And yet another DS2 thread. You would think i'd have something more interesting to be doing, but no. I don't. Lol
Overall, i really dig the mix of PVE and PVP covenants in DS2. However, i think the balancing of some of them, and the mechanics behind others could do with some changes. I will just list the cov's and explain what i think is wrong with them, and some suggestions to improve the synergy of the game.
So there you have it, my ideas for some covenant tweaks.
Any thoughts?
captcha: Chocolate Cookie. That's a good thought.
Overall, i really dig the mix of PVE and PVP covenants in DS2. However, i think the balancing of some of them, and the mechanics behind others could do with some changes. I will just list the cov's and explain what i think is wrong with them, and some suggestions to improve the synergy of the game.
Well, to be honest, i think this is the only pvp covenant that is pretty much just right in how it is set up, and can't think of anything that would necessarily improve it.
How it works is pretty good, but, lets be honest... it's pretty much dead. The leveling requirements are small, 1, 5 and 10 invader kills to level it to max, and the rewards are pretty abysmal.
When you are in it, and are invaded (which is rarely in NG, when you would really want it) it is so very rare that it actually summons someone to help you, that it kind of seems pointless.
Some small changes to this covenant that would make it more desirable to be in (and also help fix some issues with the sentinels - will get to that later) would be that if the game cannot match a blue phantom to you when you are invade, either have Targray or the crestfallen warrior get summoned as an npc helper for the duration of the invasion, or until they are killed.
Also believe that the ring should work on Bell Bro invasions too, just to help even the odds out a bit.
Maybe make the rewards for ranking up a little more interesting too, and a lot more steep than 1,5,10 kills. Make it a little worthwhile as a starting covenant, as well as an end game covenant.
I think that would be enough.
When you are in it, and are invaded (which is rarely in NG, when you would really want it) it is so very rare that it actually summons someone to help you, that it kind of seems pointless.
Some small changes to this covenant that would make it more desirable to be in (and also help fix some issues with the sentinels - will get to that later) would be that if the game cannot match a blue phantom to you when you are invade, either have Targray or the crestfallen warrior get summoned as an npc helper for the duration of the invasion, or until they are killed.
Also believe that the ring should work on Bell Bro invasions too, just to help even the odds out a bit.
Maybe make the rewards for ranking up a little more interesting too, and a lot more steep than 1,5,10 kills. Make it a little worthwhile as a starting covenant, as well as an end game covenant.
I think that would be enough.
Where to start with problems. Oh boy.
Great concept, poorly executed. The ranks are ridiculously high to level up for how much time it takes to even try to level it.
It would kind of need a LOT of work to make it worth while (bear in mind i am a blue sentinel, i love it, just a little broken).
500 kills is excessive with how it is set up now.
That is either: 500 summons by way of the blue members (to date i have 2.. after 40 or 50 hours over varying soul levels and memory of wearing the ring).
500 duels won, which requires 500 tokens of fidelity which means 500 summons as a white phantom to kill bosses. Because you can't leave your summon sign AND use your blue eye orbs, that is a LOT of standing around waiting for summons. By which time your soul memory is so ridiculously high, it gets harder and harder to find anyone to summon you.
or 500 invasions with blue eye orbs, which you can farm for a bit... but with de-spawning mobs it makes it hard. But basically 500 orbs at 10,000 souls each or 50,000,000 souls. And thats if you win every time. Which chances are you won't.
I understand how the synergy of this is supposed to work - Get summoned as blue helper and win, getting one token of fidelity and 1 point towards rank. Use token of fidelity to duel and win, getting another rank point and a blue eye orb. Use blue eye orb to invade the guilty and win and get a third point towards rank.
The reality doesn't quite work out so neatly though, seeing as summons are next to non existant, so therefore having to be summoned etc blah blah went through that is a ridiculously time consuming and/or soul costly way of levelling it.
Now to fix it.
Changes to make the way of blue more desirable and increasing it's members will be a BIG start. Make those summons happen whether the invader be red or grey and it will be awesome.
I would also say, either the 500 needs to be lowered to a much more reasonable figure, or that dueling consuming a token of fidelity should be changed to free entry.
Ideally to me would be :
Lower rank ups to 30, 75, 150.
Free Duels but they don't count towards rank.
Fix Way of Blue to make it more desirable for people to stay a member of.
Only summons by a way of blue member, or blue eye orb invasion wins count towards rank.
Whew.. that was long.
Great concept, poorly executed. The ranks are ridiculously high to level up for how much time it takes to even try to level it.
It would kind of need a LOT of work to make it worth while (bear in mind i am a blue sentinel, i love it, just a little broken).
500 kills is excessive with how it is set up now.
That is either: 500 summons by way of the blue members (to date i have 2.. after 40 or 50 hours over varying soul levels and memory of wearing the ring).
500 duels won, which requires 500 tokens of fidelity which means 500 summons as a white phantom to kill bosses. Because you can't leave your summon sign AND use your blue eye orbs, that is a LOT of standing around waiting for summons. By which time your soul memory is so ridiculously high, it gets harder and harder to find anyone to summon you.
or 500 invasions with blue eye orbs, which you can farm for a bit... but with de-spawning mobs it makes it hard. But basically 500 orbs at 10,000 souls each or 50,000,000 souls. And thats if you win every time. Which chances are you won't.
