Runes of Magic US / AU

Quoted from "rhayes21;476287"

We priest need an Aoe we can not depend all the time on our party members and do grind our selfs....mobs hurt and most other classes have an Aoe including druids

I can see both sides of the argument that would arise over this suggestion. Priests aren't really designed as a DPS class, let alone AoE - which kind of steps on mages' toes. However, as a person who plays priest, I would agree that it would be nice to have some kind of AoE skill.

I can think of a couple of ways that could be done.

One idea would be to merge Ice Fog's slow effect into Bone Chill, and make Ice Fog into an instant-cast AoE with a small initial damage, DoT effect and chance to freeze/slow the enemy within a certain range of the caster.

To make it fairer to mages, you could maybe give a buff to purg that may either have a chance to add immolation damage over time, or add some other debuff to the targets.

Another would be to create an AoE version of the mage's Meteor Shower - a channeled, targeted AoE (like how Thunderstorm is targetted).

Anyway... that's just a couple of suggestions from off the top of my head. Whether it is viable or fair to give priests AoE spells... well I will stay out of that argument. It doesn't bother me either way.

As always, just my thoughts.

this may sound weird coming from a mainly dps-style priest player, but priests don't need aoe attacks. We already have a very powerful aoe -- group heal & the MOST powerful "oh crap!" aoe -- soul source... our aoe's are not dps, they're ... well, priestly.

honestly, none of my priests ever had issues dps'ing and soloing stuff... if you wanna dps, stat like a mage but use healing gear. get some nice speed pots and you can pretty much kite anything using our favorite ice dot + any instants ( like frost scars ) you get from set skills/secondary class.

Quoted from "ycavan;476297"

this may sound weird coming from a mainly dps-style priest player, but priests don't need aoe attacks. We already have a very powerful aoe -- group heal & the MOST powerful "oh crap!" aoe -- soul source... our aoe's are not dps, they're ... well, priestly.

honestly, none of my priests ever had issues dps'ing and soloing stuff... if you wanna dps, stat like a mage but use healing gear. get some nice speed pots and you can pretty much kite anything using our favorite ice dot + any instants ( like frost scars ) you get from set skills/secondary class.

I agree. An aoe for a priest i find, well demeaning to the class. I hae no trouble soloing things and if i Do i ask for help in guild, Thats what a guild is for after all. The only things i had trouble with are 2 quests ever where u hae to kill enemys in a ertain time frame which me as a priest it'll take a little longer but an aoe wont help that. Jus tmy opinion.

I agree, I don't really see the need for an AOE.
The only thing I wish my P/s had is lightning.

This has been suggested many times before, and I've argued the point quite a bit.

I don't know if every class has an aoe, druids included, so I will not comment on that. However, I do realize that the priests *may* need a little bit of help. A little while ago, Frost Scars had an added 85% damage for people level 65 and above. This was a ninja thing, so no one really knew about it. A few weeks later though, that 85% damage addition vanished, and it no longer did much. That added damage helped me to do a bit more and defend myself. How does this tie into AoE's? Allow me to explain.

A priest's damage skills are mostly 2-3 second casts, which is fine if you're soloing and have the time to do that. While yes, there are some instants (Ice blade for the p/s), they can only do so much damage at a time, and only on a single target. The set skills do a set amount of damage, a little bit more if you crit (Frost Scars does 800 damage initially I believe). Those set skills are barely worth getting from anything simply because of the little they do. I think if they're going to add damage set skills to a class, they should at least make them worthwhile. That's agreeable for any class, yes?

Perhaps with the new chapter to come out, or the new level 70 or 75 level cap, add a set skill for an aoe for priests. Make it a test thing to start, make a feedback thread about it for those who have it. If they find it useful and alright the way it is, then keep it that way. If it doesn't recieve positive feedback, look into what's wrong with it or if it should stay period. If it doesn't stay, ask what set skills they'd rather have in return, or give a refund. That way all sides of the story can be heard.

Priests should have the opportunity to do damage if they wish. Yes, they are healers, but I've never seen a game where they didn't have the opportunity to do both. This is just my idea for what the GMs and RW may consider and pass on.

Quoted from "sabrione;476393"

Priests should have the opportunity to do damage if they wish. Yes, they are healers, but I've never seen a game where they didn't have the opportunity to do both. This is just my idea for what the GMs and RW may consider and pass on.

I agree. This is the only game I've seen where a healer statted for healing can't do damage, period. In every other game I've seen, priests get aoes or other damage skills to help their soloability. Are they as powerful as other classes? Of course not. But they're certainly not as weak as RoM's version of a priest.

I'm not entirely opposed to priests getting an AoE, as long as it wasn't as good as a mage's. An AoE DoT (assuming DoTs ever got fixed), possibly one that slows mobs, I don't think would be too much power for a priest, so long as it isn't spammable. In the game I'm currently playing, both healer classes get AoEs. One of them, which only gets one AoE, has one that does a little burst damage, puts a DoT on mobs, slows them, and heals the player at the same time. I think that would be a little OP for RoM, because classes are much more simplistic here, but I don't think an AoE is completely out of the question.

