Sun Domain disapointment

[HastyPudding]

Why? Why does the searing light SLA share a cooldown with searing light SLA you get from cleric's disciple tree? Why is this the only domain that gives you an SLA of an SLA you already possess? Not only do you do this, you also nerf sunburst and sunbeam's blindness effects in the process. At best, you get 3 extra AP from this.

So, what could go in place of the searing light sla? I thought of a few quick ones:

Scorch SLA. While scorch is a fire spell, the sun domain also gives fire spellpower, so it fits thematically. Scorch would give better aoe damage in the early-mid levels where cleric is severely lacking in aoe capabilities. This also doesn't step on the toes of any other class, since sorcerers get the scorch SLA around level 5-6 in the fire savant tree, as well.

Sun Bolt SLA. I'm not sure why this isn't here, in the first place. It's a level 3 cleric spell, anyway, which clerics can get in the disciple tree. It also ties in with the double spell range that light-focusing cleric tend to have. To balance it out, I'm sure an 8 second cooldown would be fine, given its comparative power to searing light and its 4 second cooldown. It's not like this is comparable to lightning bolt, either, since sun bolt doesn't have a chance to hit twice.

Blindness SLA. While not my first choice, it fits thematically and allows for a cheap debuff for bosses, champions, etc. Power Word Blind would work, as well, but that's a bit much at level 5.

Turn undead regeneration. If anything the sun domain symbolizes, it's anti-undead. Why not give the sun domain automatic turn regeneration, which would stack with what you can get in the radiant servant tree and later in the divine crusader tree? This would set the base 2 minute regeneration rate, increasing by 30% with radiant servant and 60% total from divine crusader.

Light damage toggle. Just like you find on items like the lantern ring or resonation necklace, give a small light damage bonus on every offensive spell cast.

Light critical chance. A flat +3% or +5% critical hit rate with light spells would be a good fit, here.

Light resistance. A simple +1 light resistance per cleric level or +1% light absorption per two cleric levels would be interesting. Couple it with blindness immunity.

Thoughts?

[Silverleafeon]

Why? Why does the searing light SLA share a cooldown with searing light SLA you get from cleric's disciple tree?

Have you officially tested this on a live server with one of your toons?
Its implied but not actually stated?
Appreciated the test report if there is any.

[HastyPudding]

Have you officially tested this on a live server with one of your toons?
Its implied but not actually stated?
Appreciated the test report if there is any.

I tested it. They share a cooldown. This is irritating because the archmage PK and deep gnome PK SLA's don't share a cooldown, but they're the exact same spell. One wonders if the acid arrow SLA from the earth domain and the acid arrow SLA from sorcerer earth savant share a cooldown, as well.

This essentially gives the cleric the exact same thing they can already get at an earlier level in an enhancement tree that will probably be your main focus, anyway, if you take the sun domain.

[Silverleafeon]

Have a cleric that has been at level 1 for over a month waiting, now debating which domain to pick, so answer appreciated.
Thanks

[Silverleafeon]

I tested it. They share a cooldown.

Thanks, good to know!

[HastyPudding]

Thanks, good to know!

Mind you this is still a decent domain, and probably the best domain against undead, since sunbeam hits like a truck against undead (and oozes) and sunburst is amazing against shadows and vampires (plus the aoe blind).

[Silverleafeon]

I do agree with you about the cooldown, its seems excessive caution since Cleric in the past have had a bit of trouble keeping their light counter up for Rebuke Foe.

Sort of like all the Past Life SLAs sharing the same cooldown even though they also have a 10/rest counter.

[Silverleafeon]

Mind you this is still a decent domain, and probably the best domain against undead, since sunbeam hits like a truck against undead (and oozes) and sunburst is amazing against shadows and vampires (plus the aoe blind).

Thanks, its becoming a really tough choice...so many options....

[HastyPudding]

Thanks, its becoming a really tough choice...so many options....

Agreed. Air looks very nice. Water has its merits, too. Fire would be awesome if it wasn't for the absurd amount of fire-immune mobs. I even thought about the trickery and law domains.

[ComicRelief]

Seeing as there are other examples of SLA's not sharing cool-downs, maybe it's a bug? So...BUG IT!

(Wouldn't hurt to bug it, even if it turns out to not be a bug...)

[Silverleafeon]

Seeing as there are other examples of SLA's not sharing cool-downs, maybe it's a bug? So...BUG IT!

(Wouldn't hurt to bug it, even if it turns out to not be a bug...)

Done, but it would not hurt for others to do so too.



