Suggestion: make spell augmentation items give CL & MCL increases

[rabidfox]

SSG should revisit items like:
Reflection of Wave +5 CL on cold spells
Helm of the Red Dragon +3 CL on fire spells
All the items on this list: https://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_Augmentation

All this gear that increases CL means nothing if people are MCL capped (and now even epic abilities will be hard-MCL capped starting with u66); they're basically only good for multiclass builds that typically don't do much with spell casting damage to begin with. All that gear should be revamped to offer CL & MCL so they serve a purpose for full casters beyond level 20 (with the values given balanced/adjusted relative to them also giving MCL).

 

[droid327]

Certainly L20+ items should have an "Epic Spell Augmentation" that includes a MCL bonus, since most casters past L20 will already have max caster levels (relatively few spells cap above ML20).

Heroic versions of the items serve more of a valid purpose as-is.

 

[The Blonde]

Agreed, items that are ML20 and above should have their effects changed to include MCL increases.

 

[Unuys]

That would probably too broken, also they know our feedback and see it everyday. I don't think they want to change the MCL system since it's their way of balancing things and keeping control. Giving the CL increase items the ability to increase MCL aswell would make those items BIS for every caster right away and that would be unhealthy for the game

 

[Lazuli]

That would probably too broken, also they know our feedback and see it everyday. I don't think they want to change the MCL system since it's their way of balancing things and keeping control. Giving the CL increase items the ability to increase MCL aswell would make those items BIS for every caster right away and that would be unhealthy for the game

Then they should eliminate those enchantements and replace them with others, since they will not do anything after the update.

But I highly doubt it's something OP. +2 MCL? hardly op.

 

[rabidfox]

Let's take Reflection of Wave as an example. It's +5 CL to cold spells. It's a lvl 29 item. With epic abilities being defined as MCL20 with u66, it means that item's +5 CL means nothing for the nukers who would use it. It's a completely junk stat (well, unless you're some odd hybrid, but making an upgraded raid item on a flavor build seems pretty low odds). Is +5 MCL on an item too strong? Quite possibly; which is why I suggested they also adjust the values relative to them granting MCL. But if you're saying it shouldn't happen because they'd be OP or BiS, then we're stuck with items that are mostly junk; SSG just needs to find the middle ground. But leaving a whole array of stats on caster (and raid) items as generally useless isn't a good look.

 

[Reaped and Ravaged]

Heck even just changing all these items to exceptional Critical chance and damage % instead of CL would make them relevent.

 

[Unuys]

If we say that your class has no MCL increases and we work with a spell with a MCL of 20 and you gain +6 from epics.

26 MCL, and now if you take an item that gives MCL +2 that would be a 7,69% DPS increase which ofc would make it BIS immediately. It's on SSG to decide if they want something like that so who knows. Maybe as an augment that works instead of making it item specific.

 

[Lazuli]

If we say that your class has no MCL increases and we work with a spell with a MCL of 20 and you gain +6 from epics.

26 MCL, and now if you take an item that gives MCL +2 that would be a 7,69% DPS increase which ofc would make it BIS immediately. It's on SSG to decide if they want something like that so who knows. Maybe as an augment that works instead of making it item specific.

Spellpower items give more increased damage than that, and they come in equipment, insightful, quality, exceptional. Critical items give more damage than that, and come in same variety. Items that increase helpless damage also give damage. There are many stats that increase damage. Even DC items increase damage, as enemies can save for half damage or 0 zero damage if they have evasion. You're overreacting.

 

[Unuys]

Yeah but you can choose from many items where you want to get your spellpower from. That is healthy design. Changing current items with CL increases to increase MCL aswell would make them BIS which would be unhealthy. It's not directly about the dmg increase, it's more that it would be so good, every caster would need to wear the item.

If they make MCL+2 augments for specific elements for example, then it would be great and I would be happy

 

[Reaped and Ravaged]

I think the uncapped MCL aspect was broken in many situations and responsible for 250k+ damage spikes with some of these epic SLAs. This is why they've left all these items broken.

 

[Unuys]

You're overreacting.

Seems like you didn't get my point sadly, but there is a reason every melee/ranged was wearing Crown of Butterflies before they made it into an augment and finally freed up item/build choices. Making anything BIS is very unhealthy most of the times

 

[Lazuli]

Seems like you didn't get my point sadly, but there is a reason every melee/ranged was wearing Crown of Butterflies before they made it into an augment and finally freed up item/build choices. Making anything BIS is very unhealthy most of the times

No, what I am saying is that they would not be BIS items. Currently not all casters can put exceptional spellpower and crit on their gear, for example.

But if they do not want to add MCL to those items they have to change those enchantments for others because from the next update they will give zero benefit. Less healthy for the game is having items with useless stats.

 

[rabidfox]

Yeah but you can choose from many items where you want to get your spellpower from. That is healthy design. Changing current items with CL increases to increase MCL aswell would make them BIS which would be unhealthy. It's not directly about the dmg increase, it's more that it would be so good, every caster would need to wear the item.

If they make MCL+2 augments for specific elements for example, then it would be great and I would be happy

Augments with +MCL wouldn't change anything as they wouldn't give the CL need to use that MCL bonus. If you think they're BiS, it would just become the Aug for MCL + item for the CL combined; which is the same difference but more steps required. And making items require an Aug to function isn't my idea of a good time.

 

[Unuys]

The problem also that no one mentioned yet is that general spell augmentation stacks with specific element ones. So Gloves of the Arcane Soldier or the Fire ring from the LOB/MA raids increase the caster lvls for arcane casters by 2, but then the improved element specific augmentation from alchemicial shields for example STACK with these for an additonal +3. That would be a +5 increase in total

 

[Unuys]

Augments with +MCL wouldn't change anything as they wouldn't give the CL need to use that MCL bonus. If you think they're BiS, it would just become the Aug for MCL + item for the CL combined; which is the same difference but more steps required. And making items require an Aug to function isn't my idea of a good time.

Oh yes you are right, I meant CL/MCL together on one augment. MCL alone wouldn't make sense I guess

 

[Lazuli]

The problem also that no one mentioned yet is that general spell augmentatiion stacks with specific element ones. So Gloves of the Arcane Soldier or the Fire ring from the LOB/MA raids increase the caster lvls for arcane casters by 2, but then the improved element specific augmentation from alchemicial shields for example STACK with these for an additonal +3. That would be a +5 increase in total

And isn't it easier to just make it not stack different items with MCL?

 

[rabidfox]

Oh yes you are right, I meant CL/MCL together on one augment. MCL alone wouldn't make sense I guess

Putting CL/MCL on both the gear and on an augment is a fine idea. There's plenty of stats on gear that can be used via gear or augment currently. Either way, the items need MCL to not be a worthless stat.