Well you keep saying TSS is a CC skill, but in what way of crowd control? If that’s damage, tell me how devastation/canister bomb can be used as a strong single target skill especially they don’t need as many skill points ; but if that’s freeze, Flash Freeze is much more handy. the absurd side is you invest 16+12+12 for only control, really??!!! and why there are 2 freeze control skills in 1 mastery? It doesn’t happen to other materies.
If TSS is a CC skill as claimed, then that makes it the biggest reason to fix. Let’s compare that with other CC skills, 1+1 flashbang can be very effective with no argument; over 7 points in Flash Freeze is satisfactory as well, maybe 5 points in Curse of Frailty is rewarding,5+5 in war cry is not disputed. But how is TSS’s performance by contrast?
In conclusion from the dis-satisfying performance either damage-wise or control-wise for any skill that requires 16+12+12 investment like TSS, it really sucks!
I haven’t been playing with TSS lately since my new favorite is Phantom Blades. Yes, sentinel is a new challenge in 1004, but not a huge one. I’ve cracked his behavior and defeated him with the most fragile character ever played- PB bd in 20 secs. TSS should not be too much an issue as long as efficient damage is dealt. These are however publically recognized as less-efficient skills, if you use a major proper BD, any should be able to kill Sentinel in 10-15S, and the most efficient ones should be in 5.
I’ll try it out and let you know soon.
and you can date back few posts in recent days and view my response again how TSS is defined as CC skill。
16+12+12 for a CC skill seems to make it a must reason for change
Edit 1: the sentinel seems to be a boss specially designed to dominate ranged attack BD.
ok, let me rephrase that then, it is not a bosskill-skill with huge single-target damage. Better ?
and why there are 2 freeze control skills in 1 mastery? It doesn’t happen to other materies.
because you do not pick every skill in the mastery, so you have a choice.
because different masteries offer different things instead of all being essentially the same, only differing in the damage type they deal.
In conclusion from the dis-satisfying performance either damage-wise or control-wise for any skill that requires 16+12+12 investment like TSS, it really sucks!
that is why it will get buffed… I would not expect it to be among the best boss killers afterwards either though
2 same CC is impossible ,that’s called redundancy。 You dont see 2 same cc skills in other masteries.
Again what’s the point of this skill if it demands more/much more skills to assign to while there are a lot of other skills with less points investment which can do so much better with CC or single-target damage? Reasoning comparison only tells how defective this skill is.
I don’t expect TSS as a boss killer, due to its design. however, it doesn’t imply it cannot be improved in the future. A buff is acceptable.
As a matter of fact, if it would be changed intoelemental earth spikes, it could be much better.
Update on two new boss battles in 1004 with my TSS build. I’ve went through the trial of Mad queen and sentinel. Mad queen is actually harder to kill but not difficult.
because TSS is truly a skill lack of damage, while mad queen is capable of healing herself, it makes the battle more like a wrestling. But not very difficult, since her pattern is too obvious. Sentinel as I said is harder for ranged BD, while TSS in fact is none. But the cooldown of skill and lack of damage makes it unfavored to my side, so that won’t be a quick battle. However I properly used the mirror, flashbang and sphere of protection to reduce enemy side damage and survive, and used TSS and flash freeze for crowd control. in a word, not too challenge.
TSS is a ranged skill.
Grenado is a ranged skill.
Stun Jacks is a ranged skill.
Dreeg’s evil eye is a ranged skill.
Doom Bolt is a ranged skill.
Phantasmal Blades is a ranged skill.
PRM is a ranged skill.
…
Just because these skills work better when you facetank your enemy in 5 different kinds of debuffing puddles doesn’t make them any less ranged.
Demolitionists have three sources of knockdown, three sources of stuns and one source of confusion and fumble.
Soldiers have two sources of knockdown and 2 sources of stun.
Arcanists have two sources of freeze and one source of stun.
Nightblade have two sources of stun and two sources of freeze. Also one source of immobilization.
Occultists have one source for terror and confusion, two for stun.
Shaman have two sources of stun and one of immobilization.
Conclusion: redundancy in CC among one mastery is the norm.
Your videos only serve to prove the point that TSS is mighty fine as it is and doesn’t deserve a buff. It’s a ranged skill, with consequent area of effect, with non negligeable crowd control, with high frontloaded damage, that you can also make work as a single target skill.
You should be extatic that it will get buffed, because there are other skills (like the PRM you mentionned) that need the buffs a lot more.
you are not getting any point… I am not saying TSS is not ranged. But as a ranged skill, would it be sarcastic for it to have very efficient hitting rate only by the fact the player’s standing with zero distance to the Fab…
I do think I get the point:
-: TSS performs splendidly as a ranged pack cleaner.
-: TSS performs very well as a boss killer if you build for it.
We have a skill that is not originally designed to tackle everything in the game (hence the cooldown), but that can actually tackle everything if you make some efforts in your skills, devotions, gear and playstyle.
I am no professional game designer, but that does sound like a design success.
Your build is the proper one. You took TSS and made the max out of it. And it seems to work extremely well.
29 points is enough to make TSS a good AoE. You even have the choice of making it a frontloaded lightning damage dealer or a direct/dot cold damage dealer. 29 points to be able to deal with trash mobs as long as you have another source of damage is an excellent deal.
Then you proved that it’s possible to turn TSS into an all purpose skill with whatever number of skillpoints invested in different debuffs. While still having excellent defense. So where is the problem ?
You should be proud of your achievement ! Not complain that there exist another build with different strengths and weaknesses that fare better against a single target.
You show us something that I would have thought was not even possible. Why, oh why should this be a reason to buff TSS ? On the contrary ! the more this discussion goes on, the more I am thinking: “Wow, TSS really seems even better than I first thought. I sure hope the devs will look into other skills like PRM, grenado, doom bolt and forcewave first !”
edit: also, I would like to commend you on your English in addition to your build. Even though there is clearly a culture difference, you are well spoken. I am impressed by your build but I want to warn you that this might not have the effects you may have first thought. I mean, outside of the fact that everything rests on the judgement of the devs anyway.
Now you really got me speechless. As old saying goes: turn your own battle against yourself… Well done!
PRM is obviously out of balance between investment and damage-dealt. There should not be any problem with grenade since a properly built grenade should be able to conduct around 100.000 damage while PRM is only 50.000 (on Fab.). Doom bolt is pretty like TSS, precision of targeting sometimes is a problem, but it can easily deal 70,-100 thousand damage with 3/4 hitting chances because of which then I would call it fine.
Not sure about forceware, I didn’t play physical BD too much. But if I play that, all money goes to internal damage and maybe transfer of internal damage.
Will we see any buff/additions to options for reducing Cold/Lightning resistances on enemies? Currently Fire based damage has plenty of options to choose from, but Cold/Lightning is a struggle.
Obviously I have no idea what you have in mind but when you say ‘not getting a redesign’ does that mean there’s resistance to the idea of of reducing Sky Shard’s randomness? I like the skill as-is outside of the weird ass missile placement.
It’s a fun skill right up until you realize you have a skill that randomizes the missile placement, has the chance to ‘miss’ and also misses from player error. It’s not so bad in later levels once the AoE levels up and you cap your hit chance but it’s frustrating early on. It just makes it feel like the skill is working against you.
