I have a pretty cool idea that makes the Titan an actual 'tank / damage absorber' theme that the Sentinel, or otherwise previously known as Defender, is kind of mixed into.
Basically, I want to make the blocking with the shield in PvE in a viable option and an actual positive ability for the team. Seeing as how it's so underused I've literally never seen a Titan use it... that's what I'm going to focus on.
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tldr:
Titans blocking with the shield gain super energy in super (much like Dawnblade kills). Super energy regen tied to amount of damage blocked by the shield.
Orbs generated have two caps. One cap due to damage absorbed, one due to enemies killed. Both cap at 8 orbs made. 16 orbs possible per super, optimally.
Titans gain a pulse ability, while in super, that attracts enemies and suppresses enemies in a very large, spherical area. Around a 75 meter radius (I think, I'm estimating). One pulse is half their super energy. A second pulse will instantly end the super, due to no super energy, unless they've regened super.
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Part 1: Make damage absorbed by the shield recharge the super.
No one is going to use the blocking ability as long as it still drains the super. That's less killing time against adds, that's less guardian chasing time, and it's an all around... waste of time. Especially, of course, due to the half dozen super viable ways to heal over time (warlocks mainly)... so it HAS to get something more to encourage that sort of play.
Implications in PvE:
The super still drains while blocking (however, it does not drain faster at all, it should just be a stance) but the super will recharge based on the damage it absorbs (this DOES NOT have a cap).
Obviously, it will end up charge up slowly if you're standing in front of an ogre or a bunch of knights, while on the other hand lesser DPS enemies will help the super last longer but probably not actually gain substantial super time.
The more damage you absorb, the more super you get, which rewards you from being in certain death situations and charges faster if you are taking in more damage per second.
Also, keep in mind... this still isn't Ward of Dawn. You need to be FACING your enemies... otherwise they will shoot you in the back and you will die. So it's not a 'free infinite super with no downsides' because you still can't be stupid and expect to live.
Oh, and of course, orb generation caps at 8. However, if you really wanted this class to shine, you could have '2 caps'. One cap for orbs made by damage absorbed, and another cap for orbs made by enemies killed. This would make the Sentinel be a very reliable source for orb generation, again, a support role. Both caps go to 8 orbs, so, 16 orbs possible with one super.
You know... that way that isn't 'just a Hunter thing'. It's not really OP since we have infinite Tether with Orphis. At least with the Titan you need to do something actively, so I think that would be okay.
Implications in PvP:
Obviously, this is only as effective as your enemies are willing to shoot at you. More likely... this will do absolutely nothing to PvP. I suppose if you do manage to absorb a golden gun or rockets that would help a lot... but other than that I can't see that being a main factor to play the Sentinel... if for nothing else but the fact people know NOT to shoot at it.
Part 2 though...
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Part 2: Give a way to actually aggro enemies with an ability suppressing, attention getting pulse.
Replace the ability to throw the shield (for one of the nodes, obviously a different node will retain the more 'throw the shield everywhere' setup) with an ability to do a large AoE pulse with the shield that attracts enemies for a set duration (like 10-15 seconds). Kind of like a tether effect... where it disrupts the enemies behavior... but only in terms of attention.
Also, I personally believe that the pulse should also be a massive 'suppression effect' that stops enemies from using abilities. This would be in theme with the Sentienels (and long time defenders) ability to shut down enemies abilities in a way most other classes can't. It's also a lot easier to block bullets than it is to block an unlimited number of Hive fireballs from acoylets.
I think this ability should take up half of your super. You should have enough to cast this once and still, hopefully, gain super back in PvE if you're blocking well since everything will be shooting at you. However, casting it twice quickly without regening your super at all would end your super outright, so it's not spam able.
The pulses range, IMO, should be about the size of Calus' room. Say... from where callus stands to the first two fire bowls near the bottom of the room, in a sphere. That's like... around 75 meters I think...
Implications in PvE:
Titans gain a way to be found as a 'orb generation' support, tank damage, and make hostiles no longer attack teammates as well as suppressing enemy abilities (making some enemies, like Hobgoblins or minotaurs or Captians or Knights easier to kill in a unique way).
This, IMO, is the Titan support class in the way a Titan is often thematically presented. A bulwark, a defender of the people, and the one to take the hits. Using this new super would provide all of the main themes of a Titan and make them useful in a way that DOES NOT impede or replace other existing support like rifts or tethers.
Heck, actually, I would love to see a Sentinel Titan in the middle of a Tether with a healing rift. Taking the bullets, baiting enemies into the tether, and healing if some enemies are behind him. Actual guardian synergy.
Implications in PvP:
The worry, I can already see, is the suppression effect. This pulse ability would be the ultimate super shut down weapon even over tether.
That's why, like I said, it should take half your super to cast. If you sacrifice half your super to neuter your opponets in terms of abilities and super then you only have time to kill those that you've affected, ideally. You won't have time to roam around AND cast the pulse because it takes up so much of the super.
Also, the pulse would need to be used early... basically as soon as you cast Sentienel. If you walk around for a fourth of your super, then cast the pulse, you only have a fourth left... which would make you very hard pressed to even reach someone before your super runs out.
However, remember, this is ONLY a suppression. Tether still marks, weakens, holds down, and suppresses the guardians in a very vulnerable location.
A bunch of guardians with ONLY suppression, while they can't jump or use grenades, are still very capable of teamshoting a oncoming titan. Not only that, but even if you can suppress people through walls... you won't know they're there (unlike tether) because they're only supressed. You still have to hunt them down (which is why you want to use the pulse as soon as possible)
Basically, this shouldn't replace tether at all, but still be an effective crowd weakening effect to gain kills.
Also, yes, this would be one of the longer ranged supers in the game with its ability to go through walls. Certainly one of thee most area affecting supers.
However, I think 75 meters in all directions wouldn't be too bad as long as the super isn't spammable. With only having 1 real pulse (unless you want two quick pulses with NO super kills at all) I would hope having the other team still being able to defend themselves AND hide if they want as way really good way to balance that out.
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Your thoughts? I think this would be pretty balanced after some thorough testing while keeping the Sentinel very viable in PvE.
In PvP I could see it being less effective than it sounds... but being super rewarding if you manage to shut down 2-3 supers. (Looking at you... team of arcstriders...) Again, I think with all guaridans still being perfectly capable of watching lanes with GL or whatever... it makes the super useful, but not as a way to get free kills.
Easier kills? Yes. Free kills? Not like tether at least. 90% of the time if you're caught in tether you die. I don't think the pulse will be like that.
But that's IMO.
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1 ReplyThe shield regenerating Super from absorbing damage sounds really neat, but the pulse seems OP even for PvE standards. If the range get's decreased to 30 or so, and the suppression doesn't last very long, then I could see it being somewhat balanced, but even then that's stretching it. The Code of the Protecter's main idea is to have Ward of Dawn come back, so imo the bubble should be buffed to D1 levels of strength as its main focus in addition to your first idea. Or, which could be a problem for PvP depending on how it's balanced, allow Titans to throw down the bubble for only 25% of the Super and allow it to still be a roamer. Standing in the bubble elongates the time Sentinel is active so the Titan can still be a threat while in bubble formation. Also in relation to your post, Code of the Aggressor should last longer in general (be it kills or a flat time increase) since it's meant to be the roamer tree.