ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Modest Bulwark Rework - download link


Introduction

The Bulwark class has needed some love for a long time. Some others have gone for large changed from vanilla (eg. Bastion). This addon is my attempt to keep most of the vanilla but make Bulwark more viable, mainly by increasing the damage output. The game play is still that the Bulwark is a sword-and-board warrior with emphasis on shield skills.

This is also my first ever addon, so please be kind

Notes

This addon changes the base Bulwark class talent trees. It also changes talents in: Shield Defense, Shield Offense, Thuggery. Those changes will be reflected in other characters with those skill trees.

Changes

Class Trees
Removed: Archery Training, Two-Handed Offense
Added: Thuggery, unlocked at start, mastery 1.2; Bloodthirst, locked, mastery 1.0
Changes: Field Control unlocked at start, mastery 1.2

Talent changes

Shield Pummel: cooldown reduced to 3; stamina cost reduced to 6; stun duration increased to 3.5-6.5; damage increased to 130-200% first hit, 150-220% second hit.

Riposte: Counterstrike debuff duration increased (scales 0.45-2.15, up from 0.15-1.15); critical chance increased (scales 25-75, up from 10-50)

Shield Slam: cooldown reduced to 10; damage increased to 60-160%

Assault: Damage increased to 150-230% first hit, and 120-190% for subsequent critical hits. Adds passive effect of increasing critical multiplier 10-50%.

Shield Wall: Changed -20% physical power to -10% movement speed.

Repulsion: Stamina reduced to 16; adds new effect of free hit against enemies for 40-95% shield damage.

Last Stand: Cooldown reduced to 15; Sustain stamina cost increased to 65; removes the effect disabling all movement. Adds effect of increasing armor, scaling with Strength.

Thuggery class talent changes

Skullcracker: Confuse effect has now extremely high power (almost certainly successful)

Riot-Born: Adds mental save bonus (10-30)

Total Thuggery: Reduces stamina drain per turn to 3-7

I haven't played with this addon yet but I like the idea; I agree that Bulwark probably doesn't need a massive rework to be viable. That said, I dislike your change for Last Stand. To me the fact that the skill disables movement is a core part of the skill which makes it unique. It's very flavorful and is where the name comes from; you are choosing to make your "last" stand here, and will never back down. Maybe you could make it so that you can only move towards enemies, if you want to keep some mobility. If that's too complex then I would just keep the self-root but buff the skill even further; I just really like the self-root aspect.

"To me the fact that the skill disables movement is a core part of the skill which makes it unique."
uhm... what was that talent called.. body of stone

I mean sure body of stone exists but that's for mages. It's cool to have a talent for a melee class that prevents them from running away and forces them to fight back.

The movement-to-zero was a killer for Last Stand. In a class with limited mobility options, reducing them to zero is a death sentence. It's not a skill you want to use.

I may adjust it to cause stamina drain every turn, which would make it harder to use for extended periods of time.

It makes more sense to have a movement freezing ability in a class with limited mobility options, more than in a class with lots of mobility options.

yeah. bulwark is a tank, not a dancer.

Radon26 wrote:yeah. bulwark is a tank, not a dancer.

That's why I changed the -20% physical power penalty for Shield Wall to -10% movement speed. But complete lack of movement is totally a death sentence. I'd want to use Last Stand long enough to survive to get the hell away from whatever was killing me. A talent that you use and then either survive using it, or die, is not great. Particularly since later game enemies have significant ranged attacks and don't need to fight you in melee - which means you die sooner.

There may be a middle ground here; I was thinking about adding an effect to a skill that reduces ranged damage. With that as part of Last Stand, it might be worth it to go immobile again.

actually, i was also having some ideas of my own.

a sustained talent, that puts a permanent block, ALTHOUGH, it can only block damage coming from the direction of your target enemy
(target sustain, like dark sustenance or displacement shield)
what can it be called, "endless march"? something something "...march"?
maybe it wouldn't be the "exact" block mechanic, but some other super defence, focused at 1 enemy.

if i made a warior class (which i am nowhere near good enough to even begin) i would certainly have something like that

I think you can still teleport in case of emergency.