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Nice theory crafting. Love the mana eater, but the HFR modification is broken.A big problem with combat stealth is that its fundamentally boring: the opponents' only viable reaction is to search for the stealthed character and there's only so much diversity that you can build into this (this principle also goes for zoning via speed, albeit less so). At the same time LQ's method of stealth is really obvious, as she creates a massive fog bank to hide inside.
What if we had a stealth tech that gets stronger over the course of the fight, allowing LQ to relatively easily be spotted at the start of the fight but have that get harder as time goes on? This sort of shift in the dynamic of the fight would make sense with stacking buffs/debuffs a la Dirge of the Fallen Peak from UGM and should help keep things fresh as LQ's defense becomes fundamentally different by the end.
Enter a version of Frozen Soul Serenade+
Spring's End Aria (C-Rank)
Duration: Long
The first notes of the users song herald the end of warmth, draining the heat from the area and around them and crystalizing the moisture in the air into snow and ice. Enemies within the singer's domain find their qi growing sluggish, sapping their spiritual defenses and bolstering the singers own. Qi expended in failed assault of the singer drains away, flowing into the singularity of cold created by the singers voice. This applies a D-rank qi drain and restores the users qi by an amount equal to the failed technique's rank reduced twice. Those whose dantians have been fully drained find their flesh frosting over and their blood running cold as they are lulled into the final sleep.
Echoes of Absolute Winter: (B-Rank)
Duration: special
A technique used in tandem with Aria of Springs End, if activated at the same time, the Aria carries an echo of true winter, stilling the very air around the singer with its freezing chill until blood grows sluggish and flesh cracks. Attacks targeting the user, or which have an area of effect overlapping with Aria's have their penetration reduced by one rank as the cold devours the energy of the technique or attack. Similarly, Cold or Dark techniques used by the singer against those in range of Aria have their Hit or Penetration enhanced by one rank, as chosen by the user. In addition the qi restoration of Spring's End Aria is improved to technique rank reduced once.
Hoarfrost Refrain: (B-Rank)
Duration: Long
Damage: C
The user's song rises into the howl of of a blizzard in the depths of winter as they focus the expression of their will upon their enemies within their domain. The song spreads through their blood and meridians like a frigid poison seeking the heart of its victims warmth, inflicting D rank qi drain, and granting the user E rank qi regen so long as the effect remains. Any qi drain suffered by the victim applies a small stacking debuff towards their Combat Perception, Speed, and Dispel.The chill clings long after the technique ends, the insidious cold crawling ever closer to the victim's heart until at last it stills or the technique is dispelled.
Call to Ending (B-Rank)
Duration: instant
Damage: B(Special)
The final verse of the Serenade is a quiet, sad thing, lacking the furor of earlier verses. Upon Singing it, a single target within the singer's domain which suffers from Hoarfrost Refrain feels a terrible cold as the last remnants of their freezing qi flees their body. This effect ignores armor, and the qi drained changes based on the degree to which Hoarfrost Refrain has weakened them, removing the debuffs at the same time.
The big changes are to Hoarfrost Refrain and CtE, with the idea that we slowly debuff our enemies' ability to contest our zoning and stealth until they are helpless, at which point we can use the new CtE to fully drain them from afar. Obviously we need to make it hard for them to get rid of it and a debuff to their Dispel makes more sense than a buff to our Resist as that benefits all our techs while rewarding people who have friends (which connects to LQ's association of Cold with Loneliness). Hoarfrost Refrain also becomes another persistent field instead of a single target poison. It still sort of acts as an opener for CtE's finisher but in a less binary way to discourage HR=>CTE=>HR=>CTE spam which no one wants. Plus a "Refrain" should be a stacking effect.
That said I also want to standardize our range to be anywhere within our domain to make ranges easy to remember. I also feel like focusing on qi drain instead of mixing and matching damage and qi drain. However I recognize opinions will differ here.
