Is it just me, or is Invoke Leopard Pounce really strong?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:51 am
so as a rough outline, the spell forces a knockdown check, has damage that scales with extra successes, requires 0 threads, and is first circle.
now, that isn't completely insane; if it were to, say, lose out on the damage scaling with extra successes or required 1 thread, I would think it was a pretty strong spell, perhaps on the high end of what I would think is reasonable for a first circle spell even but not unreasonable; knockdown is a powerful effect, but it isn't guaranteed like the penalties that come from earth darts for example... although it isn't extremely unlikely to work, either.
but it's just that little bit extra that makes me look at it and feel like it's just a touch beyond what is reasonable. I don't get the impression that devastating direct damage spells is supposed to be the Shaman's niche (if anything, I'd guess their niche is supposed to be party-wide buffs). so it feels really odd to me that they would have a direct damage option that is so strong compared to other first circle options (including their own other first circle direct damage option, which also applies a strong debuff with 0 threads required but has no damage scaling from extra successes, and which i also consider to be on the high end of reasonable for first circle).
in fact, when I compare it to, say, the Elementalist spell Elemental Spear (Earth), it looks remarkably similar to me, except that the spear is 3 circles higher, requires a thread, and has longer range (though admittedly it also can share its matrix with the other Elemental Spear spells, which ranges from being worth nothing to being potentially a free extra spell prepared depending on whether the Elementalist was going to keep one of the spear spells regardless). likewise it looks similar to Astral Spear, a first circle Nethermancer spell with similar damage but requires a thread (though Astral Spear also has a *much* longer range),
Is it possible that somewhere in the mix of re-editing things some wires got crossed? perhaps it was supposed to be 1 thread like astral spear, or the extra success levels are only supposed to make the knockdown harder to resist? or is it just that the chance for knockdown is not as good as my instincts are telling me it is, and the spell is not overtuned at all?
now, that isn't completely insane; if it were to, say, lose out on the damage scaling with extra successes or required 1 thread, I would think it was a pretty strong spell, perhaps on the high end of what I would think is reasonable for a first circle spell even but not unreasonable; knockdown is a powerful effect, but it isn't guaranteed like the penalties that come from earth darts for example... although it isn't extremely unlikely to work, either.
but it's just that little bit extra that makes me look at it and feel like it's just a touch beyond what is reasonable. I don't get the impression that devastating direct damage spells is supposed to be the Shaman's niche (if anything, I'd guess their niche is supposed to be party-wide buffs). so it feels really odd to me that they would have a direct damage option that is so strong compared to other first circle options (including their own other first circle direct damage option, which also applies a strong debuff with 0 threads required but has no damage scaling from extra successes, and which i also consider to be on the high end of reasonable for first circle).
in fact, when I compare it to, say, the Elementalist spell Elemental Spear (Earth), it looks remarkably similar to me, except that the spear is 3 circles higher, requires a thread, and has longer range (though admittedly it also can share its matrix with the other Elemental Spear spells, which ranges from being worth nothing to being potentially a free extra spell prepared depending on whether the Elementalist was going to keep one of the spear spells regardless). likewise it looks similar to Astral Spear, a first circle Nethermancer spell with similar damage but requires a thread (though Astral Spear also has a *much* longer range),
Is it possible that somewhere in the mix of re-editing things some wires got crossed? perhaps it was supposed to be 1 thread like astral spear, or the extra success levels are only supposed to make the knockdown harder to resist? or is it just that the chance for knockdown is not as good as my instincts are telling me it is, and the spell is not overtuned at all?