ArenaNet:Skill feedback/Monk/Shield Guardian

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Shield Guardian

Life Infusion Issue -- 02:48, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Discussion

Issue

healing in prot line

10 energy

spammable

75% block on 1/4 cast is pointless if it ends once you block

Suggestion

"For 8 seconds, the next 3 attack skills used against target ally are reduced by 16...67...80 damage." (5 energy, 1/4 cast, 6 recharge)

compared to guardian it would be faster to activate, and the 1/4 cast would be useful for catching melee spikes. OR

"For 8 seconds, the next 3 attack skills used against target ally are blocked." (5 energy, 1/4 cast, 4 recharge)

keeping with the Guardian block mentality

76.26.189.65 01:51, 4 March 2008 (UTC) Issue

Issue

10 energy

Suggestion

5 - 1/4 - 1 Enchantment Spell. For 8 seconds, has a 75% chance to block incoming attacks, The next time target ally blocks an attack, that ally is healed for 16...67...80 and Shield Guardian ends.

Anon's Issue 90.47.226.151 19:28, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Discussion

Issue

This skill is bad. Too much energy for a weak heal and 0 protection overall.

Suggestion

Don't make it end the next time you block. Make it end the next time you don't.

It's like an overpriced Reversal of Fortune

Issue

See the title.

Suggestion

This skill strikes me as the monk's version of Shield of Force (just as Shield of Force and Burning Shield are the dervish's and paragon's Shield Bash), but perhaps a little different since we don't need 4 skills all the same. I would suggest something along the lines of:

5 1/4 6

Enchantment Spell. For 10 seconds, target ally has a 75% chance to block incoming attacks. The next time target ally blocks an attack, that ally is healed for 10...38...45, all foes adjacent to that ally are Weakened for 2...8...10 seconds and Shield Guardian ends.

This would give the target something of a more lasting defence too as their foes would be weakened.

New Suggestion

Move this skill to Smiting Prayers and make it a bit more... Smitey. There are plenty of Prot skills which block (e.g. Guardian) or catch a single hit (e.g. RoF) et.c. but there are very few Smiting Skills at all, let alone support ones. This would work better more like:

10 1/4 12

Enchantment Spell. For 8 seconds, target ally has a 75% chance to block attack skills. The next time that ally blocks an attack skill in this way, up to 1...4...5 foes adjacent to that ally take 5...41...50 holy damage and Shield Guardian ends. Attacking foes struck by Shield Guardian are knocked down. (Attrib: Smiting Prayers).

This would work a bit like an expensive (but better) Shield Bash or a non-elite Shield of Judgement. The 10 cost seems worth it for the knockdown, damage and the smaller recharge than similar skills especially since Smiters aren't as likely to need their energy as much. It would retain a Protective flavour to it but would clearly fit better in Smiting since it knocks down and punishes foes who are attacking you. As much as anything, Smiting needs a boost (especially since the Smiter's Boon super-nerf) and this skill would certainly be more useful there.

Another Anon's Issue 81.79.127.150 23:43 24 August 2008 (GMT)

Discussion

Issue

See previous posters

Suggestion

Rework to act similar to shield of absorption i.e.:

Enchantment spell. For 3...6...7 seconds, target ally gains an additional 30% chance to block incoming attacks after being struck by an attack while under the effects of this enchantment. (5 1/4 5 )

For some statistical data (obtained using OpenOffice Calc), this means that the expected number of blocks using this skill will exceed those of guardian after the 6th attack with these values (3 attacks expected to be blocked using guardian, ~3.04 with this skill) otherwise the use of guardian would have, on average, blocked more attacks. The cast time is shorter to allow it to start blocking sooner (since it shouldn't block the first attack as you haven't been struck yet), while the recharge time at 1 second longer than guardian means that it can be used a second time only just slower than guardian. Used with other blocking 'buffs' will slow down the rate that the ally is struck and so make it take longer to achieve maximum blocking rate, and have greater diminishing returns (for instance, stack it with another 50% block rate skill and even with 11 attacks on the target statistically you should expect fewer blocks than with guardian and another 50% block rate skill e.g. 8.25 attacks expected to be blocked with guardian and another 50% block, ~8.14 attacks expected to be blocked with this skill and another 50% block). As such, intelligent use of this skill can allow a greater number of blocks than guardian, and observant attacking players can switch targets after a few attacks punishing frivolous use of this skill. It also doesn't completely remove guardians advantage of throwing on someone casting a long cast time skill to prevent a ranger interupt.

Just like shield of absorption, reapplication should reset the block rate of this skill to 0%. Maybe add a clause that says this skill will end after 10 attacks are blocked to prevent solo farming?

Impaled's Issue - 17:57, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Issue

Expensive for a spammy monk skill.

Suggestion

5 ¼ 8 Enchantment Spell. (1...7...8 seconds.) 100% chance to block. Block effect: target ally and all nearby allies are healed for 16...67...80 and this spell ends.

Bathory's Issue 03:46, 5 April 2009 (UTC)

Comments & Suggestions Here, Please

Issue

High energy cost on a spell that's meant to be used often is only realistic on an E/Mo that still has considerable energy management. Move to Smiting Prayers. This would give Smiting another target ally effect that's different from the ones it already has. It stays with the original skill's "one block only" and will block any regular attack, so you can avoid having it block an attack skill if you're paying attention.

Suggestion

5 1 5

Enchantment Spell. 75% chance to block. Block effect: foes in the area take 15...51...60 holy damage and Shield Guardian ends.