We feel like we might have made a design error with making Kusa Kao. To the people that have already unlocked him ,I would like to ask to share your suggestions. We are open for any rework.

Please do not ask in this topic what his current skills are. Only people that actually played with him should join this discussion.

Suggesions :

1st : Make his preparation skill add energy whenever he is attacked, not whenever an enemy skill occurs.

2nd : Make his preparation skill cost one wisdom energy.

3rd : (Alternative) Make his stun and drain skill deal 30 for one wisdom and one random permenantly without being altered by its preparation and omit the cooldown.

4th : (Alt. Cont.) Make his preparation last 2 or 3 turns with an effect that makes enemies unable to reduce damage or become invulnerable whenever he uses an offensive skill. Since the enemies look like they are in a forest, they must be hindered in one way or another. Nori has CD, Amaya has energy addition, so this is the GOOD ONE.

Thanks Fleur for ideas.

I think you should only remake his prep skill which sux.

Maybe affecting only one opponent and costing one random would work.

I feel his prep should be reworked. It's way too costly with one white and one random with no extra hit points, anti stun, or anti drain. His gaining energy isn't as great. I admit though his design is unique but I feel it's placed wrongly. Maybe increase his stun to 35 damage would make it better as well.

My opinion on this. Will edit later if I can think of anything else.

Edit: After reading Le_Malem here is my suggestion

- His prep should cost one wisdom and affliction skills cannot be used on him for five turns. I was thinking of Hit Points but I feel since he belongs in the Kusa clan this suits him more. Remove the additional energy / removing energy ? That might be pushing it.

- His damage should be 35 + stun + removing one energy with a cooldown of 1. Cost 1 wisdom + 1 random (Edit: Actually 25 damage is fine. This is a suggestion if it's too weak) / One wisdom will be fine if you decide to keep the additional energy / removal energy cost.

- His energy increase can stay the same with two randoms but instead of giving all the energy, maybe just one wisdom or two. It's similar to the exchange system but you can remove two randoms with the price of one. / Or this move can stay the same. I don't find it often useful since in this game we do not need a large amount of energy.

- His energy increase can stay the same with two randoms but instead of giving all the energy, maybe just one wisdom or two. It's similar to the exchange system but you can remove two randoms with the price of one. / Or this move can stay the same. I don't find it often useful since in this game we do not need a large amount of energy.

I have to disagree Fleur on this point. I found a purpose for this skill. It's tactic, instant. When I saw it, it hit me like a flash.
Tactic = Shogi. It's like Beautiful Dawn or Midnight Rain = Book of Mentality. I think the purpose of this skill is one and unique. TO USE THE SHOGI ITEM.

And that's where you're wrong my friend, use Kao, Kamiko and Yuurin and you'll need that hard man. You'll need Kao + Shogi very very hard.

Answering Fleur down there : I just pointed out why does the Shogi item exists... Well did you use the Shogi item once in your matches or even in the BETA ? I cannot think of any other purpose of this item. Or maybe the Shogi item must also be reworked and that would be a waste.

Edit (answering edit edit down there) : It was just a test match. I won't do that again lol.

- His energy increase can stay the same with two randoms but instead of giving all the energy, maybe just one wisdom or two. It's similar to the exchange system but you can remove two randoms with the price of one. / Or this move can stay the same. I don't find it often useful since in this game we do not need a large amount of energy.

I have to disagree Fleur on this point. I found a purpose for this skill. It's tactic, instant. When I saw it, it hit me like a flash.
Tactic = Shogi. It's like Beautiful Dawn or Midnight Rain = Book of Mentality. I think the purpose of this skill is one and unique. TO USE THE SHOGI ITEM.

I've done this before. But it doesn't exactly help me (it doesn't hurt me of course!) since most characters don't need a large amount of energy. This is merely a suggestion but the original move can probably help more people and my suggestion would probably make the move worse

Edit (answering above lol): Not every item have to exist a purpose for a certain character. There are items that I bought and I never used them once. Shogi is an excellent item for Kao and for his tactic move. Shogi can also be an excellent item for other people with their tactic moves (Yuurin for an example) I have only used Shogi for Kao and like I said, it didn't help me as greatly (it helped me but but not by much). It still has a cooldown of 1. Wait one turn. Use Shogi. Use Dark Blossom. That's a waste of three turns for something to gain what you already have; however, it's still a great item for Kao and if he were to keep the 4 randoms while reworking his other moves he can be very powerful

Edit, edit: I would never use Kao, Kamiko, and Yuurin in one team. It is by far very costly and no point (Also Yuurin can give energy too, no point in Kao + Shogi). If anything I will put Kao with Toraji since he needs it the most. I'm just saying though, not every item needs a purpose. I don't often use it and it's only my opinion and through my experience, if it works for you though by all means fight for it. Then again, I hardly use Kao other than missions.

