Armorsmith Archive

Firstly I would like to say that I am no proper AS yet, but Iam familiar with how armour works and I have had a taste of the difficulties and rewards of the profession previously. I would like to add my 2 cents because reading this I feel as though the majority of posts are coming from one angle.

I completly agree with those that have previously stated thatthe game is far to easy to solo in tough areas like Dath where people should not be able to solo. This is not wholey achiveable because of armour alone, but even the most hardcore anti-nerf AS must agree that the current potency of armour has something to do with it. 70%-80% composite (which is common as opposed to 90%) when coupled with doctor buffs makes even the most average of combat players able to stand up to even a NS Elder for a time. Now standing up to an NS Elder and actually beating one up are 2 different things, but I have seen a Fencer (not even at master) with the right buffs, foods and armour, stand toe to toe with a Giant Canyon Kraytt for a long time without even losing any HAM. Surely things like this are an indicator that there are balance issues. Granted that buffs and fods have something to do with it, but if you are to agree that 80% composite armour (even if it falls apart after that one combat) is partly responsible for that then you must agree that an armour balance of some kind is needed.

From what I have heard the armour change will simply limit the % resists on certain armour types. This effectivly will prevent the construction of 70%-80% (or higher)composite and ubese. Take for example an set of composite with 80% resists on all stats(for the sake of comparison). If a player in this armour is hit for 1000 points of energy damage from an AP0 blaster how much damage is actually done. Firstly we must halve the damage due to the AR1 rating of the composite, leaving 500 damage. Next we reduce the remaining 500 by the % of energy resist in the armour, which is 80%, leaving 100 damage inflicted on the player or 10% of the actual attack. Take now the theoretically capped suit of 40% composite attacked in the same way. A 1000 point shot of energy will still be depleted to 500 due to the AR1 rating of composite. The remain 500 will now be reduced by 40% to 300 final damage points being passed on to the player or 30% of the actual attack. So with the theoretical difference between the current and future composite armour, based on what we know, will be 20% from an AP0 attack. With an AP1 attack the difference will obviously be 40%, as the AR1 rating of composite is negated by an AP1 weapon. Without considering higher AP attacks that means that the difference in damage absorbed from most attacks will be 200-400 per 1000 points.

Consider the above when coupled with, for the sake of this example,air cake with 30% damage reduction for 25 hits. Also for this example, our HAM primaries are also buffed to 2500. This time let's use a mob that hit for 1000 every 2 seconds with an AP0 weapon. This kind of damage is pretty high. Given our above 80%composite suit we can conclude that our armour will be passing through about 100 damage every 2 seconds. The first 50 seconds of combat we will only be absorbing 30% of damage due to the air cake, so that means in the first 50 seconds the player will take1750 damage. After this it will take 16 seconds to take the remaining damage to finish the player off. Given all that,a player would fall to a mob that attacks with an AR0 weapon, hitting for 1000 every 2 seconds, in about66 seconds.The 40% composite armour, as seen above,passes through around 300 damageevery 2 seconds in this example. This means that after the first 50 second that player has taken 5250 damage. The player does not have that much HAM however, so they will fall before the effectivness of the air cake ends. Based on the damage in this exapmle a player will fall having taken 2500 damage after13 attacks (inside the air cake's effective duration), which would take 26 seconds. Again this does not factor in regeneration based on buffed secondary stats. It should also be noted that a player with the same buffs and food effects would last 4 attacks, or 8 seconds. So for a quick comparision a player with 40% composite will last 325%longer than without armour, while a player with 80% composite will last 825% longer than with no armour. Based on the above numbers it turns out that 80% composite will keep you in combat for 254% longer than 40% composite against a mob that attacks with an AP0 weapon. Keep in mind that this example does not account for buffed secondaries that would regenerate HAM at a rapid rate, and it also assumes that all damage is dealt consistantly to one HAM bar. I am not certain exactly how HAM regeneration rates are calculated so I did not factor it into this example. I am certain that it would make the difference much greater between the 80% and 40% armours in terms of time in combat.

If we quickly take a more standard example. A buffed player with 2500 HAM is attacked by a mob that hit for 300 every 2 seconds at AP0. A player in our 80% composite wouldtake 30 HAM damage every 2 seconds, allowing them to last for 84 attacks or 168 seconds. A player in our 40% composite would take 90 HAM damage every 2 seconds, allowing them to last for 28 attacks or 56 seconds. So even though the 80% composite would allow a player to last 3 times longer than the 40% in this case, the player in the 40% composite can still absorb punishment for almost a full minute without any regeneragtion neccessary.

Let's also consider some other changes as part of the upcoming combat balance. The largest current drawback of high encumberance armour is it's effect on the number of specials a player can use without lowering their own HAM to dangerous levels. This is heavily offset with buffs these days but it is still not viable to enter combat armoured but unbuffed. To do so would mean a players HAM would not regenerate much at all from specials making them extremly vulnerable to damage. With the upcoming combat balance the dev's have said that a new HAM system will be introduced. Part of this new HAM system will mean that any HAM spent on specials will regenerate at a fraction of the time it does now. This coupled with the assumption that a reduction in maximum armour resists will see much lighter sets of armour, means that armoured combat should become FAR more viable to unbuffed players, and buffed players will see some improvment in the HAM regeneration rates vs. damage.

Also, everything writen here is based on the assumption that a armour resist nerf will be the only change. To my knowledge there has been no official details released as to the extent or even existance of any change. Any change that does occur will clearly be part of a much larger balance, therefor it is impossible to actually say that this change is a nerf untill we can play with the whole system.

