Improving on the solid foundation that is the Combat System

[Roekai]

So, I got into a discussion in Global about the structure of group combat, and I wanted to write up my thoughts because they were getting drowned out in global and I don't do a good job of articulating my thoughts without having time to prepare them. To recap (for those not online @ the time) we were talking about late game grouping (50+), more specifically the structure of the group and the individual roles being played by the group members.

I think we all can recognize, including the Dev team, that there is too much emphasis on damage in combat, and not enough emphasis on power management (a problem which I have a mathematical answer/solution to). As a result of this emphasis on damage, a player is gimping himself if he does not take advantage of his (2) most damaging skills, regardless of skill. With these two button builds, where everything is based around the hardest hitting attacks, no matter what skill you are using (from Shield to Fire magic; I mean shit, even I use Finishing Blow/Knee Kick to do 75% of my damage), combat is "can I burn through this mob before it can hit me 3 times and kill me."

In groups, the problem gets exponentially worse. The last time I was in Gaz I barely had enough time to use two fucking skills before the orcs died; good thing I have a DoT/Rage build, right? Now I know much of that has to do with how optimized our gear is, but I still see it as a problem. In fact, the only times anyone ever wipes in Gaz anymore is with a bad pull or huge re-pop (again, which I can fix).

I suggested in Global there be more of an emphasis on the Trinity (but expanded from Tank/Healer/Dps to Tank/Healer/DPS/CC/Puller(slashOfftank)/Utility(think EQ Bard).

I was shat all over.

People think this will restrict them, but I contend it will do precisely the opposite. Instead of being pigeonholed into a 2-button damage mash to be most effective, people will be able to choose a distinct role (or, any combination of that). Hell, you could even keep the 2-button mash builds to keep people from bitching - they would eventually become OBSOLETE MULES (paging Broken Matt) anyways, so it would matter not.

Take, for example, Psychology. A few healing abilities, a few damage abilities, a few crowd control abilities. Lots of choices, lots of ways to build your toon, right? Wrong. What is your role in a group? DPS as fast as you can, maybe mezzing one of the four adds before the group wipes, throwing in a heal or two giving everyone one more second to spam their high damage abilities.

You take away the healing abilities, and increase the crowd control abilities. Make it so Psychology has a fear, a charm, an aoe mez, a quick casting time short mez, and a long casting time long mez. This way, the player can choose to be either a pure CC and have a very defined role or can do half damage skills half CC, or however way you want to mix it. (edit: and then you have all your mods on top of that for customization)

Same thing with druid. Take away the ability to do damage, make them Buff/Debuff and Healing. So when you see a druid you're like "okay, is this guy gunna be a buff/debuff druid, a healer, or a mix? and what is his other skill? Is he Druid/Psych Pure healer/Pure CC or is he half healer half buff&debuff/half damage half cc?

Then you bring back evasion (which makes the lower damage lower power cost skills factually mathematically better than the high damaging attacks, and voila, you have sustained, fluid and structured combat with complete creativity to build you toon however you want, rather than be forced to do damage blowing through mobs and then wipe when the respawn happens.

I got real lazy with it at the end im tired of writing and thinking i hope you guys got the idea.