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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Active Blocking and it's resource Management
SunReign
Member, Alpha Two
First of all, I really enjoyed the second upload of the tank archetype, gave us a much better understanding of the tank than the stream, equipping all the armour at the end was a really nice touch! Although starting with a shield might have show cased it best 
Blocking Using Mana
The idea of blocking using Mana seems fundamentally game breaking, the inability to heal the party as the cleric because you had to block the boss seems like it would be very frustrating. Generally being unable to cast any actions because you have been blocking doesn't feel like it would be enjoyable game play. Thematically using a mana potion to be able to raise a shield is honestly quite immersion breaking as well.
Blocking Using Energy
Having stamina or energy could work, but having an extra resource bar for ever character, especially if it's just for blocking, seems a little bit excessive. And depending on what else energy is used for it may cause balancing issues.
An Alternative
Along the lines of energy, I would like to see active blocking as a hold ability that has charges, for example from 25-100. Then as you block, the charges go down, and so does your block strength, from 100% of your block value down to say 25%, imitating an arm getting tired, it does share some similarities to Grit. This would discourage you from just standing there and holding it (which isn't fun game play) as it has diminishing returns, it's timing would be more important, and you may need to kite the enemy or use abilities or well timed parries (risk vs reward!) to regain charges.
Tank classes could have charges recharge faster, have a higher cap of them, or have them drain slower. Plus each class could gain or lose charges at a different rate, giving an easy opportunity for balancing with patches. Spells like torpor or ice, or heavy hits could even effect charges.
Final Notes
Just food for thought anyway folks! Standing still blocking isn't the best gameplay, if it's a manageable resource (that isn't mana!) and it's timing is important it would be so much more engaging!
Blocking Using Mana
The idea of blocking using Mana seems fundamentally game breaking, the inability to heal the party as the cleric because you had to block the boss seems like it would be very frustrating. Generally being unable to cast any actions because you have been blocking doesn't feel like it would be enjoyable game play. Thematically using a mana potion to be able to raise a shield is honestly quite immersion breaking as well.
Blocking Using Energy
Having stamina or energy could work, but having an extra resource bar for ever character, especially if it's just for blocking, seems a little bit excessive. And depending on what else energy is used for it may cause balancing issues.
An Alternative
Along the lines of energy, I would like to see active blocking as a hold ability that has charges, for example from 25-100. Then as you block, the charges go down, and so does your block strength, from 100% of your block value down to say 25%, imitating an arm getting tired, it does share some similarities to Grit. This would discourage you from just standing there and holding it (which isn't fun game play) as it has diminishing returns, it's timing would be more important, and you may need to kite the enemy or use abilities or well timed parries (risk vs reward!) to regain charges.
Tank classes could have charges recharge faster, have a higher cap of them, or have them drain slower. Plus each class could gain or lose charges at a different rate, giving an easy opportunity for balancing with patches. Spells like torpor or ice, or heavy hits could even effect charges.
Final Notes
Just food for thought anyway folks! Standing still blocking isn't the best gameplay, if it's a manageable resource (that isn't mana!) and it's timing is important it would be so much more engaging!
2
Comments
I want to tank main when I start and the idea of standing thier and just active blocking whenever I want does not seem like good gameplay, would definitely agree that something that is better timed give better results, part of being a good tank is about knowing your enemies and readying/predicting what they are going to do. This is why an experience tank is far better than and rookie.
They know when to use certain abilities/damage mitigation moves so that they are best used and cooldown in time for the next onslaught, if I can just active a significant damage reduction whenever I want it takes away from learning and becoming a great tank, which in my opinion is one of the best bits about tanking.
Becoming good, better, then best at it and getting the praise along the way and then passing down this info/tips to newer tank players