Apparently someone accepted a request for a report to request fixing of the various problems in harmony, so it's theoretically possible that the report to request fixing of the various problems in harmony or even the requests to fix problems in harmony will be accepted.

A full rewrite is doubtless not going to be considered, so the main problem (it doesn't do anything or fill any niche that other classes don't already fill and that isn't all for solo combat) needs to be addressed in the minimum amount of changes. Ideas for this niche that are thematically applicable, are useful, fix the problem in the minimum amount of slots and won't be arbitrarily rejected would be best. Donate today!

Right, let's be constructive. These are some of my ideas. They do NOT address the harmony issue in its entirety, neither have I micromanaged the details (eye Xenthos), but they may be worth using as a base or giving people ideas in what direction this harmony report might be able to move.

As Shiri said, changes need to be minimal or it's going to be rejected flat out. The problem however is the the -system- of the harmony skillset (ie mantras) is flawed. So how do you change that without changing the skillset as a whole?... I don't know. But here's some things I've played around with:

- Change the balance of skills in harmony. Currently there are 15 mantras that can be chanted and 11 special effects, making harmony have 26 skills total. However due to the -system- you can only use 11.5-15.4% (3/26 or 4/26) of the skillset at any given time. PERIOD. Reduce the number of special effect mantras and replace them with ACTIVE skills (defence or utility) that can be done REGARDLESS of your current, active mantra chant. 15 mantra chans, 5-6 special effects, 10 active skills.

- Mantra chants: Quite simply enable harmony monks to have more than 3 mantras active in one chant at any time. This would also improve the usefulness of the skillset (for obvious reasons. Do I really need to explain?). However, have only the first 3 mantras count for the special effect mantra, so that you cannot have more than one of those up. Personally, I'd say allow 5-7 (+1 special) active mantras. If there are 15 + 5-6 mantras having 7+1 up would equate to using roughly 1/3 of those, which imo is fair.

- Mantra chants vol 2: If not the above mentioned point (or perhaps regardless of it) change the restrictions on chanting mantras. Make mantras chantable regardless of bal/eq and give them another cost (500wp or 1p etc). This would enable the monks to change mantras "on the fly" to adjust to the given situation. Most mantra effects are only useful in a specific situation, however since chanting one takes eq and can only be done on bal/eq it is often not feasible to switch mantra, thus rendering the skillset (once again) mostly useless.

- Active skills: Did I mention yet to give harmony active skills? Yes? Good.

- Change the effect of certain mantras ENTIRELY, as they are UTTERLY pointless. Examples include (but are not limited too): deathtouch, heartfire & mindfire (theoretically useful, but since they require to be chanted first they are useless), chill / entangle effect as special mantra (yaright), any others Shiri say sucks (I've learnt to forget most to have a happy life).

Maybe drop some of the more useless things like chuuti and anti-fear in favor of active 'helper' skills to bolster/heal others?

I dunno. Without a real reworking, I don't think we can really effect it all that greatly.

Well, I was thinking you could clear out the more useless of the spirit mantras, compress the usable ones into five (all cross-elemental, no water/water/water), and use the five extra slots for some utility skills. Then replace deathtouch with something letting you use 4 mantras (might be able to get 2/5 spirit mantras here, depending), and maybe replace the junkier skills like krakmun and ooshuti for something useful.

We all know how terrible healing is so let's not go there. The "bolster" thing was tried but rejected flat-out by Estarra for being "too weak" when she asked for harmony fixes ages ago before special reports.

Tbh, I like fear immunity because of ascendant fear aura.

Perhaps make it an active defense skill or some such? Or a novice mantra, dunno.

PS: Harmony has 26 skills right now, I think going like 15 regular mantras (can't make that number smaller because of how the special ones work, elements etc) +5-6 special + up to 10 utility / defence sounds good. Ie 30 skills max.

Isn't that pretty much redoing the whole thing, though?

...no?

EDIT: Unless you think most of the individual mantras are crap, I guess. I think a bunch of them are at least kind of useful.

Well, what you're describing would entail rewriting the code for half of Harmony, as well as the creation of..what, three skills minimum?

Which would be frikkin' sweet, but you said any real rewrites would be arbitrarily rejected, so I'm a little confused.

I guess we have different ideas of rewrite. If you can make the skill A) good and fun in even less steps, great, but I don't see how you could possibly avoid creating new skills when the main problem is that the current skills are mostly newbie defs with a couple of combat skills like chuuti and akhoosh thrown in...

Yeah, so I see rewrite=tossed, and I think 'Oh, well that was pointless!'

Maybe it's just me

Well, if we can't even do that much we're probably screwed, but let's go with the idea that it's still a possibility and think of a good niche to fit into.

Random thought. Have a base of mantras as they are now, then convert skills into active skills and make new ones, and base their power on the basic mantras.

Say Chuuti becomes an active skill and is an air element. You use Chuuti, which takes 4 seconds of eq, and you have the peace effect for twenty seconds, plus five seconds for each air mantra in use when activated.

Idea being that there shouldn't be too many passive mantras, maybe reach them all by Expert, then nothing but active use skills that are all available but of variable power depending on your mantra.

Edit: Alternatively, let me just turn on all my mantras like the druids can add all their spirits.

Mechanically we can pretty much work something into a feasible whole, but one of the compliants I see that keep cropping up is the "ugh" favor of harmony. How can we address this as well while we have floor?

Not sure I understand what you mean there.

Please... I'd be happy with level 5 (or is it 7) health + mana + ego regen

Levels of regen cap at 3...

Only natural ones. Harmony is separate(at the moment). Shh!

...I think so, anyway. Experts?

If it adds a "level of regeneration," it's not separate. Just like Sacraments Honours. If it's something not at all based on levels of regen, then it's different.

My understanding of harmony regen is that you can Lobo + Mercy + 3 Health Mantra. So, yes, it is seperate.

BEEP!!

I think this constitutes already a "too much to rewrite". Try and work with the current system. Yes it sucks, but unfortunately we can't make the skillset awesome (because that would involve major re-writes) but only NOT-AS-SUCKY. Hopefully.




I -think- it is seperate, but don't quote me on it. Someone would need to throughly test it. But hell if I know how to test regeneration.

What I also find slightly amusing is that players are supposed to balance the game, yet things like this (^) they have to "test" to find out. Admin: NO OMFG WE CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IT WORKS BUT YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IT ANYHOW!