For years I have watched the forum and Dev Streams and one of the key points of the devs improvement of CE is balance. However update after update I get the feeling the devs have forgotten the fundamental definition of the word balance so here is a reminder followed by a few examples.
BALANCE: Two opposing forces in equal measure. A Yin and Yang working in harmony supporting each other while also restraining each other within a set limit.
Example 1.
Since the birth of CE thralls have been the primary base defense and raid deterrent its opposite was players with the right skills and gear.
This balance has been broken. With the nerfing of thralls they now pose little to no challenge against even poorly geared players with limited skills. By this you have tipped the scales in favor of the attackers.
Solution: I understand and agree with the purpose of the thrall nerf but to make the player more of the focus this adjustment should have been made in tandem with a new or improved base defense system that does NOT require player control. A few examples being ballista turrets that thralls can operate, persistant traps such as arrow walls flame floors or bladed pendulums, or statues that spawn spells when an enemy gets within proximity.
Example 2:
With the introduction of sorcery and the corruption system. I have seen only a few counter balances. For instance though sorcerers are reduced to 50% of HP and stam the perks from corrupted attributes make them extremely dangerous at any range. The perceived counter to this would be an archer but with spells like darkness, undead fog, and invisibility at makes hitting the target unlikely.
Solution:
There are both corruption and cleansing brew, weapons that cause corruption. I say why not implement cleansing orbs and arrows that act like their poison counter parts. This would not cause damage only create a cloud that would rapidly cleanse the corruption of players within the cloud. Or rather create an opposing Blessed Attribute system. Rather than using corruption and sacrificed souls the player uses religious zeal and prayer to “Bless” their attribute perks.
I know there are more instances of improper counter balance but will leave those for the rest of the community to submit preferably with a proposed solution.
For legal purposes:
I of sound mind and body release my ideas and concepts presented herein to Funcom, and negate myself from any form of legal action in the use of my proposed ideas and concepts by Funcom.
At the “birth” of CE… thralls have been nothing but crafting speed boosters and static, non-follower, un-levelable base decorations…