does not seem appropriate for reflects, especially considering that the reflects act as the soldier's primary pseudo-health increase, so I believe absorbs are the best candidate. I will give examples of how I believe it would work.

As an example from the proposed nano changes:

Superior Fortify = 2000 to all absorbs, 10 second cooldown

Superior Fortify (Physical) = 4000 to melee and projectile absorbs, 10 second cooldown

Quite simple change where I doubled the strength but the absorb is now highly limited in the same manner as the reflect/damage shield bracers are now. This increases the skill based knowledge of the absorb casters in pvp and pvm, but also forces other players to alternate damage types rather than the only tactic necessary against absorbs now is for a player to have two weapons of the same damage type.

Temporary absorb boosters like bio cocoon and the nanomage booster I would keep as covering all damage types to account for the long recharge in use. For the team-based absorb nanos I would also keep them as covering all damage types at the weaker levels of absorbs to make them more reasonable in team/mass pvp situations. As for how the absorbs would work, so we can avoid enforcers and NTs having 50 different absorb nanos to cast, is to simply scale up the strength of the absorb based on their casting skill levels.

The four variations in damage type absorbs would have a scaling strength based upon the caster's nanoskill levels. The team-absorbs could be kept the same as proposed or made into a single team nano which functions as I proposed.


A small change that makes pvp and pvm more dynamic always seems like a good change to me, but I hope to hear some other viewpoints on this suggestion.

[Esproc]

Interesting, but would it cause any problems in situations like duals?
Such as low damage professions being unable to break through.
Or what of the damage type changing items/nanos/perks, would it be OK with pretty much everyone bypassing absorbs entirely for various amounts of time?

The main difference at the moment between the two is that reflects tend to be set and go and absorbs need to be spammed to be functional.
That and the varying amount of damage absorbs take which makes them more of a random amount HP buff.

That's another question to ask, how significant is the difference between an absorb buff and just having more HP and a small heal?

[Obtena]

The different is significant. An absorb buff allows damage to be soaked up on demand, like an anticipated alpha. More HP and a small heal is a longer term mitigation, rather ineffective to address large bursts of damage.

Unfortunately, if I understand it correctly, the current game mechanics don't allow for a 'proper' way for absorbs to overlap each other (the whole 'Why does layers not overwrite cocoon' issue), or take untyped damage.

[Esproc]

As currently implemented absorbs are nothing more than a variable amount of additional hp.
If the absorbs also have the effect of negating procs and such effect that trigger on "hit" then I'd agree there is a difference.

To clarify my comparison to heals a bit consider the effective use of spamming layers and spamming short hp buffs.
Both create a false buffer of 'hp' which after a time vanishes and the buffer can be refreshed as fast as you can cast it.
Absorbs are just a higher potential buffer when being hit by multiple damage types where short health buffs treat all damage as the same.

[Gridpain]

As currently implemented absorbs are nothing more than a variable amount of additional hp.
If the absorbs also have the effect of negating procs and such effect that trigger on "hit" then I'd agree there is a difference.

To clarify my comparison to heals a bit consider the effective use of spamming layers and spamming short hp buffs.
Both create a false buffer of 'hp' which after a time vanishes and the buffer can be refreshed as fast as you can cast it.
Absorbs are just a higher potential buffer when being hit by multiple damage types where short health buffs treat all damage as the same.

Except versus weapons doing different damage types. a 800 layer is not equal to a 800 heal in that case.

[mcnurja]

yea good luck begging for stuff like that, most of people cant even OD that damage in pvp

[Esproc]

Except versus weapons doing different damage types. a 800 layer is not equal to a 800 heal in that case.

Read the last line you quoted and you'll see your comment is redundant.

[Gatester]

As currently implemented absorbs are nothing more than a variable amount of additional hp.

That is my core problem with absorbs, and what I feel makes it too much like reflects as well. In the end, absorbs are just more health against each damage type. By doing that, we have to limit the strength of the absorbs because it is so broad. I figured that if the damages absorbs affected were limited then the absorb itself could be strengthened and used more intelligently.

I know there are professions that have a lot of trouble with absorbs already, but making toolset changes should not hinge on how they affect one or two professions. What I consider the biggest problem, doctors against enforcers, I would also believe would be better off in this situation anyways, as their projectile and poison damages could not both be absorbed by a single nano and thus increases damage taken in an actual fight.

Either way, I just prefer when things take more brain-power and less click-power to use.

[Esproc]

Either way, I just prefer when things take more brain-power and less click-power to use.

Bump that.