U50 Preview 1: New Universal Enhancement Tree: Horizon Walker

[Duhboy]

Hey, everyone! Thanks for the great feedback on Horizon Walker in Preview 1.

Overall, a lot of you seemed to like the tree conceptually but had concerns about the overall power level of the tree (too low) and concerns about the usefulness of specific skills. Let's talk about a few of those concerns and ways we're looking to address them for Preview 2! (As always, this may change before Preview 2. In fact, some of it will almost definitely change before Preview 2. But we wanted to show you some plans ahead of time!)

The overall power level of the tree is going up. Damage numbers in most places are either getting larger or scaling better.

The Marked Target debuffs in the Cores felt low to a lot of you, and we're bringing the numbers on the Fortification, AC, and Movement Speed penalties up. Saves is staying where it is for now, we want to look at it again in Preview 2.

Some of you felt the Cores in general were a little low in power, as they largely only boosted the Mark; we're planning on adding a few things:
Core 2 will also give +3 Max Dex Bonus in Light Armor (Planar Dodge has moved to Tier 1 and no longer contains this bonus, simply 1/2/3% Dodge)
Core 3 will also grant a Haste SLA! Haste is a spell Horizon Walkers get in pen and paper, and we felt it fit well with the movement theme. (Expect to see more specific stats on much of this in Preview 2, assuming it's still there by then).
Core 4 will tentatively grant Max Dodge, but we're still debating how much.
Core 6 is... tentatively very going to be powerful, going to hold off on talking about it as we're still debating whether or not to keep this new version.

Other than the reduction of movement speed this ability still feels kinda meh. It would be nice to add a reduction to PRR and/or MRR aswell as having it be able to stack from multiple Marked Target sources. I do like how they added a spell from P&P HW here (haste) but I wonder why not add another spell from pen and paper that HW get that fits the theme of dealing with extraplanar creatures like HW does like banishment or at the very least dismissal? Now in terms of adding max dodge to core 4, I highly doubt it's going to be a BIG increase and something more like adding +5 to your max dodge which is meh. I suggest replacing it with something more reliable like Spectral Defense which is an ability that HW gets in pen and paper that is uncanny dodge that rogues, barbs, etc get.

Some of you were concerned about non-ranged characters having enough to spend on to get No Step Missed in Tier 3. After talking with the team, we've decided to leave No Step Missed where it is; there may be another tree in the future more suited to melees with a Dex trance in it. That said, we have made some adjustments to Tier 1 and 2 that may make it a bit easier for non-ranged builds to feel good about their points spent to reach No Step Missed.

Doesn't surprise me here.

Some of you were concerned about Take the Opening not feeling rewarding enough for landing that opening shot. We've increased its bonus damage to 1d10 Force damage per Character Level, and its scaling to 200% Ranged Power.

Neat.

A few of you mentioned wanting connections to Archer's Focus in here: While it still requires standing still, we're planning a Tier 3 ability that would grant you extra stacks.

Let me take a guess. Aimed Shot from DWS.

Walker's Guidance felt underpowered to a few of you; we've moved it down to Tier 4, and have changed it to grant you and targeted ally Evasion, Improved Evasion and +5 to Saving Throws vs. Traps for 12 seconds.

A few of us is an understatement when everybody is questioning the value of this ability. You're going to more than likely be playing a character that has evasion aswell has having high reflex anyways making this ability rather trivial. This ability is also dependent on your ally's currently equipped armor to make it a benefit to him/her. It maybe neat to have for an ally to get past a trap if you don't mind waiting for your ally to unequip and re-equip their heavier armor but it may become more of a hindrance if there are multiple traps especially one after the other. And if that's the case then you're better off just getting a trapper. So with that said, I suggest removing it all together and having something different in it's place.

Quite a few of you were unsure about tumbling frequently for Dodge and Strike; we've doubled its power and moved it up, resulting in a new skill in Tier 5: Planar Power: When you tumble or use Misty Step, you gain Ranged Power equal to your Character Level for 12 seconds. 12 second cooldown.

Neat.

Speaking of Misty Step, using it will also grant Reflex Saves and Incorporeality during the step, allowing it to be used to more easily get through dangerous situations.

I like it but how about making it so you phase pass enemies when you use it?