June 27, 2022

May and June Class Updates

Class Change Log + Dev Blog

Over the last 2 months, several classes have received large buffs and many changes to make them feel better to play.

• Heavy Metal Necro + variants have been modernized and made stronger, for late-game and endgame players
• Pyromancer + variants have been greatly improved and made easier to get, for mid-game players
• Cryomancer + variants have been greatly improved and made easier to get, for mid-game and late-game players
• DragonLord was made smoother and less confusing to play, and buffed so it could keep up with the current meta
• Elemental Warrior variants have been completely revamped and made harder to get to match its new power level, for late-game and end-game players

Addressing DragonLord

A few weeks ago, DragonLord received a number of changes that simplified the class’s gameplay, while retaining the core elements of the 2021 revamp. Some people expressed dissatisfaction with the updated class’s performance, and we’d like to shed a little light on the situation.

Many iterations of the new DragonLord were shown on the Class Test Realm, and you may have felt that the initial test version was much stronger than the final release version. The first iterations of all classes put up on the CTR are generally for functionality testing, and are not balanced yet. In fact, iteration 1 DragonLord on CTR was performing almost twice as well as the target performance (including greatly outclassing the best farmers in the game).

Summary of Changes:

• The many auras on DragonLord were condensed down to a few simpler ones that flow smoother
• Base damage was decreased, but the -200% Crit Damage penalty was removed, meaning you do more damage than before
• Survivability and the heal were greatly improved

What changed?

The 2021 revamp of DragonLord performed in the top 5 farmers in the game upon release, and we aimed to hit a similar bracket- and the newly updated class is in a similar place in the new meta.

Comparing the newly updated DragonLord to the 2021 revamp, you’ll notice the class’s skills interact much more cohesively with each other, and as a result is now significantly stronger overall.

Here’s the kind of damage you can expect using the class at Level 100, shown with both no boost and +50% damage weapons. 

No Boosted weapons ^

50% Boosted weapons ^

If you don’t quite feel this way about the class, we urge you to keep trying it out, as mastering it can take some time. You’ll find that when you take full advantage of the class’s skill set, its damage potential is very high.

Heavy Metal Necro + Variants

Also known as: Heavy Metal Necro / Dark Metal Necro / Heavy Metal Rockstar / Unchained Rockstar / Shadow Ripper

Changed to better reflect its availability, difficulty of acquisition, and difficulty of play. Intended to be a late-game solo and DPS class that can extend into end-game if played well. Damage output over time was more than doubled, and the cooldowns have been aligned to rotate faster and smoother. Several quality of life aspects were added to the class, such as longer all-around range and a new effect on Twisted Slash.

This class presents a high risk but high reward playstyle, being very difficult to master but paying off handsomely if used well.

Twisted Slash

• No longer applies Talon Twisting (this didn’t work as originally intended)
• Now does variable physical damage
• Damage decreased (50% -> 35%)
• Now applies Twisted, decreasing enemy haste by 25% for 10 seconds
• Range Increased (melee -> medium)
• Description updated

Rotting Riff

• Now does variably physical damage
• Damage decreased (113% -> 60%)
• Range Increased (melee -> medium)
• Cooldown reduced (6 -> 5)
• Mana cost reduced to (10 -> 8)
• Forgone Conclusion duration decreased (5 -> 4)
• Description updated

Shattering Sanity

• Damage increased (80% -> 115%) (115% to 1035% physical damage)
• Cooldown reduced (8 -> 5)
• Range Increased (melee -> medium)
• Insanity no longer stacks, but effect increased (7%x3 (bugged) -> 30%)
• Shattered Psyche Crit Chance reduction effect reduced (30% -> 20%)
• Description updated

Deathly Roar

• Now does variable physical damage
• Can no longer be avoided, but cannot crit
• Cooldown reduced (6 -> 5)Mana cost increased (15 -> 18)Range increased (melee -> long)Deranged Frenzy no longer requires Insanity, haste effect increased (25% -> 30%), duration increased (10 -> 14)Terrified duration increased (10 -> 14)Mana Cost reduced (20 -> 18)Description updated

Dark Pact

• Self damage lowered (100% -> 80%)
• Cooldown reduced (4 -> 3)
• Dark Pact fixed and defense reduction increased (25%x3 (bugged) -> 33%x3), duration reduced (6 -> 5)
• Cursed Echo fixed and damage increased effect increased (25%x3 (bugged) -> 33%x3)
• Description updated

Pyromancer + Variants

Pyromancer hasn't been feeling too hot, so we gave it some pretty fire adjustments to push it into its mid-game solo class position. Cooldowns, mana costs, and skill damage have been reduced, and a new aura has been added to add a bit more interactivity. Additionally, we will also be rebalancing the Pyromancer Token quests in the near future in an effort to smoothen mid-game progression.

