Mobility Changes:
Simply put, these are the mobility options I’d like to see implemented.
Sprinting
Initiated after a dash and holding the direction button, will toggle sprinting which is 2x run speed but it drains stamina over time. It’s more efficient than spam dashing, and opens up sprint tech. Sprinting takes 1 second to reach full speed, starting from run speed.
- Sprint + T Jump → Results in a T Jump that has momentum, resulting in the T Jump naturally arcing over an area. Sprint is considered on, meaning you could in theory use other sprint tech if applicable while in the air.
- Sprint + Block → Results in a barging attack that lets you bash through players or NPCs, will temporarily stun and daze them. Has a slight DR boost beyond regular blocking, but can’t perfect block, and stamina drain is higher than normal.
- Sprint + Dash → A high momentum dash that drains a lot of stamina but has boosted I-Frames. Good for avoiding massive blast type attacks in the future, and really quick to initiate (can be done immediately when sprinting activates, but distance is based on speed). Strength builds naturally get one reduced stamina cost sprint boosted dash after awakening, but Savants only get theirs after second awakening. This reduced stamina cost dash is then put on a 30 second CD.
- Sprint + Wall Climbing → Allows the player to run up walls at a boosted cost, from this you can initiate a T Jump to launch yourself into the air vertically.
- Sprint + Mobility skill → At the cost of your aim being locked in (you can’t change your aim once you initiate it); you can boost a mobility based skill’s range and speed with your momentum. So things like Crash can go farther and faster.
Wall Climbing Changes:
Just one small change I want to do to the base wall climbing, but when shift locked you should be able to aim your T-Jumps. Preferably with an indicator.
Dodge Reflex Changes:
This one is going to be controversial I’m sure, but I’ll try to lay it out in more detail like I have for the sprinting section.
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Dodge Reflex Cap → I want it gone, that’s all, and you’ll see why in a bit.
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Dodge Reflex Air Movements → Dodge reflexes now consume an air movement (if they don’t already, I forgot), but after all air movements are consumed; dodge reflexes will enter an energy drain state. Each subsequent dodge reflex will consume more energy than the last, until it becomes unsustainable to maintain both the reflexes and your potential attacks done while in the air. Strength builds if they can land their attacks can earn another free air movement after landing 3 attack instances (not hits, instances), but this can be negated by things like snare.
TLDR: Dodge Reflexes drain energy after air movements are used up, and this increases at a harsh rate with each reflex. Strength builds can get a free one after landing 3 attack instances, but this can be taken away with things like snare. -
Dodge Reflex Mobility → Revert the reflex dash distance nerfs, they’re for dodging attacks and while I haven’t played AO in a while, last I recall the distance they had without high agility investment as borderline negligible. Note: I’ll be categorizing things as TP, Burst, Defensive, and Barrier.
Distance Scaling (top is best, bottom is worst; Forward dashes are bolded):
Burst FS
Burst Exoplis (Lower than FS because weapons have ranged options)
Burst
TP/Defensive FS
Defensive
Barrier -
Dodge Reflex Tech → I’ve been rather generous to the close range builds of AO, why not give the other classes some crumbs? (basically just mage)
List:
Magic Bursts → G + Backward Dash result in an enhanced burst that sends the player further back than a regular dash. This burst can blast back enemies or destroy weak projectiles.
Magic TPs → G + Lateral Dash result in enhanced side dash to your left or right (your choice). They’re good enough as it stands, so I’m not giving them any more.
Magic Barriers → G + Forward Dash results in the creation of a large barrier in front of to block incoming attacks; G + Backward Dash results in the creation of a dome around the user.
Spirit (Ekrix) → G + Backward Dash is the same as bursts, but this has an additional tech. G + Forward Dash constructs a barrier of spirit energy in front of the user, however, it’s not as large as Magic Barrier based creations.
Weapon (Exoplis) → Don’t ask for Exoplis, they have forward boosted dashes.
