Fencer Archive

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Raphayl wrote:

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Some ideas of what we are really looking for are some things like:

• What should be special or unique about Fencers that set them apart from the other 3 melee professions?

Specialities involving Fencers that should set them apart from the other 3 melee professions is the fact that agility is a key issue. This would carry onto even the Special Costs that weapons have. A mastery of any profession should entail the ability to be able to use a weapon easier or for less cost. Also carrying on from the Agility would the ability to change stances such as many Jedi Video games do to change the swing style.

1 for Speed and Agility at the cost of damage output.

• Faster attacks allow for "In and Out" Techniques, get in cause as much damage as possible, then getting back out of reach.

1 for Power while remaining agile, marginally larger output of damage.

• This stance would have enough agility to have a moderately fast attack with a smaller degree of damage output whilst remaining in a semi-defensive state, allowing true defensive skills to win the game.

1 for Brute force, Often the best tactic is to just severly beat down on your enemy, Brute force

• The brute force tactic would limit your agility greatly and hinder that available attacks to only those which create a LARGE HAM cost, slower moves hit for more and critically injure your opponent preventing them from attacking with something equilvalent to your attack. Leaves a good time of vulnerability ( exposes limbs, ribs, etc
  

What should be the "basic flavor" of Fencer special attacks?

The basic Flavor of Fencer's Specials should reflect the level of Masteries

Fencer's are known for using their speed and agility to win fights and conflicts quickly and effieciently. Lower HAM costs for higher level Masteries xx4x tier would yield 1/4 HAM Cost discounts for 'Knowledge of your craft'.

The flavor should also appeal to agility on a visual aspect

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  Harder hitting Specials should provide more Damage output and showing a visual effect that knocks a player down for a few seconds or moves them into a state of stunned.
  


• What kind or style of weapons would you like to see Fencers use?

The kind of weapons that a fencer should be able to use should reflect the amount of Mastery that he/she has developed... Incorporating a 'Force assisted' Tree to further enhance either defenses or agility by means of a 'Agility Monitor' which is depletable.

• The most effective weapon in PvP for Fencers are Stun Batons, which is a use-able weapon at Novice Level.




• The Stun Baton should be a Mastery certification because of the 'stackers'. Power should also be reflective of each stance as above outlined.



• Weapons such as the rapier or mace should be incorporated in such a degree to be used by a semi-master fencer (50% or more skill tiers completed.
  

Do you have ideas for how future certifications should be spread out?

See above.

What kind of group role should a Fencer typically serve?

A group role for a fencer should consist of a more NPC vs PC basis. CH's are vulnerable to both Melee and ranged but melee is a more suitable role for a melee enemy. Match skill levels

What kind of battlefield (mass PvP) role should a Fencer hold?

The fencer's true role is to dominant his enemy fast, effienciently and move on to the next. Special attacks should 'delay' an opponent for a few seconds, enough time to change a stance (above outlined), completely destroy him, and move on to the next with minimal damage whilst still remaining the DEFENSIVE role he should take.

What kind of HAM cost dispersal should a Fencer's weapon typically have?

The Fencer weapon of choice depends on the level of Mastery which should correlate to the above mentioned. For example:

A Fencer with the skill tiers of xx44 would only have 50% of the weapon cost for specials deducted

A Fencer with the Mastery would have 100% of the benefits of Weapon Cost deductions and ultimately wouldn't kill himself.

What kind of utilities would you like to see Fencer's have?

Utilities that I would like the profession be able to use is a place of solitude to increase his defenses temporarily such as the Teras Kasi Meditation, a DEFENSIVE stat buff with a small timer.. which creates a certain invulnerability to certain types of attack or states. Very temporary 30 seconds or less, much similar to Center of Being.

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KAOTIC HERO -[My new baby!. ]- BRITTANI

First of all I have something to say about the general issues of balance about melee. Then I'll get to your pointer questions.

First of all I have a problem with the current defensive skills of the melee profession. It does not accurately reflect a combat. For example the melee damage migitation or block to ranged weapons. What is that? Do you get more resilient the more scewered you get?. Or how can you block a blaster shot with a metal sword without at least ruining your weapon. I believe all the defense system should be seriously overhauled and the resiliances (migitations) should go and the defense moves (block dodge etc) should not only depend on the weapon you use but also the weapon you defend against. Meaning, only defence you should have against a pistol must be dodge. If you get hit you are dead baby...

Also I know it has been adressed many times and I hope will beremedied, one thing that must be corrected is the attacks HAM damages.Like a blinding move must damage the mind pool if the eyes of the critter is not between it's legs not a random pool.

Another issue is the HAM costs, they are implemented to simulate the weariness; and weariness in battle may kill you but not directly so they have to think about it again. Especially you do not pass out because you concentrate too hard on your weapon (if that's what the mind cost is implemented for). What I'd suggest would be the HAM costs effecting the speed and efficiency of things. For example if a fencer has a high mind cost weapon (meaning it is a dangerous weapon and needs high concentration) the more the pool is drained the slower you should use the weapon. Also each pool should be linked to certain kinds of defenses and slow them down too or directly lover the efficiency. For example counter attack can be linked to mind pool ( to be consistant with the previous example) and when a fencer exhausts his or her mind pool he must also loose some efficiency in returning the attacks. But this must come with a seperate hit point system to better differentiate between weapon andattack types. Meaning while a fencers disarm (please give us that please)move wound the targets hand and damaging his action pool (therefore slowing many abilities) it shouldn't deal much damage to the health or actual hit points.

