2011-04-16, 12:10 PM
C/Ped from my reply on a Basil thread.
Not expecting any changes to 1st job aside from the usual effect buffing/nerfing.
2nd Job:
- Power Knockback - Ability to use it in mid-air once more.
- Enhanced Basics - Removed to make way for a +DEX skill
3rd Job:
- Hawk/Eagle - Summoning Rock requirement removed. (Wild Hunter's Silver Hawk doesn't use Summoning Rocks already)
- Arrow Rain/Eruption - Removal of the skill's bow whack animation. Either return the delay back to what it was before Chaos and reduce the damage to something like 400-450%, or buff the skill to something like 185% x3 (as opposed to Chaos' 500% x1).
- Evasion Boost - Who knows? It might see some sort of change.
4th job:
- Vengeance - I don't see them keeping this skill at all. It is the single worst skill in all of MapleStory, in that putting points into it as it is now HURTS you. I'm expecting this skill to either be scrapped entirely, or re-tooled somehow. If it is to be re-tooled, the effect could be something like, when you are hit, there is a 30% chance for you to instantly recieve a buff that grants a +10% total damage increase for the next 10 seconds.
- Hamstring - Either scrapped entirely, or changed to work on bosses and given an additional effect that gives a damage bonus against enemies based on their current speed. Something like applying a 10% damage bonus to immobile/0% speed and stunned enemies, with the bonus decreasing by 1% every 10% faster an enemy is, down to where no damage bonus is applied to enemies with 100% speed or more.
- Blind - Scrapped entirely. Wild Hunters already have it in 3rd job, and Dual Blades have a version that works on bosses.
Of course there will be new skills. We just don't know where.
- Some people might question Evasion Boost being changed. I honestly see Nexon Korea possibly changing Evasion Boost so that it is given a higher activation rate, but only works against magical attacks. On the other hand, it could be scrapped in favor of a new attacking skill that gives us a small amount of invincibility frames, an amount so small that the attack has to be timed carefully. IMO, the way Evasion Boost is now, it's boring since it lends very little to the archer playing style (it's more of a Thief-style skill if anything), and the effect barely makes a difference as it is now.
- If Hamstring is to be scrapped entirely, I expect it to be replaced with a new mob skill. Preferably a piercing-type skill, as opposed to a splash-type skill like Inferno and Arrow Bomb. Some people might want Advanced Final Attack instead, but I simply do not see that happening. Heroes were the only Warrior class that recieved that skill. The only way that I would consider it to be a possibility for Bowmasters is if Advanced Final Attack was given to all Warriors.
- If Vengeance is to be scrapped entirely... Well, I don't know what to expect out of a theoretical skill that replaces Vengeance. If Hamstring doesn't get replaced with a mob skill, then it's likely that whatever skill replaces Vengeance (if it is to be replaced at all) is either a 10 SP mob skill or a skill that improves Arrow Rain and Inferno in some way. One must note that since Vengeance is a 10 point skill, the skill that replaces it must also have a maximum SP level of 10.
- A theoretical Blind-replacing skill would probably be a passive skill that grants something like a 15% chance to add an additional +30% damage bonus against frozen or immobile enemies. (Taking inspiration from Sniper Strafe's pre-Big Bang secondary effect.)
---
I did notice some people mentioning the lowering of SP requirements to max 4th job skills. I don't think that is going to happen as long as mastery books exist. It seems to be either 10 SP or 30 SP to max for 4th job skills nowadays, never in between.
Not expecting any changes to 1st job aside from the usual effect buffing/nerfing.
2nd Job:
- Power Knockback - Ability to use it in mid-air once more.
- Enhanced Basics - Removed to make way for a +DEX skill
3rd Job:
- Hawk/Eagle - Summoning Rock requirement removed. (Wild Hunter's Silver Hawk doesn't use Summoning Rocks already)
- Arrow Rain/Eruption - Removal of the skill's bow whack animation. Either return the delay back to what it was before Chaos and reduce the damage to something like 400-450%, or buff the skill to something like 185% x3 (as opposed to Chaos' 500% x1).
- Evasion Boost - Who knows? It might see some sort of change.
4th job:
- Vengeance - I don't see them keeping this skill at all. It is the single worst skill in all of MapleStory, in that putting points into it as it is now HURTS you. I'm expecting this skill to either be scrapped entirely, or re-tooled somehow. If it is to be re-tooled, the effect could be something like, when you are hit, there is a 30% chance for you to instantly recieve a buff that grants a +10% total damage increase for the next 10 seconds.
- Hamstring - Either scrapped entirely, or changed to work on bosses and given an additional effect that gives a damage bonus against enemies based on their current speed. Something like applying a 10% damage bonus to immobile/0% speed and stunned enemies, with the bonus decreasing by 1% every 10% faster an enemy is, down to where no damage bonus is applied to enemies with 100% speed or more.
- Blind - Scrapped entirely. Wild Hunters already have it in 3rd job, and Dual Blades have a version that works on bosses.
Of course there will be new skills. We just don't know where.
- Some people might question Evasion Boost being changed. I honestly see Nexon Korea possibly changing Evasion Boost so that it is given a higher activation rate, but only works against magical attacks. On the other hand, it could be scrapped in favor of a new attacking skill that gives us a small amount of invincibility frames, an amount so small that the attack has to be timed carefully. IMO, the way Evasion Boost is now, it's boring since it lends very little to the archer playing style (it's more of a Thief-style skill if anything), and the effect barely makes a difference as it is now.
- If Hamstring is to be scrapped entirely, I expect it to be replaced with a new mob skill. Preferably a piercing-type skill, as opposed to a splash-type skill like Inferno and Arrow Bomb. Some people might want Advanced Final Attack instead, but I simply do not see that happening. Heroes were the only Warrior class that recieved that skill. The only way that I would consider it to be a possibility for Bowmasters is if Advanced Final Attack was given to all Warriors.
- If Vengeance is to be scrapped entirely... Well, I don't know what to expect out of a theoretical skill that replaces Vengeance. If Hamstring doesn't get replaced with a mob skill, then it's likely that whatever skill replaces Vengeance (if it is to be replaced at all) is either a 10 SP mob skill or a skill that improves Arrow Rain and Inferno in some way. One must note that since Vengeance is a 10 point skill, the skill that replaces it must also have a maximum SP level of 10.
- A theoretical Blind-replacing skill would probably be a passive skill that grants something like a 15% chance to add an additional +30% damage bonus against frozen or immobile enemies. (Taking inspiration from Sniper Strafe's pre-Big Bang secondary effect.)
---
I did notice some people mentioning the lowering of SP requirements to max 4th job skills. I don't think that is going to happen as long as mastery books exist. It seems to be either 10 SP or 30 SP to max for 4th job skills nowadays, never in between.