Allow category points to boost two categories instead of one

[SageAcrin]

Easiest done by making a category boost take 0.5 of a category point, and requiring one full point for an inscription slot or a category unlock.

This fixes a lot of the major problems with category boosts(that they're too low of impact and that they're kinda dull), without making them overly dominate and over-rewarding centralized play-in fact, it encourages a different kind of diversified play, as you can't double boost a single category.

Thoughts? Hopefully people like this more than my last try at boosting this option.

[Torokasi]

Oddly, while I've liked a lot of the suggestions, this might just be my favorite. I'd love to see this get in.

[Crim, The Red Thunder]

Currently, a category can't accept 2 category points to boost it. Are you suggesting changing that as well? (It's why adventurers can NEVER equal the value of a category held by a normal class, even with the aid of a cat point.)

I vote for changing it, if nothing else, god knows Anorithil's could use bigger coronas, bigger hymns of moonlight, bigger circles, bigger bone shields on reavers/corruptors. I can think of a lot of use for this.

For that matter, ID would make this a godsend.

Edit: Nevermind, I read that wrong. I thought you said you could double-boost categories. DERP me.

[SageAcrin]

No, I'm not proposing to change that.

It's more interesting if you can't double stack them both onto the same category, and almost every heavily focused build still uses more than one category(Fire oriented Archmages, for example, use Fire and Wildfire heavily.).

Additionally, part of the reason the last suggestions I've seen made were shot down was because of fears of overly high powered categories getting out of control. This sidesteps that.

[Doctornull]

This is a great idea. The category boost is currently in the realm of very diminishing returns, so it's where you go to hyper-optimize that one important thing instead of expanding & exploring new options. Your idea allows both the optimization AND some exploration.

It's fantastic for Adventurers, good for everyone else, and very nice for Cornacs.

[Parcae2]

It's also worth noting that the upcoming infinite scaling of talents will presumably mean that there are fewer Level 7 breakpoints for skills, meaning that boosting categories will be further disadvantaged compared to unlocking new ones or adding infusions. I like this idea.

[supermini]

Yeah, this sounds like a good idea.

[Sirrocco]

Eh? I'm not sure I buy it. Cat-boosting is already a viable option in a number of cases (and one I personally use a fair bit), and I'm not generally a fan of straight character power upgrades.

[supermini]

Eh? I'm not sure I buy it. Cat-boosting is already a viable option in a number of cases (and one I personally use a fair bit), and I'm not generally a fan of straight character power upgrades.

And how well does that work out for you over picking up an escape or heroism?

Cat boosting is a bad choice in most cases. Diminishing returns apply, and there are better ways to spend a category point - getting 5 infusion slots or opening a category like celestial/light that offers utility is almost always the superior choice over a 10-15% boost to one tree.

[Hachem_Muche]

It's also worth noting that the upcoming infinite scaling of talents will presumably mean that there are fewer Level 7 breakpoints for skills, meaning that boosting categories will be further disadvantaged compared to unlocking new ones or adding infusions. I like this idea.

This brings up a good point. Infinite scaling starts to introduce diminishing returns on most talents past effective talent level 5, though the effect is pretty small for the first few addition talent levels. Allowing 2 category boosts will have slightly less impact at the high end than they would without the scaling changes.

However, In order to minimize the effect of the scaling on the current Maj'Eyal campaign, I've tried to make the revised talent effects match the existing ones as closely as possible, including preserving break points at talent levels 5 and 6.5 (typical of maxed out core class talents) where possible.

Eh? I'm not sure I buy it. Cat-boosting is already a viable option in a number of cases (and one I personally use a fair bit), and I'm not generally a fan of straight character power upgrades.

This is a reasonable concern, but, outside of a few specific cases, I don't think this will be much of a boost, honestly. I've run a number of high-level test characters as part of Infinite500 development, and unlocking new categories for high level characters is almost always a better option when there are enough talent points available to develop the new skills. Bear in mind that I500 awards new category points every 30 levels after level 66, so there are eventually enough points to spread around. My experience has been that there is usually one or two really important talent categories that are worth increasing mastery on, but that most are out competed by opening up completely new categories (particularly those made available from escort quests).