Feedback:User/Kirbman/Skills/explanations

These changes are suggestions that I believe would help balance both PvP and PvE. All dervish skills have been omitted due to recent changes.

Description updates
Let's do the ones that aren't functionality changes first. These are the only PvE skills (and title effect) that do not have dynamic descriptions because they were added before the others. Lightbringer Signet became dynamic when it was changed, but these 3 still need to be updated.
 * : Updated description to reflect character’s Lightbringer title level.
 * : Updated description to reflect character’s Lightbringer title level.
 * : Updated description to reflect character’s Sunspear title level.

PvE skill bugs
The last update to Shadow Form ensured Perma Shadow Form assassins could still exist but making it so that they were no longer invincible in most situations, but a bug was introduced that gives more damage reduction than intended. This bug is now frequently exploited by farmers. This bug can hurt those who don't know about it and be exploited by those who do. These skills currently provide +24 base armor and another +24 armor against certain foes, but the armor stacking cap limits that to a total of +25 armor. By making the additional armor against each specified race function properly, it needs to be added as a single armor addition. Because these skills are already very powerful in their current forms, the additional armor is reduced to 40 rather than the 48 it would have been to prevent the skills from becoming too overpowered.
 * : Fixed a bug that caused assassin enchantments to count multiple times if they were refreshed before they ended.
 * : Fixed a bug that caused both caster and target to be unable to miss against any target.
 * : Changed functionality to: “You plant an Ebon Battle Standard of Courage at your current location. For 14...20 seconds, non-spirit allies in this area gain +40 armor against Charr and +24 armor against other foes.”
 * : Changed functionality to: “For 22...40 seconds, target ally has +60 maximum Health, +40 armor against Destroyers and +24 armor against other foes.”

Rarely used elites
Rarely used ritualist elites are included in the section. Aura of Displacement and Shadow Meld have the exact same effect but different targets, and neither is ever used seriously. Combining them under one elite works as a buff and preserves all current functionality, while also making room for a whole new elite. My suggestion for this new functionality keeps Shadow Meld as a maintained enchantment, but makes it like a less encompassing, maintainable version of Vow of Silence or Shadow Form to help promote assassin casters that don't rely on skills from other professions in PvP and possibly PvE. This spell is costly, has a worse effect on the caster than the target, and is (at best) worse than a 3 second knockdown. It was nerfed because it was overpowered in PvP, but now it's useless in both PvP and PvE. So I suggest a functionality change that still has a similar effect, but more spread out and reliant on critical hits. Second Wind is often considered to be the worst elite in the game, but has seen no revision since release. The cast time buff is necessary, and an added functionality that follows the theme of its name could make it less laughable to see in play. My suggestion for added functionality would make it the only elementalist skill that can remove either hexes or conditions, but having that only when the caster is below 25% and the incurred exhaustion would keep that merely as an added bonus. Another good option would be to knock down all adjacent foes rather than remove a hex and condition. Making the duration depend on Expertise will make Marksman's Wager almost maintainable for rangers without allowing other classes to take as much advantage of its high energy return. Decapitate is typically avoided because it essentially disables any other attack skills the user might have. This change will prevent Decapitate from being used as often while allowing other adrenal skills to follow up. These skills are too costly to compete with more popular monk elites. Adding an energy return dependent on Divine Favor rank rather than cutting the energy cost prevents this prevents Word of Censure from becoming easily spammable by classes with better energy management than monks (namely elementalists and necromancers). By reducing Illusionary Weaponry's recharge from 25 to 20 seconds, the impact of having it stripped or interrupted is also reduced. These skills are typically avoided due to their low duration to cast time ratios, and that Mark of Protection disables most of the skills that would normally be used by a prot monk. Lowering the recharge and increasing the cast time of both will still require careful timing but prevent the caster's elite skill from being out of play quite so often. The 2 second cast time on Mark of Protection should also balance out removing its disabling functionality, as cast time is critical for protection skills. These skills simply don't see a lot of use in either PvP or PvE and would benefit from minor recharge or cast time cuts to put them on par with other elite skills.
 * : This skill can now target other allies as well as foes.
 * : Changed attribute to Shadow Arts. Increased cast time to 1 second. Increased recharge time to 30 seconds. Changed functionality to: “Lose all hexes and enchantments. While you maintain this enchantment you cannot be the target of hexes or enchantments and your attacks deal 45…21…15 (45-2*SA) less damage”. This enchantment ends if you use a non-Assassin skill.”
 * : Increased cast time to 1 second. Changed functionality to: “For 4…16…19 (4+DA) seconds whenever you land a critical strike on target foe, all of that foe’s spells are disabled for 1 second.”
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second. Added functionality: “If you are below 25% health, you lose one hex and one condition.”
 * : Changed duration to 6…18…21 (6+E) seconds.
 * : Increased adrenaline cost to 10. No longer causes loss of all adrenaline.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 10.
 * : Added functionality: You gain 1 energy for every 4 ranks of Divine Favor you have.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : Increased cast time to .5 seconds. Reduced recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : Increased cast time to 2 seconds. Reduced recharge time to 40 seconds. This skill no longer disables your protection prayers.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 12 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 12 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 12 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to .25 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to .5 seconds.

