Feedback:User/Aquadrizzt/Skill rebalance/Ritualist2

Skill rebalance/Ritualist2
User	Aquadrizzt
Categories	Skill feedback → Ritualist  → Other

Goals of this component

1. Differentiate the attribute lines more, instead of having every line do everything.
2. Make primary Ritualists viable in PvE, through changes to Spawning Power and better options for energy management.
3. Bring them back to balance with other professions, such as Monk, Necromancer and Air Elementalists.
4. Refine Ritualist's unique mechanics (spirits, item spells, weapon spells) to promote tactical choice and meaningful interaction with other mechanics.

Spawning Power

• Spawning Power: changed functionality to "Without Spawning Power, you can control no more than one Bound Spirit. For every three ranks of Spawning Power, you can control one additional Bound Spirit. Your Spells and Rituals last 3% longer per rank of Spawning Power."

In my opinion, a good Primary Attribute should do two things: it should reinforce the primary playstyle of the respective profession and also offer a unique synergy with secondary professions. One thing that I think is very apparent Ritualist design is that it has access to a lot of unique mechanics, but other professions make better use of them. Even among primary Ritualist builds, it is uncommon to see significant investment into Spawning Power, even in spirit summoner builds where its effect would be maximized. Capping the number of Bound Spirits any non-primary Ritualist can have to one establishes Ritualist as the true masters of their own domain. Outside of niche solo-farming builds, this change is actually smaller than it seems; I was unable to find more than a few builds currently in use that rely on multiple spirits but aren't a primary Ritualist. While this change, taken by itself, might seem to increase the attribute distribution requirements for spirit-based Ritualists, changes to the other Ritualist attributes should help alleviate most of that effect.

Having established a unique niche for primary Ritualists with the first half of this change, the second half is focused on promoting synergy with secondary professions. While a very slight nerf in overall effect to Weapon Spells, this is a massive buff to primary Ritualist synergy for all other types of Spells (especially Enchantments and Hexes) as well as Rituals. Outside of a few egde cases (e.g. the Monk's Patient Spirit and the Mesmer's Wastrel's Worry), this unconditional duration increase adds a substantial amount of power to affected spells, and can even be used to maintain powerful spells like Shadow Form and Obsidian Flesh without further investment. This change also greatly empowers secondary professions that make extensive use of Enchantments or Hexes.

Binding Rituals

Binding Rituals are a core part of the Ritualist's identity as a profession, especially in the wake of the Spawning Power changes. However, playing a Spirit-focused build can often be quite passive, and there is little the Ritualist can do once they've cast their Binding Rituals.

Bind and Release

There were a few Ritualist skills that explored the idea of destroying a friendly Bound Spirit to gain some benefit, but they rarely made such sacrifice worthwhile. Adding in specific benefits to sacrificing Spirits early via the new Release mechanic should offer interesting tactical choices, as well as open up new playstyles for Spirit-focused Ritualists.

• Release: a skill effect that destroys a Bound Spirit under your control to activate its Release effect.

Most skills that Release Spirits require an eligible Spirit to activate, and targeting will default to the eligible Spirit closest to your current target. All Binding Rituals will be updated to have a Release effect based on their current attack or passive effect.

• Soul Twisting 5 0.5½ 2 Elite Enchantment Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: your binding rituals are recharged and your next Binding Ritual casts 0...60...75% faster. (Spawning Power)

With this change, Soul Twisting becomes the most efficient Release spell, allowing a Ritualist who chooses this as their Elite skill to be able to make constant use of the On Release effects of their selected Spirits.

• Offering of Spirit 5 0.25¼ 30 Elite Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: you are healed for 10...50...60% of that Spirit's health and gain 5...17...20 energy. (Channeling Magic)

• Reclaim Essence 10 1 30 Elite Spell. Release all bound spirits you control. Release effect: for every spirit released, you gain 1...3...4 energy and foes near you take 10...42...50 dark damage. (Spawning Power)

Many Ritualists look to their Elite skill to provide Energy Management, often selecting one of these two skills. Here, Reclaim Essence provides the set-up for a powerful AoE nuke for builds that utilize multiple spirits, while Offering of Spirit offers a more consistent option focused exclusively on self-sustain.

• Rupture Soul 15 1 20 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: inflicts Blind for 1...4...5 seconds and deals 25...53...60 lightning damage to foes adjacent to that spirit's location. (Channeling Magic)

• Spirit Burn 10 1 8 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: inflicts Burning for 1...3...3 seconds and deals 10...34...40 fire damage to foes near that spirit's location. (Channeling Magic)

• Spirit Rift 10 10.5½ 20 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: after 3 seconds, foes near that spirit's location take 40...88...100 lightning damage. (Channeling Magic)

• Signet of Binding 1 30 Signet. Assume control of target enemy-controlled bound spirit and release it. Release effect: create a level 1...10...12 aggressive spirit (60 second lifespan). Attack effect: deal 5...17...20 dark damage. Release effect: nearby foes take 10...34...40 dark damage. (Spawning Power)

• Spirit Siphon 5 0.25¼ 20 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: you gain 10...42...50% of that spirit's Energy. (Channeling Magic)

• Ghostly Haste 5 1 30 Enchantment Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: for 5...17...20 seconds, your spells recharge 10...26...30% faster. (Communing)

• Spirit Transfer 10 1 15 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: your other bound spirits are healed for 60...172...200. (Spawning Power)

• Spirit to Flesh 10 2 10 Spell. Release target bound spirit you control. Release effect: non-spirit allies near that spirit's location are healed for 20...56...65. (Restoration Magic)

Attacking Spirits

• Anguish: attribute changed to Channeling Magic

• Bloodsong
• Disenchantment
• Dissonance
• Pain
• Shadowsong
• Signet of Spirits
• Vampirism
• Wanderlust

Passive Spirits

• Agony
• Destruction
• Displacement
• Earthbind
• Empowerment
• Life
• Preservation
• Recovery
• Recuperation
• Rejuvenation
• Restoration
• Shelter
• Soothing
• Union

Improving Spirits

Ritualists possess several skills that can improve the spirits they control. These skills were originally placed in Communing or Restoration Magic. As spirit-focused builds now require a higher investment in Spawning Power to function, these skills have all been moved to Spawning Power to reduce dependence on multiple attributes.

• Armor of Unfeeling 5 1 20 Skill. For 5...29...35 seconds, spirits you control within earshot take 50% less damage and cannot be critically hit. (Spawning Power)

• Signet of Ghostly Might 1 15 Elite Signet. For 5...17...20 seconds, spirits you control within earshot attack 33% faster and deal +5...9...10 damage with attacks. (Spawning Power)

• Spiritleech Aura 5 0.25¼ 20 Skill. For 3...13...15 seconds, spirits you control within earshot deal 5...17...20 less damage with attacks, but steal 5...17...20 life with attacks. (Spawning Power)