Bonedancer ReWorked for 1.12X
This additional comment on the Bonedancer class maybe to late for 1.127 but it may very well could be added later on.
Bonedancer has been under played for a while and we have the same issues as the necromancers did with their pet. This creates a unfair play style since the pets we have are basically half the class. In every aspect if the pets are gone or exploited by players then the class is about worthless. Therefore why many people do not play a bonedancer anymore.
There was an earlier post I did with improvements to the sub pets and other abilities that would make the bonedancer on par with the current state of casters.
This bonedancer change I'm currently posting about would get rid of the pets in a way. This discussion is based on Norse Necromancy, of which there was but it was more of a shamanistic way of talking to the dead and bringing back the dead to get info or help. Odinn and Freyja were some gods that could talk to the dead therefore some of the following are just based on this.
(All of these abilities are lvl 50 spells / abilities vrs. other lvl 50s with basic 26% resist)
BONE ARMY
- Odin allows you to bring back some of the powers for his greatest warriors and aides you in your conquests. (all melee damage is based off of Piety)
Jarls Lament - Invoke the warriors and leaders of the past and with their blessing be granted a 2h sword that also gives you the ABS and AF of a complete set of chain armor with an additional +750 hps. This 2h Sword (Scourge of the Living) will have basic caster stats as well as Melee TOAs. It will have a legendary proc, 35% energy debuff w/ 60 DD upon striking a foe.
This 2h sword will also give 2 melee styles: Revenge - anytime style doing 400 dmg and a back snare called Grave Strike - doing 500 dmg and 35% snare.
Scream of Dread - 700 cone radius in front of you that will fear any charmed/summoned/controlled pets for 20 sec. This can be used every 30 sec.
Protection of the Elders - PBAOE buff (20% mana cost + 30 mana per pulse) When an enemy gets within 200 radius of the bonedancer, 2 Undead Jarls will rise up and help the BD in killing its target. They both will be a basic lvl 50 NPC with sword/shield and use Polar RIft. They will last 20 sec until dead or the timer runs out, they can not be risen again for 30sec. If a stealther is present with in 200 radius, they will appear and attack the stealther.
Reach Beyond the Grave - 2s cast, 1875 range : snare the target for 5 sec at 70%, can recast every 20 sec
Shadow Step - 1000 range, instant, usable every 5min - Teleport to a target doing 1.5x Revenges damage stunning the target for 2sec. Stun does not create a immunity nor is it effected by an immunity.
SUPPRESSION
-Freyja gives you a staff of life and death. as a WARD OF FREYJA you will be given the ABS / AF of Leather set and an additional 250hp. The staff, Fólkvangrof has basic caster stats with healer TOA bonuses.
Life Siphon -2.8s cast, 199 dd spirit - the BD is allowed to place a buff on a group member. Any damage done by this life tap will be transferred as HP at 80% to the buffed allie and 20% to the BD. If no grp member is buffed then 60% of the damage will be transferred to the bd.
Totem of Rebirth - 1500 range, 300 radius GTpbaoe, 3sec cast every 10min - Any allies that are with in this totems radius will be resurrected as a Skeleton at 75% hp/mana/endo for 10sec. After which they will return as normal at 25% hp/mana/endo with a 25% snare for 1min.
Freyja's Song - PBAOE pulse on the BD @20% initial cast with 20 mana per pulse. Any ally with in 500 radius of the BD, including the BD will be given a 200 hp heal every 2 sec.
Summon Draugr- 2000 range, 2.5sec cast, every 8 sec - Summon a Draugr (zombie) on the target. The Draugr only does 1 damage per swing and gives a 10% near sight on the target. Draugr's can not be killed nor CC'd. They will follow the target until they return to the ground in 5sec. after initially summoned. On melee characters, the Draugr will casuse a 25% chance to fumble.
Tears of Sorrow - THe BD will be able to set tears down (traps) on the ground, 5 out at anytime. These tears (traps) will have a normal radius of convoker traps and will snare any enemy walking over them by 80% for 3sec per tear. These tears ignore any immunity timers.
Darkness
As a disciple of Hel, you are giving the Staff of the Underworld. This staff has all basic caster stats and TOA caster bonuses.
Totem of Strife - instant, 1000 range, 250 radius (last 10sec) - all casting and melee speeds are reduced 30% while an enemy player is with in the totems pulse. This will effect 16 players max, pulse every 2sec. can re-cast every 1min.
Totem of Death Wind - instant, 1500 range, 300 radius (last 14 sec) - does 300 dd cold every 2 sec. Can recast every 30sec.