In terms of the armour market what do the above examples prove? IMHO we can see that although armour will be less effective, it should also be possible to craft much lighter armour enhancing the regeneration attributes of players. With less damage absorbed by armour the decay rate of the armour will be less, making a single set last longer. Therefore a less effective but lighter, longer lasting set of armour should still be worth a decent price to sell, especially if it remains the strongest common armour in the game. This may actually bring in factors like armout enhancments in a longer lasting set. Armour crafted with better resources will still be better than suits made with crappy resources because if the resources cause the suit to hit maximum resists, experimentation can be spent on encumberance and/or durability. Armour will become more viable and more available, although less effective. It will also ensure that an AS that doesn't have millions to spend on experimentation skill enhancments can still make decent viable armour. With a few profession enhancments likebalancing other various types of armour, making armour enhancment segment slots seperate to regular segments, andmaking uber quest suits of armour suitably more uber and long lasting, this change might actually be for the better.

To sum up.

- Armour can only keep you in combat for a certain amount of time against a given enemy, players must actaully damage that enemy themselves.

- Currently players can last unrealistically long periods against tough enemies that they should not be able to. Armour is partly responsible, therefore some kind of armour balance is needed.

- While lowering resist caps will make armour less effective at stopping damage, it will also allow for lighter sets that last longer.

- All changes to armour must be taken in context with changes to all combat and some support systems. Armour along with buffs and foods/drink/spiceallow players to engage certain enemies for certain periods of time. The length of time the player needs is relative to the damage they can do in that time. With the obvious inter-dependance of all these systems the, armour resists change (if it is the only change) cannot be called a nerf without looking at all the other systems and their changes as well.

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JediWhitestar wrote:

With less damage absorbed by armour the decay rate of the armour will be less, making a single set last longer.

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Nathanielstarr wrote:

Here is my idea...

Yeah Composite is out of control. Not that I want to nerf it, but I don't think there should be a single type of armor that is so mcuh better than all the rest that it's the only logical choice. So I have been thinking of how it could be set up so you would need other armors on different occasions.

One thing I think needs to be done is give each armors special protection the potential to reach 80% be it Mabari or Tantel. Sure it would take allof a masters experimentationpoints and the best resources but I think it should be possible. Also thinking the base adjustment bonus you can get through layers should be taken out. Here is an idea of what Ive been coming up with.

Mabari Armor

Average Base 5%

Special Protection Type Blast

Vulnerabilities Acid, Stun, Electricity

Encumberance Very Light

Chitin

Average Base 10%

Special Protection Type Kinetic

Vulnerabilities Electricity, Blast, Cold

Encumberance Light

Tantel

Average Base 15%

Special Protection Type Energy

Vulnerabilities Blast, Heat, Cold

Encumberance Light

Ubese

Average Base 20%

Special Protection Type Acid

Vulnerabilities Restraint, Blast, Heat

Encumberance Medium

Padded

Average Base 25%

Special Protection Type Cold

Vulnerabilities Acid, Heat, Stun

Encumberance Heavy

Composite

Average Base 30%

Special Protection Type Electricity

Vulnerabilities Stun, Cold, Restraint

Encumberance Very Heavy

NOTE Starting base is the normal starting base with average resources (500 across the board) and no experimentation points added.

Everything else about armorsmithing would work as it does now.

Just an idea not asking to get flamed, butconstructive criticism is welcome..

and yes I know it won't happen like this. But I hate the skittles world of composite armor right now

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BaronJedi wrote:

Looks pretty good but there definately needs to be more than one "special" protection on each armor or no one will bother with them at all. I would say at least 3 SPs or simply jack up the base resistances a bit.

IMO a balanced system is also one where there is actually incentive to wear clothes over armor. Maybe not a 50/50 trade off but more like 30/70.

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...there already is an incentive, it's called encumbrance right?

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Vevy wrote:

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BaronJedi wrote:

Looks pretty good but there definately needs to be more than one "special" protection on each armor or no one will bother with them at all. I would say at least 3 SPs or simply jack up the base resistances a bit.

IMO a balanced system is also one where there is actually incentive to wear clothes over armor. Maybe not a 50/50 trade off but more like 30/70.

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...there already is an incentive, it's called encumbrance right?

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I would say that's an over-generalization to be honest. Asking for a practical use for clothes in PvP is not a realistic request...and it's not the armor's fault clothes don't work...come on...hehe even a 30/70 split is not realistic.

Most PvPers these days want stun armor anyway, and no AS can make a decent Stun/ high base suit without killing the ham. The hams on stun armor are already pushing 1k. That's not something to discount as inconsequential. Considering you NEED buffs just to get the tank on, in terms of PvP I think enumbrance does make a noticeable impact...the problem with PvP is it's ALWAYS been about the mind hits and nothing else. 8-9 months ago the devs were griping that mind wasn't supposed to be the determining factor in combat and they were gonna fix it...yet they haven't and it still is.

If anything it's a moot point in PvE when you can don a 500 ham suit of 80% kinetic 66% base...but I wouldn't blame armor and buffs alone for the PvP problem...it's just a poor design all around

The combat rebalance is going to "nerf" everything, and righly so. In my opinion, armor, buffs, weapons--all of it--needs to be taken down a notch or two. It is due to the seemingly infinite limits (relatively speaking) placed on armor, buffs, template stacking, damage, etc. that, whentaken as a whole,provide the root cause of all problems with PvP imbalances and profession 'gimping'.

SOE needs to severly streamline this game if they want to keep people playing and/or bring former players back. Nerfing armor effectiveness is only one--albeit significant--change that is going to take place.

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BaronJedi wrote:

...and even with 1k encumbrance anyone can spam specials.

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