Stifle timing nerf.

[shortfa]

<DIV>Hi everyone,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In update 16, almost all characters (to my understanding from my guild members) had their stifle and stun timings reduced by 25%. I don't think this was mentioned in the patch other than for Conjurors. Our Ovation line at 50+ was reduced from 12 seconds of stifle to 8 seconds. The very next day the patch notes read "- Many level 51+ short duration control effects such as stuns and stifles now have a longer duration." but yet our stifles still stayed in the same nerfed state. with nothing in the update notes mentioning it. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>i've looked through the troubador forums and haven't seen anyone talking about this yet. Anyone has any idea whats going on? Is this a bug? Did they unintentionally left us out or are we supposed to be included in the stifle nerf?</DIV>

[Sanju]

I didn't even notice. It doesn't work on epic mobs, so it doesn't matter to me if it's 2 seconds or 2 minutes. *shrug* <div></div>

[Jehannum]

<DIV>Anything I have to stifle, in a group, isn't likely to outlast 8 seconds of stifle anyhow.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anything I have to stifle when soloing isn't likely to remain unmezzed longer than stifle duration+stun duration.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anything I have to stifle in a raid, I can't.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm not too worried <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  We also have a reasonable selection (3) of interrupt abilities which serve in a pinch, and the ability to mez is paramount.  Unless it's epic in which case we couldn't stifle it either.</DIV>

[shortfa]

<DIV>Thanks for the replies guys, but ... it still doesn't really answer the fact why we got nerfed? and alas, there are certain mobs that might outlast the 8 second stifle hmmm. I was basically pondering on the fact why we got the stifle nerfed in the first place and if it was unintentional. As much as it might not help some troubadors, its still strange when our stifle duration got shortened. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Jehannum]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> shortfang wrote:<BR> <DIV>Thanks for the replies guys, but ... it still doesn't really answer the fact why we got nerfed? and alas, there are certain mobs that might outlast the 8 second stifle hmmm. I was basically pondering on the fact why we got the stifle nerfed in the first place and if it was unintentional. As much as it might not help some troubadors, its still strange when our stifle duration got shortened. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV><BR> <HR> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>I suspect it was probably more of an offhanded thing than a deliberate one, really; it's not like Guviena's is anything like overpowered, at least since the CU.  And while there are likely certain mobs which will outlast the stifle, that doesn't include the following:</P> <P>Cyclops healers, ^^^ included</P> <P>Harpy casters, ^^^ included</P> <P>Yggiz, Kamt and the named cykes (whose names escape me)</P> <P>Almost anything non-named, non-epic, non-red.  Some names like those I've mentioned still don't last, but usually unless it's named, epic or red, it's down in under 5 seconds let alone 8.  If it's epic or red all bets are off, and if it's non-blue and named it'll take longer... But 90% of the content I've seen will drop quickly enough that I can only stifle about one mob in 3, tops, due to its recast.</P> <P>Of course I should probably have qualified that by saying my usual hunt group is a warlock, a wizard, an SK, defiler, myself, and either a templar (which lets both healers cut somewhat loose on damage, such as they're able lol) or another sorceror.  In that kind of group, there's very little which individually lasts longer than 8 seconds.  Usually that's why the SK pulls 3-4 ^^^ encounters at a time... Keeps us on our toes.<BR></P> <DIV>Given that it's been nerfed from 12 (? I thought it was only 10, but ok) seconds to 8 I wouldn't mind seeing its recast drop a little to allow us to make more frequent use in fast-pull groups... But I don't see the nerf as a particularly big deal.  But like I say, I suspect it's more of an offhanded nerf than a deliberate one.  Bards have been overlooked for how many RL years of EQ's history*?  What's one more <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>*In EQ1 it was commonly known that any time a modification was made, to <STRONG>anything</STRONG>, that bards got stealth-nerfed by it <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  It's just one of the prices we pay for the breadth of ability we receive.</DIV>

[shortfa]

<font color="#ffffff">Heh heh, oh yeah, having a wide variety of skill do make us more subceptible to "modifications". hmm hmm, oh well, yeah, not a very big deal on my side too, more of something i was just wondering about... doobeedoo... <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </font><div></div>

[Weizen Heimer]

I know this may not be important to everyone, but when you duel a caster having your stifle duration reduced by 3.5-4 seconds can switch you from winning to losing.

[pera]

I haven't looked into the stifile issued with my troub, but i did just notice something a few days ago.  Our cheap shot ability now actualy has two differant effects that it applies(it has a maintained spell icon now, woots)  before the scout cheap shot would not work on anymore that had one or more ^'s.  Now it has two effects the first stun 2 second duration applies to heroic or lesser mobs reguardless of ^'s.  Also the second effect stun last for 6 seconds, but only applies to with out any up ^'s or lesser.  From the looks of things they gave us back our ability to stun up ^ mobs, but only with a duration of 2 seconds, basicly just and interupt.  Yet at the same time we kep our slightly longer duration stun for all normal and below mobs. <div></div>

[ForgottenFoundling]

<P>I pretty much only use Guveina's for stifle purposes.  When I group, I'm generally fighting orange mobs and a stifle can be a big help in buying time for the MT to establish significant aggro while debuffs are landed.  The severe reduction in stifle just plain sucks...  I also miss using it to pull when I'm soloing...  (stifle a caster on the pull and kill it before it can get a spell off).</P>