Free Lock On System:
I know, I know, lock on in AO? Sounds like a terrible idea, but there is a way to preserve the free aiming combat of AO while not losing your opponent. First, I’ll delve into the keybinds since they’ll be important.
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Middle Click enables Lock-On for the target of your choice.
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Holding Middle Click results in Lock-On disabling.
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When Lock-On is enabled, Alt switches between targets.
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When Lock-On is enabled, Alt + Middle click switches to an ally list of targets (not needed now, this is for healing/life magic or other support options).
When Lock-On is enabled, using right click to move your camera allows you to adjust the lead on your tracker. Allowing you to adjust it to better keep a moving target in your line of sight.
The idea is as follows:
The Lock-On system will utilize an aiming system where it locks onto your target and follows them, but your mouse is unlocked. This is borrowing from FF16 a bit with the Phoenix, where you’re locked onto a target but whether or not your attacks hit is not based on the computer but you. There, of course, should be some restrictions in place to make things more interesting.
Restrictions:
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Once you initiate an attack, you’re mostly locked in, meaning your camera’s tracking speed will be reduced. Allowing enemies to dash past you to avoid your attack, so the lock-on system is a fine balance between choosing when to attack, and how far you want to attack.
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Tracking requires line of sight, so you can’t see someone through walls. After a few seconds, this breaks tracking completely and it’s deactivated.
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Tracking through clouds is nerfed, as any rays used for tracking line of sight going through a gas cloud return a visibility modifier which nerfs your tracking accuracy. Meaning it might not necessarily be placing your opponent near the center, but there could be some deviations.
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Someone locked on dashing past you will not be turned towards, instead, your character has a client side exclamation mark appear and you must turn to find them again. It’s harder to break tracking with regular dashes, but fast ones are better at doing this with teleports basically being a guaranteed break.
In other words, regular dashes might track and you’ll get a sensitivity boost in turning towards the direction of your opponent’s disappearance. Fast dashes and teleports will not provide any such indicator as you will lose total track of them the faster the dash is.
Hazard Changes:
This is going to thankfully be easier to read than some of the other sections. I’m only making this because I saw a few weaks ago the balance team trying to make blocking somehow work on gas hazards? How do you block poison in the air?
All Hazards:
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Refresh your status duration at a rate of 1/20th of the original duration (eg. Poison 20 second status replenishes by 1 second per second).
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Can inflict the status for 1/3th of the full duration dealing damage equivalent to 0.75x of your power stat multiplied by your DoT’s multiplier. This, however, can refresh to the full status duration and gets replaced by stronger DoT’s if it’s inflicted.
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While in a hazard, that specific status duration is prevented from decreasing.
Gas Hazards:
Blocking while in them now results in a unique block (covering your face) where 85% of the hazard damage is negated. Status buildup is also slowed from 1/20 of the duration to 1/35. However, your base blocking damage is reduced by -30% and you’re unable to perfect block. Stamina cost to blocking and dashes are also increased while “blocking”.
Liquid Hazards:
Unblockable, but they can only really do the status portion of hazards. However, some liquid magics could receive a “viscosity” hidden stat where higher viscosity could reduce mobility in the puddle hazards (so right now it’d be Magma at the highest because it’s molten rock).
Rubble Hazards:
Deal increasing damage (where it applies) based on the speed of whoever collides with it. Uniquely, the higher your speed the greater the status restoration/infliction it has upon the player; with the highest of speeds potentially breaking the rubble and dealing bonus damage.
Powder Hazards:
Slow down players in them, and rubble/liquid hazards can be incorporated into them. For example, Glass + Sand results in sand piles that inflict bleed and slow down individuals inside of them. Sand + Magma results in super hot sand that burns with shards of cooled magma forming obsidian. The dealing the “Searing Cuts” status effect which is a longer duration bleed (same damage, but over a longer time) that’s heat based.
