[Kameron8]

In light of how underrepresented the rail gun magi are right now, I wanted to make a few possible suggestions to help put Evoker in a better spot -- or at least generate productive discussion about other ways to do so. Strap into your seats and channel your inner Megablues, because it's time to buff Evokers.

Before I list off any suggestions at all, I believe it's helpful to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the class. Even if the later suggestions themselves seem distasteful to you, keep in mind that the core topics I'm trying to address can be found in the below list. This is the heart of the discussion at hand.

Perceived Weaknesses:

1. Low damage output, outside of invocations
   
   
   Perhaps the most glaring (and ironic) weakness of the class as it stands is how little damage it threatens with its non-invocation skills. With the explicit exception of Lightning criticals, which have ample room for their own forum discussion, the basic Evoker spells are often comparable to the Mage base class. Sporting a handy special effect with the proper enchant, the Evoker skills clock in at 100% Scaled Weapon Attack scaling, and 100%-140% Elemental Attack scaling. This ratio is also what outlines basic mage skills, and the corresponding effects are often weaker than any similarly scaled Hexer/Tactician/Lantern Bearer/etc counterparts.
   
   In this regard, the core identity of the class is falling short. There's room to argue that the invocations are quite powerful -- and I would agree -- but it makes little sense for the hyper-offensive themed mage to have an otherwise inferior suite of spells in terms of damage AND utility. To provide tangible examples, compare:
   

   • Sear, to Holy Spark/Explosion.
     
   • Wind Slasher, to Titan Gale/Ghostwind.
     
   • Libegrande, to Frigid Arrow/Famuiga.
     

   
   Bringing more powerful spells into the comparison, such as Domino Resonate, Pinpoint Electro, Wretched Oil, Black Bolt, Black Bubble, Focused Beam, Quetal, and Rebia, leaves little (in my opinion) room to vouch for Evoker's offensive prowess. Many physical damage classes can even threaten a larger amount of magical damage, with more conditional skills like Kadouha, Setting Sun, or Eclair Lacroix. Outside of invocations, Charge Mind does little to remedy this when footsies aren't involved, as the momentum spent to empower a basic spell is almost always less damage than casting the spell thrice.
   
   
   
2. Difficulty with High Mobility
   
   
   Evokers have a tough time keeping up with hyper mobile classes like Duelists, Martial Artists, or Demon Hunters. With Vydel as a notable exception, most of the spells in the class' repertoire can't threaten an opponent who can attack through them, flee 10+ tiles, and repeat. Here is a small list of scenarios that aren't too uncommon to encounter:
   

   • A Demon Hunter opponent who can attack, Leaping Lizard, then disengage with Winged Serpent/Chaser/Knockdown up to the max range of Blink. They can then stare at the mage to become nearly impervious to meaningful retaliation.
     
   • A Monk that leverages Shukuchi, running, Meditate, and Body of Isesip to reset the fight through attrition and mitigate Charge Mind enhanced spells/invocations with immunity.
     

   
   Spacing has always been, and continues to be, a very important component of playing as and against Evokers. The class struggles against those who are too mobile to allow momentum efficient damage exchanges.
   
   
3. Lack of utility/crowd control
   
   Evokers have very little to offer in terms of utility or control. Lazarus wind offers a very situational Knockdown, Magaisendo a very situational tile control, and Libegrande a means to punish Guard. I believe this weakness is thematically intentional, and it seems apparent enough to not need an in depth paragraph.
   
   
   
4. Lack of meaningful defensives
   
   Possessing no inherent defenses or mitigation-oriented abilities is another instance of a thematically intentional weakness. The class is postured to be purely offensive, and thus struggles heavily to trade blows with opponents that possess mitigations like Wraithguard, Voidveil, Evasion, Snake Dancer, Geist Schritt, or simply high elemental resistance itemization. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that the class does not have comparably high damage output.
   
