Rune Discussion: Balefire Knight (Week 2)

Alright folks. This is week 2. Lets see some healthy debates here.


Current Kit: (Default upgrades are selected.)



Previous Kit:



My thoughts: (Just to get the topic going.)

• Swoop I would like to see it back. Maneuverability is key for him.
• Move Resistance Fire 3 to base. (+3 nora)
• Replace secondary upgrade with Call of the Hunter, Duel, Swoop. (Deault is Duel.)
• New default cost. 77 Nora.

Community Suggested Changes:

• ?
• ?
• ?

Poll rotations will be thus:

• Highest vote becomes new discussion
• 2nd, and 3rd place get put on next weeks poll choices.
• 4th place gets swapped out for another possibility.
• If there is a tie between 3rd, and 4th I use my vote as a tie breaker.
• I do not vote unless there is a tie.

 

I support making the lines not just 3 ranks of any one ability. Your second line suggestions seem solid to me. I'm not that interesting in Duel usually but that's personal preference. It's a fine ability. Maybe to diversify the first line it would be fun to have Flamestrike 2/3 and Flamethrower. Or something similar.

 

Bad now, was bad before. Too bad, he's cool.

 

I do believe that the point of these threads is to brainstorm ways to make these runes un-bad

 

Remove channel: damage, its a huge useless sandbag. Duel was pretty thematic on him, also having one of his upgrade paths be 3 ranks of fire res is kinda lame.

 

Sandbag? It costs 0 Nora. The cost is only when you use it, and then it is as efficient as you make it out to be.

 

Honestly not a huge fan of Duel either, but it fits his original flavor, and how I envision him.

On his Second Upgrade Path:

The thoughts behind his Second path were to give him more maneuverability. I think that is one of the biggest reasons we don't see him.

• Swoop was on him originally, and then taken. It's benefits are quite obvious in our melee faction.
• I noticed Call of the Hunted. Yeah it can turn a situation into a 2v1 if played right, but at least he has to walk there. #Stillslow.
• Duel can easily be changed to Charge 2 giving some damage, and mobility. (Lets keep his default under 80 shall we?)
• I thought of Flanking instead of Duel, but that is just asking far too much. Also had nothing to do with how he gets around either.

On his First Upgrade Path:

I personally like the Flamestrike 1/2/3 it gives him optional range, and keeps his kit on his role. I thought about suggesting Set Ablaze, but I felt it would give him too much utility.


Please remember; my suggestion was just to get things started. If you've got an idea for it we would love to hear it.

 

I support Imagirl's suggestions.
Want to see Balefire Knight runnable again.

 

for balefire put flame resist 2 on his base than make upgrade 2 a utility
UG2
Swoop
Duel
Charge 3

 

Anytime you have three ranks of the same ability especially one as niche oriented as resist fire you make bad rune design.

 

Channel damage isn't a great ability but apparently it is free, so it's not a sandbag either.

He is a nefari dragon with less base damage and quest damage essentially, which isn't particularly appealing. If he had something else going for him he would have a reason for running him.

 

something more interesting in the second upgrade line and a small damage buff

I miss swoop on him

 

I think that Swoop could be that something else that's going for him. It makes sense that Channel abilities would be free since you don't get any value from them unless you invest nora.

 

well looking at him right now the cheapest I can get him at 66, not bad for him. Meh tank and pretty good damage at 15 with warbanner, flamestrike for 1-3 range at 1 ap isn't bad. Make up for the 3 cd on it by closing gap to melee. I suppose that 66 nora used for such a ok guy can make room for that channel damage ability with a good saving one turn or so.


But I still like swoop

 

This is the essence of the problem with him, why run him when his slot is filled, he needs something more unique.

 

Yeah, he isn't bad, it's just he is not quite as good as a rune he is nearly identical to.

I'm not normally one to advocate adding abilities but a legendary rune should be a bit more complex and expensive than he is, and do something a bit different.

Swoop, personally I always found a bit weird on 2x2s, but it is an option. Maybe some added melee ability to account for the rider (just as bok raider has a ranged ability).

 

If I remember correctly. Sok said somewhere that the Cap is 8 abilities.

 

I think duel is a little more fitting than swoop

 

He was a part of a set of 8 Legs that all had Duel, Quest Damage, and some form of maneuverability. (Charge, Swoop, ?) It was their thing. To get some where fast. Kill it. Then make sure the guy closest to their original target had a hard time. Unfortunately - this was due to a power creep in the SOE era. Nefari Dragon < Bok Raider < Balefire Knight - it made him a bit too strong on font contention, and he got nerfed. The revamp touched them all up quite nicely though.

Honestly might not mind if he got:
-3 dmg (Possibly -5 dmg. Allowing Banner, F. Bonus, and Quest to give him more later in the fight.)
+1 def
Resist Fire 3 to Base.
Swoop, Charge 2, and Duel: On his upgrade path two.


He could be a more mobile tank with average damage, and optional range.

My first suggestion was to get the topic started. I am happy with where it went, but the topic isn't to discuss my ideas. It is to brainstorm more ideas.

This is just a discussion on possibilities of change to him that can be beneficial.

Throw all the ideas you can think of. We will discuss them openly. Come this Friday. I am going to lock this thread. Alert Sokolov that its time to read the results, and start the new discussion as chosen by the poll.

 

Lets consider the faction knights that actually see play right now;

Charger Knight; A bit more expensive than Balefire but comes with not only a better defensive kit but also a scary aggressive kit as well.

Condor Fury: Again, you pay a bit more but you get a lot more at the same time. 8 speed, init, strike, loyalty. Scary for what it does.

Basilisk Templar (iffy): Not super common in today's meta but comes with immune: magical and an actually interesting unique ability.

Snowcharger stopped seeing play after it was nerfed to not have both init and reinforce, that said I would totally run this if it was a demon and UD.

Swampcrusher sadly now sits at 5 spd but he is an awesome tank, clamp and crushing charge make him really scary.

Balefire needs needs to do more and cost more, he has a range option which is unique among the knights but that's about it. He's not tanky like the others because his option of getting 3 ranks of fire res is kinda useless. If fire res was changed to a more versatile defence option and he got something useful instead of channel: damage and a cost increase to go with it, I would absolutely play him.