PDK Fear

[PinataPlethora]

Before trying it out, I had envisioned this as a war cry type ability centered around the character, since it feels like it's meant to be a charge in swinging or aggro pulling center of the fray type class. Having it as a targeted spell-like ability when the class comes with no other similar abilities feels awkward and cumbersome.

What do other PDKs think? Does it fit with your play style?

[Baron Saturday]

I'd imagine that's a limitation imposed by the ability it's based on.

[PinataPlethora]

Probably, but I've learned not to underestimate the ingenuity of our coders.

I've also found that it can be self cast to achieve an effect similar to what I'd hoped for, but if used by a character without caster levels, defensive casting isn't available, so it's guaranteed to trigger a boat load of AoOs.

[Cortex]

I don't remember how much of a feat it can be edited, but it's possible to make it instant. The problem is, that could be a bit too powerful.

[PinataPlethora]

Yeah, instant seems a little too good, even though the range on it is pretty tiny, but uninterruptible like Epic Spells would be nice.

[Kreindis]

Instant and centered around the caster would be interesting.

[PinataPlethora]

I think it needs to stay at least a half-round action, because there are too many stackables at that point. You'd be able to put up Fear, Rallying Cry, and Oath of Wrath all at once.

[Orian_666]

Instant would be a bit too powerful.
As it is it's a nice opener for combat, can be used to pull aggro and debuff at the start of a fight.
Instant, even as is or centered, would be a bit too OP for PvP situations imo.

[Jack Oat]

I haven't tested it, but NekoNecro mentioned that it has a concentration check attached to its casting, which is rather awkward given not only is Concentration not a class skill, but I don't know of any other class ability that has a concentration check. I'd second it being uninterruptable.

[Nekonecro]

Can confirm it has a concentraition check when cast.
Personally considering how all the other skills work I did envision it as a Warcry type effect centred on the PDK as well.
In it's current form it feels out of place with all the other PDK abilities

[yellowcateyes]

The concentration check is a result of the game treating it as a spell. As per the vanilla tooltip:

Specifics: Once per day, the purple dragon knight may cast the fear spell with a caster level equal to his character level.

I do agree that it feels out of place. We'll review the 2da settings to see if it can be treated similarly to the other PDK feats. No promises.

[Orian_666]

Oh yea, the concentration check.
That's the one thing i'd definitely like to see changed about it considering all the points already made.
If it's at all possible that would be awesome

[PinataPlethora]

New Question: Does anyone ever use this after combat has started?

I've found that I only ever use it as an opener, partly because the concentration check makes it useless when surrounded, but also because it usually doesn't make sense to wait. In that light, and having more experience with it, I don't think that instant cast would make it very much more powerful or useful than it is, now. It's still the first thing you'll do when you encounter a mob, but instant gives you maybe one more round of duration, because you didn't have to cast from a distance to avoid breaking up the mob.

[Baron Saturday]

Fear is definitely the ugly duckling of PDK abilities. I don't know that I've ever used it at ALL, which is saying something, as I have a PDK in the epic levels.

[Cortex]

I've a teens PDK vanguard, using it in combat is a nuisance unless I have plenty of AC up, however when it works, either before getting into the heat or even in it, it's a -4 debuff into -2 after 3 rounds, that's pretty big.

[PinataPlethora]

it's a -4 debuff into -2 after 3 rounds, that's pretty big.

Do you know how that's rounded? That wiki article is ambiguous as to whether CL is rounded up or down.

[Cortex]

No idea, but at 10 PDK it's -4/-2.

[TheRagingGoblin]

On my Vanguard (PDK/BG so being a guard) I only ever used it as an opener. Giving AOOs and possibly requiring a concentration check made it a terrible idea to use in combat.

On a Valiant I also use it on as an opener but I didn't bother taking skill points in intimidate. For the other mentioned reasons in addition to it being on a longer cooldown, less effective and other skills having priority.