It seems that since the implementation of NL2, these faster round scenarios are becoming the normal areas for most groups rather than an extra challenge. It's even more now that we're testing/tuning the SK Expansion in NL2.
The fast rounds have offered a great advantage when it comes to CDs of offensive based tiers. Players are able to get tasks done in half the time. The drawback to the fast rounds are with the individual based tier buffs from the Paladin, MA, and F/M classes. Unlike Barbarian and Healer party-wide tier buffs, these other classes have to constantly keep their buffs on each of their party members every other minute. This isn't the biggest need currently in the game, but I do feel it'd be a solid quality of life upgrade for everyone if this was changed.
To solve this issue, I've thought of two simple options:
1) Allow these Paladin, MA, F/M tier buffs to become party-wide castable. (After casting Shield of X, the entire party receives the buff icon and the AC boost)
2) Double the current duration of these buffs so that they are able to match the effect from a regular rounded scenario. This would bring the recast time back to normal, and we wouldn't have to constantly be applying buffs. (Sticking with the Shield of X example, instead of having a 50 round duration, it would be increased to 100)
If anyone has any other solutions or opinions, I'd love to hear them.
A note on NL2 rounds and Class Tiers
Re: A note on NL2 rounds and Class Tiers
Fast scenarios are really just a bad idea for top end content, especially freshly released.
Unless it was solved at some point, the double hit problem where npcs hit you at the end of a round and the beginning of a round in a fraction of a second leads to artificially inflated difficulty, which is likely to lead to unnecessary nerfs that eventually get carried over to the normal alt where they aren't needed.
Barbs are already grossly overpowered relative to every other class in normal round timers (wicked job, Brad), and it's even more so when you're in a sped up alt where haste has no effect, so the classes that benefited greatly from it fall further behind.
This doesn't even say anything about the increased gains in those alts on top of faster kills and respawn where you're at a minimum getting 4x the gains as a normal alt, so all exp/skill progression is done in ridiculously short amounts of time.
Unless it was solved at some point, the double hit problem where npcs hit you at the end of a round and the beginning of a round in a fraction of a second leads to artificially inflated difficulty, which is likely to lead to unnecessary nerfs that eventually get carried over to the normal alt where they aren't needed.
Barbs are already grossly overpowered relative to every other class in normal round timers (wicked job, Brad), and it's even more so when you're in a sped up alt where haste has no effect, so the classes that benefited greatly from it fall further behind.
This doesn't even say anything about the increased gains in those alts on top of faster kills and respawn where you're at a minimum getting 4x the gains as a normal alt, so all exp/skill progression is done in ridiculously short amounts of time.
SIN
My father was a wolf, I'm a kinsman of the slain, Sworn to rise again
I will bring salvation, punishment and pain, The hammer of hate is our faith
Power and dominion are taken by the will, By divine right hail and kill
trav: you bad bad girl
My father was a wolf, I'm a kinsman of the slain, Sworn to rise again
I will bring salvation, punishment and pain, The hammer of hate is our faith
Power and dominion are taken by the will, By divine right hail and kill
trav: you bad bad girl