Vile Strike chain - cool idea - faulty implementation

[DrK]

I've been holding off on commenting on this for a while because I wanted to live with this chain for a bit first.

After playing with the Vile Strike chain since it was revamped my firm opinion is that the idea of giving it an energy drain component was a very good one. It was something that the class lacked and which was a way to make the chain useful.


BUT


The one minute cooldown is just to damned long. This chain only drains enough energy to cast maybe a single spell, if that, depending on your level. The higher you get in level, on up to 50, the returns are diminishing due to the fact that energy costs go up so much.


So you've got an ability on a one minute cooldown, that you have to pray for a crit to use, assuming you don't need to use one of your other finishers, and then you have to hope that you don't miss. Because if you miss you still have to wait the one minute cooldown.


IMO the cooldown needs to be reduced to 20 seconds, the energy drain should be increased or the line needs to scale with level, and the cooldown needs to be made so that it is not triggered if you miss.


Thats my two cents.


* Upon closer inspection I have discovered that Vile Strike is sometimes not returning any energy whatsoever.

I'll use it and not it's follow up and get no energy back. Upon looking at the combat text I see the "Your Vile strike hits X for X amount of damage' but not the health to energy message.

It especially never returns any energy if it kills whatever you are fighting.

[Axconis]

Maybe I'm getting better results with it, but I find it tends to give me 25%+ of my energy pool back, which is ample for 2x cull2's, on good hits i've had it go close to 50% regen. IMO it's pretty fine as it is.

[DrK]

Originally Posted by Axconis

Maybe I'm getting better results with it, but I find it tends to give me 25%+ of my energy pool back, which is ample for 2x cull2's, on good hits i've had it go close to 50% regen. IMO it's pretty fine as it is.

Maybe you have a small energy pool :P


No I don't get anything close to that out of the chain. I get a tiny little bump in my energy pool, about enough to cast one spell or two if they are ones with lesser energy costs. the only time i ever get a bump like you are talking about with it is if i get an epic blow or something.

IMO the recast is just too long, especially given the miss factor and the diminishing returns as you level up.

[velzevul]

DRK,

in my experience, I get 25-50% my mana pool from that chain, if I score a crit it can fill me up. I am level 49, with roughly 2k mana pool give or take, 300+ intel, no pts into wisdom.

Hope that helps

That being said, it is a major screw up if I waste a crit opportunity on this chain, and it misses.

I find myself using it either when I am forced to solo or fight without Psi/BRD/SHM, or against mana draining mobs.

[DrK]

Originally Posted by velzevul

DRK,

in my experience, I get 25-50% my mana pool from that chain, if I score a crit it can fill me up. I am level 49, with roughly 2k mana pool give or take, 300+ intel, no pts into wisdom.

Hope that helps

That being said, it is a major screw up if I waste a crit opportunity on this chain, and it misses.

I find myself using it either when I am forced to solo or fight without Psi/BRD/SHM, or against mana draining mobs.

I don't know what to say except that I don't see anything close to the returns that you guys claim to see. I get maybe a 10-15% return unless I get an epic blow or something.

Perhaps as a start the recast on this ability could simply be set so that it is not triggered if the ability misses.

[velzevul]

that chain's returns depends closely on damage you do, do you carry a short sword by any chance? that would explain your small returns - you have a chance to not do much damage.

if i am correct,
give a try to this strategy - carry a heavy hitting 2 hander weapon, and when you try to roll this chain, switch to the 2hander prior to landing the bridge and onto finisher.

See if that helps.

[DrK]

Upon closer inspection I have discovered that vile Strike is sometimes not returning any energy whatsoever.

I'll use it and not it's follow up and get no energy back. Upon looking at the combat text i see the "Your Vile strike hits X for X amount of damage' but not the health to energy message.

It especially never returns any energy if it kills whatever you are fighting.

[velzevul]

Originally Posted by DrK

Upon closer inspection I have discovered that vile Strike is sometimes not returning any energy whatsoever.

I'll use it and not it's follow up and get no energy back. Upon looking at the combat text i see the "Your Vile strike hits X for X amount of damage' but not the health to energy message.

It especially never returns any energy if it kills whatever you are fighting.

that makes sense though doesn't it? if it kills a mob, than there is nothing to leech from... although mathematically speaking, the lifetap nuking sense, you should get your dmg's worth of energy back... some smarty pants programmer figured it would be a wise logical code piece...

[Jooma]

I'm getting crap all for returns on my Vile Strike at level 38.

I have 0 points into intelligence but I am a Vulmane so I have natural WIS bumps to give me a decent sized mana pool.

With all points after STR and DEX dumped into VIT I don't even bother with Vilestrike cause my natural regen brings back my mana plenty fast.

I'm wondering if the return is reflected by your INT?