Feedback:User/Arngrim/Mob Diversity
Mob Diversity | |
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| User | Arngrim |
| Categories | Player vs. Environment Mechanics |
Mob Diversity[edit]
Instead of having mobs consist of many of the same profession (and thus having multiple copies of certain skills), diversify the professions within each mob. Each enemy in a mob may even be randomly chosen from a select group of enemies.
This does not need to apply in all areas. Maybe only in explorable areas. Maybe only in missions. Maybe only in elite areas.
Reasoning[edit]
The main issue is that these mobs have multiple copies of certain skills. For the most part, a balanced group can deal with this problem. However, there are occasions when these mobs are very difficult to deal with unless the players bring a specific counter for that specific mob. Here are some examples from GW1:
- A group of Raptors. They have high damage output, interrupts, stance removal and a blocking enchantment (Critical Defenses). A balanced group may be able to strip Critical Defenses off the raptors, but slowly. (The recharge of enchantment removal is about 10-15 seconds.) Until Critical Defenses is removed, the physical damage players won't be very effective. The raptors will likely be dealing a lot of damage to and interrupting the casters. The group of players may have a lot of trouble if they don't bring specific counters.
- A group of Wind Riders. They have anti-caster hexes, enchantment removal, interrupts and degen hexes. As a team, having a few key skills interrupted isn't a big problem. But, with a group of Wind Riders, all the casters in a balanced team will be almost completely shut down. Skills like Healing Breeze, which would be useful to counter the degen, will be stripped almost immediately. Again, the group of players may have a lot of trouble if they don't bring specific counters.
The aim of this change is to avoid having players speccing against certain mobs. For example, it will help avoid this from happening: "For the next area, you need to bring skills A and B; otherwise you won't be much help to our team."
Advantages/Disadvantages[edit]
- In some cases, this will make mobs easier and in other cases, this will make mobs harder. (Adding a Monk to the mix might make it harder.) Hopefully, the difficulty will be more consistent.
- Enemies are less predictable.
- Easy counters aren't as easy to find.
- Solo/Duo farming becomes much more difficult.
- Groups of players will generally have to diversify, too.
- There is less of a need for players to have experience in or knowledge of the area that they are entering.
- Certain roles will become more viable. For example, Mesmers that shut down Monks will become more valuable. It's likely to have a few Monks in the enemy party, rather than having all Monks or no Monks.
Skill Variability[edit]
(merged from Greener's suggestion)
After seeing how effective Moss Scarabs have been using Verata's Gaze on MM's in The Wilds, today, I realized how important variability is on enemies. Often groups can easily prepare for areas, knowing exactly which skills they'll face (or more importantly, what they will not face.)
If NPC's were given variable skill bars (say 4 or 5 standard skills, with 1 or 2 added from a small pool), locating/spiking/disabling a particularly challenging baddie would up the difficulty a bit. Rather than the standard grind against known enemies with predictable skills, the odd Verata's Gaze, Gaze of Fury, Blinding Flash, Vocal Minority, etc. could bring spice to some "safe" builds that people bring because they "know" they'll succeed without issue.
As an example, an Am Fah Necromancer with the following skill bar:
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Could be given either of these at random:
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