Shadow Devblog | Archetype Changes
Shadow Skill Tree
Active Spells
Venomous Weapons
Venomous Weapons used to reduce only the target’s Weapon Defense. We’ve redesigned the skill to make its debuffs have a better synergy with other Archetypes. With the debuff change, we’ve also halved its maximum stack, but increased the stack duration, making it less punitive to players that could get stunned/interrupted and lose all stacks.
Ability will reduce Defense Power instead of Weapon Defense.
Maximum number of stacks reduced from 20 to 10.
Duration increased from 5 to 8 seconds.
(New) Venomous Weapons: For the next 15s, basic attacks reduce target's (Defense Power), by 2% for 8s, up to 10 stacks. New stacks reset their duration. Increases duration by 2s per 10 Aether consumed.
Stalk
Stalk changes are intended to make it easier to use the combo with Coup de Grace.
We’ve noticed that this combo was not as effective as it could be in some conditions where your target used CC or simply escaped from you with some mobility skill. Now, Stalk will no longer be affected by Global Cooldown and the time to recast the ability was also increased. You will now be able to do your combo, having enough time to recast and go back where you were before.
Stalk is not part of Global Cooldown anymore.
Time for the reactivation of the ability increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
(New) Stalk: Dashes behind the target and slows them by 50% for 2s. Can be reactivated within 3s to go back to the original location.
Crippling Dagger
Crippling Dagger had a strong slow debuff, but its duration was not sufficient to impact the gameplay. The skill is now designed to have a better CC, giving you more possibilities to get closer to the target. The slow debuff is weaker, but lasts longer, which gives you more time to stick to your target, or run from it if needed!
Aether generated by the ability was reduced from 30 to 20.
Strength of the slow reduced from 50% to 20%.
Duration of the slow was increased from 2 to 8 seconds.
(New) Crippling Dagger: Throws a dagger at the target dealing 75% weapon damage, slowing it by 20% for 8 seconds.
Shadow Kick
Shadow Kick was an interesting ability, but we felt that it could be changed to improve the gameplay experience. It received a small buff, and now it will not only interrupt, but also prevent the target from casting any other ability for a few seconds. Because of the changes the skill received, its cooldown was also increased.
Cooldown increased from 30 to 45 seconds.
Debuffs of the ability now are only applied if you interrupt an ability.
Duration of the debuffs applied from the ability reduced from 6 to 4 seconds.
Slow to the target’s spell casting increased from 20% to 30%.
(New) Shadow Kick: Deals (90% Weapon Power) weapon damage and interrupts the target’s spellcasting. If you interrupt an ability, it also adds a 30% slow to the target's spellcasting and spell global cooldown for 4s.
Sinister Plot
Sinister Plot used to be a very strong Aether generator, but with no down side to it. We’ve now moved the skill from Tier 3 to Tier 5 and increased its cooldown. Sinister Plot will now be a deeper skill on Shadow Archetype Tree, with a lower frequency on its use.
Cooldown increased from 30 to 45 seconds.
Ability moved from tier 3 to tier 5 in Shadow Archetype Spell Tree.
Illusive
Illusive is a good defense skill, but it used to have a short cooldown. The skill redesign is intended to make it stronger, but at a higher cost as well, so you will need to use it more carefully now. Illusive will have a longer cooldown, and it was moved from Tier 4 to Tier 5, but its duration will now be increased by Aether, making it still a very powerful defensive skill!
Cooldown increased from 30 to 90 seconds.
Base duration of Illusive increased from 4 to 5 seconds.
Ability doesn’t generate Aether anymore, it consumes it instead.
Duration increases 1 second further per 10 Aether consumed.
Ability moved from tier 4 to tier 5 in Shadow Archetype Spell Tree.
(New) Illusive: Dodges all incoming targetable attacks for 5s. The duration is increased by 1s per 10 Aether consumed.
Passive Spells
Deadly Duelist
Deadly Duelist was changed to first benefit Light Blade users, as it follows the same kind of fast weapons as dual wielding ones. We’ve also increased the attack speed from it, making it a bit more impactful bonus even on early levels!
Light blades were added to benefit from this passive.
Attack Speed bonus from this passive increased from 10% to 20%.
(New) Deadly Duelist: When dual wielding or using a Light Blade, increase your attack speed by 20%.
Shadow Proficiency
Shadow Proficiency was changed to make it more versatile on archetype combinations, as before it was strictly focused on Shadow, and now it can provide extra Aether, benefiting any build that is critical hit oriented.
(New) Shadow Proficiency: Your critical strikes have a 20% chance to generate 20 Aether. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds.
Trickster
We felt that Shadow would benefit from more mobility, so we’ve slightly revamped Trickster to provide this mobility to the Archetype. We are excited to check how the players will use this skill: to escape or stick to their targets!
(New) Trickster: Every hit you land on the target, will steal their speed by 2%, stacking up to 5 times. This effect can occur every 0.5s. This stack will end if you don't hit a target in the next 3.5 seconds.
We hope you enjoy the changes coming to Shadow. We still have 3 more Archetype Dev Blogs to be released before the Closed Beta!
The Ravendawn Team