The TRUTH About Alpha 2, Part 3: Classes

[@vexillian]

I'm so happy that you said they're talking with the top Ranger players to help figure out the class because I could see other companies just relying on metrics and data to make adjustments, and you don't actually get the full picture like you think you would when you do that. It's definitely reliable data, but combat has a feeling to it, which can only be expressed by a human. Really glad that's how they're handling class balance.

[@Xillin]

Agreed, I was thrilled when I found that out.

[@Auld17]

@@Xillin Of course, Ranger mains will tell them to increase the Ranger's DPS by 10x.

[@wackyguyoverthirty]

@@Auld17hey you! 10% better

[@Krieghandt]

But WoC says the Ranger is perfect 🙄

[@CidoraX]

I’m so hyped to wait in queue Friday

[@Xillin]

We're gonna be queue buddies!!!

[@shawnfulford2709]

Bro me and two of my friends have been talking about what we’re gonna do on day 1…. While we’re in the queue LOL

[@oliverk.9928]

Thank you so much for your insight, I was looking for that info!

[@NikuaRanger]

Steven give me the rooooooogue

[@catalincatalin4101]

The TRUTH is here, once again! Awesome content!

[@Xillin]

Thanks!

[@Camelotsmoon]

I really hope that the tank in this game always remains relevant, and people just don't do every single thing with the fighter instead because of the DPS difference. Back when I played EverQuest 2, after kunark the tankiest class in the game (guardians) became irrelevant for the rest of the lifespan of when I played (which was like 6 years), and everybody just played tanks that had higher DPS (berserker), or some tank that had sustain for offtanking (shadowknights.. or paladins, but those were less common).. the extra damage resistance just never mattered. You definitely need to give them unique abilities exclusive to being a MT that are necessary, otherwise fighter is the obvious choice for every situation.

[@jojojames217]

Bard seems to be the meta class but I don’t know how I feel about prancing around playing with my teammates flutes just to buff them 🧐🤨…

[@Mibarri]

Lol

[@OsirisTheWeary]

Love the rapid fire videos sir

[@nottog]

Would be nice for future videos, that you tell us what you're judging them on for their placements, at the start of the video! Great video nonetheless

[@Xillin]

One of my friends just got through telling me almost exactly this, and then I come here and see this comment. Dually noted.

[@chucknorris5476]

Cleric needs a melee strike

[@markbay9275]

Cleric absolutely needs a melee strike. Also instant strike judgement!

[@veeshan222]

probaly what you will get with the secondary with a fighter/tank/rogue for example but we wont see that for awhile

[@blueknight8709]

With the Bard they don't really need to nerf it. They need to strengthen the other archetypes by giving them more active or passive skills that are in line with there Archetypes. Like the cleric could have some skills that deal with poison and curses. The Ranger could have some exploding, fireworks, entangle and elemental arrows. With the tank you could have a moving wall that bulldozes your opponents in any way you choose. The tank or fighter could have some Melee AOE skills. The mage could have non elemental skills or more different types of elements skills. The reason why Bard class is strong is because it feels like a jack of all trades class but is not one. Because a real jack of all trades starts out weak and has to put in a lot more time and effort into learning and collecting skills and abilities in order to become strong. They also need to knowing how to combine the different skills that usually don't go together into an unbeatable class at endgame. Otherwise they might be an average player.If there are two jack of all trades. Their skills set could be totally opposite from each other because of what they wanted to learn and how they used them.

[@TheToledoTrumpton]

And we don't know what is coming. assuming that the Bard is a "Jack of all trades class", it will be hard to talent/augment/gear all of them at the same time as they level up. When no one has any of that, the bard like any "Jack of all trades class" is going to be OP. If you played classic WoW, playing a Paladin was a hoot leveling and then at end game you were struggling to compete at anything. What they called "The Hybrid tax" got you. Druid and Shaman were the same.

