Wish: Weapon speciality skill dependent on current weapon

Right now in the game you have special skills that does not fit the weapon in hand.
For instance in pole arms skill tree you have "hook" and you can perform that with a spear. But a spear doesn't have a hook.

I would rather have a "speciality" skill that activates the special ability of the weapon in hand.
Make it far down the tree, and don't let the majority of weapons have such a special ability.

So to give an example of what I mean. Let's say that I am a pole arm master, I have filled the skill tree and have added the "Specialtity" glyph to my bar.
That means that if I use that Glyph whatever weapon I'm currently holding will trigger its special.

So if it is a Guisarme then the special is a Hook effect.
If it is a boarspear then the special is to Stop.
A halberd to Trip.
Etc.

Blades
A misericorde is to pierce plate (bypass armor).
A sai is parrying.
Rapier is longer range.
Flamberge is weapon damage.
Etc.


What this does is that it enables Port to design and implement new cool weapons with new features as we progress without messing with the skill tree structure.
It also makes things a bit more realistic and less unintuitive, like the spear which somehow hooks.

 

I support more depth in the skill system but I wonder if this would make the cut for Episode 1.

 

I hope it at least makes the list for consideration ... this idea seems better and better the more thought i assign to it.

 

I think it's an interesting concept, but I'd have to wonder what that'd be like on the coding side of things.

 

Being a part programmer myself, quite easy.
You have the same base as any attack, given the weapon and attributes etc. So a simple copy paste adjust for the attack.
Then if successful you get the special properties from the weapon, just like you do with damage, strength modifier, etc etc.
Nothing more nothing less.
So it would only be more of the same as they do now.

Then you'd have to add some properties to the weapons themselves, plus the need for crafting.
But this type of diversity makes it much easier to add stuff on top, or have rare drops, or an expansion with new cool weapons.
It also helps differentiate and give some meaning as to why you select a specific weapon instead of making it just a simple comparison of base stats like damage.

 

It sounds good, and doesn't pigeon-hole characters into a specific sub-set of polearm (as per your example) in order to get a logical special ability for that weapon. It would also free up having to get glyphs for every different ability.

 

I'm all for this sort of system, skills that make sense for the weapons just help with the overall immersion.

 

Great idea Spoon. If it ever does gain traction I'd be happy to research anything needed to give weapons diversity based on actual use.

 

I think that we can safely say that there are lots of us which would love to see a more divere list of weaponry and effects. So that one can adjust to the situation.

Right now I think the worst example is arrows where you have skill glyphs determine the type of arrow you have to shoot. So you train in arrow types not in bow skill.
That is very backwards. Leading to such strange things as not being able to shoot at all because I have the wrong type of arrows.

 

Currently if you switch configurations your glyphs, apparel and weapon all change, but your skill point allocations do not. They remain the same for each configuration. This forces you to level up more and more so that you can have more options, but for a long time the average player will be unable to level up enough to master more than a single weapon type. This system is probably not such a problem for groups, where every contingency can be covered, but for single players on a long quest there may be a mix of ranged stealth, close quarters melee, etc. required at different times that would be very difficult to prepare for.

If you could associate different point allocations with different configurations, that would give players a great deal more flexibility and encourage experimentation.
That's my ideal scenario. Failing that, Spoon's suggestion seems like a good compromise.

 

I'm not too opposed to having skill points locked in based on build and equipment, as otherwise everyone would have everything at all times instead of having to go to town to respec (which is pretty easy in most cases so far). It would be interesting if there was wandering skill trainers (could encounter them on overland map) but I don't really see that being worth the time to code.

As for the ranged example (I haven't looked into it yet at all, but based on the description), that is the most asinine design choice. I can understand wanting the different bonuses for using different arrow types, but they should all have same skill options and the bonus should be tied into the arrow itself. I'll have to hop in after work and check it out.

 

i support the general idea here. equiping plate and dual swords in order to grind 30 levels or more only to respec as a mage... come on, this is pretty fail designed.

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The actual examples of specialties aside.. (cause I'm picky that way but they're only examples)

An interesting idea.. but rather than a variable 'specialty' glyph I'd rather you have to train for each one because each one can be very different in itself.