Bloodclaw - alternative nerf.

[FireLance]

What do you think about the idea of increasing the riskiness of using the power by adding the following six words to the previous version of Bloodclaw:

Power (At-Will; Usable only while you are bloodied): Free Action. Use this power before making a melee attack on your turn. You take damage up to a maximum of the weapon's enhancement bonus (a +3 weapon deals up to 3 damage to its wielder). This damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way. If you hit, increase the damage your target takes by double the amount of damage you took, or triple if you are wielding the weapon in two hands.​

 

[Garthanos]

What do you think about the idea of increasing the riskiness of using the power by adding the following six words to the previous version of Bloodclaw:

Power (At-Will; Usable only while you are bloodied): Free Action. Use this power before making a melee attack on your turn. You take damage up to a maximum of the weapon's enhancement bonus (a +3 weapon deals up to 3 damage to its wielder). This damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way. If you hit, increase the damage your target takes by double the amount of damage you took, or triple if you are wielding the weapon in two hands.​

Intriguing normally ... "only when bloodied" is less interesting (it is getting down right common), but doing something which pushes your luck .... only when your luck is already waning? sure gives it bite.

 

[Eric Finley]

For reference, the Blood-Drinker line of weapons is very worth checking out for players who like to gamble. The big thing about those being that you can't turn 'em off - you always gamble with those weapons, but it's a big gamble.

The other easy thing, depending on which player you're doing it for, would be to have the Bloodclaw trigger be a more overt act - make it a minor action where you actually ritually cut yourself with the weapon, rather than just sort of happening for free. Most martial types (certainly not all) have minor actions available, so this isn't too big a deal for them, but it limits it inherently. And of course it only applies to the damage done directly by that weapon. Make it Weapon keyword powers too, of course, and maybe make it a higher base amount but lower top amount... 3+enh for one-handed use, or 3+enh/2 (round down) for two-handed, something like that, to make it scale better with level.

 

[Llamas Notsheep]

Adding an atk penalty would ruin the weapon. If you're just doing 1 or 2 it wouldn't be a huge deal (although, note that power attack is mathematically really only useful for avengers, and generally just in paragon tier).

Bear in mind that Bloodclaw is a level 7/12/17 item, meaning it should have one of the weakest riders of any weapons. Even if you reduced it to 2x damage, it'd remain one of the best weapons in the game (see: 1h wielders who used bloodclaw). Compare it to other weapons of its level. It should be comparable to them. As an encounter power, it's comparable. As an at-will, even at 1:1, it's substantially better.

I think if you were dead set on keeping it in your game as an at-will, the best fix would be to make it 1x (1.5x for 2h, rounded down of course), and make it an item bonus. Even keeping it at 2x, typing it as an item bonus would go a long way toward fixing it.

 

[keterys]

Or, go crazy, and make Bloodclaw instead a (Healing Surge) power - like Bloodcut. That'd pop open all kinds of silly possibilities

 

[Garthanos]

As an encounter power, it's comparable. As an at-will, even at 1:1, it's substantially better.

I am questioning that... at one to one.. I am winning the fight as fast for my enemy just as much as for me even if I suceed at every attack.

 

[Llamas Notsheep]

Right, the point being that you'd only want to use it in certain situations. When you need to get the extra damage to finish off an enemy, it's very worthwhile. But when the enchantment is just a massive boost to your damage output that far outweighs any costs, it's definitely not a level 7/12/17/22/27 item.

I still think a very reasonable fix would be to make it an item bonus. If you're trying to maximize your damage, it's a higher boost than the other options out there (iron armbands, radiant, etc.), but it's offset by the damage you take. And it still eliminates what was the main problem with the item: an absurd level of stacking bonuses.

 

[Garthanos]

Right, the point being that you'd only want to use it in certain situations. When you need to get the extra damage to finish off an enemy, it's very worthwhile. But when the enchantment is just a massive boost to your damage output that far outweighs any costs, it's definitely not a level 7/12/17/22/27 item.

I agree ... but think that one to one induces the situational context (going to take 2 damage and gain 1 boost is way over the top) .