As I’ve already done before, here’s the list of damage imbuements (discounting bleed, quite a mistake since it relies mostly on that DoT)
- Regular wooden staff m1: 57
- Chain imbue: 53
-0.93x - Heavy grape imbue: 32
-0.56x - Light imbue: 43
-0.75x - Grape imbue: 27
-0.47x - Norm imbue: 46
-0.80x - Dense imbue: 51
-0.89x - Exploding imbue: 53
-0.93x - Heavy imbue: 48
-0.84x - Heavy explode imbue: 55
-0.96
(Sorry for the shorthand, hopefully you can understand it)
As you can probably see, all of the imbues result in a lower damage than no imbue (If bleed is included, it’s slightly higher). This is obviously a problem, and Cannon fist is mostly regarded as the worst style for Warlord due to this. (I’m pretty sure even Boxing’s imbue does more damage)
The root of this problem is the fact that the Cannon fist base damage multiplier is quite low (because fighting styles already do high damage, and it’s ranged, slightly unbalanced). This leads to the problem where I do more damage if I hit someone with a boxing glove, compared to leaping at someone with a cannonball in my hand. (the m1s do more damage than the crash technique somehow‽)
Another problem with the damage multipliers lies within the grapeshot. Warlord’s imbue is based off of the base multiplier of the selected cannonball + 0.15 (I think?). This leads to the problem where, if grapeshot is selected, everything does much less damage (because the multiplier is intended for an attack that will hit five times).
Given all of these, I believe that Cannon fist’s Warlord imbue desparately needs a rework! So here is my proposal:
-
Normal cannonballs have a 1x multiplier on all stats (speed, size, damage)
-
Exploding cannonballs have a much higher size, and a slightly higher damage, but are much slower
-
Light cannonballs are smaller and do less damage, but are much faster
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All of the dense/heavier cannonballs have higher size and damage (not as much as exploding), but are slower
You may have noticed that I have missed out some types: grapeshot and chain shot, this is because I have different ideas for these ones!
Firstly, the chain shot imbue should inflict a short duration of slowness (nothing too extreme, maybe just an effect similar to slowness I). These would have a slightly higher size than the other imbuements, but a lower damage and speed.
Now for the truly interesting stuff! The grapeshot imbues. These are pretty simple: each projectile is split into five, with the damage being reduced per projectile, but a higher total damage. (maybe quarter damage per projectile? That means a 25% boost though) The projectiles would have the same spread as the regular grapeshot, with the same speed but a reduced size (only like 0.9x though, however the magic blast amount option works). Yes, this would also affect the “Multi shot” weapon skill (flintlock T2 skill), giving 5x the amount of bullets!
Perhaps guns could get a minor visual change, with the bullet being replaced with a cannonball?
Anyone else got any thoughts upon this? (I’m rubbish at balancing, you suggest the damage multipliers, etc)
^(Bonus fact: the musket’s “Piercing shot” skill shares the same visual as the “Shot” technique, meaning that a Cannon fist imbue gives the appearance of shooting a cannonball! (including the extra effects of the exploding variants)^)
(She formatted it all on Reddit, so some of the formatting might be a bit off)
