Balance: An Average Players Perspective

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Strider99, Mar 20, 2021.

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  1. FBohler

    FBohler Avatar

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    I agree there are a bunch of no-brainers now. Savage Sonata, Bandit Gear, Air Shield, Tactics Spec, etc.

    Considering you're right and nerfing all of those will make them less obvious choices, then what are the alternatives?

    Air shield vs _________
    Savage Sonata vs __________
    Bandit gear vs _________
    Tactics spec vs _________

    In all seriousness, for a ranged player there's barely any reason to use other build.

    So this will lead to my opinion: nerfing one aspect of the game without providing any alternative will ultimately make the game less fun to play (PVE-wise).
     
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  2. Violet Ronso

    Violet Ronso Avatar

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    If we are talking about a scenario post nerf for these

    Air shield vs the other shield choices, the focus regen nerf would make this a less obvious choice, which would make Death Shield, Earth shield and Shield of Ice their moments where they would be better choices vs Shield of Air


    Savage Sonata, this one should be nerfed with the instrument requirement, add in a crit damage cap (which we desperately need) and then you can chose between this or Berserker's stance.

    Bandit gear vs Crafted gear, this one is simple, if bandit gear gets nerfed, it should serve a niche purpose and make crafted leather armor have their place again.

    Tactics spec vs plenty of other spec options, honestly, depends on your build and playstyle here, I've played a ton without tactics spec, and have seen some very strong archers not using it at all.
     
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  3. FBohler

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    Other magic shields? Meh, might unlearn a few skills and go fire mage.

    Make Savage Sonata and Berserker's Stance be mutually exclusive? Maybe I'll drop Tactics Spec and go for Fire Spec.

    Nerf Bandit Gear to be on par with crafted gear so I'll get basically the same DPS of melee players? Maybe I'll change to bludgeon or polearms so I can at least get some stun locks. That and/or fire magic to aoe&dot.

    Ultimately: it's crit damage that puts ranged in advantage DPS wise. Considering ranged can't stun or anything, crippling its DPS will take it from meta to worthless. I rather become a fire mage or bludgeon tamer. Then off the devs go nerfing other skills and builds

    I hope I was able to convey why I think nerfs won't help without a counterpart to make uninteresting skills more useful.

    Obviously there's PVP, and in that case I'm favourable to nerf stuff in PVP so fights last for more than 5 seconds.
     
  4. Violet Ronso

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    On the contrary, you seem to be giving us the prime example of a min-maxing FOTM following player, which is the prime cause of all our arguments, if your OP build won't work you'll simply change for the next OP build down the list.

    Chris just released the popularity order of specs, Ranged is 1st, Air and tactics a bit further down the list, seems like there are a bunch of archers who seem to make it work without tactics and/or air specs! You simply need to get a bit more creative and try new things.
     
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  5. FBohler

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    So the problem is players looking for the most effective way to play the game?

    Just to clarify, popularity equals performance? If so, I think Ranged Spec needs a nerf then.
     
  6. Barugon

    Barugon Avatar

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    I just want to play an archer. The only reason I have tactics specialization is because it ultimately makes archery more effective for me than ranged specialization did. Every decision I have made about combat skills is related to how I can make archery more effective without making it too cumbersome.
     
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  7. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    I just want to be a sword and board, plate armor wearing, melee fighter. Talk about a pointless build! ;)
     
  8. FBohler

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    Yeah, I agree.

    Some people think that somehow your build will get better if archery is nerfed. :confused:
     
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  9. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    Honestly, I could care less about nerfing other builds. With a limitless skill system this game will NEVER be balanced, I don't know how many nerf cycles we have to go through for people to realize this.

    All I want, is to be able to play the game as a melee fighter, who wears heavy armor. Can I do it, sure. Is it effective, absolutely not.
     
  10. Xee

    Xee Bug Hunter

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    That is true. by next year we will see this again and the next year and so on. As players progress further and further and new types of gear , artifacts and buffs (food etc) come into the game things will always going out of balance in some form or discovery. thus every mmo to date has had to do on going balances. I think that all my builds over 8 years has been nerfed at least 3+ times . I have had to crunch numbers to figure out how much further I need to drive skills to change a nerf back into pre nerf. Its usually possible. we went from 200-300dex being invincible as archers many years ago when it was nerfed and the graph moved it to 400 than 500 for dex. the curves will always be adjusted over time to ensure that top level possible falls in line with content. Look at it as I do. the 1% top guys are technically the testers of the future which based on their results the math will be adjusted to ensure content growth for all below will be there in the long run.

    The downside is the 1% depending on how long that adjustment takes will continue to create a massive gap between them and others making if very difficult to balance on the lower side of things. unless there are multiple points on the curve for various level ranges. which would create some slower levels here and there to even it out with out handicapping everyone at once. just my thoughts.
     
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  11. Barugon

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    What's not effective about it? I have another avatar that uses heavy armor and polearms. This character is not nearly as developed as my main but I can see that he's pretty effective. Maybe the way I approach it is different than you? For instance, when I'm looking for skills that will make my main fighting ability better, I consider all skills, including magic which, to me, are just skills and I have no dogmatic hangups regarding their use.
     
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  12. Violet Ronso

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    Heavy Armor spec has been the best and most fun build I've used over the years, if it wasn't for the fact that I want to play a water mage, I would still be Heavy Armor + any melee weapon. It is good, it works well, its just less effective against big groups of mobs, but anything else is a breeze usually.
     
  13. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    The fact that I HAVE to use magic in order to be even remotely viable. Also, does your "alt" have the same capabilities as your main? Is he/she able to tackle the same challenges and monsters solo?

    Admittedly, I do use some magic, but shouldn't I be able to play as your typical "Ultima" style fighter (meaning no magic) and still be able to "compete"? I would like to think so, especially in a system that touts, "Play however you want!". However, a limitless skill system has had the opposite effect. It has created an environment where most people play the flavor of the month min/max build until that gets nerfed and the cycle continues.
     
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  14. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    That's great, I am glad that has been your experience. Sadly, it has not been mine.
     
  15. Xee

    Xee Bug Hunter

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    There are mobs that are 100% magic resistant, also that there is also schools that can't do all the content (*cough death has no way to heal when fighting undead). A sword can do all content in game. well it may not be faster, its effective at all in the long run.
     
  16. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    I have not found this to be the case with the ghosts in the Well of Aldur! They regen faster than the damage I can output.
     
  17. Xee

    Xee Bug Hunter

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    yeah ghosts for any living is harder. for me its less hard as the life steal dont work as much on lich kind :) one of the few undead that does not hurt as much for death. Just like slimes if you use magic they never split. where physical causes them to split. many mobs designed with different banes for both sides.
     
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  18. Barugon

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    No. My alt is AL 67 and my main is AL 127.
     
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  19. Powersurge45

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    You can play as a pure melee fighter and be awesome...you just have to be an alchemist or buy potions to suppliment it. there are plenty of potions to fill the gaps in your build...nothing is cookie cutter...also food has now became a player as well.
     
  20. Galorn

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    This is the worst release that I have seen. Not only is my build putting out half the damage that it was (after over 2 years of building it up), but now when I go to sell the tea leaves and pumpkins to the NPC vendor, I get one gold instead of three? And the seeds cost the same price? I have been playing this game religiously, but I think it is time to look for another game.
     
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