ArenaNet:Skill feedback/Elementalist/Stone Sheath

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Stone Sheath (last update: never)

Nicky Silverstar's Issue -- Issue -- 08:31, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

Discussion

Issue

Has an effect that is too weak for a normal skill to be usable, let alone an elite. Is clearly inferior to Stone Striker.

Suggestion

Change it into an Earth Magic version of Blinding Surge, without the armor penetration. The synergy with Glowstone and Stoning will make up for the fact that the damage and the condition are inferior to those of Blinding Surge.

Lightblade's Issue 21:12, 5 March 2008 (UTC)

Issue

Weaker than Stone Striker and an elite.

Suggestion

Combines the effect of the 2 non-elite skills: Stone Striker and Stoneflesh Aura, and make enchant self.

Akirai Annuvil's Issue 23:16, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Issue

It's incredibly weak and has basically no use in any build, even if it is hex heavy.

Suggestion

Functionality changed: "Enchantment Spell. For 30 seconds, if target other ally is wielding an ebon weapon, your attacks strike for an additional 1...10...12 earth damage."

Triggers reversals like the prenerf Conjures did. The low +damage is to prevent too much power when combined with Melform dervs.

Jette's Issue 16:05, 11 March 2008

Issue

Stone Striker essentially does nothing unless you make several people's builds around it, with Geomancer's Insignii and Mantra of Earth and other stuff that, in the end, still provides little if any benefit.

Suggestion

Add an additional effect: Those foes deal 1...21 less damage per hit. Or whatever amount of less damage. At least that way, it'll provide a direct, tangible benefit. It's still a hex and therefore easily removed, but at least it will do something more than just change what type of damage you're getting killed by.

Michael the Perfectionist's Issue -- 04:52, 7 July 2008 (UTC)

Issue

This skill is too boring. It's basically a combination of Stone Striker and Dulled Weapon. It needs a more unique effect.

Suggestion

Change functionality to: 5, 1, 10 "Elite Hex Spell. Target foe and all nearby foes are struck for 10...42...50 earth damage and are hexed with Stone Sheath. For 5...13...15 seconds, all damage that these foes deal while suffering from weakness is reduced by 1...16...20."

This change would give Earth Magic Elementalists an elite defensive spell that would really help out the entire party. It would also synergize with skills like Enfeebling Blood, Withering Aura, Ebon Hawk, and Ward of Weakness.

Underpowered

Issue

Same as above. It's like a slightly better Dulled Weapon (which is underpowered itself), but isn't worth being an elite and wouldn't be even if it was this much better than a decent Dulled Weapon.

Suggestion

Try:

10 1 15

Elite Hex Spell. For 8...18...20 seconds, attacks made by target foe and all nearby foes deal 5...17...20% less damage which is converted to earth damage and cannot cause a critical hit. When Stone Sheath ends on a foe, that foe takes 8...34...40 earth damage and loses all Weapon Spells.

The decreased damage would make this worth it, and flavour-wise I imagine it being like a covering on your foes' weapons which blunts and rubbishifies them. The weapon spell bit is more flavour-based (I imagine the weapon spell going on top of the "stone sheath" and then being lost when the sheath collapses) than anything since though a weapon spell counter would be useful, having it on hex end wouldn't really have much practical use, but it could make the skill a bit more interesting (like "wth, why has my weapon spell gone? man, i forgot Stone Sheath did that!" or whatever).

Underpowered

Issue

Too weak to be non-elite

Suggestion 1

Make it a counter to sway. 5e 1/4s 6r "For 10...20...23 seconds that foe and all nearby foes' attacks do earth damage and cannot critical. Their maximum damage is reduced by 10...22...26%."

Suggestion 2

5e 1s 10r "For 10 seconds whenever that foe criticals it suffers Crippled and Weakness for 5...10...11 seconds".

How about a small but useful addition?

Issue

This skill is trash.

Suggestion

Add "Affected foes lose all weapon spells and cannot be the target of further weapon spells."

Bathory's Issue 09:43, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Issue

Is a mash-up of two rarely used skills (Stone Striker and Dulled Weapon)

Suggestion

10 1 8

Elite Hex Spell. (20 seconds) Target foe and nearby foes are struck for 45...93...105 earth damage. Foes suffering from Weakness move 66% slower.

Change Function Needed

Issue

Never seen people use this elite, is this enough?

Suggestion

10 1 15 Elite Hex Spell. Remove target's 1 weapon spell and target cant wield any weapon spell in 0...6...8 seconds. --RedTeaCat 09:54, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

Sparky's Issue

Issue

All of the above.

Suggestion

Changing this skill to be a useful anti-attacker or like a conjure spell (as Earth Magic has never had one... probably because of the armor spells, though elite status might make a fair trade) Several suggestions..

• Stone Sheath

10 1 30 Elite Enchantment Spell. (60 seconds.) While wielding an earth weapon, your attacks deal an additional 5..15 earth damage and an additional 2...8 damage against weakened foes. (Notes: Allows people to use earth conjures, prevents synergy with Ebon Dust Aura, gives a small conditional bonus to damage, has better recharge, and in a much better attribute for close-range fighting than other conjures)

• Stone Sheath

5 1 20 Elite Hex Spell. (1...10 seconds.) Target foe cannot attack. When this hex spell ends, that foe is blinded for 1...10 seconds. (Ends if that foe takes damage.) (Notes: The combination of hex and condition attack prevention is powerful, but the hex ending like Pacifism can make this like a no damage Ineptitude.)

• Stone Sheath

10 1 10 Elite Weapon Spell. (1...15 seconds) Target foe deals -5...30 earth damage with attacks. (Notes: Yes, this is a weapon spell that is cast on a foe. Gives the bonus of removing weapon spells, but the downside of being removed by them. Spells like Vengeful Weapon might make it close to useless, but against most weapon spells its energy cost prevents it from being spammed too much.)

A skill change like one of these would remove the useless skill known as Stone Sheath and replace it with a more interesting and useful spell for people use.

83.29.95.52 15:24, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

Issue

Converting damage to earth isn't useful under most circumstances.

Suggestion

15 1 20 - For 3...13...15 seconds, target foe moves 20...68...80% slower, and his attacks cannot inflict knockdowns.

Frosty's Issue

Issue

Potential, but much better non elite forms of anti-melee, besides the fact it doesn't even prevent melee from doing damage.

Suggestion

10 ¾ 12 - For 1...10...12 seconds, target foe and all nearby foes are knocked down the next time they use an attack skill.

The KD allows whoever is being attacked time to kite while it can also be used anti-spikingly like Bsurge to mess up a chain (devestating versus assassin). And except for AoS there would be really no way to protect against this (PnH can hinder Bsurge, as can draw). Frosty 15:45, 31 May 2009 (UTC)