Tweet
Ninja AA Feedback
Hello, so I've been an AA ninja since ninja came out on SEA and I've noticed that how the class was designed hurts the potential it has. Maybe you could consider the suggestions we have when deciding to revamp the class because currently it feels like we need to invest on so many things and we end up sub-par unless we whale. It's very non-newbie friendly.
1. Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warrior, on paper, is sort of the supplementary damage of AA Ninjas because it is a chance based skill. Scales off of crit damage once we get the third line of its S-rune but it doesn't ignore def. As AA Ninjas, we don't really have enough resources, skill, item, or rune wise that buffs our ignore defense so instead of getting the full potential of this skill as a supplementary damage, we're forced to invest in ignore defense and split the investment we're putting on normal hits and flowing shadow heart, here. I don't think this is what you were going for design wise. We're already handicapped with triggering shadow warrior because of the fixed aspd so if you plan on keeping that fixed aspd, I think we no longer need the additional handicap of requiring ignore defense.
If you plan on keeping the ignore defense, we should at least have a way to increase its trigger chance maybe integrated with the breaking dawn buff or even with ghost to actually have a good reason to focus on Shadow Warrior as a primary damage source.
2. Flowing Shadow Heart
Flowing Shadow Heart, on the other hand, is the main burst skill of Ninja. Because of the fixed aspd of Ninjas, this is the only chance we get to trigger Shadow Warrior a lot of times in a short period. The problem with this skill is even though it crits, it still requires hit to affect high flee targets. As a crit class, we don't really have enough resources to invest in hit. One of the main things that is attractive about crit classes is that we don't invest on hit. Sure it's a skill which is why it should still require hit, other crit classes also have skills that require hit BUT those skills aren't tied to their auto attacks. Flowing Shadow Heart is! The design of Shadow Warrior and Flowing Shadow Heart is the main reason we have fixed ASPD. That nerf should be enough, we shouldn't have to invest on hit for this as well. Or at least give it a higher skillhit modifier, we only have 0.3 compared to Bash which is 0.5.
That brings us to another problem we have with flowing shadow heart, it's a skill. We're again splitting the things we need to invest on. Instead of focusing on AA damage, we have to focus on skill dmg as well. This is sort of like the problem with GX Crit and its cross ripper slasher, the damage is being split and preventing us from getting the full potential. It isn't attainable for normal players to excel in this class because of the numerous things we have to invest on and it is honestly a big turn off for the class.
What would make more sense design-wise is have Flowing Shadow Heart as an auto attack instead of a skill. So it can scale off of AA dmg, same with our Flowing Blade, and it can also proc other effects that trigger on auto attack making our builds more varied! That will make the build more streamlined. And it doesn't take away the design that you have with ninja having a fixed ASPD. We still need 2-3 seconds to trigger flowing shadow heart, a lot can happen in 2-3 seconds! Unlike other classes that can easily burst down people immediately, this still feels like a nerf for Ninja AA but it'll make the 2-3 seconds required before casting flowing shadow heart much more worth it! There's gonna be a huge burst after 2-3 seconds that may kill most targets which honestly feels really ninja-like. Then we can amaterasu flash to escape if it doesn't kill them.
3. Void Slash
Void Slash also doesn't ignore defense but I think it's alright if we get the changes above. Still sticking with the theme of Ninjas as glass cannons, Void slash should stack and increase damage with the number of stacks the enemy has on them. That will make us have more options for burst but won't really change the damage we have for void slash now since we just made them stackable. One mechanic I would like to suggest to incorporate Amaterasu Flash on our skill rotation as well is have it get increased damage based on the stacks of Void Slash the enemy has and automatically trigger all stacks of void slash on hit. I get what the devs were thinking about when designing this skill which is the popular sword slashes we see in anime performed by the cool samurais but right now we don't really have that and only use it for escaping which is very far off from cool.
Having these changes allows us Ninjas to build more similarly to other ADL classes therefore making the class more attractive to other players which means more people buying BCC to purchase the class! It's a win-win situation for us. I'm sure you guys know how players are disappointed with Ninjas and honestly it really is disappointing but with these changes I think it'll be really fun to play!
Some changes also in general that Ninjas need:
1. More survivability
Gunslinger skills have been made available and they have a better anti-fatal skill than us! They also have more skills for survivability and even have a better hiding skill than us. Ninjas, especially AA, should have more survivability skills since we need to get up close to other people. Cicada on paper is nice that it doesn't have a cooldown but its really unreliable. If you want to keep it as a passive skill, you guys can have it trigger guaranteed but with a cooldown. Ninjas plan before attacking and having an unreliable anti-fatal skill just sours the whole experience. You can even have it get charges that scale with the number of clones we can summon so we can stick to the very Naruto-like theme.
2. Targettable Clones
Speaking of clones, we should have a skill like LB where we can target what the clones should be attacking. Our clones most of the time just wander around and attack random stuff.
3. Fixed Cast Time
I get the concept between the fixed cast time because it works with Izayoi but the skills really feel like they're not worth the fixed cast time. Other classes have insta-cast skills that actually perform better than our skills so it really just feels like a nerf. We can redesign Izayoi instead and have it a buff for Magic Ninjas instead.
I'm a big supporter of the Ninja class which is why I'm still playing as Ninja and which is why I'm writing this super long post. I've already tested the skills in multiple situations and have talked with other people who know the code to confirm that the skills really were designed that way. This isn't something players can just make up for with gear, it just feels like bad design.
Thank you!
