The Rune of Balrog Flame (again) (in General)

Ok, here is another attempt at doing something that is long overdue: Come up with an idea that tweaks the RoBF so it actually becomes usable.

The link at the end of this post is an HTML page that will contain everybody's names and the ideas they have. This way, those that do not wish to read through this entire thread can simply click the link and read the ideas summary.

I will try to keep the HTML page as current as possible.

Ideas for the Rune of Balrog Flames

Delete it :)

As a real idea, I think now that the focus of this game has shifted heavily towards ranged, the RBF needs to at the very least retaliate during ranged rounds.

Definitely retaliation in ranged, and also I would like to see the FB protection go from a fixed amount to a percentage amount a la the ToE

HTML page updated. Come on, let the ideas pour!

Maybe a combination of the FB protection and a MM/CoC protection, with retaliation in ranged. It could be the anti mage tattoo.

gracious me TOE TOA ROS? so many anti mage tats already -.-

ummm... RoS and ToE seem to be the tats mage teams want to use. ToA isnt exactly anti-mage, just pro-tank! :P and familiars are what they are, and are great for both sides :)

So far, the most common suggestion is to add retaliation in ranged rounds.

Those of you who suggested this, could you please specify is it should only be to weapon, or to both weapons and magical attacks.

Would be nice if the RoBF granted a resistance to fireball splash damage to the whole team (IE, the friendly fire). This is if it doesn't already... I've never really used the useless tattoo tbh : /

I remember reading a discussion about this, but I can't remember if it does. Anyone?

from the wiki:

Abbreviation: RoBF
Damages melee attackers that hit, with fire. (similar to Guardian Angel) Damage returned seems to be about 10% tattoo level, pre-AC, etc. reduction. Damages attacker with every blow they deal.
Protects against fire. Approximately 10% of tattoo level is absorbed per battle. (e.g. if you can absorb 10K damage, and take 10K in the first round, you no longer absorb any more.)
Aura effect of 25%.

so since it has an aura i'd say yes.

... and the following thread also seems to imply that it protects against friendly FB fire: Strategy Based Around GA?

Reduction for all DD types, not only FB

Oops already suggested.

Don't worry about suggesting or seconding stuff that has already been suggested. I will simply add them up. If enough people think it's a good idea, it might catch the attention of someone who can actually do something about it.

10% of a tat lvl per battle is horrible and useless... either increase the cap or do away with it altogether

How about it being made back into a cloak?

*nods vigorously* Yes, a cloak! 0=)

well to be honest I would love to get rid of the RoBF... its a waste of time and space.... taking the spot of armor and cloak and Power shield is a waste and leaves a brackish taste in my mouth. Why not turn it back into a cloak... it will be easier that way and give us more strat choices.

i dont think the RoBF should retaliate in ranged, but have ranged damage reduction. as an example burning up the arrows before they hit you ;)

A rune of balrog the mage!

It retaliates to DD

Yeah, do away with the robf and bring back the CoBF, just adjust the damage it used to put out.

Pit Spawn's idea sounds like a good "realistic" approach to beef up ROBF.

After all, the main problem is that it only is "useful" if you are against a team with physical damage and you can survive ranged round. If they could at least have some advantage in ranged round, it's better than nothing at all.

HTML page updated.

The most popular ideas are:

(1) Retaliation during ranged rounds
(2) Bring back the Cloak of Balrog Flame and get rid of the RoBF.

Maybe it could protect against crossbow draining?

make it a cloak again?

The RoBF was originally a cloak, idk if it was changed in CB1 or at the beginning of CB2, but the point is, it was changed into a useless tattoo.

"Maybe it could protect against crossbow draining?"

PL already does this. It does not make sense to have a tattoo solely protect against xbow draining. This change would have made it even more useless. =/

Let me further explain what I meant: Total resistance granted to team mates, so no splash damage is dealt.

Lets face it, absorbing 10% of the level worth of fireball is, pointless? ToE is more useful, and it helps for everything, not just FB. The RoBF should be deleted, not amended.

The idea has been noted on the HTML page, but it is a bit extreme. Total resistance to FB splash damage would put a lot of people out of business.

Here is a probably unknown tidbit:

Jon:

"Increased resistance to fire damage (including ex shot) about 20%.

Increased melee fire damage about 7%."


that was from an old changelog.

Apparently, it gives resistance to explosive shots o.O
Who Knew?

hmm, just some crazy idea. Current effect / decreased + Summon Balrog (like familiar), train HP and PL. :)

TrueDevil, what have you been smoking/drinking? I want some too. :)

I'll buy some off ya!

Add magical damage to any short range physical attacks. Kind of like makes the sword you're holding into a flaming brand. Add X% of the cloaks level to any smiting you do which is only reducible by magical AC (like a DD spell). It would be great for melee tanks, particularly against walls. Combined with the existing benefits, it could be very useful (depending on the X of course). Melee tanks have been waiting a long time fore something to benefit them. Just raising the abilities it has now is not so hot. It's too touch and go whether you get ANY benefit out of the cloak the way it is now. All the other runes/tattoos provide some kind of benefit all the time (unless you do something really stupid like equip a ToA with no weapons, or a RoS with no defensive enchantments).

A few crazy ideas
1) Increase FB damage or DD.
ToA increase Tank damage output,RoBF increase mage damage output.

2) Your DD is more effective (tattoo decrease enemy ac or decrease their endurance). Balrog flame decrease their magical defense. We got so many anti magic items(mage shield , Elven Hauberk,ToE,Mageseeker,..)
This will even the odds a bit.

3) Anti archer tattoo!
Not so sure how it will work.

One of the many solutions could be.
In the first round balrog flame will reduce arrows to dust.
So you can at least survive the first round :D

(to make other ranged weapons more useful, you could still be hit by xbows and slings in the first round)

Increase FB/DD - I like that idea :)

HTML page updated. Lots of food for thought.

I have been using one on a secondary team and it isn't great.But it is interesting.I think it should both increase a FB mages attack by x% of tat and protect other minions on the same team from splash damage.Right now it does protect against splash but not that much.Of course right now it also protects against enemy FB but maybe that would be too much.

Lots of ideas on the page now. Some of them very interesting. Just click the link in the first message of this thread.