Runners run too much

NPC enemy archers and mages need a longer cool down between standing still and running. Also, the fact that they can simply run toward you then casually right past you while not attacking and you are attacking seems a little ridonkulous.

 

As a mage I'm interested in this suggestion, but I don't understand the issue. Could you explain it in more detail? Thanks!

 

Kara, I think Crease is referring to archer/mage MOBS, not players.

 

Yes, he means the mobs.

They should indeed run away less frequently, it's totally annoying having to chase them nonstop, like a "cat & mouse" or "ping pong" minigame.
It looks akward and feels just wrong.

Not only do you then aggro the entire area while chasing the ranged mobs, but they also tend to "reset" quite often which can be very frustrating.

Plus, many knockdowns, stuns, root spells and what not don't really help much to keep em from running arround like chickens.

 

DUH! Sorry for misunderstanding the issue!

 

I would actually say that mobs that run are doing perfect.... but the lack of meaningful debuffs like snare is the real problem .... any snare from cold spells is hardly effective enough to warrant the GCD. I always wonder why these guy's are scared of long lasting effects and why everything needs to be themed around twitch reflexes.

 

That the GCD exists at all, with the deck system, is illogical, punitive, and counter-intuitive.

After testing combat in R21 for a few dozen hours, it's clear to me there's a whole bunch of conflicting mechanics at work in SOTA, at the moment. Hopefully they'll have time to smooth and polish before launch, because it's pretty messy right now.

In many cases, aggro range is larger than max casting/attack range, for the player. Makes ranged attacks pointless, especially when no combination of current skills will actually keep a critter at range that doesn't want to be, and no combination of current skills will keep a ranged critter near you, if they don't want to be.
"Magical" melee attacks are woefully inadequate given their focus cost, and the range is ridiculously short on them, too. I haven't seen a "magical" melee attack that's worth casting, outside of the smoldering shiv combo, in R21, when compared to any other non-magical weapon attack.
It's comical to stand inside skeleton archers. They never stop moving, and never attack. How did that pass QA?
As always, mob AI is one of the least developed systems, when it could provide the most value. It's normal for a title with more "designers" than programmers, though, so I don't blame the worker bees.
But this whole focus on housing when it's insignificant to daily gameplay? Milestone priorities are all messed up, imo. *sigh* it's their investment capital to burn, I s'pose.

 

If you CC them, do mobs not fall? Maybe all those skills you set to supportive when they hit level 10 and removed from your deck are useful after all.

Albeit short durations, its been said several times they plan to rework CC.

 

(I will presume "CC" is "Crowd Control" since that is what google brought up)

From my experience fighting PvE archers using a Melee character, I find that "knockdown" effects don't always stop the opponent from moving, which makes them less useful than intended.

The animation will occur and the target will fall, but they will simply slide on the ground to a new position further away from me. Meaning I use that precious time closing the distance, rather than smacking them.​

"Charge" for instance closes the distance to the opponent, but has an animation error which interferes with subsequent attacks (the player character enters an improper walking animation upon completion).


The concept is there sure, but the implementation needs work.

Perhaps in the future, managing archers will be simpler. However, right now they are a pain in the tush.

 

Agree completely Raas, but I think its just a matter of time before its fixed. I didn't look to see if this was in the known issues list, but if not it may need a more detailed and specific thread so they can see it occurring via screenshot. If when I get home tonight, I don't see anything new I will do my best to recreate it.

 

Edited first post to reflect that yes I did mean the enemy mobs.

If we actually had useful CC then yes, this would be less annoying probably. Duke Rass is also correct that CCs like knockdown just dont work right. You can knock them down and they continue running....or rather, they slide on their backs across the ground and pop right back up where they would have fled to. Roots are supposed to get some love too and I think the main issue with CC is balancing it for PvP.

But that doesn't address the fact that it really makes no sense that they are able to run right past you...facing you. If I am hacking at you with my axe...you are not going to be able to just casually run past me. To the left, to the right, turn and run away sure. But it is just plain wrong that they suddenly stop what they are doing, weapon down and run through you to end up behind you. That shouldn't happen unless I'm knocked down myself, stunned or disarmed.

Killing one skeleton archer...is like pulling a tooth. Not only is it a pain for melee to chase them ALL over an area and aggro everything else, but then you have to stand around and wait for it to revive. Which is boring. Takes too long. Obliterates the flow. And doesn't add to the challenge. I killed it the first time. I'm going to kill it again obviously. But I get to chase the thing around the hills again..maybe a third time if I'm 'lucky'. It's just adding to a delusion of "challenge" because it takes more time.

Runners should have a huge penalty for being hit in the back while running away. If there isn't already...an increased crit or something for cracking them in the spine. Increased stun chance. No dodge chance while running.

 

It would be nice if CC had extra chance to succeed against a moving foe.. for instance if a skel archer decides to run past me and I shield slam him I have a greater chance to get the stun than I would if we stood toe to toe. In general I feel like my stuns/trips don't go off nearly enough or maybe the stuff im fighting just resists these attacks?

 

It does take a while to get your Stunner skill up, which increases the % chance of your stuns actually working. I do agree with you that stun % should increase against a runner with its back to you. They should fall flat on their face and take even longer to get up. Maybe even involuntarily piddle themselves. I'm not sure how their resistance works now...what kind of a timer it's on etc.

 

For sure, player characters suffer from that.

If I turn my back at my attacker and attempt to flee away, I'm absolutely sure the incoming damage will be far, far greater than if I stand in tank'n'spank mode.

If I just backtrack, with a finger-bending keyboard+mouse maneuver, I simply can't outrun them.

 

I really would like to know who thought this was a good idea to have runners run arround like chickens.

 

My mage can finally kill a Kobold melee fighter (albeit only one at a time)! I have been going to the outskirts of Graff Gem mine and gaining experience by luring a fighter into a fight with me. I still can't kill one using only magic - my spells are too weak, so I rely on my polearm to do the job when my focus runs out.

It is impossible for me to kill a Kobold mage! The mage is a fire wielder and seems almost impervious to my fire spells. My death spells don't make a dent (and are of no help restoring health to me). I cannot get even one hit with my polearm in, because the mage is able to dodge and run away from every blow. Even if the mage is idle standing there with its back to me, I can't sneak up and hit it from behind. As soon as I get near it, it bolts and runs out of range.

It is probably my lack of dexterity which prevents me from getting into the perfect position to land a melee blow in the split second the mage is in range, but it looks like I will never be able to enter certain areas of the game unless the mages stop running so much or my magic becomes more effective. I haven't tried to fight archers yet. I hope they are more susceptible to magic than the mages are.

 

Using the W key and right mouse for movement chasing the archers works for me, as my focus (mouse pointer) stays center screen. So killing an archer is rather easy (melee). Where I have major objection, though, is the fact that most arrows hitting me from other mobs are stun, slowing my speed. It is absolutely ridiculous that if I get into 4 archer skeletons, I have to kill them 16 times before taking on the mages and fighters, all in agro too. I don't understand the running in the first place. Historically, don't fighting archers sort of hold their ground, either in ranks in the open, or stationed behind cover? Mages firing off fire bolt like a machine gun from two screens away, around trees and rocks is just stupid too. It takes time for a fire bolt to travel to you, and if you dodge right or left, it should go right by you. Presently the bolts are on auto seek. I guess this is a magic thing, but the range is too long.