But more than that, our basic damage skills need a boost. RT and BC do pitiful damage if you're not statted like a mage, and it shouldn't be that way. If our only worthwhile damage skills got a boost, maybe an AoE would be overdoing it. But those that say priests shouldn't be able to do any damage just because we're healers...I think it's wrong, on so many levels.

I've never argued that priests shouldn't be able to do damage. I'm just pointing out that an aoe is not the answer here. This is just my view of the various builds in rom... let's say priests get an aoe & then draw aggro on 6-10 mobs somehow, most of those priests are gonna die. There is no sustained dps there.

otoh, I have played other games where priests were as much dps as other builds. Most of those games were based around the concept that priests used "light" magic and had plenty of spells tied into that element. In rom, priests tend to use "water" magic and play an intended "support" role. But if you take a look @ the various builds:

1. p/k - holy healer. this build is solely healing and surviving. one of the best pve healing builds
2. p/r - dark priest. this build is all about "debuffs" and dots. one of the best pvp priest builds
3. p/w - holy warrior. this build is a slightly "weaker" warrior with all the healing skills of a priest. one of the best soloing builds
4. p/s - kite master. this build is built around running around the enemy. has good pvp and pve skills

I guess I'm trying to say that a generic priest-driven aoe would not help much for any of these builds.

Ranged AoE with a DoT, a slowing/chilling effect and a short CD would suit the priest class nicely, and it would be a heck of a lot more useful than most of the set skills they're put out for priest. I think the class is fine without it, but it would certainly make them useful for more than just heals without hampering other class's roles. In fact, a group chill effect would help the mages in party; it would make their Thunderstorm more useful.

hrm... if we do decide to go this route and give priests an aoe, I'd prefer it be something defensive... like modifying ice fog.

1. Remove the 3 ice fogs from the same timer, so they all have their own timers
2. Ice Fog 1 - Instant cast with 8 second cooldown, range 120, target 1 mob/player, reduces movement, attack and casting speeds by 30% for 4 seconds; cost 80 mana
2. Ice Fog 2 - Instant cast with 12 second cooldown, range 100, target 1 area 80 radius effect duration 12 seconds, reduces movement, attack and casting speeds by 20% for 6 seconds of anyone that runs through the area; cost 200 mana
3. Ice Fog 3 - Instant cast with 16 second cooldown, range 200, target 1 area 160 radius effect duration 16 seconds, reduces movement, attack and casting speeds by 25% for 8 seconds of anyone that runs through the area; cost 500 mana

These 3 spells would be consistent with the priest-ly design that I've seen in the game. None of the effects would damage the target directly, but would allow others to get to them quicker, they would have lower dps due to slower physical attacks as well as cast spells slower. The 1st version would be the "most powerful" of them in that the SINGLE target is hit for 30% slowness, the other 2 would be the aoe's.

The downside to these 3 changes is that ANYONE that runs through the fog would be affected, friend or foe. I just like having downsides to any benefit.

If this is geared towards solo play for a priest outside of a group (and pvp/siege), they could have a spell ability that makes all offensive spells have a 50-75 aoe range. In example, firing a Rising Tide with this buff active will hit everything in a 50-75 range of the target. That's the simplest fix I think, as it doesn't require too much modification on the devs parts, and allows priests to do some better soloing.

The buff can have different effects when in groups as well. For the P/R it can add a crit resistance debuff to anything in range of your group heal when you cast it. For P/Ks, the debuff can be a pdef debuff or something, etc., P/M can have a mdef debuff, P/S can have attack speed and movement debuff, etc. I mean we might as well get something out of the crappy group healing debuff nerf right?

Dear rhayes,

Perhaps you have not considered that priest already have the without a doubt best aoe in game and arguably one of the other best. They are called soul source and group heal.

Sincerely yours, Lesdudis.

Quoted from "Abaishtona;476709"

If this is geared towards solo play for a priest outside of a group (and pvp/siege), they could have a spell ability that makes all offensive spells have a 50-75 aoe range. In example, firing a Rising Tide with this buff active will hit everything in a 50-75 range of the target. That's the simplest fix I think, as it doesn't require too much modification on the devs parts, and allows priests to do some better soloing.

The buff can have different effects when in groups as well. For the P/R it can add a crit resistance debuff to anything in range of your group heal when you cast it. For P/Ks, the debuff can be a pdef debuff or something, etc., P/M can have a mdef debuff, P/S can have attack speed and movement debuff, etc. I mean we might as well get something out of the crappy group healing debuff nerf right?

That would be pretty OP for a priest...I'm all for priests getting stronger attacks and a mediocre aoe, but that's pushing it.

