“When designing this system, we went through several iterations, some with more “small choices”, more akin to a talent tree, but in the end what we found is that just led to a lot of “throwaway” or “obvious” selections. Instead, we have decided to hone in on a system where you are presented with 4 tiers of high-impact choices that really change how you play the game.”
The Runemage’s two paths are Elementalist, which focuses on single-target damage, and Tormentor, which focuses on multi-target damage.
Improved Fireworks: Your next Fireworks spell takes on the color of the Frost, Fire, or Pushback spell cast before it.
Improved Light: Your next Light spell takes on the color of the Frost, Fire, or Pushback spell cast before it.
Cosmetic effects in the talent tree? This is a no and exactly something that would fit into items like J-for-Jester. Or, alterations of the spell fireworks and light. There is a giant open area in the center of fireworks, why not just add firework variants that add a symbol inside the center of the fireworks spell? Like a F for an icy fireworks in the middle, or M. Etc… Additionally, other classes don’t get a useless talent so far, at least in the previews.
More feedback:
Lend a Hand: Your spells now follow the direction of your off-hand rather than your wand tip.
This is an interesting talent, but is 90% of the time going to be useless especially to an advanced mage. Only 3D spells really have heavy effects on where they travel. Also, if you are forced to take this talent to unlock the later abilities but don’t want it… well that sucks too. Hard to say if I’d use this talent without testing it first, but I have no issue keeping spells like Frost 3 from hitting my targets while casting the next spell or even another Frost 3. Really, only casting Fireball 3 or Pushback 2(which isn’t practical currently at all) would be effected by this talent. Lastly, if you decide that mages will get offhand items(books, orbs, other types of things), this talent >could< get in the way of that of those offhand items. For example, if you need to point your offhand at something your spell isn’t traveling towards. Mage offhands don’t exist though, so it’s just a small point as to how this talent could influence future development.
Selfish Streak
okay an 8% dmg boost is good (actually less than 8% total dps increase unless it can refresh by landing another 3 spells or a 4th,5th,6th spell which technically are consecutive).
Elemental Affinity
Potentially really good, no details.
Shared Streak
Literally the same re-worked talent as Selfish Streak but applied to the group. It’s a very good talent, but it definitely blurs with Selfish Streak (obviously intended by the name, but why do it?). Most of the time groups will just single target dps anyways.
Static Charge:
Is this an AOE? Sounds cool though, a lot like an weaker ultimate. Depending how long it takes to build up, this could be a useful component to AOEing down mobs.
True Affliction: Your Fire and Frost spells gain an additional damage over time effect. Your Arcane Missile spell now spreads your DoT effects to all targets it hits.
This is insanely good for both single target & AoE. It sounds like a top tier talent for sure.
It’s also unclear if you can spread other people’s True Affliction Dot’s, even with this snippet:
Note that this only works for your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Affliction DoTs, not other DoTs such as Poison. “your” makes the above sentence ambiguous since poison is mentioned as mages don’t have it.
On Dots in general, a target can currently only have 2 afflictions on it from multiple sources. The expected behavior from everyone I’ve met is that each player should be able to have their own single dot on a mob. So if 30 mages cast affliction, there would be 30 afflictions. I have no idea what will happen when multiple mages use True Affliction, any feedback for that?
Classes like the Ranger look well thought out (slow shot — so very much needed vs fast shot - the arm-tiring meta). Tanky warrior vs bleeds & increased dmg. Musketeer “DPS” talent tree is iffier(better for solo play at least), the healing one seems like it is strong and depending how strong it may need tweaking.
To conclude for runemages,
Ele: Elemental Affinity (unknown buff/debuff) and 8% dps increase.
Tormentor: Single Target dmg-boosting Dots that can be spread to nearby targets using arcane missile, 4% dps increase to the group. a 2nd sub-ult ability which may/may not be AOE. May/may not be able to spread dots of nearby allies, if they also are Tormentors. If you can - this is really really powerful? If you can’t - how will you easily know which dots are yours?
Will have more feedback once the stuff is in the beta. It would be great to actually see what the talent tree looks like in-game, so I will not speculate on how it’s set up.
Really looking forward to the talent trees! Just offering sincere feedback. I’ll offer more positive feedback when I get to play it haha, True Affliction looks pretty cool. Elemental Affinity has no real details so it’s hard to say.
(Can’t answer any responses until later tonight)