Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Fighter is exceptionally fun, BUT its also fundamentally weak in almost all situations.
Aumo
Member, Alpha Two
As a dedicated player and fighter main, I’d like to share some thoughts on the current state of the Fighter class, especially in the context of large-scale PvP and competitive gameplay. While Fighters have their strengths, they face significant challenges that make them feel outclassed and underwhelming compared to other roles.
1. Fighter's Role in Large-Scale PvP
Fighters struggle to find a meaningful niche in large-scale PvP. The class lacks the defining traits needed to make a substantial impact compared to other classes. For example:
Outshined by Damage, Utility, AOE, and CC:
Fighters are eclipsed by other classes that bring more value to team compositions. Rangers, who are supposed to excel at single-target damage, also have powerful AOE abilities like Vine Field, which not only deals damage but offers immense utility. This has led many PvP players to switch from Fighter to Ranger for competitive play.
Mages dominate the AOE department, which is expected, but they also surpass Fighters in small-scale PvP and 1v1 scenarios thanks to their reliable crowd control and high single-target burst.
Support classes (Clerics, Bards, and Tanks) far outshine Fighters in terms of utility, making them essential picks for teams.
Lack of a Defined Role:
Fighters currently feel like they lack a clear purpose in large-scale battles. They don’t offer enough AOE damage, survivability, or crowd control to make them competitive. While they can pick off stragglers with abilities like Blitz and Execute, even this role is better served by Rangers, who bring more versatility.
2. Problematic Abilities
Several Fighter abilities either feel underwhelming or lack synergy in both PvP and PvE. Below are some of the most problematic abilities and suggested areas for improvement:
Whirlwind:
Current State: Situationally effective in PvE but nearly useless in PvP. Its short duration and ease of counterplay make it a poor choice in competitive settings. Upgraded versions spend Momentum, but the value isn’t there compared to saving Momentum for Berserk.
Suggestion: Extend the duration slightly, improve reach, and consider adding a debuff like a slow effect to make it viable in PvP.
Lunging Assault:
Current State: Feels awkward to use. The dash is too short, and the Momentum cost is unjustifiable.
Suggestion: Increase the dash distance and make the ability Momentum-free to improve its fluidity and utility.
Wallop:
Current State: The animation feels clunky, and spending Momentum on this ability rarely feels worth it.
Suggestion: Speed up the animation and either reduce or remove its Momentum cost.
Battle Cry:
Current State: The ability feels epic to use, but its impact is mostly invisible due to the reliance on stat boosts or debuffs that aren’t immediately apparent.
Suggestion: Add a more visceral effect, such as a noticeable buff (e.g., temporary damage immunity) or an AOE stun to make it feel impactful in the heat of battle.
Knockout:
Current State: A solid ability in theory, but its animation feels unsatisfying, and it’s easily broken by DOTs, limiting its use in PvP.
Suggestion: Rework it to be less susceptible to DOTs, such as adding a guaranteed cc duration before it can be broken.
Cataclysm:
Current State: A visually impressive ability with potential, but its long cast time makes it impractical in PvP, especially compared to Mages' quick and impactful abilities like Hoarfrost and Cone of Cold.
Suggestion: Shorten the cast time.
Final Thoughts
The Fighter class has the potential to shine but currently lacks the tools to compete effectively with other classes. It needs a clearer identity and reworks to certain abilities to elevate its performance in both large-scale and competitive PvP settings. With adjustments to key abilities and a better-defined role, Fighters could become a more compelling and balanced option in the meta.
I hope this feedback helps guide future iterations of the class. Thank you for your ongoing work in making this game great!
1. Fighter's Role in Large-Scale PvP
Fighters struggle to find a meaningful niche in large-scale PvP. The class lacks the defining traits needed to make a substantial impact compared to other classes. For example:
Outshined by Damage, Utility, AOE, and CC:
Fighters are eclipsed by other classes that bring more value to team compositions. Rangers, who are supposed to excel at single-target damage, also have powerful AOE abilities like Vine Field, which not only deals damage but offers immense utility. This has led many PvP players to switch from Fighter to Ranger for competitive play.
Mages dominate the AOE department, which is expected, but they also surpass Fighters in small-scale PvP and 1v1 scenarios thanks to their reliable crowd control and high single-target burst.
Support classes (Clerics, Bards, and Tanks) far outshine Fighters in terms of utility, making them essential picks for teams.
Lack of a Defined Role:
Fighters currently feel like they lack a clear purpose in large-scale battles. They don’t offer enough AOE damage, survivability, or crowd control to make them competitive. While they can pick off stragglers with abilities like Blitz and Execute, even this role is better served by Rangers, who bring more versatility.
2. Problematic Abilities
Several Fighter abilities either feel underwhelming or lack synergy in both PvP and PvE. Below are some of the most problematic abilities and suggested areas for improvement:
Whirlwind:
Current State: Situationally effective in PvE but nearly useless in PvP. Its short duration and ease of counterplay make it a poor choice in competitive settings. Upgraded versions spend Momentum, but the value isn’t there compared to saving Momentum for Berserk.
Suggestion: Extend the duration slightly, improve reach, and consider adding a debuff like a slow effect to make it viable in PvP.
Lunging Assault:
Current State: Feels awkward to use. The dash is too short, and the Momentum cost is unjustifiable.
Suggestion: Increase the dash distance and make the ability Momentum-free to improve its fluidity and utility.
Wallop:
Current State: The animation feels clunky, and spending Momentum on this ability rarely feels worth it.
Suggestion: Speed up the animation and either reduce or remove its Momentum cost.
Battle Cry:
Current State: The ability feels epic to use, but its impact is mostly invisible due to the reliance on stat boosts or debuffs that aren’t immediately apparent.
Suggestion: Add a more visceral effect, such as a noticeable buff (e.g., temporary damage immunity) or an AOE stun to make it feel impactful in the heat of battle.
Knockout:
Current State: A solid ability in theory, but its animation feels unsatisfying, and it’s easily broken by DOTs, limiting its use in PvP.
Suggestion: Rework it to be less susceptible to DOTs, such as adding a guaranteed cc duration before it can be broken.
Cataclysm:
Current State: A visually impressive ability with potential, but its long cast time makes it impractical in PvP, especially compared to Mages' quick and impactful abilities like Hoarfrost and Cone of Cold.
Suggestion: Shorten the cast time.
Final Thoughts
The Fighter class has the potential to shine but currently lacks the tools to compete effectively with other classes. It needs a clearer identity and reworks to certain abilities to elevate its performance in both large-scale and competitive PvP settings. With adjustments to key abilities and a better-defined role, Fighters could become a more compelling and balanced option in the meta.
I hope this feedback helps guide future iterations of the class. Thank you for your ongoing work in making this game great!
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