EMP Update - Elf Rework (Proposal)

Hey all, b0s here. Today, we're going to be doing something that we haven't done for a while. We're putting forward a couple suggestions for changing CTF's classes in order to introduce some new gameplay features and adjust balance in the metagame. This particular proposal is a rework for the Elf class which seeks to improve its viability. These changes aren't final, and the values of abilities in particular are subject to adjustments, but having a concrete rework proposal allows us to get things coded much more efficiently. With all that in mind, the rework is as follows:

Introduction​

Elf has remained an somewhat of an enigma since its introduction to CTF in the spring of 2015. The class has seen low usage, as its various upsides and unique abilities have largely been held back by its relative frailty, middling damage output, and less-than-intuitive setup. This rework seeks to fix some of these issues with additions that benefit the class, particularly with regards to its offensive niche and support roles. It also includes a couple particularly unique abilities that should freshen up gameplay in general. So, without further ado, let’s break down the new Elf:

Basic Inventory​

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Armor
- Leather, Dyed Green.
- Chestplate enchanted w/ Protection III, Legs & Boots w/ Protection II (Chestplate and Leggings increase by 1 protection tier).
Sword
- Becomes Wood Sword w/ Sharpness I (as opposed to II).
- Shield mechanic functions as intended (there are numerous bugs with Elf’s shield at the moment, these should be fixed with the update).
Steak
- 5 Steak (Remains unchanged)
Arrows
- 16 regenerating arrows, number/regen rate are subject to tweaking depending on how the class plays.
- Elf regains 4 arrows for each kill.

Elf’s basic setup will remain almost unchanged, with the main tweaks affecting its armor & sword enchantments. Adding another protection level to the chestplate & legs gives the class enough bulk to remove the some of the urgency from steaking, and generally boosts its ability to survive. Fixing the interactions between elf’s shield and various projectiles, such as Mage’s damage & flame spells, should also be a boon (if a smaller one) for the class. Elf’s sword, on the other hand, loses some of its damage (although it remains quite usable) as the class sees improvement in its other offensive abilities.

Elemental Abilities​

Pure Element
- Damage on pure element’s arrows remains unchanged (w/ consecutive shots hitting for 6 hearts of true damage).
- Each shot that connects will knock the target down (and apply a root if the target is grounded) for .75 seconds / 15 ticks.
Wind Element
- Left-clicking with the wind element remains unchanged.
- The existing wind element projectile has been replaced with a ‘vortex’ function that drags nearby opponents to where the arrow has landed (3x3 w/ 2 second duration).
- Both left & right click for the Wind Element spend two arrows per shot.
Water Element
- Shoot a fully charged arrow at a target area to apply a 5x5 ‘splash zone’ (better names welcome) to it. For the next 5 seconds stepping in this area will remove any fire from you, and prevent any from being applied inside the zone. When you first enter the AOE you’ll get resistance 1 and regen 2 for 5 seconds (reapplying until the player leaves the AOE or the AOE expires). Lapis becomes enchanted to indicate the ‘splash zone’ is on cooldown (this will last for 20 seconds after the ability is used).
- Arrows that aren’t fully charged will remain unchanged (put out fire).
Earth Element
- This element has been removed.

While the pure element doesn’t receive a damage buff, it still gains something very valuable - the ability to hold players in place for a second shot. The main drawback of the pure element was that even under ideal circumstances, hitting an opponent with successive arrows was far from guaranteed. By merging it with attributes of the earth element, an Elf’s likelihood of hitting two or more shots in a row will increase significantly. While the AOE damage of the original earth element is gone, the new pure element will root players for slightly longer and would not have the tendency to glitch upon a direct hit. The changes made to the wind element’s projectile also mesh well with the new pure element, allowing an Elf to drag opponents into the ideal position for successive hits. Being able to move players to a location rather than knocking them away from one is new to CTF, and should shake up gameplay considerably. The same can be said for the water element’s updated AOE ability, which allows Elf to better support teammates - or itself - in a variety of situations.

We may have erred a bit on the side of making Elf overpowered, but we do have plenty of time to tweak the class’ mechanics during its (possible) testing and introduction phases. With any luck, the changes suggested here should make elf more rewarding to play and increase its impact on the whole of CTF. We look forward to your input on this rework!

Happy Capping!
- The CTF Committee

I'd also like to give credit to the various users who've suggested ideas for changes to Elf, as they were particularly helpful. Some of the ones we adapted for these rework include:
- Various suggestions from @GalaThundR here, albeit not directly taken from the post.
- Numerous suggestions for regeneration being applied to the Water Element's shots, including here.
- A good justification for simplifying Elf's inventory here.
- Many of the other ideas on this thread that allowed us to understand what the community consensus on Elf's issues were, thus providing us with a guide for how to rework the class.
Thanks again for all the suggestions!

 

I can definitely understand wanting to expand the vortex size, especially since 5x5 was my original size for it, and I'm still undecided as to what the radius should be. The important thing to remember, though, is that it's a pull & hold ability, not just a pull. Keeping a player in that position for an extra second or so makes the ability quite strong, even with a small AOE radius. With that said, we'd definitely test increasing/decreasing the radius once the basics are coded, and since there's a fair amount of support for a larger radius going by the thread already, we may start w/ that.
I can also understand how the wind element in its current state can be used effectively, but I can't justify keeping it in its current state. The ability is (a) not intuitive to use and (b) doesn't have intuitive counterplay. Both of those are caused by the near complete lack of visual indicators for how the ability functions; there are no particles, etc. When paired with a knockback ability whose effectiveness varies significantly based on the angle & status (airborne or not) of the player it hits, it ends up being both frustrating to learn & frustrating to play against. The vortex would be able to emulate a number of the scenarios you mentioned as well (pulling flagholders off the map, pulling a ninja away from the flagpole, etc) while being easier to predict for both the user and the target, so I do feel that a replacement is in order.

The Earth element's abilities are more or less split between the pure & wind elements, with some added bonuses to each. Given that the Earth element had some very real limitations w/ regards to trapping & slowing players, the shift to Pure/Wind should be a boon to elf rather than a loss, with the additional upside of making the hotbar less cluttered. Adding another ability in its place would take a class that's already a bit over-complicated & make it even more complex, so we almost certainly won't.