PS Healing Domain CMW sla seems to be helped by the tier 5 radiant servant "Cure Focus" effect on my iconic, getting a 25% ish increase.
Curiosity mostly, going to look over all the domains and ponder a day, for my big choice...

[Silverleafeon]

Agreed. Air looks very nice. Water has its merits, too. Fire would be awesome if it wasn't for the absurd amount of fire-immune mobs. I even thought about the trickery and law domains.

Nods happily.

I am a big fan of watching chaotic monsters get almost always auto stunned with Order's Wrath, so Law is definitely on my short list along with a half dozen others...

...and DDO is full of chaotic monsters...

...except for those pesky fire resistant devils, giant rats, elements, and some odds and ends.

[Chai]

Because the "nerfs cause balance" agenda won the day, not through any logic or by showing examples of how nerfing has caused balance, but by filibustering and goad reporting those of us who knew better out of every thread. Observing the result of this over the next year or so will be pure entertainment.

Starting with:

Since someone out there thought these two not sharing a cooldown was OP, and sunburst duration was obviously OP, they were nerfed.

Now its Balanced®

[phillymiket]

Because the "nerfs cause balance" agenda won the day.
Since someone out there thought these two not sharing a cooldown was OP, and sunburst also share an OP, they were nerfed.
Now its Balanced®
amirite?

Sometimes nerfs are needed, sometimes buffs are needed, sometimes other things are needed, sometimes nothing is needed.
Anyone who is wholly against or wholly for things despite the specifics has an agenda.

[Selvera]

I'm not sure if you understand what the word "nerf" means.
nerf: To weaken or make less dangerous.

The SLA's shared a cooldown with the spells on Lamania when the patch was previewed. There was never any official talk from the devs that the SLA's wouldn't share cooldowns at any point during the development/teasers that they released ever. There was no point during planning, development, or in the actual game where these radiant SLA's were stronger then they are now.

On the other hand; before clerics didn't have radiant SLA's, now they do. Before they didn't have class-bonuses to spellpower, now they do. Those are called "buffs", look it up; it is the opposite of nerf.

The discussion is if clerics got buffed enough. Testers on Lamania suggested that the spells should not share a cooldown. I don't recall the devs ever answering those concerns.

[Silverleafeon]

Its extremely uncommon for duplicate SLAs to exist.

I think the two examples are Iconic Deep Gnome PK + Archmage Tree PK
&
ED Exalted Angel Sunbolt + Angel of Vengeance tree Sunbolt

both of these duplicate SLAs do not share cooldowns and can be acquired from different sources.


The main SLAs that do share cooldowns are not duplicate, they are the Past Life Sorc, Wiz, Fvs SLA
(have not checked others).

These might be similar to the Flasks sharing cooldowns?



Anyway, Searing light is a 3rd level divine spell with a low max level:
Description:
Focuses divine power like a ray of the sun, causing a blast of light to deal 1d4+4 light damage per 2 caster levels (Maximum damage 5d4+20.), or deals 1d3+3 light damage per caster level to Undead. (Maximum damage 10d3+30.)


From a birds-eye-point of view, it would seem that cooldowns should not be shared, and if searing light was deemed overpowered,
its individual cooldown would have been raised like Earthquake & Radiant Shield cooldowns were raised.



Its quite possible the problem is handed over to QA to deal with simply because they have the resources to do so,
and the Devs moved on to the expansion.

[Kza]

Can any dev please say if searing light shall share cooldown or not?

I can understand (maybe) that chain missile share, others no need at all imho.

(Its not that dps casting searing lights is op tbh..

It must be a bug?

[SerPounce]

Apparently "a buff that I wanted, but didn't happen" is now a "nerf."

Also, I don't think there's any value in presenting suggestions in such an angry and entitled manner.

I don't think it would be a problem to have two searing light SLAs on separate cool-downs. But nothing was taken from anyone, no one got screwed. Just make your case. It's not impossible that they change it.

[Thar]

I tested it. They share a cooldown. This is irritating because the archmage PK and deep gnome PK SLA's don't share a cooldown, but they're the exact same spell. One wonders if the acid arrow SLA from the earth domain and the acid arrow SLA from sorcerer earth savant share a cooldown, as well.

This essentially gives the cleric the exact same thing they can already get at an earlier level in an enhancement tree that will probably be your main focus, anyway, if you take the sun domain.

This was brought up on Lamania so it must be wai...

[Kza]

This was brought up on Lamania so it must be wai...

I am not sure, in the release notes it is specified that chain missile share.
But it is not specified on searing light. So they have a bug or a miss in the release notes.