Group Buffs

[moghedancarns]

I am wondering if buffs can be made (replaced) to be group wide instead of single target?


Now, I understand that some buffs are set so that they can be cast on only one person at any given time. These buffs are usually short duration and and have recast delays that closely match their duration. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THESE BUFFS.

I am only talking about generic, targeted, fast refresh, long duration buffs (PRE LEVEL 51) that are intended to be cast on the entire group, but you must do so one at a time.

I understand that this would require a large increase in the casting cost.

The other company made most buffs of this nature group when they released their first expansion for the new spells in the 50 to 60 range. On the second expansion, they made a couple of spells at lower levels group, picked in their random way.

My example will be Health, a level 34 stamina stat buff. It costs 80 mana. I do not need a single target version of this spell. If I am casting it, everyone wants it. Can Health be made into the same spell Health, for 240 mana, that is group wide. Now, if I am soloing, this means I have to cast a 240 mana spell where I had an 80 mana before. I am willing to accept this burden. When soloing, I have more time to regen that mana. In a group situation, just having time to refresh the buffs can be difficult... much less remembering who has what on them.

If all buffs were group, then I could easily look at myself to see what is cast, and what is ending in duration.

As for the spells that are already the random group versions, they could be deleted.



Thank you in advance.





(Edit: I left out the reference to spells pre 51. 51+ spells aready exist in proper proportions)

 

[Birlic]

All in time. Shamans start getting their group buffs at level 51 and they're the class with the largest range of such magic. For the group stamina buff you'll have to wait till level 57:
http://sod.camongrel.de/id:1506

Morticus, the Dark Elf Necromancer

 

[GuiardoTuneweaver]

Most (not all) buffs already come in single and multiple target versions. The multi-target versions are frequently higher level spells. I think making all buffs group would have considerable level-related balancing issues. Also, while you might be willing to spend 240 mana for your health buff to buff a single persion, I'm not willing to spend 2000 mana (80% of my total mana) and 3 peridots to give a single person Aegolism.

When soloing, I have more time to regen that mana.

What about during a raid when you have to buff a single person who's come late or who dies frequently (e.g. monk).

I think there are a lot of issues here that you may not be considering.

 

[moghedancarns]

I am quite familiar with exactly when we start getting our group buffs. It has NO impact on balancing. If I cast one spell to hit everyone, or if I cast the same spell 8 times (including pets), the only factor is conveinence. The end result is the same... everyone having the buffs. The fact that the same buffs in group form are randomly spread around following the second expansion because the great THEY failed to come up with anything new is a large hole for the balance arguement. Shaman recieve the new Regen line 5 levels before druid. Druids get a group version, for any reason. Shaman get a str buff group version. Shaman get a group version of regen at 56.

The history and chonology of the single target and group spells was covered in my first posting. However, I did fail to mention an important part, I mean pre51 spells. The 51+ spells already have group and single target versions. I am referencing the spells sets that are imports of the original release Live in 99.


As for late/death raid buffing. In my experience, there was a second or later down the chain member of the class whose duties are to preform those buffs. Such members understand that arriving late, or drawing aggro, is a bad thing and they will have to do with reduced buffs until the next cycle.

If such a person is a VITAL member, the buffing would not have began before that person arrived, and if that person has died, then it is likely that many have died. In any case, you would begin your primary buff cycle immeadiately after recovery, because the last thing you need is for someone to be off cycle. If someone is off cycle, and is vital, then by the time to finish swapping out spells and buffing, chances are your cycle time will be up, and you will have to swap out for primary cycle buffs and do it all over again. Unless they die the first three mobs after cycle, you are better off time and mana wise to just do the cycle again. It is also safer, as any time you have buffs loaded, chances are you do nto have combat spells loaded. The more often you swap out, the more often the little occurence of not reloading proper spells by combat time arrises.



Let me edit my original post to state pre51 spells. I cannot believe left that off.

 

[Alton]

Honestly, never being able to cast a single shot spell is just a lame idea.
You're talking about blowing 6x the mana for any single person buffs.

Now if they really wanted to implement something like this, I wouldn't mind some kind of a /groupbuff on.
When on, if you cast a buff, it could do essentially what you're asking.

# of group members = X. Turn group buff on, and :
Spells now cost X * their original mana, and take X * longer to cast.

It could be useful for lowbies buffing groups, though it would trivialize higher level group buffs.
This could be helped by putting a modifier in front of X, so say it costs 1.2X the mana of doing them all individually or something.
So when you get the group buff, you start using that.

 

[Joudas]

Group buffs generally cost a lot less then 6x the cost of the original spell, so this wouldn't trivialize group buffs at all. However, in some cases, group buffs have a lesser effect then the single target version... perhaps that should also be considered.