Nightblade and Bladedancer changes up on PTS

Ailion posted tonight that these changes for Nightblade and Bladedancer are up on the PTS.

Bladedancer: Blade Hustle: Now increases the damage of your next Quick Strike or Precision Strike by 5-15% per stack, up from 3-9% per stack. Now stacks up to 5 times, down from 10 times.

Nightblade: Living Flame: Now also applies Fiery Spike onto affected enemies.

RIFT 2.2 Hotfix #11 Rogue Changes – 5/1/13

I was literally just talking about Leaping Plunge again with someone 2 days ago, and how it would be perfect if it had a root with it too rather than just traveling to the location where your target was when you used it and they will likely be gone from afterwards once you reach it.

The Rapid Fire Shot energy reduction should definitely help out with any energy issues a rogue has using 61 Marksman without Living Energy or Fervor. However, with the changes to Deadeye Shot live now, which should be almost 10% damage increased for it, might not matter too much as far as energy issues are concerned. It still remains that something needs to get done on how we can get an Empowered Shot to be instant cast right away after a Deadeye Shot, as is being discussed and hopefully Ailion figures something out if he bothers to at all, rather than wasting a cooldown/combo point of Swift Shot.

Assassin

• Assassin: Leaping Plunge: Now roots the enemy target for 2s.

Marksman

• Rapid Fire Shot: Now costs 16 Energy, down from 24 Energy.
• Decoy: Now no longer on global cooldown.
• Electrified Munitions, Static Shock Munitions: No longer trigger damage and healing effects like Dark Armor, Warlock Armor and Curative Engine; similar to Assassin Poisons and Nightblade Weapon Enchantments.
• Deadeye Shot: Damage has been increased.

Marksman change(s) on the PTS

Ailion posted today that there was a change to Deadeye Shot from Marksman on the PTS. If all goes well, I’m too lazy to check as I am sure this will be either in this weeks or next weeks patch, that this could be better to use over Hasted Shot which are currently using only to get use more Empowered Shots off.

The damage of Deadeye Shot is already increased by approximately 10%. You should be able to parse it on PTS.

New Builds Posted

I posted 4 new builds for those interested in trying something different in PVP or about time learned to Bard just as long as it took me to not be lazy and write the guide.

PVP

• 48 Nightblade / 28 Riftstalker
• 40 Nightblade / 36 Riftstalker “PVP Tank”

Support

• 61 Bard / 10 Marksman / 5 Riftstalker

PVE

• 61 Assassin / 9 Marksman / 6 Ranger

Bladedancer and Ranger changes up on the PTS

Ailion posted the following changes that are up on the PTS right now for Bladedancer and Ranger.

• Bladedancer: Dauntless Strike: No longer increases the Critical Hit chance of group members. It now applies a debuff to the target, increasing the target’s chance to be critically hit by 5%.
• Bladedancer: Blade Hustle: An additional effect has been added. You now gain Blade Hustle every 3s, increasing the damage of your next Quick Strike or Precision Strike 3-9%. Stacks up to 10 times.
• Bladedancer: Disengage: Can now be used anytime. Now on GCD.
• Bladedancer: Dancing Steel, Hundred Blades: Now on a 30s cooldown, down from 60s.
• Ranger: New ability added to the Blood Raptor. The Blood Raptor can now charge at the enemy, dealing physical damage.
• Ranger: Escape Artist: Cooldown has been reduced to 1 min, down from 2 min.
• Ranger: Fleeting Instinct: Effect can now be applied both in and out of combat.

Ailion also stated

RIFT 2.2 Hotfix #5 Rogue Changes – 3/28/13

I do not mind the Tactician changes. While I loved the way it was, it was not like us Rogues did not know it was over powered and did not need a nerf.

However, the Sentry Battery change I do not get it. For other rogues you come across, I bet you that they never ever use it and are lazy and use Chain Destruction instead and with no rotation using Sentry Battery. It just makes it more of a useless ability that we have limiting it to 5 targets, especially because of the either the mob or your position when using it and having to select the furthest target. I hope one day Ailion will go back and look at this ability, maybe just get rid of it and replace it with another.

MARKSMAN

• Sentry Battery: Now affects a maximum of 5 targets per pulse.

TACTICIAN

• Power Core: Functionality Changed. Now debuffs nearby enemies, increasing the damage they take by 10%. No longer in the same stacking group as Lava Field and Orchestra of the Planes, but now is in the same stacking group as Wild Growth.
• Infernal Beam: Now affects a maximum of 8 targets per pulse.
• Infernal Torrent, Glacial Torrent, Necrotic Torrent: Now affect a maximum of 8 targets per pulse. Initial energy cost increased to 15 from 10. Energy drained per second of channel has been reduced to 1 from 5.
• Curative Torrent: Initial energy cost increased to 15 from 10. Energy drained per second of channel has been reduced to 1 from 5.
• Heat Vent: Now reduces the initial energy cost of Torrents by 1-5, down from 2-10.