Smith of Kitava: Feedback on "Smith's Masterwork" Limitations

Some feedback and comparison regarding Smith's Masterwork "Normal Body Armour" limitation with the other Ascendancies.

With future patches, new and interesting Unique body armours will surface. Smith's Masterwork feels overly restrictive and does push me away from considering the ascendancy.

Issues:
If I do not take Smith's Masterwork, the remaining Ascendancy points seems to pull in various different directions; Fire Spell, Ele Res, Empower, Companion.

If I do take Smith's Masterwork, I do feel like I need to invest at least 4 Ascendancies point to compete against a well rolled Body Armour. However as the character progresses, Smith's Masterwork feels weaker as I get access to better Rare/Unique Body Armour. This is antithetical to other ascendancy classes (example below).

- Crimson Power (Blood Mage): Scales with better equipped Body Armour without any limitation
- Crystalline Phylactery (Lich): Scales with good Jewel, downside is easily circumnavigated
- Instruments of Power (Disciple of Varashta): Additional Focus at 50% effectiveness
- Lead me through Grace... (Invoker): Good planning and well rolled gear circumnavigates the limitations. Scales well with gear progression & does not restrict player from equipping armour
- Stalking Panther (Amazon): Similar to Invoker, no restriction on equipping armour
- Penetrate (Amazon): Scales with well rolled weapon with no limitation on weapon that can be used
- Unfurled Finger & Mystic Attunement (Ritualist): There is a downside but player has a decision and it can be circumnavigated, no restriction on what can be equipped
- Watch How I Do It (Tactician): Similar to Amazon's Penetrate, scales with well rolled Weapon with no limitation
- Stone Skin (Titan): Scales with good Body Armour with no downside
- Renly's Training (Warbringer): Arguably does not scale if shield by default has more than 35% block; but can be built around to maximise the Ascendancy point's value. No restriction on the type of Shield player can equip

During the livestream when Martial Artist's "Way of the Stonefist" was revealed, a well rolled rare glove (and I do believe unique glove based on ZiggyD FAQ) scales well without any limitation on the type of gloves that can be used.

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I hope the dev team can take a look at Smith's Masterwork to trim away the restrictive nature of the ascendancy. While other Ascendancy classes scale well with gear upgrades, Smith's Masterwork has little to no wiggle room.

Or maybe there is a hidden ascendancy in 0.5 that tackles that... one can dream.

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Suggestions without overhauling Smith's Masterwork
- Initial Point remains free & no restriction on equippable body armour rarity
- Initial Point has "x% Reduced Bonuses Gained from Equipped Body Armour", similar to Instruments of Power
- Each Ascendancy Node that branches from Smith's Masterwork grants +x armour and have its value/effect tweaked

Design still encompasses the spirit of the class fantasy. You equip your body armour but it is slightly dinged up while you make adjustments and improvements to it. Still creates some friction as body armour mods are reduced, but there is no restriction on Body Armour Rarity.

+1