   
   
5. Few spells to pick from
   
   The class suffers as a whole from the difficulty of picking up more than one or two elements in your toolkit. Depending on your build's circumstance, it may be feasible to grab enough Defense to make Earth relevant, alongside either Fire, Ice, or Wind. However, this translates to Evoker granting you passives, and two (four if you're one of the lucky few described above) abilities -- a fairly abysmal amount of class flare compared to nearly everything else in the game. Compare these options to Hexer, who can skirt by with only Resistance if they so choose, and with access to a plethora of Elemental ATK independent invocations and curses.
   
   Because I specifically couldn't come up with new basic spells for every single element, I will point out here that I believe adding more basic skills that are more complex than just a 100% SWA 100-140% Ele ATK damage number would be wildly beneficial to the class.
   

Perceived Strengths:

1. Invocation damage
   
   This speaks for itself. The mortality rate of Isenshi, Exgalfa, Intensify Cold, and Overload with Charge Mind is a very high number -- though the likelihood of managing to hit someone with these is directly related to how statistically likely it is that you're currently a Dullahan. Jokes aside, if a mage is allowed to hard cast a powered up invocation with Greaper, it hurts. As it should. More often than not, however, attempts to do this are stifled by death, Silence, mobility, dispels, or conditional immunity.
   
   
   
2. Spacing
   
   Though it's ironic that this would be listed as a strength when difficulty with mobility is listed as a weakness, Evokers are fairly adept at forcing those without the blessing of infinite speed to play a very meticulous spacing game. When High-Speed Divine Words comes up, enemies who can't dip in and out of 15 tiles per turn need to pay very close attention to where they're standing. If an invocation is being cast, they now need to factor in Blink.
   

Of the weaknesses listed, I think it's a safe assumption to make that low damage output should not be present, nor should minimal variety of spell choice.

With all of that in mind, I've made an attempt at creating or reworking abilities to try and help address these. Feel free to critique my ineptitude with game design, but, keep in mind that the goal is ANY solution to the weaknesses that aren't supposed to be inherent to the class, not these abilities exclusively.

Synaptic Precision:
Ranks: 3
Type: Passive

Your empowered spells cast faster than the eye can see. Increases the accuracy of spells amplified by Charge Mind by (100/200/300).

This will be the only suggested ability with additional explanation. This passive felt like an intuitive way to address the extremely difficult management of Snake Dancer and damage trading against Evasion, without making the defenses useless altogether.

Evocation (REWORKED):
Ranks: 5
Type: Innate
Main Class Only

Harness the destructive currents of magic, increasing the damage of your non-invocation Evoker spells by (8/16/24/32/40%) while you are wearing an Unarmored torso.

Pure Power (REWORKED):
Ranks: 5
Type: Innate

Fully embody the reckless appeal of magic, at great personal cost. Increases all spell damage dealt while wearing an unarmored torso by (10/20/30/40/50%), but your physical damage reduction %, magical damage reduction %, critical evade, status resistance, and evade can no longer exceed (40/30/20/10/0).

Spell Cadence:
Ranks: 1
Type: Passive

When your opponent takes damage from elemental augment, gain 1 stacking level of Spell Cadence. Your next Mage or Evoker spell refunds X (Spell Cadence level) momentum, stacking up to a maximum of 6 times. This cannot refund more than the spell costs to cast. (For example, Wind Slasher can only refund up to 3 momentum. The initial cast of Isenshi can refund up to 6.)

The last couple of abilities are all ridiculously high ranking invocations. I can't fathom these seem fair, but I would imagine the steep cost of even trying to cast them would err them on the side of unusably weak, instead of overpowered. Nonetheless, it's difficult to gauge power level with a tier of spell that quite literally doesn't yet exist.

Cataclysm:
Main Class Only
This skill requires a Rank A Invocation (see the Invocation talent for more details). The caster must be enchanted with Nerhaven to cast this abiliity.

Call down a meteor from the heavens, ravaging the area with molten stone. Deals fire damage to all enemies on the map. It will also create Cinders for 3 rounds across the entire battlefield, with a LV equal to 100% of your Fire ATK.

Rank 1: 50 FP (200 to fully cast), 400% Fire ATK, 250% Scaled WPN ATK

Absolute Zero:
Main Class Only
This skill requires a Rank A Invocation (see the Invocation talent for more details). The caster must be enchanted with Kraken to cast this abiliity.