I understand how the synergy of this is supposed to work - Get summoned as blue helper and win, getting one token of fidelity and 1 point towards rank. Use token of fidelity to duel and win, getting another rank point and a blue eye orb. Use blue eye orb to invade the guilty and win and get a third point towards rank.
The reality doesn't quite work out so neatly though, seeing as summons are next to non existant, so therefore having to be summoned etc blah blah went through that is a ridiculously time consuming and/or soul costly way of levelling it.
Now to fix it.
Changes to make the way of blue more desirable and increasing it's members will be a BIG start. Make those summons happen whether the invader be red or grey and it will be awesome.
I would also say, either the 500 needs to be lowered to a much more reasonable figure, or that dueling consuming a token of fidelity should be changed to free entry.
Ideally to me would be :
Lower rank ups to 30, 75, 150.
Free Duels but they don't count towards rank.
Fix Way of Blue to make it more desirable for people to stay a member of.
Only summons by a way of blue member, or blue eye orb invasion wins count towards rank.
Whew.. that was long.
Mostly... i like how the design works, just a couple things to tweak in my opinion.
Bad things i have to say about it: With the fact that losing causes your tally to go down one, and CAN go into the negative numbers, i think 50, 150, 500 is way too high. Especially that losing in duels lowers your tally as well.
My suggestion would be that they change the numbers to 30, 75, 150 kills, and keep the loss of points if you lose an invasion, however... have "save" points if you will, so if you are at 0 you can't go below 0, if you get to rank 1 (30 kills) you can't fall below 30, rank two, can't fall below 150 etc.
Winning duels will also not count towards your tally at all, but supply with the red eye orbs to invade.
That was quicker lol
Bad things i have to say about it: With the fact that losing causes your tally to go down one, and CAN go into the negative numbers, i think 50, 150, 500 is way too high. Especially that losing in duels lowers your tally as well.
My suggestion would be that they change the numbers to 30, 75, 150 kills, and keep the loss of points if you lose an invasion, however... have "save" points if you will, so if you are at 0 you can't go below 0, if you get to rank 1 (30 kills) you can't fall below 30, rank two, can't fall below 150 etc.
Winning duels will also not count towards your tally at all, but supply with the red eye orbs to invade.
That was quicker lol
God.. just remove the requirement of a human effigy every single time you want to open a portal. And give it some PVP mechanics. Thats about it.
How i would suggest it work:
Instead of offering an effigy each time to open a portal, one must offer a piece of their own humanity, basically hollowing ones self to access the abyss, but not having to die to do it. That way, each time you fail, you can either burn an effigy to have another go at the same difficulty, or save your effigies and just have it get a little harder each time
This would also fit nicely in lore wise too.
I would change the functionality of the ring too, so that wearing it gets you summoned in place of one of the black phantoms in the abyss levels for some pvp fun. Maybe make that only possible to people that have maxed out the covenant by besting the Dark Lurker. So, make the ring the tier 3 reward.
That is all i would change there.
How i would suggest it work:
Instead of offering an effigy each time to open a portal, one must offer a piece of their own humanity, basically hollowing ones self to access the abyss, but not having to die to do it. That way, each time you fail, you can either burn an effigy to have another go at the same difficulty, or save your effigies and just have it get a little harder each time
This would also fit nicely in lore wise too.
I would change the functionality of the ring too, so that wearing it gets you summoned in place of one of the black phantoms in the abyss levels for some pvp fun. Maybe make that only possible to people that have maxed out the covenant by besting the Dark Lurker. So, make the ring the tier 3 reward.
That is all i would change there.
Well... seems to work... however it's kind of dull seeing as dragon scales don't do anything in this game. Just make the damned dragon scales necessary to something else like crafting. That's all that needs to change there.
And because they aren't needed for anything, it's too easy to level. Can just summon DB's til your hearts content if you like until you have 30 (? i think) scales, then join the covenant, hand them all in, and be top rank. Kinda silly
And because they aren't needed for anything, it's too easy to level. Can just summon DB's til your hearts content if you like until you have 30 (? i think) scales, then join the covenant, hand them all in, and be top rank. Kinda silly
All that needs to change here is make bell bro invasions able to summon a blue sentinel for way of the blue members.
Also, might make it more interesting if a reward was given for besting a bell bro invasion, like giving person invaded a large titanite shard, while a winning bell bro still gets his chunk, or nookie as ENB calls it.
Oh, and buff the rank 3 armor set. It's a worthless piece of shit. Just give it a nice unique little status effect or something.
Also, might make it more interesting if a reward was given for besting a bell bro invasion, like giving person invaded a large titanite shard, while a winning bell bro still gets his chunk, or nookie as ENB calls it.
Oh, and buff the rank 3 armor set. It's a worthless piece of shit. Just give it a nice unique little status effect or something.
Seems pretty okay. Maybe make the ranking numbers a little higher, or don't give sunlight medals for summoning a bro
I haven't done this, don't know if it is good or broken, so someone else can weigh in on this one if they feel so inclined.
So there you have it, my ideas for some covenant tweaks.
Any thoughts?
captcha: Chocolate Cookie. That's a good thought.