Fundamentally boring is harsh. I think Ysr's awareness levels are well thought out, and his depictions of stealth thus far have been entertaining.
viable stealth breaking options include:
-Not only searching for stealthed targets (straight perception roll) but also
-cycle alternative perception senses (twin tails smells hidden ki site, BQ feels physical and spiritual disturbances on her spider hairs and spider webs, Liling tracked our blood),
-use a perception enhancing talisman (earings),
-splatter area with mud, porridge, anything,
-cast an aoe dispel (might exist, fear aura might work) or aoe attack
Be sure not to conflate combat stealth with FVM Isolation or bonuses to avoid. During combat opponents are usually aware of our presence, meaning we aren't stealthed. Being lost within the mist and having trouble attacking us from outside the mist are domain effects. Attacks missing us while in the mist is our bonus to avoid. Treating stealth like a stacking perception debuff leaves opponents with the same viable options as before once we gradually stealth up.
-Not only searching for stealthed targets (straight perception roll) but also
-cycle alternative perception senses (twin tails smells hidden ki site, BQ feels physical and spiritual disturbances on her spider hairs and spider webs, Liling tracked our blood),
-use a perception enhancing talisman (earings),
-splatter area with mud, porridge, anything,
-cast an aoe dispel (might exist, fear aura might work) or aoe attack
Be sure not to conflate combat stealth with FVM Isolation or bonuses to avoid. During combat opponents are usually aware of our presence, meaning we aren't stealthed. Being lost within the mist and having trouble attacking us from outside the mist are domain effects. Attacks missing us while in the mist is our bonus to avoid. Treating stealth like a stacking perception debuff leaves opponents with the same viable options as before once we gradually stealth up.
I like the idea of focusing on a purer support kit. And emptying foes' dantans would combo nicely with our Aria. But within this narrative, I wouldn't sacrifice our phys dmg combo for qi drain. I love the idea of a qi execute though. It'd be a great augment for when we start tinkering with FSS. I think it'd be cool to make it a separate but similar skill to CTE using HFR to basically proc our winters chill then choosing whether to crit the target's health or qi.
Gelid Crescendo
Duration: Immediate
Qi Drain: B(Special)
The Serenade's intensity peaks, bringing chilled qi to a frozen halt. A single target within the singer's domain which suffers from Hoarfrost Refrain feels a terrible cold as the last remnants of their frozen qi shatter and dissipate. This effect ignores armor, and the qi drain dealt changes based on the targets isolation. Isolation = targets degree of seperation (range) from allies / safe haven. When a target is at Very Close seperation reletive to it's allies, GC deals the baseline qi drain, with each seperation increment up to Adjacent reducing qi drain, and each increment out to Distant increasing qi drain.
Targets within LQ's mist are considered to have 1 additional increment of seperation. Qi drain is increased by a full letter rank on targets inflicted with Isolation from Lost Child's Elegy. Should the singer lay hands upon the target when activating the technique, Isolation from Lost Child's Elegy immediately takes effect .
Duration: Immediate
Qi Drain: B(Special)
The Serenade's intensity peaks, bringing chilled qi to a frozen halt. A single target within the singer's domain which suffers from Hoarfrost Refrain feels a terrible cold as the last remnants of their frozen qi shatter and dissipate. This effect ignores armor, and the qi drain dealt changes based on the targets isolation. Isolation = targets degree of seperation (range) from allies / safe haven. When a target is at Very Close seperation reletive to it's allies, GC deals the baseline qi drain, with each seperation increment up to Adjacent reducing qi drain, and each increment out to Distant increasing qi drain.
Targets within LQ's mist are considered to have 1 additional increment of seperation. Qi drain is increased by a full letter rank on targets inflicted with Isolation from Lost Child's Elegy. Should the singer lay hands upon the target when activating the technique, Isolation from Lost Child's Elegy immediately takes effect .
HFR should remain single target. Because, even if CTE only nukes the mana bar, simultaneously proc-ing everyone within very far range for our execute combo is OP. Stack HFR, spam CTE, domain wide mana exhaustion. And with Aria up, no mana = final sleep.
This HFR crams key functions from multiple arts (perception nerf, qi drain, dispel blocker + slow) into a 1 click battle engagement macro. 4 domain wide debuffs, that become stronger and consequently harder to dispel every minute is kinda broken for one ability. Strategically casting abilities to nerf opponents back to red is cool. Building our own Marlboro breath feels like cheating.
This HFR crams key functions from multiple arts (perception nerf, qi drain, dispel blocker + slow) into a 1 click battle engagement macro. 4 domain wide debuffs, that become stronger and consequently harder to dispel every minute is kinda broken for one ability. Strategically casting abilities to nerf opponents back to red is cool. Building our own Marlboro breath feels like cheating.