New Aura - Incinerate:

• Increases enemy DoT damage taken by 10% for 10 seconds, stacks to 10
• Requires Scorch to be present on the target, consumes Scorch

Auto Attack: 

• Now does damage based on Spell Power

Sear: 

• Now does damage based on Spell Power
• Cooldown: 6 seconds > 4 seconds
• Range: Short > Long

Withering Blast: 

• Damage: 110% > 80%
• Mana Cost: 20 > 15
• Cooldown: 12 > 8Max Targets: 6 > 1
• Now applies Incinerate 

Burning Ward: 

• Now heals based on Spell Power
• Mana Cost: 35 > 30
• Cooldown 20 > 16
• Now always crits

Flame Orb: 

• Mana Cost: 30 > 20
• Cooldown: 40 > 16
• Damage: 300% > 160%
• Flame Orb DoT damage increased
• Now applies Incinerate

Melt Faces:

• Now also increases Hit Chance by 10%

Burn at Both Ends:

• Removed existing passive
• Now increases Haste by 15%

Cryomancer + Variants

Cryomancer has always hit hard, but its high mana costs and Frozen Tears block severely depleted its resources after a single skill rotation. To alleviate these frustrations and solidify Cryomancer as an early late-game class, we've improved mana sustain, removed the No Tears aura, and shifted some of the power away from its lower cooldown skills while adding two new auras to make Flash Freeze even more devastating than it was before.

New Aura - Polar Vortex:

• Lasts 8 seconds, does nothing on its own

New Aura - Ice Age:

• Increases Crit Chance by 20% for 16 seconds
• Requires Polar Vortex to be active, consumes Polar Vortex

Mana Regeneration:

• Warrior Model > Mage Model

Freeze:

• Mana Cost: 20 > 10
• Damage: 100% > 70%
• Frozen now also reduces Dodge by 15%

Shatter:

• Mana Cost: 25 > 20
• Cooldown: 10 > 8
• Damage: 200% > 70%
• Now applies Ice Age if Polar Vortex is active, consumes Polar Vortex

Frozen Tears:

• Mana Cost: 40 > 20
• Cooldown: 14 > 8
• Frozen Tears HoT power reduced by 50%
• Frozen Tears HoT amount no longer changes based on weapon range
• Frozen Defense now requires Polar Vortex to be active, consumes Polar Vortex
• Frozen Defense now increases Healing Power by 100%
• Frozen Defense duration: 6 > 16

Flash Freeze: 

• Cooldown: 20 > 24
• No longer requires Frozen Tears to do increased damage
• Removed the No Tears aura
• Now applies Polar Vortex

Cool and Collected:

• Now also increases Haste by 15%

DragonLord

Changes were made to this class to make it smoother, easier to play, and less confusing to use. The final performance of the class is intended for upper late-game.

Many of DragonLord's skill base damage have been lowered relative to the start of the week, but its existing damage penalties have largely been removed, and it has been given a consolidated set of more powerful buff auras and passives, resulting in higher final performance.

Draconic Onslaught

• Cooldown increased (2.3 -> 3)
• Range increased (Medium -> Long)
• No longer applies Draconic Burn, Draconic Regeneration, Draconic Vision
• Now applies a new aura to the caster called Draconic Patience, increases damage dealt by 3% per stack for 8 seconds, stacks to 10

Legacy Ablaze

• Mana cost increased (20 -> 25)
• Damage decreased (150% -> 70%)
• No longer applies Draconic Fire, Dragonic Balance, or Draconic Balance Alignment
• Now applies Draconic Rage to caster, increasing outgoing physical damage by 15% for 8 seconds.

Destiny Defended

• Cooldown increased (8 -> 12)
• No longer applies Draconic Water, Draconic Ice, or Draconic Ice Alignment
• Now applies Draconic Bulwark, reducing all damage taken by 20% for 5 seconds while consuming Draconic Rage if it's active and preventing it from being applied

Draconic Resonation

• Cooldown increased (4 -> 6)
• Damage decreased (80% -> 40%)
• No longer applies Draconic Wind, Draconic Lightning, or Draconic Lightning Alignment
• Now applies Draconic Flight to caster, increasing Haste by 30% for 12 seconds
• Now applies Draconic Wrath if Draconic Rage is active, increasing outgoing physical damage by 15% for 12 seconds

Primal Alignment

• Mana cost decreased (60 -> 50)
• Cooldown increased (12 -> 13)
• No longer applies Draconic Blaze, Draconic Aegis, Draconic Mastery, Draconic Deepchill, Draconic Magnetism, or Draconic Ultimatum
• Elemental Dissonance duration increased (10 -> 16)

Dragon’s Keen Eye

• No longer decreases Crit Damage (-200% -> 0%)

Dragon’s Swift Flight -> Dragon’s Amulet

• No longer affects Haste, now increases outgoing physical damage by 15%

Primal Alignment

• Elemental Unity no longer reduces Crit Chance, now decreases Hit Chance by 60% (net positive of +20%)
• Primal Incarnation no longer increases Crit Chance, now increases Hit Chance by 100% and duration increased (10 -> 11)
• Elemental Unity Crit Damage reduction effect reduced (-150% -> -50%, net positive of +50%)
• Primal Incarnation Crit Damage increase effect reduced (200% -> 100%)

Ultra Elemental Warrior / Legendary Elemental Warrior

Detailed changes can be found in last week’s Design Notes post.