Rarely used non-elites
These skills are all rarely used and exist as the same version in both PvE and PvP. These buffs should help level the playing field for them.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 35 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 35 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 40 seconds.
 * : No longer removes conditions from foes in the area of target foe.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 5.
 * : Decreased energy cost to 5.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 5.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 15 seconds.

Over-nerfed PvP rangers
Rangers have slowly become overshadowed for damage output in both PvE and PvP. They are typically only used for interrupts and conditions in PvP because their only high damage skills in PvE were nerfed into uselessness in PvP to prevent RSpike builds. These changes should help rangers produce reasonable damage without providing the tools for an overpowered RSpike. The PvP version of Keen Arrow currently has much lower unconditional damage and higher conditional damage than its PvE counterpart, making it less useful for rangers and more useful for assassins. It's recharge is also fairly high for such a weak attack. This change would lower the conditional damage and recharge to be identical to the PvE version, and slightly increase the unconditional damage to half of that of the PvE version to make it a feasible source of damage for rangers without making it overpowered for assassins.
 * : Increased damage to +3…15…18. (3+M)
 * : Increased damage to +3…15…18. (3+M)
 * : Reduced recharge to 8 seconds.
 * : Increased unconditional damage to +5…9…10 (5+R/3). Decreased conditional damage to +5…21…25 (same as PvE). Reduced recharge time to 6.

Other over-nerfed PvP skills
No, I'm not even going to touch Smiter's Boon (PvP)... These skills are all skills with PvE versions that would be too powerful for PvP, but were hit a bit too hard by PvP nerfs. These changes should give each one a slightly closer to its PvE version to bring them back into play. For Strength of Honor (PvP), see also.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second. Increased damage to 1…7…8. (1+SP/2)
 * : Increased duration to 5…13…15 seconds. Increased damage to 15…63…75.
 * : Increased duration to 10 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 15 seconds.

Nature rituals in PvE
Conflagration has an exceedingly long cast time for the minor effect it has. Cast time should be reduced to be on par with Winter. Any player intending to use nature rituals (or Winds) in PvE would typically slow the party down having to set them up before battle. Nature rituals are rarely used by PvE players, with area-specific exceptions for Frozen Soil and Winter. Reducing the cast times in the same way that the cast times of binding rituals were reduced should make these skills feasible to use in PvE.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Conflagration (PvP): Split for PvP. Reduced cast time to 3 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Brambles (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Edge of Extinction (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Energizing Wind (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Equinox (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Famine (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Favorable Winds (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Fertile Season (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Frozen Soil (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Greater Conflagration (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Infuriating Heat (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Lacerate (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Muddy Terrain (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Nature's Renewal (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Pestilence (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Predatory Season (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Primal Echoes (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Quickening Zephyr (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Quicksand (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Roaring Winds (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Symbiosis (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Toxicity (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Tranquility (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * Winnowing (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * Winter (PvP): Split for PvP, retains original functionality.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.

Cookie cutter ritualists
Almost all ritualists in PvE these days run SoS spirit spammer or some form of DwG bomber, and DwG is also meta in HA. These minor changes will help tilt favor towards more variety in builds without ruining the current favorites for those who wish to continue using them. These changes will help ritualists with energy management by making three energy management skills harder to interrupt and making Clamor of Souls more forgiving and able to increase energy (like an AoE Mind Blast with much less energy gain over time). These changes also make three infrequently used elites more appealing to improve their viability in new builds.
 * : Increased cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced area of effect to target foe and adjacent foes.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 5. Reduced energy gain to 8.
 * : Reduced cast time to .5 seconds. Added functionality: "This spell recharges 10% faster for each spirit that was destroyed."
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to .75 seconds.

