There were a few things that came to my mind involving the changes made on the
4x40 Owlbear shapeshift form. Finally we druids have some attention, AUTOBOTS
TRANSFORM!
Understandably the changes were posted by Breeze on a different thread. I had no
permission to follow up with anything there which led me to here.
I personally spoke to our most humble hobo, Juggleblood - in regards with the
change and we shared some common ideology behind the change, why it took place and
what it is now. I can't say I fully agree with the change but I personally
understand a change was needed. It is very important that people are made fully
aware of what I am about to say here. This is no flame or rant but experience from
me as the leading alpha druid shaman in the world of Jord. I also believe I speak
on behalf of my other druid brethren's from afar.
From my point of view, the changes by far outweighs the good from bad. Why?
Let me share a story with you when I was but a young shaky druid in training to
assume the form of an owlbear......
It was tough. Damn right to the bone it was tough. They see me rollin', they
hatin' patrol....Oops, where were we. Ah yes... pantin' huffin' and puffin'
through the corn fields like Chuck Norris on steroids. As if he needed any!
Thankfully my beating heart wasn't nearly foolish enough to beat me. It was
exhausting... I had to return to my human form and refresh myself endlessly to
keep up with the ferocity, to the extent where I am perpetually out of mana with
very low stamina. What was I to do? I persevered. Moons passed and I had finally
attained a worthy spell that was an improved version of my previous one. It cost
me a chunk of my mana to replenish what was lost, but I had little options. I was
soon up the ranks of a Naturalist, much thanks to my persevering..... my problems
became a lot less worrisome. I was light and swift that I felt like I owned the
world. Until I met Chuck Norris himself... I mostly became his owlbear carpet in
his room, hoping he wouldn't notice my breath in me;ever moving a slight inch. I
persevered. Slowly but surely, my inner power grew and I was promoted to
Skinwalker. I could hardly believe it! I had so much rage in me that my only
burning desire was to assume the form much meaner and nastier to beat this Chuck
Norris who but steps and tramples on me. Every joint in my body that goes crack
and splinters out of my soft fabric skin would send a chill down your spine. The
horrifying pitch that echoes through would send any living soul reeling in
every corner. Even the dead wanted to remain dead. It is also known to be so frightening that our memory would be lost
forever and we would remain idle, in pain, while the beast form shudders back
to and return to my normal self. I dare not live through this pain. I persevered.
It was only then that I had remembered my humble roots of assuming the form of an
owlbear back when I was a young animist....
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In reality to what we have in the world of Jord today, the owlbear was nerfed
because it was deemed overpowered. In my eyes, it was only overpowered because
most of the prime druids who rank the scale of 6x40, 7x40 and 8x40 still uses a
4x40 form. Our capabilities grow from new equipment, avatar bonuses, level
bonuses, skill merge but this is not balanced with the higher forms as to our
natural human prowess. As a result, we use the owlbear. A failed check on rapid
shift for the owlbear only results to 6 seconds shift lag. A successful rapid
shift check results in no shift lag. Anything above owlbear results to 10 seconds
shift lag and more regardless. 100% swipe rates, tiny damage reduction and solid
hps.
Try asking Magi, a 4x40 Druid Prime and what he thinks of his new profound ability
to shape into an owlbear. I can assure you, it is taxing. With the new changes to
owlbear, where does a starting druid put a foot on? Grinding is one thing, having
fun while grinding is another. Owlbear form itself is not overpowered. It is when
the human form grows to a point where maintaining this lag-free form and upkeeping
it is no longer a hassle. Owlbear swipes ability definitely do need a fail % put
in. I had suggested this through 'ideas' sometime ago. Swipes should still burn
moves instead of mana like how a thief circles. Swipe damage isn't great either,
so why turn it to mana? The only thing that was going was due to its never fail
rate.
Another thing that comes to my mind is, WHY the nerf now? Most prime druids are
way beyond the 4x40 line. If there should be a nerf, this question should be
answered:
Why are 6x40,7x40,8x40 druids and above still using a 4x40 form?
I sent a very long email that was discussed by me, magi, ramza and suna way back
in the 2012 but we had no luck addressing our issues. So maybe here's a chance.
Best regards,
Dr
P.S You can replace Chuck Norris with Demon Prince Demogorgon
