Damage Reflect in Pink Bean

Pink Bean has been out since 3-4 months and it has been defeated about 45+ times. Thankfully, majority of the runs are recorded so I was able to take closer look into Pink Bean’s behavior, specifically the skill Damage Reflect. I referred to videos from the original MapleStory from different regions (KMS/GMS/JMS) and was able to compare how Damage Reflect specifically worked back then and how it works in ML. I will explore 3 different points that I believe should be considered heavily to make the Bean as challenging and nostalgic as possible.


Damage Reflect’s consistency

Firstly, I want to talk about the consistency bosses casting Damage Reflect back in the day. A lot of the time the skill is casted almost immediately after its off cooldown. However, in MapleLegends that’s not the case, especially for Pink Bean where it can cast Damage Reflect right when its off cooldown or 1-3 minutes later. This creates unpredictable and inconsistent DRs and it allows for a greater damage uptime, where originally DR is a way to cut down damage uptime and poses a threat to ranged attackers where paying attention is important. If we take Beater’s run on the 15th Jan, it took them 40minutes and 2seconds to kill the PB with it casting 21 DRs, whereas the Broa PB fight started took 22minutes and 56seconds to kill the PB with it casting 21 DRs. If DR was consistent (casted on an average of 62seconds), Beaters would have to go through atleast 16 more DRs which is around 5minutes and 20seconds (320seconds) of downtime which is extremely significant. This is true to all ML runs (you can see the timestamps of DR being casted in the spoilers below).

Spoiler: Beaters 15th Jan

15th Jan Pink Bean DRs (Timer based):
Bean fight began: 49:36
46:04
44:31
42:52
41:29
39:47
38:13
36:37
35:27
33:27
32:05
27:13
25:08
23:29
22:15
21:08
20:08
18:32
16:51
15:31
14:30
12:55
9:34 (No DR) END

Spoiler: Beaters 7th Jan

Jan 7th Pink Bean DRs (Timer Based):
Bean Fight started: 55:08
52:12
50:30
49:10
47:43
45:38
44:28
41:29
40:00
38:21
36:26
35:24
34:18
33:14
31:30
29:40
27:58
24:29
23:11
22:00
19:35
17:26
16:01
13:41
12:54 (No DR) END

Spoiler: Blu301 16th Jan

Jan 16th Pink Bean DRs (Timer Based):
Bean Fight Started: 59:13
56:43
54:04
52:21
50:30
49:23
48:07
46:30
45:02
43:20
38:45
37:30
36:19
34:14
30:12
27:36
25:37
25:04 (no DR) END

Spoiler: Blu301 14th Jan

Jan 14th Pink Bean DRs (Timer Based):
Bean Fight Start: 58:44
55:27
52:57
50:17
48:07
46:47
45:07
43:21
41:07
36:48
35:11
31:06
28:34
28:07 (No DR) END

Spoiler: NoraONE/Asia Run 15th Jan

Bean Fight Start: 51:06
Jan 15th Pink Bean DRs (Timer Based):
47:47
45:32
43:33
42:24
41:02
39:43
38:31
37:24
34:45
33:28
32:18
30:12
28:05
25:30
24:20
22:08
20:18
19:15
17:13
15:27
13:29
11:48
10:38
8:40 (No DR) END

Damage Reflect Mechanic

While comparing the videos from KMS/GMS/JMS to ML, the way DR works is that you’re supposed to deal 1damage during the animation of the skill being casted and you will trigger DR’s damage. However, in Maplelegends that is not the case, you deal normal damage during the animation of it being casted, and 1 damage 2 seconds into the buff showing. If we change MLs DR to match how DR worked originally or change it so that once the DR "buff" icon appears it triggers DR, this makes DR more of a threat to players who aren’t paying attention. Although, if this change does happen I believe changing the limit on wheels from 1 per run to 2-3 allowing for some mistakes to happen.

I personally believe that in order for DR to be a lethal mechanic, you need DR to be a predictable skill, hence the suggestion asking for a consistent DR timer. I also believe that this change is better for the long run, considering Pink Bean is the hardest boss in Pre-BB maple, it should feel very challenging to clear this content.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on Damage Reflect and I'd like to read your opinions, please keep insults and personal differences aside so we can have a constructive thread going.

--

Original Video Footage (Links in spoilers)

Spoiler: KMS - El Nido (slightly post bb)

KMS - El Nido (Timer Based):

DR Begin - DR End
6:30-6:10
5:25-5:05
4:22-4:02
3:21-2:57
2:18-1:58

Spoiler: GMS - Mardia

GMS - Mardia (Timer Based):

(DR timers are approximations (could be 2seconds off the actual timer), looking at the video chat box someone spamming STOP ATKS since the recorder is usually not nearby to see when it actually pops/ends)

DR Begin - DR End
8:49-8:23
7:40-7:12
6:40-6:10
5:40-5:07
4:33-4:00
3:26-3:00

Spoiler: JMS - 6/26/2010

JMS - 6/26/2010 ピンクビーン楓 (Timer Based):

DR Begin - DR End
7:52-7:32
6:50-6:30
5:40-5:20
4:38-4:18
3:33-3:13
2:28-2:08
1:26-1:06
0:25-0:05

Spoiler: MSea - Aquila

MSea - Aquila 1st Pink Bean Speed Run (Timer Based):

Dr Begin - DR End
48:17-47:57
47:07-46:47
46:05-45:45
45:01-44:41
43:56-43:36
42:52-42:32
41:50-41:30
40:47-40:27
39:45-39:25
38:41-38:21

Spoiler: GMS - Broa 12/06/2010

[Broa 12/06/10] Pink Bean Speed Run (Timer Based):

Bean Fight began 44:07

DR Begin - DR End
42:50-42:27
41:49-41:26
40:47-40:25
39:44-39:24
38:40-38:18
37:36-38:08
36:31-36:11
35:28-35:05
34:24-34:02
33:22-33:02
32:20-32:00
31:15-30:55
30:14-29:54
29:10-28:50
28:08-27:48
27:05-26:45
26:02-25:42
24:56-24:32
23:53-23:33
22:50-22:30
21:49-21:29
21:11 END

 

What you're saying is probably true if DR triggered almost immediately, however that is not the case, you can attack ~2 seconds into DR without it triggering. 90 minutes should be enough to kill it even with consistent DRs, it just adds more downtime so depending on the squad it might make the fight really close.

While that is true currently, DR as of right now is a non-threat most of the time because of how it works currently, you're able to stop before it doing damage to you, from what I observed DR doesn't trigger the normal invincibility touch/spell damage does, so if DR triggers like how it should, it would be a threat that people should be careful. In the video from Broa (linked now since I forgot originally) you can see DR damaging players more closely around the video timestamp 20:30-20:45.