Fixing Ash's #4: Bladestorm

[Nadger]

Ash's Bladestorm is a little lackluster at the moment.  The problem stems from all of the animation time to preform Bladestorm, Teleport -> Play killing animation, rinse, repeat takes more time than if you just shot them all with your primary weapon.

 

 

So how would you go about fixing it?

 

I see two easy options.  One: improving its current implementation, or Two: Altering the power altogether.

 

Fixing its current implementation

If you leave it how it is, with the teleport -> stab method, a few things need to change to make it worth using.

 

1. Remove line of sight requirement.  There are times when the enemy you target to initiate Bladestorm moves to cover resulting in breaking line of sight for followup teleports, which means you just spent 100 energy to kill 1 maybe 2 guys.

 

2. Remove the target requirement.  Make this pull a list of all enemies in X radius around you, then begin teleporting around killing them all.

 

3. Make the aforementioned kill list prioritize/sort based on HP + Shields descending.  That way you're taking out the ancients/harder targets first.  I don't want Bladestorm clearing only trash that i can kill in 1 shot anyway.

 

4. Speed up the killing animation a little.  It currently takes a little bit too long per enemy you assassinate with Bladestorm.

 

 

 

Changing its current implementation:

 

The other option would be to change it altogether.  For this I would suggest the following:

 

Make it a whirlwind style attack that throws shurikens spiraling outward from the player that home in & penetrate like normal shuikens, doing a few rotations of this should be sufficient.

[Ezard]

+1

 

For the "Fixing the current implementation idea", they should also make it so that you can hit the same enemy more than once (still basing it on who has the most health/shields). That way you can take out Ancients in 1 Bladestorm (instead of half-killing a few of them and killing a load of Chargers)

[Xomnia]

I think that if they were to change it, that they should only change it a little, say, instead of you teleporting everywhere, have the enemies teleported to you one after another whilst you're just going to town on them, this would have to relatively fast too, so each swing would bring 1 enemy? If that was the case, then they could raise the swing speed to a set speed (?that would be faster than most?) even if it was a heavy weapon

 

Edit: New Idea

Edited June 16, 2013 by Xomnia

[Brangutang]

I like these ideas. Good job :o

[VKhaun]

Faster, no target, attack big stuff in a radius instead of chain lightning-style movement, or just make it a 'whirl wind' that throws shurikens?

 

No thanks.

Plenty of PBAoE ults in the game already.

[XRacKS]

i would say the target counter should stay but you can hit one enemys more than once but witth lowered dmg every time...

if there is only 1 enemy and you use it you would deal everytime 50% less dmg to the target or something like that... imo ash is a real assassin so he should be able to do his job xD

[Vahlak]

Everyone here seems to be forgetting you are invulnerable while using Bladestorm.... that alone adds much value

[Lactamid]

I think that if they were to change it, that they should only change it a little, say, instead of you teleporting everywhere, have the enemies teleported to you one after another whilst you're just going to town on them, this would have to relatively fast too, so each swing would bring 1 enemy? If that was the case, then they could raise the swing speed to a set speed (?that would be faster than most?) even if it was a heavy weapon

 

Edit: New Idea

Perhaps he could just pull in a whole bunch of enemies and "whirl wind them" to bits?

Even better - Cloak - teleport everyone to him - WW - and then you would have the remaining survivors stunned for a short while and you still being cloaked to be able to run away (or if you're brave melee for crit damage)

[Lactamid]

Everyone here seems to be forgetting you are invulnerable while using Bladestorm.... that alone adds much value

true, you gain some shields during the time Ash is jumping around. but it still could need some tuning

[Xomnia]

Perhaps he could just pull in a whole bunch of enemies and "whirl wind them" to bits?

Even better - Cloak - teleport everyone to him - WW - and then you would have the remaining survivors stunned for a short while and you still being cloaked to be able to run away (or if you're brave melee for crit damage)

That's the sort of thing I was talking about, everyone gets pulled to him instead of the other way around, the stealth however, is a bit OP maybe, cause as others have said, you're already invulnerable whilst it's being done, so if the survivors are stunned, there's no need for the stealth.

[DAwGi]

If you watch the PS4 trailer, they have Ash doing a bunch of different, but really cool melee attacks while using his Bladestorm.  I'm kind of hoping they go with that design when they finally get around to fixing the animations.

[Ezard]

Everyone here seems to be forgetting you are invulnerable while using Bladestorm.... that alone adds much value

I still manage to get poisoned

[S3raph]

Everyone here seems to be forgetting you are invulnerable while using Bladestorm.... that alone adds much value

 

You're not invulnerable... If you do it on a bunch of infested and one them is a toxic you still take the damage from being in close proximity to him

 

Edit: Looks like Ezard beat me to it :)

Edited June 17, 2013 by S3raph

[Cryp2Nite]

Maybe they should fix the "stuck in Bladestorm" bug first, like they stated in the 8.1.1 patch notes.

Its clearly broken. And target/los requirement, animation speed changes are pretty useless if i end up

stuck in the weird bladestorm visuals, not being able to use skills, pick up ammo....even if there is only a small chance for this to happen.

[Ezard]

Maybe they should fix the "stuck in Bladestorm" bug first, like they stated in the 8.1.1 patch notes.

Its clearly broken. And target/los requirement, animation speed changes are pretty useless if i end up

stuck in the weird bladestorm visuals, not being able to use skills, pick up ammo....even if there is only a small chance for this to happen.

Actually, I wouldn't mind staying in "Bladestorm-mode" in defence missions - it means you can walk out over empty space and hover and shoot stuff without being able to be melee-ed XD

[LongDraw]

First off, Blade Storm doesn't require line of sight.  I've hit enemies on floors directly above me with it.

 

Second, the ability description says you teleport at random, not controlled.

[Aeriax]

 

The other option would be to change it altogether.  For this I would suggest the following:

 

Make it a whirlwind style attack that throws shurikens spiraling outward from the player that home in & penetrate like normal shuikens, doing a few rotations of this should be sufficient.

And then it is literally a bladestorm. I'm fine with either option. But yes, I've noticed that line of sight isn't necessarily required, too.

[Rathnaga]

1. Use Bladestorm

2. Go make a sandwich

3. ???

4. Profit

 

No seriously it takes way too long to use that move... and it looks... awkward.  That said, Bladestorm is a very cool concept but is still lacking the polish to make it as awesome as the other good ultimates.