Shifter Feedback

[Shedrakzo]

I decided to make this post as both a document for Shifter (and the Razorclaw Iconic) bugs and for feedback as to their balance tweaks.

So let’s address the Razorclaw Shifter first, starting with their purpose. As Steelstar pointed out in the Lammania threads, the design is to make a racial tree that could make non-monk handwrap builds viable. I think the tree does that to the extent that’s possible for a pure barbarian or fighter, but frays when considering other classes.

The Razorclaw requires the ability to cast while raged to open up their class flexibility options. I suggest the Razorclaw is given the casting cooldown penalty that druidic animal forms have. This prevents them from upsetting the balance/unique design of the Wildhunt Shifter, but allows them to excel at their design goal of allowing non-monks to use handwraps. This change alone would immediately allow Wizard, Warlock, and Sorcerer builds to be viable.

My second point would be to look at giving them the option to make handwraps a favored weapon. I know expanding the Favored Weapon choices is often a bit of a battle with Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, but I think this would be as helpful as opening the ability for Razorclaw to played as divine melees.

The tree is still a bit of a big AP sink at 47AP if you were to max it out, with the first two tiers still being pretty filler heavy without providing any real value to the player. That being said, thank you for adjusting the AP costs based on my previous feedback. Still, I would like to reiterate some changes/add a few new ones:

• Tier 1 has the most value for anyone playing the Razorclaw as a pure barbarian, with or without handwraps. However it’s got some filler problems. I would suggest Self-Reliant into Hunt & Track to give it more value than being another generic +skill bonus filler. Especially on a barbarian, while some might take it for the intimidate score, it’s overall a mildly valueless option. By combining these two you make it worth considering and reduce some of the lower tier bloat.
• Please consider turning Hardy Shifting into a multi-selector; make this an option for Con, Dex, or Str. Con is great for any Barbarian, Str allows the Razorclaw to provide their own unique counter-value to Orcish Fury, and Dex allows the already +4 dex bonus of the Shifter rage to introduce additional class synergies outside of a traditional barbarian’s sphere or even opens it to additional playstyles when using epic destinies.
• While I’m glad that Piercing Claws became Sharper Claws per my feedback, I’d like to reiterate my previous suggestion of combining it with Honing Claws. Keep it a 3AP option, +1 attack per rank, rank 2 adds piercing bypass, and rank 3 adds slashing. Again, this helps cut down on the tree bloat for making room for additional stuff. This can remain T1 or move up to T2.
• Shred: Again, glad to see my feedback was listened to. And now that I’ve had time to play around with it, I’d like to push for the 6 second cooldown to match the various monk Ki attacks, particularly Fist of Iron which it’s almost a 1-1 counterpart with.
• I would move the Favored Enemy down to T2 in a world where my previous feedback points have changed the landscape for the layout of the tree.
• In T3, I would give a ‘class’ multi-selector type option similar to Swashbuckler/Inquisitive, where you can make the tree branch out beyond being only viable as a barbarian or fighter at the moment. Such as handwraps being treated as a favored weapon, or handwraps being treated as a swashbuckler weapon. Hopefully with the crit bonuses, rather than being simply added to the stance list like scimitars. Others could include something that could reduce the rage spellcasting penalty, similar to druids taking the Nature’s enhancement lines. Bonus points if this could somehow allow you to wield a runearm and handwraps for artificer builds.
• I would also say throwing an additional T4 option for the Animal Growth spell as an SLA would be nice.
• And finally, the Relentless Onslaught SLA has to be reduced in CD. I’d say about 30 seconds would be ideal. The power and usage is about on par with other similar knockdown abilities: Tantrum and Eldritch Tempest.

As mentioned in the AP/tree section, there is only a synergy for two classes at the moment on a Razorclaw. That’s fighter and barbarian. It would be easy to expand this horizon beyond ragecasting and favored weapon as stated.

Tempest in Ranger is long overdue to be adjusted to allow handwraps to count for the various weapon attacks within the tree. They currently work with the passives and if you were truly bent on maximizing offhand bonuses, the passive effects work on a handwrap build.

Likewise, handwraps are considered a Finessable weapon by both the feat and Shadowdancer’s Shadow Training IV, but aren’t considered such for Swashbuckling. Given there’s no fear of any potential monk-bard builds, I think it’s time to allow handwraps to be in the swashbuckle stance, given you’ve already got to use a feat on exotic weapons handwraps. Put them in the same category as the kamas which can be swashbuckled and we’re good to go. I would assume in this case they would use Dashing Scoundrel and Slap in the Face, given you are using your hands.

I have no clue as to how or if it is even possible for handwraps to be used in conjunction with a runearm from a coding perspective, but that would be another interesting avenue if possible.

Finally, the big elephant in the room is the Razorclaw Shifter attacks. I’m not sure if it’s currently on the list of their animation bugs already getting fixed or in the works, but all three activatable abilities: Shred, Relentless Assault, and Pounce all have animation issues. They have a 1-2 second delay/animation freeze after using them that breaks attacking and prevents you from taking any action after use.

There’s also the forward tumble issue on the male Razorclaw Shifter, where your character flies off to the right as if you tumbled right even though you move forward.

A small personal request if possible: could we see the Razorclaw Shifter get a feat to give them the visual toggle for the red druidic animal form claws? I’d love to have those instead of the translucent weapon trails handwraps have now. Although kudos for modifying that weapon trail to have a three-pronged claw visual.



On to the normal Shifters. I don’t have much to add for Wildhunt Shifters; they’re fine as is. The Beasthide Shifter, however, suffers from the same class compatibility issues as the Razorclaw, with the caveat that they can at least play as a bear druid and regain the ability to cast while raged.

With the Beasthides having a clear design/intention towards them being tanks it feels a bit offputting that they don’t have the ability to cast while using their Shift ability. Practically every tank build in DDO casts spells at this point in time, especially once they reach epics and have the use of epic destinies. I would suggest, just like the Razorclaw Shifter, to give them the druidic animal form cooldown penalty without a method to reduce it, unlike the Razorclaw (unless they are a druid). This allows them to function as tanks and have the ability to cast while raged without stepping on the toes of the Wildhunt Shifters.

I would like to close by mentioning that Shifters in every Eberron edition have not been impeded by their shifting as to prevent spellcasting or the use of other abilities. I understand there are some limitations due to the way they were implemented in DDO, but those same exact limitations have ways to be expanded around by looking at other in-game features. Allowing all Shifters to cast while using their Shifting ability mirrors their tabletop counterparts, you can create the distinction between them by using the druid shapeshift penalty mechanic. Similarly, in this regard the Shifting mechanic shouldn’t block the use of Defensive Stances or Precision.

[Xxyyn]

On to the normal Shifters. I don’t have much to add for Wildhunt Shifters; they’re fine as is.

Can these shifters cast while shifted? I was under the impression that none of the shifters could cast while shifted/raged.

EDIT: found it, tier 3 wildhunt racial enhancement.

[Nandos]

I'm playing a Ranger Shifter with the Beasthide Shifter subrace. The fact that it works like Barbarian rage makes it extremely limiting.

Beasthide shifting
-You can't cast spells
-It uncenters you
-You can't do any thieving functions like sneak or search
-You can't be in defensive stances and use certain feats like Precision

I'm having trouble thinking of any class that would want to use Beasthide shifting ever. Barbarians would use their own rage.


A solution to make Shifters a lot more useable and popular is to reprogram both shifting types to function like Bard Warchanter Skaldic Rage. Skaldic Rage mimics raging but does not have many of the restrictions that shifting has now.