PvP spirits
This skill has a 45 second recharge and the spirits it creates are very easy to kill. The energy cost needs to be less than 25 to be possibly worthwhile, especially with the reduction in Painful Bond's area of effect. These spirits all have high energy costs and are easy to kill. By reducing these skills' recharge times to be similar to their maximum durations at higher attributes, these spirits will be theoretically maintainable if they are well protected and less devastating to have the spirits killed. This skill's PvE version was successfully changed while this one was left the same and remains unpopular. This version should be updated to be like the PvE version but without the additional damage which could possibly make this skill overpowered.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 15.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
 * : Increased recharge time to 15 seconds. Changed functionality to: “For 5...17...20 (same as PvE) seconds, all spirits you control within earshot attack 33% faster.”

Maintained enchantments
These maintained enchantments are most often used by bonders for farming (with the exception of Strength and Honor) or as tank support, and need to be pre-cast before battle. This makes them of little use in PvP or parts of PvE with enemies that can remove enchantments. By lowering the recharge pre-casting is hardly affected, but these skills can be used more easily during combat. For Strength of Honor (PvP), see also.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second. Increased recharge time to 3 seconds.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second.
 * : Reduced cast time to 1 second. Increased damage to 1…7…8. (1+SP/2)

Resurrection skills
Both of these skills are ignored in PvP because they are too costly (in energy and more importantly time) compared to other resurrection skills such as Death Pact Signet (PvP), Flesh of My Flesh (PvP), Signet of Return (PvP), and Restore Life. These changes are unlikely to bring either skill into frequent use in PvP, but should be enough to make them considerable as options in some scenarios. In PvE, where cast and recharge times are less critical for resurrection skills, the reduced cost of Resurrect should make it less laughable and the reduced recharge of Resurrection Chant will be unlikely to change any builds, but will help teams that use it pick themselves up faster after partial wipes.
 * : Reduced energy cost to 5.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 12 seconds.

Cheap, fast, powerful non-elites
These skills are all powerful skills with only .25 second cast times, 5 energy cost, and low recharge (except CoP). They all see use throughout PvE and PvP because of their power. Increasing the cast time to make them harder to spam and more susceptible to interrupts, especially from daze, will bring them closer to an even level with other non-elite skills.
 * : Increased cast time to .5 seconds.
 * : Increased cast time to .5 seconds.
 * : Increased cast time to .5 seconds.
 * : Increased cast time to .5 seconds.

Overpowered in PvE
"Save Yourselves!" is currently overpowered, but more so for paragons than warriors. Decreasing the added armor to 60 should make it more reasonable. Increasing the duration will make it more maintainable without it being used more often, which would give paragons more energy. Adding 1 second to the recharge of Discord and Necrosis will lower their overall damage output and discourage them from being the focus of entire team builds. This change is to match that of the PvE version.
 * : Increased duration to 5…8 (5+TR/3.2). Decreased armor gain to 60. Fixed description to include that this only affects party members within earshot.
 * : Increased recharge time to 3 seconds.
 * : Increased recharge time to 3 seconds.
 * : Increased recharge time to 3 seconds.

Other skills
Minion masters constantly fall behind in PvE, especially heroes. Reducing the cast time to 1 second will help prevent minion masters with Death Nova from getting left behind so easily, and adding a 1 second recharge will prevent it from being able to be cast more frequently than before. Making it so that Death Nova can no longer target the caster reduces the effectiveness of suicide builds like the JQ Contagion Bomber without hindering typical usage. With the recent change in Mysticism that encourages dervishes to be enchanted at all times and addition of flash enchantments, this skill should receive a slight recharge increase to balance it accordingly. This change will keep Spirit Bond powerful, but simplify out having two versions and prevent it from being so easily abused by 600/smite farmers. To help address the problem of rangers not having enough damage output, the recharge time of Arcing Shot should be reduced. It is already decently powered but easy to dodge. This change will make it a good source of damage for rangers and reward players for good timing and positioning, and reward their opponents in PvP for good dodging. In PvE, Ether renewal is maintainable and becomes insanely powerful when enough enchantments are on the user. Limiting the number of enchantments that count keeps the skill powerful but prevents it from acting like "infinite" health and energy. With this change, the low set duration of the PvP version can be allowed to last a little longer, dependent on energy storage.
 * : Can no longer target self. Reduced cast time to 1 second. Added 1 second recharge time.
 * : Increased recharge time to 6 seconds.
 * : Increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * Spirit Bond: Merged with PvE version; this skill now functions the same in PvE and PvP.
 * : Reduced recharge time to 4 seconds.
 * : Limited the number of enchantments that count towards health and energy gain to 2…4…4 (2+ES/6).
 * : Limited the number of enchantments that count towards health and energy gain to 2…4…4 (2+ES/6). Changed duration to 5...9...10 (5+ES/3) seconds.