[@Xillin]

This is a really good point. Who knows how it will perform at true endgame. Guess we'll find out in 4 years lol

[@blueknight8709]

@@TheToledoTrumpton from the show case a Bard isn't a jack of all trades to me because it doesn't have a lot of close combat skills like a Fighter.They can't sneak into buildings, pick locks to steal stuff, or find secret passages like a Rouge. They can't take damage like a tank without buffing themself first and they also can't aggro. They also can't cast spells like a normal mage without it being from a story. They can't summon a beast to fight in battle like a Summoner. Can they heal yes but not like a healer. They also don't have a ranger max long distance attacks. They can't set traps for on coming players. They can't become a grandmaster with all professions. The only thing the Bard has going for them is their musical theme attacks, buffs, and that awesome gap closer they have. So in the end a Bard is not a Jack of trades. A jack of all trades is only op because the player puts time into making it op like any other classes. Jack of all trades is a sink or swim class because they don't get any help or bonus from the system. Like with other classes of the system you get class bonus, skills and it will also automatically add some points to your character stats based off the class and give you some free points when you level up. They get none of that and only get the free points when they level up. They also have to acquire their own skills from other classes because they have no class skills themselves. They also are limited to the same number of skills as everybody else can have. Just because they can learn every skill in the game doesn't mean they can cast them all. They are still limited to their stats numbers. That they have to make up with crafting and potions that give stats buff or permanent stats points to make up for the points gap they don't receive every level. Sometimes they don't even have a skill tree to level up and all their skills are stuck at level one and need gear that level up those skills for them. Can a jack of all trades become op. Yes but not without difficulty and luck to find the right skills, equipment, items, potions, quests and the right combination of skills. Otherwise they are worse than the average player because they have so many flaws and need time to find ways to cover those flaws. The same way that a jack of all trades cover their flaws is the same way other classes can strengthen themselves. All a jack of all trades can be is a pawn that turns into a queen or wild card that gives people a headache if you don't plan ahead and use their skills wisely.

[@TheToledoTrumpton]

@@blueknight8709 Maybe, and I think a bigger flaw of it being a complete "Jack of all trades" is that it cant tank. I'm really just trying to make a point that the wider a class is, the less likely it is to be as tall across the board when it gets to endgame, even if it is stronger untalented, ungeared and augmented.

[@artharionsanchez1793]

Which class has higher single-target DPS: Fighter, Ranger or Mage?

[@Xillin]

No idea. No DPS meters in Ashes of Creation. I've seen people argue for all 3 DPS classes. I personally feel like my mage does the most damage, but I can't confirm that.

[@artharionsanchez1793]

@@Xillin I heard people saying Fighter is the most brutal in damage.

[@Cimarb]

But how does Tank (and all of them honestly) feel in PvP? That is the real question...

[@Xillin]

Tank is ridiculous in PvP.

[@Cimarb]

@@Xillin That is good to hear - because it actually tanks by absorbing damage and forcing the enemy to focus them, or is it just a really strong cc/controller due to stuns and such?

[@Xillin]

Both actually. Tough, lots of mitigation for both themselves and the group, while also being an insane nuisance with CCs and stuns

[@Cimarb]

@@Xillin Awesome, I am super excited. My only hope now is that there is some sort of "augmentation" that lets you either reflect damage (retribution pally from WoW) or drain life (necro as secondary, maybe?) to be a true juggernaut.

[@elwow4351]

@@Cimarb you can reflect damage already pretty much

[@robertjackson6903]

Which has more damage cleric or bard? Which is better for 1v1? I hear cleric is OP right now and S tier but you marked it lower. I was wondering if you still feel this way. Furthermore, which do you think people are playing more, cleric or bard?

[@ohihassan693]

I didn't think they would be able to make bard much fun. But i am glad to be wrong.

[@TheNEPTY]

Most people say the mage is the worst class.. strange

[@Xillin]

I've been having a blast with it. Blowing stuff up on the regular.

