So I was thinking of making some balance tweak suggestions but I figured I’d ask other people to make sure this is a sentiment that is shared and I’m not just living in my own head, thinking this is a bigger problem then it is.
So I decided to run some of the vitality builds in my spare time to see how they feel and I’ll be honest- in pve it’s not the worst thing in the world. Clearly it’s inferior as a playstyle- you’re basically playing a pure build with a tiny bit extra health and far less options. I didn’t try much PVP, but it’s just- it clearly isn’t going to be a thing in PVP. People with strong synergizing builds can deal a good bit of damage, so having an extra 400-600 health doesn’t help much. These tests were of course, in a controlled environment, 1v1’s.
I ran Earth on my paladin, and it barely did over 100 damage as a base. This can be mitigated with a good enough build, but still, I think Vitality is fundamentally bad as a stat.
Vitality gives you 4 health in exchange for less damage. To me that tradeoff just isn’t worth it.
So, I’d like some more PVP/Meta savvy people to chime on these proposed changes:
Vitality: 4 per point-> 7 per point
Reasoning
(400 points at 100 → 700 points at 100. 600 at 150 → 1050 at 150)
(Lean heavier into the attrition playstyles tanks in all games are known for- Vitality doesn’t have to have more damage, its players should be rewarded for outlasting opponents who can’t afford to take hits as much as they can)
Vitality Builds get -10^ to technique requirements post awakening
^ This number is interchangeable, but at very least it would allow juggernauts and paladins access to Ax-Kick and Pulsar respectively.
Reasoning
This one I know wouldn’t stick even if it was added, but it would help the vitality builds- as they are now, play into their ‘tankier pure build’ role the have. They get easier access to certain abilities they can’t get otherwise.
Not really feeling this one. I know it’d make them stronger, but just kind of feels off even to me. Want some thoughts.
Vitality no longer lowers damage
Reasoning
If you are already sacrificing options for health, why should you be further punished with a damage reduction? In the late game, when everyone can get to level 1000, I can maybe understand why someone who splits 50/50 on their vitality hybrid might be problematic with 4000 health, but the problem here is the damage reduction is based on split. If you have a 60/40 split you deal 30% less damage (percent is half of vitalitys % of your build)
10-30% less damage is a lot to a build that- at this stage of the game, does not get substantial enough health to make up for that sacrifice often.
Crims fun AO fact of the day:
You get 7 health per level
You start with 100 health
If you go Warden you will invest 100% into Vitality. At current, that’s 4 health per stat.
The maximum level is said to be 1000, so every level gives you 2 stat points: that is 2000 vitality.
You level up 999 times, if you invest into no vitality, that is 6993 health
If you invest into vitality only, thats 8000 health
A wardens default health at the end of AO is 15,093- without any items mind you