Void Surge - 2.8s cast, single dd , 209 dd with 35 % snare
Hel's Army - 1875 range, 3sec cast, every 10sec - cast a skull to an enemy cursing the ground they stand on. Any enemy including the target that travels thru this 200 radius patch will have a lvl 50 skeleton warrior attack them and follow them for 1min or until dead.
Reflect Hate - 2.5sec cast every 3min, last 6 sec. - cast a shield n a target that reflects 50% of the magic damage done back to the caster.
Shroud of Darkness - Randomly teleport 1000 units away in any direction. Instant, every 2min.
NEW RR 5 ability - Valsinni (Road of the Slain) - Transform into a skeleton with 75% chance to resist CC. If you run over a dead players body, you will unleash a lvl 45 skeleton w/ a 2h axe doing Havoc style. You can have 6 skeletons up at a time. If they are not killed, they will last 30sec. and attack any enemy as any aggressive NPC would.
Bonedancer has been under played for a while and we have the same issues as the necromancers did with their pet. This creates a unfair play style since the pets we have are basically half the class. In every aspect if the pets are gone or exploited by players then the class is about worthless. Therefore why many people do not play a bonedancer anymore.
There was an earlier post I did with improvements to the sub pets and other abilities that would make the bonedancer on par with the current state of casters.
This bonedancer change I'm currently posting about would get rid of the pets in a way. This discussion is based on Norse Necromancy, of which there was but it was more of a shamanistic way of talking to the dead and bringing back the dead to get info or help. Odinn and Freyja were some gods that could talk to the dead therefore some of the following are just based on this.
(All of these abilities are lvl 50 spells / abilities vrs. other lvl 50s with basic 26% resist)
BONE ARMY
- Odin allows you to bring back some of the powers for his greatest warriors and aides you in your conquests. (all melee damage is based off of Piety)
Jarls Lament - Invoke the warriors and leaders of the past and with their blessing be granted a 2h sword that also gives you the ABS and AF of a complete set of chain armor with an additional +750 hps. This 2h Sword (Scourge of the Living) will have basic caster stats as well as Melee TOAs. It will have a legendary proc, 35% energy debuff w/ 60 DD upon striking a foe.
This 2h sword will also give 2 melee styles: Revenge - anytime style doing 400 dmg and a back snare called Grave Strike - doing 500 dmg and 35% snare.
Scream of Dread - 700 cone radius in front of you that will fear any charmed/summoned/controlled pets for 20 sec. This can be used every 30 sec.
Protection of the Elders - PBAOE buff (20% mana cost + 30 mana per pulse) When an enemy gets within 200 radius of the bonedancer, 2 Undead Jarls will rise up and help the BD in killing its target. They both will be a basic lvl 50 NPC with sword/shield and use Polar RIft. They will last 20 sec until dead or the timer runs out, they can not be risen again for 30sec. If a stealther is present with in 200 radius, they will appear and attack the stealther.
Reach Beyond the Grave - 2s cast, 1875 range : snare the target for 5 sec at 70%, can recast every 20 sec
Shadow Step - 1000 range, instant, usable every 5min - Teleport to a target doing 1.5x Revenges damage stunning the target for 2sec. Stun does not create a immunity nor is it effected by an immunity.
SUPPRESSION
-Freyja gives you a staff of life and death. as a WARD OF FREYJA you will be given the ABS / AF of Leather set and an additional 250hp. The staff, Fólkvangrof has basic caster stats with healer TOA bonuses.
Life Siphon -2.8s cast, 199 dd spirit - the BD is allowed to place a buff on a group member. Any damage done by this life tap will be transferred as HP at 80% to the buffed allie and 20% to the BD. If no grp member is buffed then 60% of the damage will be transferred to the bd.
Totem of Rebirth - 1500 range, 300 radius GTpbaoe, 3sec cast every 10min - Any allies that are with in this totems radius will be resurrected as a Skeleton at 75% hp/mana/endo for 10sec. After which they will return as normal at 25% hp/mana/endo with a 25% snare for 1min.
Freyja's Song - PBAOE pulse on the BD @20% initial cast with 20 mana per pulse. Any ally with in 500 radius of the BD, including the BD will be given a 200 hp heal every 2 sec.
Summon Draugr- 2000 range, 2.5sec cast, every 8 sec - Summon a Draugr (zombie) on the target. The Draugr only does 1 damage per swing and gives a 10% near sight on the target. Draugr's can not be killed nor CC'd. They will follow the target until they return to the ground in 5sec. after initially summoned. On melee characters, the Draugr will casuse a 25% chance to fumble.
