Tests of tonight's Fire powerset nerfs

[Gamma_Decay]

After major testing both in Live and PTS, Thermal Reverbation is now nigh useless even for those with high PRE and I'll be retconning out of Fire entirely now, after the patch goes live.

The patch notes are also very misleading or they're outright lying, depending on how cynical your view might be. While, it's true that you can only get the Clinging Flames effect once every 3 seconds on live, it was once every 3 seconds PER TARGET. In the PTS, Clinging Flames has a once once every 3 second limit TOTAL. That means that regardless of how many targets are affected by Clinging Flames, in the PTS, you cannot get more Energy than what you'd get for one target. In fact, the Thermal Reverberation's effect has been changed in the combat log from "Your Clinging Flames gives you X Energy to you." to "Your Feed on Flames gives you X Energy to you." It's a completely different effect and not just in name as you'll see below.

I am 40 and I have 194 PRE, 234 REC, 216 Energy.
And these are the sad results of my testing:
Using Flashfire against one test dummy to test energy returns from it.
On Live:
1 tick of 33 energy per every 3 seconds. 11 energy per second
On Test:
1 tick of 39 energy per every 3 seconds. 13 energy per second

ADVANTAGE: Test Server. This is the only instance where the new change will actually be a buff. A tiny buff, but a buff nonetheless.

This is where things just break apart.
Using Flashfire against four or more test dummies to test energy returns from it.
On Live:
1 tick of 112 energy per every 3 seconds. 37.3 energy per second
On Test:
1 tick of 39 energy per every 3 seconds. 13 energy per second

ADVANTAGE: Live Server

Pyre DoT Nerf Test

The initial damage remains the same but the DoT is what was nerfed. So, these tests were solely for Pyre's DoT.

I am 40 and I have 194 PRE, 234 REC, 216 Energy.
RANK 3 Pyre against one level 40 target in Guardian, without Fiery Form
On Live:
And average of 297 Damage per tick.
On Test:
An average of 42 damage per tick

That's right. An 86% damage nerf to Pyre's DoT.

Again, I suggest you skip as it really has no place or use, at the moment, even for Fire characters after the Thermal Reverberation nerf.

CONCLUSION ON FIRE:
1) Pyre's viability as a charged AE has been severely reduced in lieu of much faster, cheaper, and stronger AEs been readily available at a much lower level. Suggestion: Skip Pyre.

2) Energy recovery for Fire has been crippled for any and all who use Thermal Reverberation REGARDLESS of PRE stacking. Suggestion: Skip Thermal Reverberation.

3) Fiery Form remains unusable even in groups due to lack of survivability. Suggestion: Skip Fiery Form.

FINAL SUGGESTION: Skip Fire and go with a powerset that will benefit from END, REC, DEX, or EGO such as Munitions or Electricity.

TLDR Version:
1) Clingling flame energy gains reduced by 41%-65% for groups of 2 or more mobs.
2) Pyre's DoT nerfed by 86%.

[ethNargy]

And I bet there's gonna be some little fanboy clacking away describing how your post is wrong and has no value as the devs are unfallable and god's gift to mankind.

[strikeprice]

Thank you to the OP for the testing.

Yes, there is no viability to a fire build any more. Worst energy builder, ridiculously useless Tier 1 direct damage and now now way to keep your energy up enough to actually use any of the powers you get.

How can it be possible that Pyre needed a 30% nerf with a 86% DoT nerf on top of that. Can you say huge overreaction to lack of content? I knew you could.

[Metaverse]

Stop worrying about nerfs, they are a constant thing in MMO's. If you haven't figured that out by now you're gonna be posting a lot. You just got to roll with them and figure out the best ways to play your desired character.

I've never changed a character/class after a nerf. I just keep on playing whatever I feel like. It's the only way to stay sane in an MMO I've found. Best of luck with your build.

[DieScream]

Wow, you make a convincing case.

This is kind of like CoH's Enhancement Diversification in slow motion.

[strikeprice]

Originally Posted by Metaverse

Stop worrying about nerfs, they are a constant thing in MMO's.

I see this canard all over the place. What can you possibly be talking about? "MMOs" do not generally take a class or a skill and completely remove it from usefulness and then stick players with it with no way to change. They also don't take viable classes and make them not viable. Plus, how is the bad, poor or foolish behavior of other development teams on other MMOs justification for that behavior on this game? Will you say the same thing if Cyrptic pulls a "tabula rasa" and closes the game 6 months after it opens? Will you say "oh well, happens to a lot of MMOs".

[personae]

Quick question...why not post your findings to the PTS forum? That's kind of the point of it in theory. This thread will just get lost in the 'Aion' here.

[skirge66]

Originally Posted by Metaverse

Stop worrying about nerfs, they are a constant thing in MMO's. If you haven't figured that out by now you're gonna be posting a lot. You just got to roll with them and figure out the best ways to play your desired character.

I've never changed a character/class after a nerf. I just keep on playing whatever I feel like. It's the only way to stay sane in an MMO I've found. Best of luck with your build.

I can't stand negative whining posts one bit, I hate people that drool negativity.

Seriously man, sure this is a negative post, but it is fully based on testing with facts to back it up, and put forth in a logical manner that anyone can fully understand and appreciate great job OP...if only all critical post were presented in such a manner

[Gamma_Decay]

Originally Posted by personae

Quick question...why not post your findings to the PTS forum? That's kind of the point of it in theory. This thread will just get lost in the 'Aion' here.

I did, as well, but seeing as how the patch is coming out without any change from player testing, I decided to post them here, since they're actually going live.

[Vologar]

Your tests don't matter. The PTR isn't for testing, it's for them to preview how they're ruining their own game.