[@Grimasaurus]

Instead of tier lists, why not help players better understand how EVERY class works so they can play the class they want and get the most out of it.

[@AuxxiliaryATC]

They could also play when it opens on Friday and test them out themselves which would do more than a video about it

[@Grimasaurus]

@@AuxxiliaryATC Agreed, but you missed my point mate.

[@John41698]

Xillin doesn’t know how to actually edit beyond talking at the camera so it’s probably not his style.. I mean just look at those thumbnails 🤮

[@glaedth]

​@@AuxxiliaryATC not realistic with weekend tests if leveling is really gonna take as long as Stephen was proporting it would we got like 24 days altogether until phase 2 in december and unless you can play for like 10 hours every single weekend you'll be happy if you get 2 classes to 25. However, if they speed leveling up that's reasonable.

[@thatguypowers6595]

Hi fellow alpha tester here ur sleeping on fighter watch out

[@Xillin]

I definitely could be. Just a few more days until people can start getting in here and doing much more thorough testing than I've been able to do.

[@thatguypowers6595]

@@Xillin very true I will say as someone that has almost only played fighter if your playing bleed fighter and have blood fusion your very very hard to kill I have another build that revolves around whirlwind but I need to test it more

[@Penumbra-AoC]

Rogue must be SSS tier O.o

[@Xillin]

You'll have to wait and see.

[@Imogenus]

Sooo... let me get this straight... You created your own classification system... your own rules, any rules without restraint, no limits, no one telling you how the system should work. ...and then immediately broke those rules/classification system within 2:45 seconds later....

[@Xillin]

I have absolutely no regrets.

[@Imogenus]

@@Xillin Sir, you get 3 thumbs up for that., +1 for giving no Fs, no wait 1.5 I changed my mind.

[@Xillin]

Wait! You can't change the rules you made!! That's just wrong

[@One-12937]

@@Xillinno ragrets

[@JROCThaGreat]

So the bard team, made a regular class for modern MMOs 😂 and the fighter and tanger teams are confused. Need all the setups and slows the warrior has on the ranger, ranger needs mage lvl damage. Fighter needs ACTUAL CC not tank lvl but something. With alittle less setup, alittle bit more burst. Naw actually should be the hardest hitting cause the melee bias

[@ProodiansWoodshop]

Guess im late to the party.

[@Ludullu]

This is a bottomless content well, cause you can make one of these every time they update the client 😂

[@Xillin]

He's on to me!

[@Hat_Uncle]

Yeah, I don't see them "nerfing" a class, but rather "pulling the others up". Ranger needs some love for sure. I really enjoyed Cleric, even with a 2H sword it was viable, just slower due to needing more mana for heals and that related downtime.

[@Xillin]

Yeah, I figure pulling others up is much more likely to happen. That said, they will probably have to knock bard down a little first. It's a little too strong IMO

[@maxrusty3596]

I hate this mentality of never nerf and only buff. Sometimes u need a nerf by dude.

[@Xillin]

Follow me over on Twitch for tons of Ashes of Creation Livestreams! www.twitch.tv/xillin

[@Xillin]

Huh?

[@dorak_22]

@@Xillin my bad wrong comment 😂

[@makkura9245]

"We're almost there" is kind of a lie, we're a few days off to a giant queue simulator that will crash servers for the entire weekend, before monday comes, most people won't have seen the game and 90% of those who did won't have seen it long.

[@markbay9275]

Quite the cynic.

[@kennethferland5579]

This video is an automatic fail because their are no classes in the game, only ARCHETYPES. Use the correct terminology or get downvoted.

[@vexillian]

there*

[@dorak_22]

What a fcking douche - you must be fun at parties, that’s if you even get invited…probably not tho. This coming from a dude who looks like an old grown up version of McLovin from Super Bad 😂😩

[@aurarl8147]

🤓