Paladin Dev Team,
Since you are in a testing phase can you talk over a few points?
TLDR:
–All specs need consistent buttons to push.
–Reduction/removal of RNG skill resets would be nice and smooth out play.
–(!)Removing Crusader Strike charges could revolutionize all Specs and focus Paladin’s as a whole to be a Holy Power generation/use class. (Think generation/dump like Wind Walker, Rogue, Feral but with Holy Power) >>This would be an ideal situation for the class that would cross-over all specs and allow for diverse talent trees that add/alter/remove Holy Power spending abilities<<
–Ranged Paladin can work with 1 ability change (talent tree option).
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Remove charges from Crusader Strike
-Player Thoughts: Paladin in all specializations depends heavily on RNG skill reset procs. If there was a way to remove some/all of the RNG and just have a smooth rotation of GCD buttons it would feel to the player that the class is interactive and consistent. As is, Protection and Holy more than Retribution, there are 1-3 GCD rotations where the player does not push any buttons. Not because they don’t want to but because they cannot. This makes the interaction of the game more like an idle type game where you watch instead of interact.
Removing charges from Crusader Strike could aid in Holy Power generation, smooth out rotation downtime, ensure there is consistent player interaction with buttons, and remove the need for RNG procs. (Think Guardian Druid Swipe. No charges and generates spender) -
Focus Holy Paladin as a melee healer
-Player Thoughts: Ranged Paladin is fine on paper but since Paladin’s do not have ranged combat abilities it seems counter intuitive to design a melee class that stands at range. (See next topic for ranged feedback (it is positive))
-Focusing on Holy Power generation and creating instant, Holy Power cost requiring abilities would create a very interactive and unique playstyle; think rogue/feral style generation/dump but healing. Abilities that used Holy Power and did damage + healing or spending 1-5 Holy Power increases the healing of spell X, spend X Holy Power to heal X number of players in a 10 Yard range, HOTs?, DOTs?, Shields?, etc… all from Holy Power instead of charges and RNG. Things like this will give the player consistent interaction and thought control over how much Holy Power do they use; Do I pool 5 Holy Power for a big heal or spam 1 Holy Power to triage? Do I use 3 Holy Power on damage + heals ability or 5 Holy Power on an AOE heal and no damage. -
Ranged Holy Paladin
-Player Thoughts: This could easily be a second playstyle if you replace Crusader Strike (tree talent) with a ranged cast ability. IE: Your Crusader Strike becomes a 30 yard attack and gains a 1.5 second cast time.
-Personally I’m more for a melee focused class but I see the dev’s wanting to add diversity to Holy. This is fine and 99% of talents could reflect both styles if you just added an optional tree talent to Crusader Strike. Then, development of the class could focus on Holy Power generation and spending Holy Power. (see idea 2 for Holy Power generation/dump idea).
Closing Thoughts:
-Paladin has potential to become a unique class through “borrowing” playstyles from other classes. Generating Holy Power and Dumping it on different types of heals, defensives, and/or damage would emulate Wind Walker/Rogue/Feral energy generation/dumping. Removing Crusader Strike charges ensures a consistent GCD button to press and Holy Power generation emulating Guardian Druid Swipe. Focusing the class on a generation/dumping play style could remove the long cooldown defensives for Protection and combine offense with defense through rotation choice emulating Protection Warrior instead of just Shield of the Righteous or Word of Glory.
-Bringing Protection and Holy more inline with the Retribution playstyle, lots of Holy Power spending options, would synergize the class.
v/r
Dirtpally