Intro

These ideas are based on my experiences stretching from Arena of Solare, open world, and Node wars. Awakened Ninja suffers from an over reliance on using skills off the hot bar, poor skill flow, a lack of reliable damage outside of Serpent Ascension and Drastic Measure, poor accuracy modifiers, restrictive passive, and unreliable safety in mobility. Below are my ideas suggesting ways to potentially improve the class.

Suggestions

Video: https://youtu.be/3NmHbQvASik

Suggestion: Revert Shadow Clone to be a flow of Shadow Stomp.

Details: The pre awakened skill Shadow Clone used to flow after the skill Shadow Stomp (S+E), this was changed so that Shadow Clone no longer flows and can only be cast from the hot bar. Due to the large number of skills Awakened Ninja needs to hot bar, this skill is essentially never used. Allow it to flow after Shadow Stomp again, LMB after Shadow Stomp will cast Shadow Clone. Increase damage of skill, remove air smash.

Suggestion: Increase the reliability of main hand skills Absolute Black Moonlight, Beheading the Dead and Shuriken Flight

Details: A few Awakened Ninja's main hand skills are rarely utilised in PVP or PVE, either due to lack of accessibility, lack of fluidity or low damage.
Skill Absolute Black Moonlight, can only be used via hot bar and is hardly used due to Awakened Ninja's heavy reliance on hot bar skills, making it difficult to find space to slot in. This skill can not be cancelled or fast cast like its counterpart Prime Black Moonlight. Allow this skill to flow off other skills and allow this skill to be fast cast or speed up its animation. For example, RMB after Shadow Stomp (S+E) would fast cast Black Moonlight and RMB after Smoke Screen would fast cast Black Moonlight. Increase damage, and accuracy.
The Skill Absolute Beheading the Dead (SHIFT+E) is a two-part skill, the first part an AOE stun and the second part an explosion damage AOE. This skill was only used for its initial stun followed by cancelling for other skills. This skill becomes unreliable due to its slow initial wind up, self lock down and is too clunky to utilise in present Awakened Ninja movement. Speed up the initial cast of Absolute Beheading the Dead (the stun), allow us to fast cast the damage explosion after Smoke Screen like Kuno Smoke Screen to Flash Slash. Smoke Screen followed by Beheading the Dead would cast the second half of Beheading the Dead (only damage explosion no stun). Increase damage, Accuracy, -15 DP debuff should be changed to -20 DP and debuff should apply at the start of the skill.
The Skill Absolute Shuriken Flight could use an increase in speed and increase in Damage and/or Accuracy.
Increase damage and accuracy of Absolute Bladespin.

Suggestion: Reduce the number of hot bar skills, by locking unused main hand skills.

Details: Awakened Ninja relies heavily on the hot bar to cast his skills, especially to switch between main hand and awakening. Currently the skills Murderous Intent (SHIFT+LMB) and Katana Shower (SHIFT+F) are two awakening skills that can be cast from pre awakening via the hot bar. Allow us to lock the main hand skills Ankle Cutter (SHIFT+LMB) and Boss Slaughter (SHIFT+F) so when the key inputs are entered, they cast their awakened counterparts in Murderous Intent and Katana Shower.

Suggestion: Increase damage and reliability of Awakened Ninja skills.

Details: Awakened Ninja damage is underwhelming and unreliable, Awakened Ninja relies on Serpent Ascension (S+F in awakening) and Drastic Measure (SHIFT+RMB in awakening) for most of his damage. When these skills fail no more reliable options are available. When in skirmish Serpent Ascension is too risky to use, the BON version gives a very short frontal guard that is generally overshadowed by the other BON options. Even with good AP and Accuracy the damage of Awakened ninja feels underwhelming. Suggestions to increase damage and reliability:

• Mach Explosion:
  - Change addons from tier 2 to tier 3.
  - 10% Accuracy buff for 4 seconds.
  - Increase the speed of the skill.
  - Allow skill to finish regardless of character state.
  - Increase damage on explosion.

• Serpent Ascension:
  - Increase accuracy modifier and increase damage.
  - Make Serpent Ascension frontal guard by default, remove the BON option.
  - Make Serpent Ascension cast two waves when in transition stance and one wave in - regular stance. Give the player the choice.
  - Up critical hit rate buff from +18% to +22% so that the critical hit rate with add-on (20%) and with base +5 crit (18%) will be an even 60%.

• Drastic Measure: Increase damage

• Corrupt Sword Dance: Increase dash range, damage, and accuracy.

• Vacuum Slash: Increase damage, accuracy, allow last hit to flow after Serpent Ascension (S+F > RMB).

• Murderous Intent: Change critical hit rate from 50% to 100% in PVP.

• Silent Charge: Increase Iframe duration to increase reliability in higher latency.

• Transition Stance: Allow more ways to access Transition Stance and Silent Charge. Example: Casting Murderous Intent from main hand uses Transition Stance Murderous Intent.

• Flashing Light: Allow skill to be cancelled earlier if skill is cancelled damage will not apply. Increase evasion shred to -10%.

• Killer Training: The Ninja passive gives +12 AP and 10% all evasion. Awakened Ninja suffers from very low base accuracy modifiers, this forces most Awakened Ninjas to build DR with Bheg’s gloves for the accuracy. Give the option to choose between 10% evasion or increased Accuracy Rate or Special Attack Damage.

• Flash Bondage: Increase initial reach out speed, give Increased Grip passive (+30 Grapple success rate).