Quoted from "KOL40;476746"

Dear rhayes,

Perhaps you have not considered that priest already have the without a doubt best aoe in game and arguably one of the other best. They are called soul source and group heal.

Sincerely yours, Lesdudis.

Stop trolling the priest forums. Just because we're healers doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to do damage.

Quoted from "effervescent;476760"

Stop trolling the priest forums. Just because we're healers doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to do damage.

It's not trolling broseph, i made the post to be humerous but it is the truth. I was a priest main last ch (P/R) and have healed more than my fair share. To give a priest (or any other class for that matter) an offensive aoe wouldn't really be fair to mages. AOE/CC is a mages niche in the game. If other classes had an offensive aoe it would dilute the mage classes purpose. Every class has it's own specialty.

Quoted from "zaeltaeth;476289"

One idea would be to merge Ice Fog's slow effect into Bone Chill, and make Ice Fog into an instant-cast AoE with a small initial damage, DoT effect and chance to freeze/slow the enemy within a certain range of the caster.

I agree with this, but to add a stipulation, I think it should be considered a "trap zone". Perhaps make an affect like a circle of blue, slowly evaporating gas, so it can be avoidable. Running into the zone, or being caught in the zone will slow the target and give a short duration dot that re-debuffs as long as you stay in it, and persists up to 3 seconds after you have left. The trap zone would be an instant cast, last for say 15 sec and have a 30sec cooldown, that way it's not spam-able and still provides an opportunity for the priest to get some distance to cast their spells. I also think that the debuff should not override the bone chill effect, as the AoE opportunity would be from using the trap zone, then tab-targetting mobs caught in it with a second dot.

They're right... every single class has an option to be able to AoE. From a druid's count seeds, to a rogue's shadow stab... priest is the only class without. Since the priest was never defined as the single-target class, they should be afforded the opportunity to have at least one offensive spell out of that classification.

And to those of you who say it wouldn't be fair to mages... have you even considered comparing the damage a mage does versus a priest? It's a laughable idea at best.

Give AoE's to priests and you'll see P/S will suddenly become the most popular choice for a class. Why? Because Ice blade is easily one of the/if not the most OP skills in the game and if a priest were to have an AoE on top of that, it would just be dumb. Priests don't need AoE's, if you want a combination class you should roll druid (as they are half way between priests and druids).

Quoted from "Silenteye7;476810"

They're right... every single class has an option to be able to AoE. From a druid's count seeds, to a rogue's shadow stab... priest is the only class without. Since the priest was never defined as the single-target class, they should be afforded the opportunity to have at least one offensive spell out of that classification.

And to those of you who say it wouldn't be fair to mages... have you even considered comparing the damage a mage does versus a priest? It's a laughable idea at best.

lol @ rogues having aoe ss. Thats R/S only and while it does have its uses its laughable @ best.

And priest does great damage. If statted for int/ma. I invite you to duel a mage geared p/s. Priests just don't have cdz.

Quoted from "KOL40;476835"

lol @ rogues having aoe ss. Thats R/S only and while it does have its uses its laughable @ best.

And priest does great damage. If statted for int/ma. I invite you to duel a mage geared p/s. Priests just don't have cdz.

Priests shouldn't HAVE to stack massive amounts of matk to do damage. And saying just because ONE priest has ONE instant cast skill that's good, so therefore priests don't need more damage period, is just stupid. P/S =/= all priests.

Quoted from "KOL40;476795"

It's not trolling broseph, i made the post to be humerous but it is the truth. I was a priest main last ch (P/R) and have healed more than my fair share. To give a priest (or any other class for that matter) an offensive aoe wouldn't really be fair to mages. AOE/CC is a mages niche in the game. If other classes had an offensive aoe it would dilute the mage classes purpose. Every class has it's own specialty.

Definatley agree and as to where a druid is in between the mage and priest attack wise why do u think that is? My guess is priest werent made for attacking therefore you DO have to stack magic attack if u want it to attack. Druid is your best bet to do decent damage without stacking alot of magical attack imo. We haea druid/mage in our guild named <Insert Name here> who can do almost as much damage as a mage but obviously less b/c he doesnt have as much magical attack btu that being said a druid is more capaqble than a priest. and it would again ruin the mage class.

Quoted from "gigilomann;476859"

and it would again ruin the mage class.

Um, a non-spammable weak aoe would not ruin the mage class. Do a warrior's aoes make mages useless? No. Do scout aoes? No. Do warden or druid aoes? Again, no. No one's stupid enough to think they can make a priest and play it as a pure DPS in an instance, aside from the P/W...so how exactly would giving priests a weak aoe that leans more towards debuffing hurt the mage class, who is obviously superior to everyone for aoes because theirs are spammable?

If you're perfectly content that a priest can't kill a fly if they're statted for healing, great, happy for you, but most of us aren't. There isn't a single game out there that makes healers as weak offensively as RoM does.