I have to say that kusa kao is one of the weakest and the most heavy energy user.I blame most of it on his prep,his prep is useless it does nothing reasonable to him or his team mates.I suggest making the prep one random only and maybe put in a worthwhile effect like his teammates gain 10 dd or so.

It appeared Kusa Kao had a glitch were he only gets 1 energy instead of 4. This has now been resolved.

I want to see the outcome of this solved glitch before i want to proceed this topic.

Temporary Locked!

The bug did not solve the issues with Kao. So we are open for suggestions again.

I have a hard timeing understanding what you want us todo with him.

He has a prep that cost him 1 Wis + 1 random so thats kinda expensive prep, for this he gets to use ONE of his skills, and his other skill will normaly becomes cheaper when he does this.

The problem is that the skill he gains access to is not that impressive, its a 25dmg ranged stun, it will cost 1 wis + x random, where x is the number of skills your opponent uses normaly they will use around 1-2 skills every turn, the only way to really hinder them from useing alot of skills is either with mass stun or mass invurnability. Even if you do all that you still only get one good skill that also has a CD of 1.

So the reasons to even play with Kao are so small, when I did his mission and had to use him I used him together with Kamiko and Kao had a Shogi, and people got so afriad that I would get a free Dark Blossom that they always focused on him first, I think out of the 3 games that I got to use my blossom maybe once, and it didnt change the game, what changed it was that I was able to keep Kamiko alive long enuff to kill them all with her...

He was only a decoy and I didn't even use his skills.

I think it's an intressting mechanic you have with one every cheap and one every expensive ability that goes up and down in cost but I really think that Dark Blossom should just be a attack, I have no real clue about numbers but since you need a expensive prep for it, maybe have it along the lines of the other one, 30 mental dmg for 1 wis + 3 random and have it go up and down just like now. With a 1 turn cd.

That way he atleast have 2 good attacks that will normaly cost 2-3 energy but you opponent can somewhat decied what attack you can use and with the 1 turn cd on both of them he can even try use that.

Maybe his old skill and this new skill have to go up in damage to 30 and 35, so that he becomes a threat so that people want to attack him. He is a little more of assassin this way I understand that. So maybe it's not the best ide, but I think that haveing a move that has 3 turns of CD when his mechanic is that his skills should go up and down in cost is very strange and very hard to play with, and the reward you get for all your trouble is so very little.

EDIT: Yes gaining one of every kind of energy for only 1 random is very very good, the problem is that since Kao doesn't do anything good other than that and he needs to prep for it makes it so that your other 2 ninjas really have to be able to use that energy for something good else you are still in a bad spot after that Dark Blossom, Shogi + Kao is kinda good since Dark Blossom doesnt need the prep to cast only to be able to get it reduced in cost, but Shogi can fix that also.

But you are still fighting a uphill battle since Kao doesn't do much after the blossom.

I struggled to win games with him, but here are my ideas:

Twisted Labyrinth should cost 1 Wisdom. (Cost reduced from 1 wisdom, 1 random) Same effects otherwise.

Tangled Death should maintain it's current damage and effect, but it should be able to target to all characters who used a skill the previous turn. The chakra increase should remain. So basically if all opposing characters use a skill, it should cost 1 wisdom and 3 randoms, and it will have the effect of an aoe attack, drain and stun. If 2 characters use a skill it should cost 1 wisdom and 2 randoms and only effect the two opposing characters with the damage, drain and stun. (So on and so forth with 1 character using a skill) If no characters use a skill, Kao can't attack, which is beneficial in some cases because it gives Kao's team a free turn to do damage but it can also be his weakness. This balances out the effect, costs and fits nicely with his niche in the game. Cooldown 0. Costs can be played around with to make the base move which affects nobody cost no energy, so for each character the skill is used on the cost increases by 1 random or something, this was an after thought incase he's still not winning games.

Other skills remain the same.

Any feedback from anyone would be greatly appreciated, I thought it was a nice idea and I hope that some others do too!

His preparation is the biggest problem. With his 25 dmg he isn't obviously a spiker, and his energy gain isn't very usefull unless you allready have prep and all 3 enemies attacked or Shogi where he can just get stunned AND why would you need 4 extra energies if your not using 2 high cost characters at the same time. Exception could be when you fight drainers/cost increasers. How about this:

Twisted Labirynth : 1 Wisdom 1 Random
Kusa Kao affects all targetable enemies with Twisted Labirynth allowing Tangled Death on them. If an enemy uses a skill then in the following turn skills of this character cost 1 additional random energy.
Also keeping the Tangled Death and Dark Blossom Effect


Other possibility is to just remove cooldown of Tangled Death and take away 5 damage.
People usually leave him for last since he isn't a threat at all. When someone spikes him first means he sees him for the first time and is scared of unknown.

no offense people who designed him but although he is unique, the whole entire design.... is just wrong

the prep is too costly and does nothing beneficial other then allowing the use of skills you will never be able to use

change twisted labryinth to just a single white with some DD or even DR (skill doesnt end when DD does)

his stun/drain should stay at 1 white 1 random and cannot be altered through the effects of his prep, that way he can atleast DO SOMETHING

i see nothing wrong with his energy gain skill, it can be quite useless in some occassions, but costing 1 energy at times make its awesome at times

the end

The problem with Kao is quite simple if you keep his design completely the same as it is now and it all starts with - Twisted Labyrinth.

