While I am pleased with the Warden upgrade The are some problems that need resolving. And helpful, hopefully well-balanced suggestions on how to fix them.
1) Spirit of the Oak: "Summons a Spirit of the Oak to protect you. While in effect, it will increase your Physical Defense by 20% and your Parry Rate by 20%."
Problem: Wardens have a base Parry Rate of ZERO. They do not use shields or offhand weapons, and lack the Knight skill set for Parry Rate enhancement, therefore cannot parry. Someone was thinking Knight when they should have been thinking Warden.
Perhaps this could be converted to a 20% bonus to Physical Attack, Hit Points or Dodge. I vote for dodge, personally. It is the Warden equivalent of Parry. Though Hit Points and Physical Attack are more in line with the nature of the Spirit of the Oak.
2) Thorny Vines: Frantic Briar does a percentage of main hand weapon damage and slows opponents by 35%, Thorny Vines should do the same (level 50 with Rogue enhanced damage amended: "... inflicting 210% main hand weapon DPS every 2 seconds for eight seconds") as it has an eight second cooldown. It should also impede movement (1% per level) or immobilize the target for the eight second duration.
3) Movement Restriction: Damage inflicted should be, you got it, percentage of main hand weapon dps. I am trying to keep all vine/thorn powers consistent with Frantic Briar.
4) The Nature Crystal still fails to grant this "immunity" spoke of in its write up. Perhaps the Crystal should have a parry rating based on the players level and it intercepts attacks for the player.
5) Gravel Attack (Warden/Rogue Elite skill). Secondary damage should be a percentage of main hand weapon damage like the primary attack damage. The level 50 power would be amended to read as follows "It also additionally deals 171.0% of main hand weapon DPS Earth Damage every two seconds for six seconds.
6) Chiron the Centaur (Warden/Scout Elite Skill). Secret Agreement fails to grant the +20% to physical damage. Secret agreement needs to be changed to something else and the powers it grants should be what Chiron gives to his summoner, much like the benefits given by the other pets.
Good Stuff:
1) Heart of the Oak, seems bad on the surface. But what it comes down to is instances and knowing whe you enemy is about unleash uber-doom attack he does every 20 or 30 seconds. So it is just a matter of timing for players. This one could turn the normally DPS Warden into the Tank of the moment.
2) the new Natural Lifeline rocks. I'm 67. Guess which skill is 65...
3) Protection of Nature is nice. I'm guessing it applies to potions, too?
