Player Character Balance

[elvesunited]

I've learned that my Artificer character is going to be nerfed. Boulder Toss will no longer benefit from spell power. I assume my high force critical chance is out too on it. It's a nerf but I don't think Boulder Toss was ever really intended to be a high level damage attack for force casters. So I'm not going to take it too hard.

One could argue that adrenaline/manyshot/slay arrow fall into the same category. They really weren't meant to synergize that well. Though Slay arrow was meant to critical and fire multiple times in a manyshot though. My suggestion would be that adrenaline and slay arrow simply can't effect the same arrows. If adrenaline is selected then slay arrow becomes disabled until that ardrenaline is used. No fuss no muss.

But messing with Ten Thousand Stars? The way that it interacts with Manyshot and doubleshot ( by eliminating it ) has been firmly established by the developers. Changing Ten Thousand Stars to thrown only wipes out builds. A better approach would be to give pure rangers a additional and significant boost for the top core arcane archer enhancement available only to level 20. ( A significantly increased doubleshot would fit the bill but be of limited use to the monkcher)

As for melee dps vs ranged dps. I've seen melee monks, wolf druids, fighters and barbarians out dps an archer. The reason ranged dps is so powerful in epic elite is their ability to give damage while avoiding it. Even if their DPS was reduced they'd still dominate it would just take them longer. The problem isn't the dps. The problem is enemies for whom melee engagement is a joke. The only solution would be either to give the melee fighters some significant durability enhancements or simply accept that the developers have created some epic enemies for whom standing toe to toe with is simply not feasible for any mortal character. ( because the power upgrade needed to give a melee character the ability to stand up to these bruisers would make them invincible for everything else )

To encourage more pure character types give the top level core abilities for the prestige classes some better teeth. Pure Battle Engineers could get a rune arm boost. Pure arcane arachers could get a better doubleshot increase. etc.

Aside from that the AC and physical resistance enhancements for melees should all get a significant boost similar to what they are doing with Harden in the Sentinel destiny. Maybe not enough to handle the level 30 bosses. But enough that they can fight the rest without embarrassment. And of course giving the melee types the ability to ability to lower spell damage ( most likely stacking absorption based on armor worn ) would do wonders.