Twisted Labyrinth- This skill need some added utility. The fact that:
A. It enables Tao to attack
B. Alters Tao's moveset costs

For 1 wisdom and 1 random it is a poor implementation of a preparation skill. The problem is he offers his team NOTHING other than being an energy battery, which usually results in a poor defensive round of some character on your team getting killed.

If you compare Kao to other Disruptors you'll notice one thing. He neither aids his allies or has good survivability.

Disruption Characters who aid allies:
Asami
Yukigaaru
Akira(A way more efficient energy generating character)
Shoji
Yume
Niwa

Disruption Characters with good survivability:
Sasori
Yuguna

I would suggest adding an effect onto Twisted Labyrinth something that neutralizes(stuns) a team effect.

Suggestions for Twisted Labyrinth
1. A character who uses a skill on Kao or his teammates will have their skills increased in cost by 1 random the following turn.

2. Invulnerability will be ignored on all enemies.

3. Tactic skills used by all enemies will cost 1 additional random

4. Any enemy who uses a stun effect will be stunned the following turn and take 5 affliction damage.

Now for Tangled Death. This is his ONLY offensive skill, it must be prepped for, has a cooldown of 1, AND increases with cost to at least 2-3 additional random energy each turn. Like most prep exclusive skills I would suggest that this ability be somewhat useful outside of his prep.

Tangled Death-
This skill only deals 25 damage when Twisted Labyrinth isn't active. When Twisted Labyrinth is active this skill costs 1 additional random energy, stuns the target, and drains 1 random energy.

Last but not least Dark Blossom. This is probably the only useful skill. The problem with it is that it relies on a two energy costing prep and your opponent to attack all out in one turn to pay for itself with any benefit. I would suggest an energy generator that is at least somewhat groundbreaking.

Dark BlossomCost 1 random energy-
During twisted Labyrinth this skill costs no energy. Target one enemy. This skill will give you additional energy next turn equal to the energy spent by the enemy marked by this ability. This skill is invisible when used.

personally i liked the idea Hikaru posted on the balance thread ill find it and edit it into my post

EDIT:

Kusa Kao
Yeah, he's obviously the most UP character. I think either his Twisted Labyrinth should cost 1 random OR his Tangled Dance shouldn't cost anything. Or maybe even both. :)

anyways that's his idea i think its good and whould help Kao as a character instead of just changing his prep

He is so op!
I mean like, he can gain 4 energy for 1, and heal all his teammates to full health for 1 (Once, in the few turns)
AND THEN HE DOES........................................

Lol.
I forgot, he does nothing :/

I still think that my post on the discussion thread was a good one

The post:

Here's the issue, the prep is extremely costly for it does........which is essentially nothing.
If all 3 enemies use a skill, he can gain 1 of each energy.......next turn :/
So if they spike him down, lol.

And his only offensive move is completely lulzy. Initially, it sounds like a good deal. 25 damage + drain + stun for 1 specific, 1 cooldown. Of course, the cost then increases.......and increases. One enemy, it's good. 2 enemies..............awww crap. All 3 enemies? Yeah, lol. Sure, his blossom get's better, but he'll be useless for the next 3 turns if the enemy has low cost skill uses like Jun, Takeo, Tadao, Niwa, etc etc.
I think the main issue is this design. Your opponents are pretty much rewarded for using multiple skills.
What I think would be interesting, is 3 things.
1. The initial costs of Dark Blossom and Tangled Death are reversed.
So, if they use multiple skills, you can stun them cheaply. If they play timid, you got some sweet energy gain.

2. Twisted Labrinyth gains an additional effect. For the cost, it is fairly useless :/
Possibly the worst prep in the game. 1 specific, 1 random for what............oh I can use my shitty skills :/
Please.
Maybe something like if an enemy uses a skill while affected, they will be stunned for 1 turn longer if Tangled Death is used on them next turn?

Or what about a length/cd decrease of 1, and then a cost decrease to 1 specific only?
It's to costly to set him up, especially as he does close to nothing.

3. Tangled Death loses the cost/drain/5 damage and goes down by 1 cd, but increases by 1 cd for 1 turn if used after Dark Blossom.

Something weird, but given the perfect opponents, going labriynth - death - blossom - death - lol :/
Is his only method of movement.
And that's until utterly ideal conditions.

Just some nutrients for postive growth (I couldn't resist.)