Block Update - Testable!

[HousePet]

Hi all, I'm working on an update for Block, with the aim of making it worth using without getting both prodigies.
I suspect I just fried my git fork, but I'll pack it into an addon for testing anyway.

I've changed it so that without Eternal Guard you can keep blocking attacks until the effect runs out, instead of just one hit. Each hit reduces the remaining block amount by how much was used though. Eternal Guard now doubles you total block value, instead of allowing you to block more than one hit.

For the issue of damage types, if the damage is non-physical, you can only reduce the damage by an amount equal to your spell save. Spectral Shield allows full block against any type.

Base shields have been altered to give a higher block value at low levels.

Shield Expertise now gives a larger bonus to Physical and Spell save, but only when blocking.

Spell Shield adds a multiplier to your spell save for non-physical damage reduction checks.

Egos redone. Look out for a range of new effects.

I considered making the 'counter attack on incomplete block' part of Riposte automatic, but the core use of Block is the reduce damage. So may as well leave that part alone.

Addon attached.

<Insert your thoughts here>

[StarKeep]

Could perhaps make shields block resistances based on their 'quality'.

Say a low tier 1 shield would, by default, have 15% of its block value used against all non-physical damage, while a tier 5 shield would have base 75%.
Egos could than feasibly increase this 'magical block' value, and talents could also allow scaling.

[HousePet]

After discussing it with Shibari, I got the idea of removing the complicated damage type stuff.
So blocking physical damage would be as normal, whereas blocking non physical damage would be capped by your spell save.
Spectral Shield removes the cap.

[HousePet]

Addon seems to be working, so I've attached it to the first post.
Give it a go and report back.

I also noticed that because each damage type is blocked individually, you can inflict Counterstrike by only fully blocking one damage type in a multi type attack, which doesn't seem intended.

[HousePet]

Uploaded a new version that correctly doesn't check shields for blocking extra elements.

[HousePet]

Am thinking the current block values are too small.
Currently it is 20 at t1 to 200 at t5, a little higher with the right ego or artifacts.
This is rather crap for what is effectively a 1 turn damage shield.
How does around 100 block points per material tier sound?

[Zeyphor]

i think its a little much housepet
are you trying to balance shields around insane difficulty, or are you trying to balance shields around normal difficulty?

on normal, most enemies in tier 1 dungeons aside from bosses and rares aren't gonna hit you for over 20 damage in 1 hit unless they crit, and most enemies in high peak aside from maybe champions of uh'rhok aren't gonna hit you for over 200 damage unless they crit or use an ability

seriously existing block values are fine the way they are; try to balance them around normal, rather than insane+

100 block value for an iron shield is far more than practical on normal for tier 1 dungeons and early t2 dungeons on normal

if you wanna make blocking useful on higher difficulties, maybe it can do something else too, like increase knockback resistance and stun resistance while block is up

[HousePet]

I'm thinking about normal difficulty, and blocking should be useful against bosses and rares and when you are facing more than one enemy.
If you can't block a significant amount of damage, then you are wasting a turn using Block.
There wasn't a huge amount of calculation done in coming up with that value though, it was just a comparison with shield runes.

[Dreyeth]

Tone block down a little bit and make block a instant ability.

I think the issue is with having to tool block to be worth using while consuming a full turn and making it worth doing so without making block ridiculous and and even
worse so when paired with Eternal Guard.

And then make sure its not god like with Eternal Guard (you could always make Eternal Guard restore
block to using a full turn but providing eternal block).

[HousePet]

Finally got around to finishing this.

Base shield block values increased by around 30.
Shield Expertise and Spell Shield changed.
Rewritten lots of egos with new effects.

See first post for longer description and addon for testing.

Cheers.

[FreePaperclips]

I think I don't quite understand what the update is trying to accomplish. Is it to make Block less prodigy dependent (a success for Demonologists and Sun-pallys but a failure for Bulwarks, Cursed and Mindslayers)? Less powerful late-game (an unquestioned success)? More powerful early (likewise a success, but it was already powerful)?

It just doesn't seem like a smooth transition.

I'm not sure if this is intentional, but block lvls 1&2 both have a 5 turn cooldown and t1-t3 shields all only give block 1. If this holds true with 4-5, then block dependent builds will have much less offensive ability in late game. Combined with less survivability in prides (from the loss of infinite blocking) and I'm not sure that Bulwarks (an already weak class with an high turn-tax) and the like will be able to keep up.

The tax of one turn out of three was high, but provided a semi-perpetual benefit. The tax of one turn out of five, by contrast, will give a two turn shield that is of comparable strength to a zero-energy-cost rune. That is less good of a deal. Particularly when compounded by fewer available counterstrikes.

I'm not even sure that if block cds and lvls were reverted it could be considered a buff to any build.

Can you give an outline of what you want to accomplish with it?

Edited for clarity.

[HousePet]

Make it worth spending a turn using Block.
Make Block a usable defense without prodigies.
Remove micromanagement of blocking damage types.

I am puzzled that you would think that even if the cooldown flattening was reverted it would still be a nerf?

[FreePaperclips]

Make it worth spending a turn using Block.
Make Block a usable defense without prodigies.
Remove micromanagement of blocking damage types.

I am puzzled that you would think that even if the cooldown flattening was reverted it would still be a nerf?

All the things you want to do are great! But this makes block not worth a turn in mid-game. Even worse in late. And it doesn't remove the need for Eternal Guard.

If I look at it from the perspective of "what is this for?": a 500-600 pt shield wouldn't stop a dangerous Flurry (old block would) or other burst damage. It wouldn't last long enough to deal with DOT. It would cost 33% of my time. That's not worth the turn in the Prides. Even if it didn't cost a prodigy.

But that's with a prodigy invested. Without Eternal Guard, it's only 250-300 damage and only lasts one turn! Totally not worth the turn.

Edit: Just spitballing, but: what if Block didn't expire from time? As a prebuff your changes wouldn't supercharge long-term durability, but you could leave the cds flattened and they could provide a low-investment/low-power buff.

[HousePet]

Sorry what? A 500 point block with this on still blocks a Flurry. Why do you think it wouldn't?

[FreePaperclips]

Sorry what? A 500 point block with this on still blocks a Flurry. Why do you think it wouldn't?

I've seen Flurry go through a Reflection Shield, Bone Shield and 1k+ hp.

RIP

That was a sad day....

I just mean that no amount of <300 damage hits can kill a synergistic block build. Opportunity cost is the price they pay for near invulnerability.

The changes you're proposing don't decrease the opp-cost in turns (if the cds are un-flattened) but wildly decrease the effectiveness. If the cds remain flattened then you have even less incentive to boost block, and, to the degree that block is unboosted, less incentive to spend the turn.

Barrier is pretty OK if you can count on the crit and haven't opened the door yet. Barrier is a terrible use of a turn if the door is already open. That's OK because Barrier lasts ten times as long as block. No one would use it if it lasted a turn.

The balance issue with block is: how do you make it useful when the door is open. A non-degrading damage shield was one way.

Your proposed changes to resists, in isolation, could be a huge buff for early game and make them less mono-build late game.

I'm just not seeing the lack of durability and fewer available counterstrikes as a buff.