Tears of Sorrow - THe BD will be able to set tears down (traps) on the ground, 5 out at anytime. These tears (traps) will have a normal radius of convoker traps and will snare any enemy walking over them by 80% for 3sec per tear. These tears ignore any immunity timers.
Darkness
As a disciple of Hel, you are giving the Staff of the Underworld. This staff has all basic caster stats and TOA caster bonuses.
Totem of Strife - instant, 1000 range, 250 radius (last 10sec) - all casting and melee speeds are reduced 30% while an enemy player is with in the totems pulse. This will effect 16 players max, pulse every 2sec. can re-cast every 1min.
Totem of Death Wind - instant, 1500 range, 300 radius (last 14 sec) - does 300 dd cold every 2 sec. Can recast every 30sec.
Void Surge - 2.8s cast, single dd , 209 dd with 35 % snare
Hel's Army - 1875 range, 3sec cast, every 10sec - cast a skull to an enemy cursing the ground they stand on. Any enemy including the target that travels thru this 200 radius patch will have a lvl 50 skeleton warrior attack them and follow them for 1min or until dead.
Reflect Hate - 2.5sec cast every 3min, last 6 sec. - cast a shield n a target that reflects 50% of the magic damage done back to the caster.
Shroud of Darkness - Randomly teleport 1000 units away in any direction. Instant, every 2min.
NEW RR 5 ability - Valsinni (Road of the Slain) - Transform into a skeleton with 75% chance to resist CC. If you run over a dead players body, you will unleash a lvl 45 skeleton w/ a 2h axe doing Havoc style. You can have 6 skeletons up at a time. If they are not killed, they will last 30sec. and attack any enemy as any aggressive NPC would.
Asatruar - Ronnie 10 "
Corpseshovel - Oldstanky - Nogvi
The reason people hate to PvP is they are afraid of failure
Corpseshovel - Oldstanky - Nogvi
The reason people hate to PvP is they are afraid of failure
Comments
But the reason don't play BDs isn't because they suck or lack abilities. It's 100% because of pet pathing and how frustrating it can be.
I get that it's frustrating when you don't get to do anything when you 16 vs 4 people because you're looping for your pets but at least you still get your rps.
Then I was like, necros are still so OP I wouldn't mind seeing a melee and caster necro type ability on mid.
I think though if you reworked BD you'd maybe leave darkness as it is, at least, maybe tweaks to supp.
I don't think we ought to rework the entirety of the BD class - they are still quite useful, even without their pets. Their primary purpose has shifted since the pet patch. Suppression BDs are without a doubt, the best mass snaring class in the game. They can single-handedly stop a zerg in it's tracks (Snare totem + AoE snare DD.) This line also has a fantastic AoE melee totem that can absorb damage for your realm mates, shutting down melee characters. This also isn't accounting for their superb healing commander, insta LT and insta body debuff that synergies with mids primary CC magic type.
Darkness excels at mass disruption - their GT Pbaoe totem can easily disrupt masses of casters. The commander is an excellent caster. Darkness also features a totem that allows uninterrupted casting - something no other realm has. Pairing a Darkness BD with a group of casters or healers is absolutely devastating.
The only 'weak' line would be Bone Army. This line suffers the most from DAoC's horrible pet pathing. There's several suggestions floating around the forums on how this line can be adjusted (such as a recall pet spell) However, it's far from worthless. When things line up, a Dread Commander and his legion can inflict serious damage.
Most of the issues with BDs stem from the dramatic shift from what they were to what they are now. They used to be a self-sufficient high DPS class and have moved to a more support role.
BD's where the last class to get "adjusted" from the pet revamp after 2+ years. They dropped the 9 second stun down to a 7 second stun, then finally it was just removed all together.
How about no...
https://divoxutils.com/users/user_2ZTPHy8tjVF9LWMgujSZfCY9Mos/characters
And bone army is pretty good for pve
I wondered if a "sprint" option out of combat on the pet toolbar would help or the pets own endurance buff would fix it.
I'd personally like to see Bone Army have a pet spell of extremely weak skeletal FnFs that mimic the earth theurg pets only.
No reason to completely rework the BD only make them like a theurgist. BA had it's time to shine and when ML'd 9 the Commander still hits pretty good in melee. I agree the pet pathing is an issues for BD's on EV and bridges, but it's also not exclusive to just the BD.
https://divoxutils.com/users/user_2ZTPHy8tjVF9LWMgujSZfCY9Mos/characters
Side note- the totems should be able to be destroyed like "pets" in the game.