I will try to be brief in listing the problems with APS EA in the current balance-scale of MASS PK. This thread has nothing to do with 1v1s, and arguments of scale do not concern APS EA, as it is a mode of play rather than a class-set. I see several problems with APS EA as it currently stands in mass pk:1. Skill floor to pay-off ratio is unlike anything. Aps EA is far too easy to play relative to its pay-off. The ability to purge while dealing immense dps from a safe range is way too powerful. 2. Visibility. You can atleast somewhat see an approaching WF, approaching CC, or a melee aps class pop on top of your character, you can react to that which you can see. You can see the massive SB ult, the massive WF ult, mass aoe's being thrown around, the cluster of EA's about to aa you from range. You cannot see the aps ea's arrows, or when you do you realize that you are either purged or dead. The arrows cant be seen in the midst of mass pk. 3. Purge and range. Purge is a necessary evil, but it should not exist for aps EA. There is a reason why wf purge has a near-melee range. One must at least be exposed to risk when using something like purge. Aps EA is essentially risk-free for its purpose. It means something to have a good wf who knows when, how and where to engange with purges, it does not on APS EA.4. It cannot be countered. I really do find it annoying that I cannot counter it. There are many abilities in mass pk which are broken, granted, but it is always possible to counter them. Whether it be a sb ult which I can faith, 3 spark away or remove it by some other means, a wf ult which has a delay and that I can see being cast and therefore dodge it, a db or a cc class popping on me and react defensively or with distance. There is nothing I can do against a 3 sparked aps EA which purges me on the initial hits and kills me instantly alone. I cannot see the arrows, sometimes I cannot even see from where they are being shot due to camera angle or them being on a tangent. There are many balance requests being suggested by players, but those are difficult questions of necessary evil's in the game, I do not think anyone will dispute these as a few examples: sb tornado, wf purges, wr disarm, granted, they are powerful, but they are necessary for the purpose of each of those classes in MASS PK. I do not see why APS EA should enjoy the leisure of providing an arsenal of WF at no risk with practically 0 skill requirement. I insist on making the arrows somehow visible, and I would suggest removing purge from APS EA. I would like to hear my fellow players opinion on the matter.
4 - almost every single aps ea camps atk set for obvious reasons which leads to almost every single time one shot on them during mass pk but yeah takes 2 braincells to use AD and IG and they just get away with it
Also if the aps archer does not maintain their chi and thus does not maintain anti-stuns which sage has way less of an issue with, then they absolutely can be countered. The risk on aps archer comes from all of your skills coming out at default casting speed as well as your reduced range compared to sage putting you closer to the enemy DD's line and sage archers can always punish you. Only being able to approach when you are in anti-stun or advantage state as a squad is the risk. And they can also be countered in the same way that sage can by catching them while debuffed or any normal way to take out a DD in enemy PT.
You cannot see the aps ea's arrows, or when you do you realize that you are either purged or dead. The arrows cant be seen in the midst of mass pk. There is nothing I can do against a 3 sparked aps EA which purges me on the initial hits and kills me instantly alone. I cannot see the arrows, sometimes I cannot even see from where they are being shot due to camera angle or them being on a tangent.needs a change
-rep
1 - argueable2 - agree +++++3 - disagree, everyone plays aps ea because of the purge4 - almost every single aps ea camps atk set for obvious reasons which leads to almost every single time one shot on them during mass pk but yeah takes 2 braincells to use AD and IG and they just get away with it In the end I think the best arguments in here are You cannot see the aps ea's arrows, or when you do you realize that you are either purged or dead. The arrows cant be seen in the midst of mass pk. There is nothing I can do against a 3 sparked aps EA which purges me on the initial hits and kills me instantly alone. I cannot see the arrows, sometimes I cannot even see from where they are being shot due to camera angle or them being on a tangent.needs a change
The only usefulness and reason to invite an aps ea to party is purely because of their purge proc which without x4 wrist is not instantaneous enough on an AA to make it as fast as a WF in the context of aiming to drop a target in a fast manner. There is no logical way to make aps ea as useful and cunning or offensive enough in nature as sage ea in mass or 1v1 so taking away their purge has no equal trade to give them for such a loss.You also have to consider it on a scale of how useful is this character in particular in comparison to how much PE has been invested into it.For example, if you are an aps archer with x4 interval wrist, x2 int boots, and x3 interval top, then that means you have spent nearly 250k PE to get this. Would another class or loadout with 250k PE invested into it be equally as busted? Most likely. It just depends on what we are comparing.Also if the aps archer does not maintain their chi and thus does not maintain anti-stuns which sage has way less of an issue with, then they absolutely can be countered. The risk on aps archer comes from all of your skills coming out at default casting speed as well as your reduced range compared to sage putting you closer to the enemy DD's line and sage archers can always punish you. Only being able to approach when you are in anti-stun or advantage state as a squad is the risk. And they can also be countered in the same way that sage can by catching them while debuffed or any normal way to take out a DD in enemy PT.I also think you are greatly devaluing veno's arsenal by boiling them down to just purge while they have the single best ranged armor break in the game and a highly useful aoe CC with possible amp if demon + aoe status effects with rainbow + aoe Ulti purge + aoe purge if sage.....with sage ea range and any magic class with a range boost on any skill that they have being able to counter aps ea and aps ea having same individual defense as sage ea if not less due to no casting speed I'd say theres very high risk.
I insist on making the arrows somehow visible, and I would suggest removing purge from APS EA. I would like to hear my fellow players opinion on the matter.
Pointless comments. Please stay on topic. Thanks.