1. Shadow Warrior
[2018001] = "{id=2018001,NameZh='影武者',Level=1,Icon='skill_ 1000 0',Cost=0,Desc={{id=173000,params={100}}},RollType =1,SkillType='Attack',Camps='Enemy',Launch_Range=5 ,Fire_EP=3,Target_EP=2,Attack_EP=2,CD=0,Logic='Ski llLockedTarget',Damage={{damChangePer=0,elementpar am=5,type=16302}},DamTime={type=1,value=2},Buff={e nemy={133200}},Pvp_buff={enemy={133200}},AttackAct ={'attack'},}",
If you plan on keeping the ignore defense, we should at least have a way to increase its trigger chance maybe integrated with the breaking dawn buff or even with ghost to actually have a good reason to focus on Shadow Warrior as a primary damage source.
2. Flowing Shadow Heart
[2056010] = "{id=2056010,NameZh='流影一心',Level=10,Icon='skil l_20 56001',Cost=1,Desc={{id=2056000,params={250}}},Rol lType=1,SkillHit=0.3,SkillType='LeadSkill',Camps=' Enemy',Launch_Range=5,Fire_EP=3,Target_EP=3,Attack _EP=0,CD=5,DelayCD=1,PreCondition={[1]={id=132890,type=6},[2]={itemtype=180,type=2},both=1},Lead_Type={DCT=2,ty pe=4},Logic='SkillForwardRect',Logic_Param={count= 10,distance=6,force_del_hide=1,forward_offset=0,in terval=0.2,isCountTrap=1,no_select=1,range_num=10, width=3},Damage={{damChangePer=2.5,type=16301}},Da mTime={type=1,value=1},Buff={enemy={133100,133111, 133112,133113,133114,133115},self={133110,132891}} ,Pvp_buff={enemy={133100,133111,133112,133113,1331 14,133115},self={133110,132891}},CastAct='reading3 _Ninja',AttackAct={'attack'},SE_cast='Skill/ninja_liuyingyixin',SE_hit='Common/sword_hit',SE_miss='Skill/Common_miss',ItemCost={{count=2100,id=12903}},Extr aMaxLevel=1,PointAct='reading2',}",
That brings us to another problem we have with flowing shadow heart, it's a skill. We're again splitting the things we need to invest on. Instead of focusing on AA damage, we have to focus on skill dmg as well. This is sort of like the problem with GX Crit and its cross ripper slasher, the damage is being split and preventing us from getting the full potential. It isn't attainable for normal players to excel in this class because of the numerous things we have to invest on and it is honestly a big turn off for the class.
What would make more sense design-wise is have Flowing Shadow Heart as an auto attack instead of a skill. So it can scale off of AA dmg, same with our Flowing Blade, and it can also proc other effects that trigger on auto attack making our builds more varied! That will make the build more streamlined. And it doesn't take away the design that you have with ninja having a fixed ASPD. We still need 2-3 seconds to trigger flowing shadow heart, a lot can happen in 2-3 seconds! Unlike other classes that can easily burst down people immediately, this still feels like a nerf for Ninja AA but it'll make the 2-3 seconds required before casting flowing shadow heart much more worth it! There's gonna be a huge burst after 2-3 seconds that may kill most targets which honestly feels really ninja-like. Then we can amaterasu flash to escape if it doesn't kill them.
3. Void Slash
Void Slash also doesn't ignore defense but I think it's alright if we get the changes above. Still sticking with the theme of Ninjas as glass cannons, Void slash should stack and increase damage with the number of stacks the enemy has on them. That will make us have more options for burst but won't really change the damage we have for void slash now since we just made them stackable. One mechanic I would like to suggest to incorporate Amaterasu Flash on our skill rotation as well is have it get increased damage based on the stacks of Void Slash the enemy has and automatically trigger all stacks of void slash on hit. I get what the devs were thinking about when designing this skill which is the popular sword slashes we see in anime performed by the cool samurais but right now we don't really have that and only use it for escaping which is very far off from cool.
Having these changes allows us Ninjas to build more similarly to other ADL classes therefore making the class more attractive to other players which means more people buying BCC to purchase the class! It's a win-win situation for us. I'm sure you guys know how players are disappointed with Ninjas and honestly it really is disappointing but with these changes I think it'll be really fun to play!
Some changes also in general that Ninjas need:
1. More survivability
Gunslinger skills have been made available and they have a better anti-fatal skill than us! They also have more skills for survivability and even have a better hiding skill than us. Ninjas, especially AA, should have more survivability skills since we need to get up close to other people. Cicada on paper is nice that it doesn't have a cooldown but its really unreliable. If you want to keep it as a passive skill, you guys can have it trigger guaranteed but with a cooldown. Ninjas plan before attacking and having an unreliable anti-fatal skill just sours the whole experience. You can even have it get charges that scale with the number of clones we can summon so we can stick to the very Naruto-like theme.
2. Targettable Clones
Speaking of clones, we should have a skill like LB where we can target what the clones should be attacking. Our clones most of the time just wander around and attack random stuff.
3. Fixed Cast Time
I get the concept between the fixed cast time because it works with Izayoi but the skills really feel like they're not worth the fixed cast time. Other classes have insta-cast skills that actually perform better than our skills so it really just feels like a nerf. We can redesign Izayoi instead and have it a buff for Magic Ninjas instead.
I'm a big supporter of the Ninja class which is why I'm still playing as Ninja and which is why I'm writing this super long post. I've already tested the skills in multiple situations and have talked with other people who know the code to confirm that the skills really were designed that way. This isn't something players can just make up for with gear, it just feels like bad design.
Thank you!