Guardian feedback and suggestions
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:43 am
I' decided to pick up guardian as a subclass because defense based builds are fantastic, and it seems under-tested. When I think of a guardian, I think of someone who is perceptive and controlling the flow of battle through defensive maneuvers.
Overall the class is in a place that is viable but it lacks a cultural identity that is evident with classes like nightblade and dreadnaught. Overall, warriors are very well put together and I enjoy the tactical approach of fighting.
My build order was to take the following:
Tactics: Guardian, Shield Bash, Combat Readiness, Shield Charge, Armor Deflection, Stability, Side-by-Side, Stance: Stonewall
Guardian specific abilities review:
Tactics Guardian was a fantastic first ability to take, as I was able to take the shield and utilize it profoundly in counterattacks. Likely the most iconic ability of the subclass, it helps me to feel like a shield using badass. The counterattack being from the shield helps greatly to make this point clear. Overall, it does a fantastic job of disrupting the flow of combat passively. I have not experienced group combat yet to review anything for intercepting attacks.
Shield Bash: This likely shine in a place where you're fighting with an ally by your side. The stagger is temporary and you're largely unable to take advantage of the windows provided by the bash, but it's a welcome reprieve while cooldowns are ticking down. The damage is suitably offensive without being overtly lethal with exception of lucky blows to weak points, and a chance to knock down on a powerful strike is nice.
Shield Charge: From what I can tell, it's a shield specific version of the tackle ability. perks: applies shield use skill to your roll in addition to your melee combat skill. This is my main method of disabling an enemy long enough to get a blow in, overall a fantastic ability.
Armor Deflection: While on paper, a 40% chance to reduce damage by 50% to hit locations covered by heavy armor sounds good I don't see this proc when it does, so it's a largely unnoticed ability. A visible reminder that this is happened would be nice.
I'd probably say the place where Guardians lack the feeling of being an adept defender is not in martial combat, but rather that they lack mental defense support with exception of a higher meditation cap. While this enemy type doesn't exist in bulk at the moment, enemies that trigger 'fear' effects are some of the most debilitating ones in my experience. Fear has caused effects ranging from involuntary disarmament to panicked fleeing, and these status ailments are extremely disruptive. As such, a resistance to fear would likely be something that I could see trained for a subclass dedicated to defense, as it would help with staying in control of the situation. To that end, some ability suggestions below:
Suggestions:
Fearlessness: a short duration self buff scaling with meditation or a channeled form, the guardian with fearlessness will not involuntarily flee from combat, even in a life threatening situation.
Stunned Manuevers: The guardian attempts to break out of a stun or an incapacitating effect through force of will and training.
Strong Grip: While disarmament isn't a factor at the current time, that isn't to say that it will always be the case. To that end, a resistance to disarming would be a good ability for a guardian type ability.
Melee Endurance: A flaw of being an intercepter or defender is that your energy drains significantly faster purely through intercepting attacks. An ability that reduces energy drain on incoming attacks would help to increase longevity.
Blindfighting: Sight is just one sense, it's possible to perceive danger with your other senses (including the 6th!) a benefit to fighting unseen attackers would be an impressive, likely capstone, feat.
Multi-opponent fighting: Looking again at the risk factors a guardian has in being face-to-face with multiple incoming attackers, I'm unsure if there are any reductions to rolls in being outnumbered, but a higher threshold for same such would be nice.
Overall the class is in a place that is viable but it lacks a cultural identity that is evident with classes like nightblade and dreadnaught. Overall, warriors are very well put together and I enjoy the tactical approach of fighting.
My build order was to take the following:
Tactics: Guardian, Shield Bash, Combat Readiness, Shield Charge, Armor Deflection, Stability, Side-by-Side, Stance: Stonewall
Guardian specific abilities review:
Tactics Guardian was a fantastic first ability to take, as I was able to take the shield and utilize it profoundly in counterattacks. Likely the most iconic ability of the subclass, it helps me to feel like a shield using badass. The counterattack being from the shield helps greatly to make this point clear. Overall, it does a fantastic job of disrupting the flow of combat passively. I have not experienced group combat yet to review anything for intercepting attacks.
Shield Bash: This likely shine in a place where you're fighting with an ally by your side. The stagger is temporary and you're largely unable to take advantage of the windows provided by the bash, but it's a welcome reprieve while cooldowns are ticking down. The damage is suitably offensive without being overtly lethal with exception of lucky blows to weak points, and a chance to knock down on a powerful strike is nice.
Shield Charge: From what I can tell, it's a shield specific version of the tackle ability. perks: applies shield use skill to your roll in addition to your melee combat skill. This is my main method of disabling an enemy long enough to get a blow in, overall a fantastic ability.
Armor Deflection: While on paper, a 40% chance to reduce damage by 50% to hit locations covered by heavy armor sounds good I don't see this proc when it does, so it's a largely unnoticed ability. A visible reminder that this is happened would be nice.
I'd probably say the place where Guardians lack the feeling of being an adept defender is not in martial combat, but rather that they lack mental defense support with exception of a higher meditation cap. While this enemy type doesn't exist in bulk at the moment, enemies that trigger 'fear' effects are some of the most debilitating ones in my experience. Fear has caused effects ranging from involuntary disarmament to panicked fleeing, and these status ailments are extremely disruptive. As such, a resistance to fear would likely be something that I could see trained for a subclass dedicated to defense, as it would help with staying in control of the situation. To that end, some ability suggestions below:
Suggestions:
Fearlessness: a short duration self buff scaling with meditation or a channeled form, the guardian with fearlessness will not involuntarily flee from combat, even in a life threatening situation.
Stunned Manuevers: The guardian attempts to break out of a stun or an incapacitating effect through force of will and training.
Strong Grip: While disarmament isn't a factor at the current time, that isn't to say that it will always be the case. To that end, a resistance to disarming would be a good ability for a guardian type ability.
Melee Endurance: A flaw of being an intercepter or defender is that your energy drains significantly faster purely through intercepting attacks. An ability that reduces energy drain on incoming attacks would help to increase longevity.
Blindfighting: Sight is just one sense, it's possible to perceive danger with your other senses (including the 6th!) a benefit to fighting unseen attackers would be an impressive, likely capstone, feat.
Multi-opponent fighting: Looking again at the risk factors a guardian has in being face-to-face with multiple incoming attackers, I'm unsure if there are any reductions to rolls in being outnumbered, but a higher threshold for same such would be nice.