Power Mech feels like a discounted version of Knight

[vhnh167 285]

So I've spent roughly 10kc this character swap discount event changing from Knight -> Pikeman -> Mech and I must say I feel kinda betrayed. Pikeman I understand, it has good damage, good range but very brittle, kinda like a high risk - high reward playstyle. However, Power Mech, although it's a little more playable, is still inferior to Knight on almost any objective measure (in PvE, I don't play PvP so I don't know). For reference, the tests I've done are with the same character and items (just different class): 140+24 shield and armor, 138+24 2h and 142+24 1h, Set 140 BSOL and SB3 BSOL.

 

1. In maps with many monsters like Iron Core: with Maximize + Impulsion/Spark + Spark Shield + Magnetic Sphere, it can kill roughly the same number (a little fewer but negligible) of monsters per 5 minute (~1800).  This is the only positive thing.

 

2. In dungeons like Bee Cave hard mode, while Knight can tank comfortably with 2h weapon (I didn't even have to use pots unless fighting bosses), Mech either have to use 1h + Maximize or 2h + Metal Armor. 2h + Maximize = better damage but much more frequent potting -> less DPS. As a result, on average, Mech takes 3-4 minutes more to finish the same dungeon (and much more struggle).

 

3. In SL/SS/Etherborne: This is where it's really really bad. Either I become a meat sack and deal little damage with full tank buff or I pot constantly, regardless of weapon choice. In SL, with Knight I used to tank 3 monsters with 2h weapon and kill extremely fast with Lightning Sword. Mech doesn't have that luxury, either damage or tank and most of the time it's better to just use 1h + Maximize for comfort. While it took my Knight 20 minutes to finish 50 monsters, it takes 40 minutes for my Mech now. I understand Knight deals 20% more AOE damage to Undead thanks to Undead Bane but this x2 time consumed is just so bad. The same thing happens in SS/Etherborne. Knight is just so perfect for AOE with flat damage reduction and defense boost and Lightning Sword. The only thing I see Mech doing better is being a meat sack for AFK playstyle. 

 

My suggestion:

 

1. Increase Maximize damage back to the previous rate. If one chooses to use Maximize, please make sure it's even worth the trade-off. Mech with Maximize just feels so naked and sad in hunt maps. 

 

or 

 

2. Give a fraction (like 50%) of metal armor and trine shield boost when combining with Maximize and lower the Maximize damage a bit further. This is to help sustained playstyle deals more damage.  

 

and 

 

3. Increase the area of Magnetic Sphere a bit more. Lightning Sword has such an amazing range and area, I don't know why a 1-sec interval skill like Magnetic Sphere must have a comical area of 50.

 

 

Anyhow, I do think Power Mech need some more love. Right now there's no incentive to choose Power Mech over Knight for PvE. 

 

Thanks for listening to my rant. I hope you consider my suggestions. 

 

@Overlady

[(◕﹏◕✿) 18]

This MS balancing was a total catastrophe (in terms of PVE). They messed with the character so much that today it doesn't know how to make the MS come back to life on the server.

Its only function is to be a tanker, and even that can be replaced by a PRS.

[vhnh167 285]

1 minute ago, (◕﹏◕✿) said:

This MS balancing was a total catastrophe (in terms of PVE). They messed with the character so much that today it doesn't know how to make the MS come back to life on the server.

Its only function is to be a tanker, and even that can be replaced by a PRS.

Yeah man, that's why I feel so sad. I've spent so much coin changing class and swapping items around, now I feel powerless. Might take a break from game for a while waiting for a positive update.

[jesusvida2 26]

I, honestly, am thinking about stop playing, I don't want to play with other class/char but MS, whoever, how things are going with MS today... Is just frustrating...

 

[helfire66 37]

the class is dead after the patch, a hopy deal more damage than a ms, only thing he do good is tank, but can be replaced by a knight (tanks = ms)

[vhnh167 285]

1 hour ago, helfire66 said:

the class is dead after the patch, a hopy deal more damage than a ms, only thing he do good is tank, but can be replaced by a knight (tanks = ms)

Technically if you go full tank than ms can tank a bit more monsters. But I agree with you, Knight can do the same job in most scenarios. 

[Jysn 126]

Imagine nerfing the worst char in the game.

[exyzus 64]

I played my mech for 2 years lvling it from 0 to 155. And I'm giving up. I use it as a tank for my mgs in EB now. It's very sad. 

[vhnh167 285]

1 minute ago, exyzus said:

I played my mech for 2 years lvling it from 0 to 155. And I'm giving up. I use it as a tank for my mgs in EB now. It's very sad. 

I feel you. All the changes are objectively bad:

 

- Mechanic Bomb now does slightly more normal damage, 98% compared to 57% (27%x2), but no longer procs crits. Claws and hammers have really good crits and we know crits add 70% on top of each hit so I'm sure DPS is much worse now. The skill is literally useless because why would one choose that over Spark? In the past you could argue well if you have +24 items with high crit you should go for Mechanic Bomb but now it's just pointless.  

 

- Spark has 10% more damage but now has worse range and area, so practically another nerf.

 

- Attack Power Boost increases weapon attack power but it's not the same as having 20% maximum damage on top of your final damage, especially when hammers have really high max damage -> yet another nerf on DPS.

 

- Spark Shield does 5% (!) more damage on 2h but has 3s instead of 2s interval. I'm not sure how that is a buff??? I literally don't feel the skill working that much to be honest.

 

- Grand Smash is useless because only late 16x-17x have skill points for that. Why would you use it if it can't even hit 3 monsters in front of you in EB?

 

- Magnetic sphere being an area skill is welcome but it has a tiny area (50) and much reduced damage.

 

- The only buffs Mech receive which do not affect Power Mech much in PvE is Trine Shield and Obliterate. If you want to hunt efficiently in Etherborne you'd have to tank at least two or three monsters, and the charging time for area damage is to slow compared to just using Impulsion. Trine Shield makes Mech lose all the defense buff deal hilariously little damage it's not worth it. 

 

@Overlady please reconsider these changes. You're making a dead class even more dead. You want to fix the problem of Mech being just a meat sack, now people have more incentives to do so.