Nerf - Call Darkness

[Iconyx]

I just noticed that Call Darkness lasts for 5 rounds now, instead of 9. Was this in the patch notes? Did anyone on the PTR know the nerf was coming? I'm kinda bummed, it was an excellent counter against healing teams =/

[Poutinette]

Yes, it was in the patch notes: "Call Darkness now lasts for 5 rounds (was 9 rounds)."

[Tahsfenz]

I'm still trying to figure why 1 weather effect gets nerfed, but none other did. I'm not saying I want nerfs, just that I think all things considered, it's not really OP, of course, just like everything else, PvP changes a lot of things in this game.

That said, it's not a major issue in PvE from what I've seen.

[Gilneas]

I'm still trying to figure why 1 weather effect gets nerfed, but none other did. I'm not saying I want nerfs, just that I think all things considered, it's not really OP, of course, just like everything else, PvP changes a lot of things in this game.

That said, it's not a major issue in PvE from what I've seen.

I believe its because of how it was being used in PvP teams, and its interaction with other abilities. Silly reason, but that was my understanding.

[Arcanicus]

Call Darkness was likely nerfed since it's the one perfectly reliable counter to a heal stall team, which I'm guessing Blizzard thought was heavily underrepresented in competitive play. (This is the same methodology they use when balancing Arena.) They already nerfed Ghostly Skull (the main user of Spectral Strike) separately, so you can tell this specific change is not really a burst issue.

[Stabya]

I'm still trying to figure why 1 weather effect gets nerfed, but none other did.

It truly is a powerful weather effect used in combination with Attacks Buffed by Blindness

Even now it's still a great move for PVP, aside from the Attacks buffed by Blindness, it takes a nice chunk out of any Dragon used on its own.

[Deepfriedegg]

It truly is a powerful weather effect used in combination with Attacks Buffed by Blindness

Even now it's still a great move for PVP, aside from the Attacks buffed by Blindness, it takes a nice chunk out of any Dragon used on its own.

You can say this about many other weather effects. In fact, that is the purpose of weather effects: to enhance some other abilities.

Likewise you get attacks/moves buffed by Scorched Earth (Conflagrate), Blizzard (Deep Freeze, Howling Blast, Ice Lance), Lightning Storm (multi-hit attacks), Moonlight/Sunny Day (increased healing), etc. Point is: non of other weather effects has been shortened.

I think the reason is that Darkness is much stronger than other Weather effects. It reduces healing by 50% while Sunny day only increases is by 25% and it reduces hit chance by 50% which means that most abilities will have 45% hit chance, Burrow and Lift-Off like will have 25% hit chance and those stated as "high chance to miss" will always miss. This is really huge if your team is built around that.

[Stabya]

I think the reason is that Darkness is much stronger than other Weather effects.

That's how I should have put it. Totally agree. Scorched Earth probably 2nd place

All nerfs are pretty much with PVP in mind. When I went for my 50 win achieve, I was toying around with several comps, but really started to string together wins when I teamed a Gilnean Raven with a Ghostly Skull.

I think just about every testimonial to winning alot, contains at least one Pet or Ability that has been nerfed.

Aside from the nerf, I still Rank the Raven as one of the better PVP Pets in the Game