[Zealot] [Traits] Suggestions for changes to zealot's traits

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Gameplay Feedback
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Zealot is already a popular class but some changes to talents could help build diversity and change up the Zealot’s role as a pure tank.

Unbending Purpose
[Rework]
Increases power by 20%
Increases damage taken by 10%

Reasoning
While increased power is a tempting choice as it affects both melee and ranged damage, Castigate offers a far more powerful buff at the cost of being on low life. While full life, tank Zealots may use this talent over the others, this rework aims to increase the risk-reward nature of the class by increasing both damage dealt and received.

Blood Fervor
[Replaces Armour of Faith]
Fiery Faith grants and additional 5% increased power and damage reduction per 25 missing health
Fiery Faith measures temporary health in addition to permanent health

Reasoning
Zealot has always been a safe choice for a high damage tank that thrives off low life but the riskiness of the class is offset by the safe padding of temporary health one can easily obtain. This talent aims to increase both the risk and reward of being close to death by including temporary health in Fiery Faith’s calculations.

Armour of Faith is a strong talent that most players will generally pick in the tier but it functions similarly to Holy Fortitude by upping the defensiveness of the player. By replacing this talent, more variety in builds can be obtained rather than the talent row consisting of only defensive buffs.

Fanatical Will
[Replaces Devotion]
Recover temporary health instead of permanent health
20% slower temporary health decay

Reasoning
Zealots’ main weakness is passive health regeneration from Waystalkers and now Grail Knights. Players aiming to maintain a higher stack of Fiery Faith as well as certain zealot talents find annoyance in the benign hinderance of these character’s passives. With recovering of temporary health instead of permanent, Zealot players can play a more risky style while reaping the benefits of the class’ low life buffs.

Devotion is a talent rarely used since the simple damage reduction offered by Calloused Without And Within is far more benificial, safe, and conisistent compared to Devotion’s conditional and more dangerous use.

Faith’s Fury
[Rework]
Attacks during Holy Fervour increases power by 5% for the duration of Holy Fervour. Stacks up to 10 times. Dodging resets stacks.

Reasoning
Faith’s Fury offers more offensive capabilities to the Zealot but is easily outclassed by Flagellant’s Zeal’s immense cooldown reduction. Fell Nothing provides a strong but niche defensive buff and is also used by a lot of players. By changing Faith’s Fury, the talent can boast a very strong offensive buff albeit only for a short duration and at a severe cost to damage avoidance by limiting dodging. This talent matches the Zealot’s theme of strong offense and little regard for one’s own safety.

Thoughts on these suggestions? Would these changes make the class too powerful or ruin preexisting builds?

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That just won’t work. You either do not pick temp hp talents at all, or loose all stacks as horde appear

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So Zealot could be stacking 80% power, up to 130% during ult.
Well, it would certainly give him a damage edge over WHC. I like him being rewarded for being played with risk.

As Mr_sp1ce identified, temp health generation could be an issue for Blood Fervor. Perhaps Zealot’s healshare talent could be replaced with a damage reduction talent?

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I’m posting this here because making a new thread would seem like a waste to me.

The idea of making Zealot’s buffs proc on a self-damaging flagellation attack has been brought up before, and I think it makes the most sense. While I do like the hit-trading with enemies aspect Zealot has currently, I believe the changes I’ve outlined below could work as an alternative that gives the player more control.

Core Rework
  • Fiery Faith
    Zealot can self-flagellate in a very short animation, which deals 25 damage to self, gives a stack of Fiery Faith (15% power per stack), and can stack 3 times. Duration of 15s. Only effects melee power.
  • Possible in-game text for Fiery Faith
    Victor can self-flagellate by holding the weapon special key, which does 25 damage to self and gives a stack of Fiery Faith that bestows 15% melee power for 15 seconds. Stacks up to 3 times.
  • Flagellation
    Done by holding the weapon special button down (like a charged attack). This is so weapon specials like the Rapier pistol shot and the Billhook pull can still be used.
Level 10 Talents
  • Castigate
    Each stack of Fiery Faith increases attack speed by 7%.
  • Smite
    Flagellation causes your next melee attack within 15 seconds to be a guaranteed critical hit.
  • Unbending Purpose
    Each stack of Fiery Faith gives an additional 5% melee power.
Level 20 Talents
  • Crusade
    Each stack of Fiery Faith also increases movement speed by 10%.
  • Holy Fortitude
    Each stack of Fiery Faith also increases healing received by 25%.
  • Armour of Faith
    Each stack of Fiery Faith also reduces damage taken by 10%. Effects damage taken from Flagellation.
Level 25 Talents
  • Devotion
    Taking damage from Flagellation or enemies increases movement speed by 30% for 2 seconds. Getting attacked no longer slows movement speed.
  • Redemption through Blood
    Flagellation restores stamina to full.
  • Calloused Without and Within
    Damage taken reduced by 10%. Effects damage taken from Flagellation.
Level 30 Talents
  • Faith’s Flurry
    Holy Fervour’s duration is increased to 7 seconds. Attacks during Holy Fervour increase power by 2% for 7 seconds. Stacks up to 10 times.

Notes
“Redemption through Blood” could be renamed to “Redemption through Penance”. I swear I still get some kind of slowdown when getting hit with Devotion, so this could be fixed.

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