Obliterate all traces of heat from the battlefield, dealing Ice magic damage to all enemies on the map. It will also create Ice tiles for 3 rounds across the every tile. Enemies hit are inflicted with Frozen for 2 rounds.

Rank 1: 50 FP (200 to fully cast), 400% Ice ATK, 250% Scaled WPN ATK. Frozen Level: 1,000.

Terracide:
Main Class Only
This skill requires a Rank A Invocation (see the Invocation talent for more details). The caster must be enchanted with Galren to cast this abiliity.

Sunder the earth with arcane upheaval, dealing Earth magic damage to all enemies on the map. Enemies hit are inflicted with Stun. It will also destroy all special effect tiles in the area of effect. Additionally, it will Pillage all tiles on the map.

Rank 1: 50 FP (200 to fully cast), 400% Earth ATK, 250% Scaled WPN ATK.

Sylphid's Spiral:
Main Class Only
This skill requires a Rank A Invocation (see the Invocation talent for more details). The caster must be enchanted with Talvyd to cast this abiliity.

Conjure up a harrowing windstorm, dealing Wind magic damage to all enemies on the map. Enemies hit are knocked Airborne, knocked back 20 tiles, then Knocked Down.

Rank 1: 50 FP (200 to fully cast), 400% Wind ATK, 250% Scaled WPN ATK.

God Bolt:
Main Class Only
This skill requires a Rank A Invocation (see the Invocation talent for more details). The caster must be enchanted with Redgull to cast this abiliity.

Call down a column of lightning from the heavens, dealing Lightning magic damage to all enemies on the map. Enemies hit are inflicted with Blind for 3 turns, and have up to 10 beneficial status effects removed.

Rank 1: 50 FP (200 to fully cast), 400% Lightning ATK, 250% Scaled WPN ATK.

If you stuck through this unending wall up to this point, good on you. I appreciate you taking the time to read my criticisms.

[Fern]

I love these. Evoker isn't frequently played as of this moment and I am sure many people can attest to that. I believe this would help bring its glass cannon identity back into play.

That said, the Rank A invocations proposed being main class is definitely a fair downside IMO.

[Autumn]

This was an enjoyable read into the playout of Evoker currently, it goes more in depth than when I say "Evoker plays out the same way, it serves as the barrier for PvP" because spacing and rocks that extinguish buffs are a thing, I'd love to see more invocations in Evoker personally so that it actually lives up to its name, very powerful effects like these should logically never be pulled off if acted against, and serves to make Evoker a very serious threat that can be dealt with accordingly.

As for the other passives, I forsee a problem with as you brought up, lightning criticals, but as I've brought up across several threads they've been deserving of a right nerf bat for a very long time, and shouldn't detract from allowing evokers to glass cannon even harder. (especially if defense changes are put into place, hampering unarmored less effective against physical threats)

One thing for certain can be said, the staple powerhouse mage, all powerful and typically able to ICly wipe out entire armies if allowed is severely undersold right now compared to other mages, like hexer and tactician.

[Chaos]

The 'Pure Power' rework should honestly be its own skill, and Spell Cadence needs to be limited in some way to prevent any sort of multi-hit weapon (see: guns) from enabling once-a-turn combos of...

Attack -> 0m Cast -> 3~4m Cast.

Or, in the case of Fleur,

Attack w/ Crit -> 0m Cast -> 3m Cast -> 3m Cast.

Gets worse with anything that further bolsters Momentum, but you get the point by now.

Aside from that, I'm supportive of these changes. At the very least, the Rank A Invocations would be a very welcome addition and would see interesting use in PvP.

[firebird496]

Pure power sounds great, but at the same time only useful for wind mages for speed. With 0% defenses and evasion, you'll probably die in 1 turn wouldn't you? (I know it's kind of the point).

[Kameron8]

The 'Pure Power' rework should honestly be its own skill, and Spell Cadence needs to be limited in some way to prevent any sort of multi-hit weapon (see: guns) from enabling once-a-turn combos of...

