[Snake]

It's why 3 rounds is the finest you can get from a cooldown reduction, the cooldown will prevent it from being re-applied and reward the people who just dispel/steal it, instead of everyone who can just be running away from the ghost for 3 rounds and then dish out free damage for 2 rounds straight.

[PantherPrincess]

So 3-2 rounds if you are slower than your opponent (wasting a round)? with a 5 round cooldown. And the ability to just lose it/get stolen.....

Bingo.

[Lolzytripd]

at only 2 effective rounds of WG isn't it just more effective to run a heal tank...since 50% off of 4 attacks could have been spent on a 50% heal of 500 or more hp?

[Snake]

Yes, this is why the current cooldown reduced is very much needed, and why 5 rounds was a rather exaggerated approach.

[KhalidtheGrey]

Yes, that's right. It's 2 rounds if you're slower, 3 if faster. With a five round cooldown and no actual incentive to invest in higher ranks. Reducing the cooldown by 1 at rank 5 sounds good to me.

[Raigen.Convict]

4 round cooldown.
Or at rank 5 four round cd. Either works.

[Neus]

I don't know if I want to shorten the cooldown, it exists for a specific purpose; providing a window in which the Ghost is vulnerable and making them have to think carefully about when to use Wraithguard, instead of just having it up 100% of the time. That said, since it has a cooldown now, it could potentially lose the 'can be stolen' property so it isn't as easy to deny it.

[Snake]

But a '2 round opening' is massive in fights that you're not alone. 4 round cooldown is just a perfect number that doesn't weight the buff's power against the enemy since it gives a 1 round opening to the enemy, so two burst attacks instead of the current four (potentially six burst shots, if the enemy is a Kensei, or a Boxer, or a Mage exploiting water elemental weaknesses).

And it's not like Wraithguard is a full damage reduction like Body of Isesip, right? It's a mere RNG-based 30% damage reduction that people overestimate due to salt when their 700 damage Exgalfas are doing 550. It's just a normal buff, for heaven's sake.

--

Is it any possible to make Wraithguard have a stronger effect based on HP percentage lost, if lowering the cooldown to 4 round is not so appealing? Sucks that I couldn't think about a less bothersome way to implement:
- 50% HP = +10% damage reduction.
- 25% HP = +10% damage reduction.
This may justify the cooldown, if the skill becomes a teensy bit stronger.

PS: Hold on with the pitchforks and torches! My intention being less balance and more to make this skill fit the Ghost class. I really wish Ghosts were 'indeed' more dangerous on low HP and near death than what they were or are right now. Without the 'near-death' gimmicks, Ghosts are nothing but a Duelist DLC, even more now that things like Ether Invitation and double-turning got fixed/nerfed.

Also, about the 'no steal', it should really be implemented regardless, and even since Steal is an ability granted by a single accessory that is free for all who visit Argentyle once. (Cat Mask)

[Autumn]

Having originally made the wraithguard thread, I think that wraithguard's cooldown could be slightly decreased to 4 rounds at rank 5, but remain stealable, this would be fair to all parties I think.

[Raigen.Convict]

Personally I like the suggest of stopping steal more from Dev's side, while also making it up to 50% damage reduction at low hp. Which gives Ghost a more unique feel, like a spooky berserker that doesn't wear armor.