• What should be special or unique about Fencers that set them apart from the other 3 melee professions?

As most have said we should be elegant and lightning fast. When your only defense is a thin sword you should be able to get away quick or dodge very very good. Must be the master of dueling no contest at least about holding his own if he cannot get the opponent down. If some of the my humble advices above should be implemented then it will be very easy to differentiate between the professions (especially melees) and improve playing styles.

• What should be the "basic flavor" of Fencer special attacks?

It should definately be surgical strikesand bleeds. Like crippling, blinding, confusing... Again if certain HAM pools directly effect the speed and efficiency of certain weapons and skills fencer can be deadly and better expressed. For example blinding should severely lover mind pool hence all the skills associated with it. A blind man cannot effectively use a weapon nor make defence. Another must is as many have said before DISARM! We gotta have that and it should work not half assed like delaying but by dropping the targets weapon in his inventory and forcing the opponent to lose its associated defensive abilities as well as forcing him to reequip.

• What kind or style of weapons would you like to see Fencers use?

Bladed, one handed weapons period. Stun baton is excluded and is in line with fencer style so it must stay also. Since there is no such thing as crushing damage all the mace variants are useless. And bearing in mind that this game is a sci-fi fantasy and the technology level isvery high in the setting, so why in god's name can these weapon designers come up with more damage types for fencing. Is it really so hard to think of a sword with super heated core to deal heat damage?? Or a poisoned DoT weapon (which applies to all bladed weapons really)

I suggest grouping the fencer weapons in 3 groups. These would be knives (and stun baton), rapier styles blades (very light and piercing, surgical oriented), and wider bladed short swords (more for blocking and dealing damage). And at the master lvl something combining all of them like a vibro (or mono edged) katana. This categorization will make more sense with the item below.

• Do you have ideas for how future certifications should be spread out?

As it is practically very hard to give each weapon a different move I see two possible ways of distributing the certificates for them to mean anything. First is allocating them bottom to top according to the weapons possible stats. Or associating some weapons with some skill trees and distributing them according to that principle. For example a knife while being the starting wepon can be put in the tree that involves dodge as it is the weapon which depend upon dodge the most to survive. Or a super heated rapier (dealing heat damage and armor piercing) should be at the top of the offensive tree, while a short sword could be within thh the tree which has attacks of less elegant but more damage dealing type with the defense skill block. The second type of approach can give the players using the fencer profession by tree only (and prevent defence stacking) and make the defensive moves more logical as they will require the weapon they are associated with. This does not mean by the way that a master fencer cannot pull all the moves with a single weapon . In accordance to this I also suggest the speed and accuracy should not be skill box related but tree level related. Meaning if we divide the accuracy and speed points in 5 equal parts (to be divided more later among the boxes but by number not type)) it should be like 20% percent at the novice box, 20% at the first lvl of boxes and so on. Or simply each box may have a fixed percentage of speed and accuracy atributes so the more skill boxes you have of fencer the more you practiced you are about using the weapons.

• What kind of group role should a Fencer typically serve?

We said surgical didn't we. Hmm then fencer should be used as one. While not tanking directly it should agonize and cripple the target make the target less combat efficient while the high damage dealing classes finish it off. And act as a bodyguard if it comes to that.

• What kind of battlefield (mass PvP) role should a Fencer hold?

If we define the fencer as light and nimble and elegant it really does not have a place in a battlefield. But, it can still be used for screening and intercepting enemy melees. Because we said he should be a duelist so he must be able to take out the enemy 1on1 and get back to his screening. Also he can be used as a flanker for taking out enemy snipers.

• What kind of HAM cost dispersal should a Fencer's weapon typically have?

Again according to my certification system this can be widely arranged. Such as knives using action and a little mind, rapiers mind and action while short swords demanding health and action. But if it must be one typical distribution it must be 25% health, 40% action and 35% mind.

• What kind of utilities would you like to see Fencer's have?

For making use of his skills better a fencer must have greater moving rate to reflect his ligter encumberence weapons. This can be implemented like the scout terrain negotiation or a different burst run skill which might be called chase or pursue or engage something like that.

Also more and varied bleeds reflecting the surgical but low damage side of the fencer again as I said in the begining if the HAM bar and hit points are separated this can really make the fencer shine as it will reflect how a fencer can ruin his opponent with precision strikes of a low damage weapon. Also as it will take a long time to kill an opponent as the damage is low it won't be overbalacing the system.

Oh and definetly DUAL WIELD. Rapier and dirk, knife and sword, sai and katana these are common and useful styles of fencing. For balance duel wield can come at the master lvl and the secondary weapons may only enhance the (though greatly) special movements such as block or counter attack. And a special attack for double wield also sounds good.

These are all I could think of I hope this helps. Because I definatly enjoy the fencer and want to see it better and more logical.

Thanks for the thread Raphayl! Keep up the good work )