Attack -> 0m Cast -> 3~4m Cast.

Or, in the case of Fleur,

Attack w/ Crit -> 0m Cast -> 3m Cast -> 3m Cast.

Gets worse with anything that further bolsters Momentum, but you get the point by now.

Aside from that, I'm supportive of these changes. At the very least, the Rank A Invocations would be a very welcome addition and would see interesting use in PvP.

Can you offer your reasoning for why you think the original Pure Power should stay? On the subject of Spell Cadence, it was designed with Fleur in mind, but not multi-hit guns. Just as Elemental Augment takes special exception with it, I would assume this ability would too. One stack per volley, instead of per shot.

Pure power sounds great, but at the same time only useful for wind mages for speed. With 0% defenses and evasion, you'll probably die in 1 turn wouldn't you? (I know it's kind of the point).

It would more than likely take at least two rounds in a strict one-versus-one, since external mitigation still functions. (Wraithguard, etc) Initiative would certainly be important for somebody made of paper, and it shouldn't feasibly be too difficult to get with your corresponding element since Resistance (and Defense, for non-earth Mages) become dead stats. Ideally you'd have a contingency plan or a team to supplement you if you chose this route for yourself. That's the idea, anyway.

[firebird496]

So it seems it would cater to more of spellswords than evoker itself. Not exactly a bad thing. As far as the amount of rounds it would take to kill, I suppose it depends on their vitality, after all people seem to be able to do 200-300 a hit these days, especially if you have 0% def and res

[K Peculier]

Agreed with all the points Kameron makes here.

Evoker is heavily underutilized because they just don't have the utility or abilities to keep up with other classes ridiculous amounts of mobility and arguably higher SWA from sketchy % stacking on certain skills and even weapons.

The mobility and mitigation game of Evoker is really lackluster in that respect and they'll usually go down QUICK in most fights without being much or any of a glass cannon in the first place.

As for the Rank A invocations. Those sound fun, fun things are fun and seems like a good risk vs reward deal in my opinion, all for it.

[Grandpa]

While all these points are true about Evoker, and I like the majority of these changes, buffs, new skills, etc. I am simultaneously slightly worried that they'll more or less end up dominating the playing field, especially when used in tandem with other strong classes.

I'm with Chaos in that Spell Cadence needs something to keep it in check, especially when used in cases like Duelist.

Synaptic Precision worries me a bit as well, if only because of lightning critical hits. If someone doesn't pass the evade check when you hit them with a critical ryemei charge-minded, you're probably not getting back up - or at least, that's easily more than half your HP bar gone. Maybe it could be another buff applied through charge mind, similar to elemental overtime, in that it increases the accuracy of your base mage skills (only, by a far smaller number than 100/200/300).

Of course, that's preparing for just the case of a mostly unmitigated CM crit ryemei. Everything else would be fine, I think.

[Kameron8]

While all these points are true about Evoker, and I like the majority of these changes, buffs, new skills, etc. I am simultaneously slightly worried that they'll more or less end up dominating the playing field, especially when used in tandem with other strong classes.

I'm with Chaos in that Spell Cadence needs something to keep it in check, especially when used in cases like Duelist.

That's alright, the main point of the thread was to bring attention to the problems rather than suggest solutions every single person would be happy with. Tweaking the suggestions is a trivial matter, if it ends up getting out of hand.

Synaptic Precision worries me a bit as well, if only because of lightning critical hits. If someone doesn't pass the evade check when you hit them with a critical ryemei charge-minded, you're probably not getting back up - or at least, that's easily more than half your HP bar gone. Maybe it could be another buff applied through charge mind, similar to elemental overtime, in that it increases the accuracy of your base mage skills (only, by a far smaller number than 100/200/300).

I share the sentiment, shown here:

With the explicit exception of Lightning criticals, which have ample room for their own forum discussion, the basic Evoker spells are often comparable to the Mage base class.

I'm of the opinion that those are an outlier to magic in general, and should be dealt with specifically -- rather than holding back every other component of the class because of them.