[Hotfixes] Combat Balancing.

[Deleted User 009 0]

Hey #LOTC,

Patch 2.8 brought a few issues with combat balance, which lead to an unarmed + stealth combo being desired to basically achieve godmode. I've made some important changes and bugfixes to a few skills to help combat this, and will continue to do so until things are properly balanced.

Since we changed our game difficulty to 'HARD' this also changed how combat values were interpreted, specifically making armor really badass. Attacks that did 7 hearts on normal players were only doing 0 or 1/2 on full diamond.

[NEW] You can now gain starting EXP through stealth by simply sneaking near mobs; if they target you successively, you'll be alerted that you've received aggro and be given a small amount of stealth EXP. (skyrim style)

[NEW] Added sneak attack to stealth, it's a 1.5x damage modifier that procs at a 5% chance at level 100 when attacking while sneaked with any weapon/tool.

[MOD] Added a bunch of checks to make sure regardless of what happens, if the attack is not dodged, parried, or blocked at least 1/2 heart of damage will be delivered (no 'null' hits.)

[MOD] A small debuff to how much damage unarmed negated to compensate for new armor values.

[MOD] Debuffs across the board to how often stealth vanishing procs in PvP situations to make it much more balanced; now it's a 4% chance on hit to vanish for 5 seconds at level 100; do remember that this vanish is broken if the stealthed user attacks anyone.

[MOD] Dodge chance has been lowered to 35% at level 100 stealth in PvP, but buffed to 85% in PvE. (Originally was 60% globally.)

[FIX] Unarmed block chance checking twice, basically a small % debuff to block proc as a result of bugfix.

[FIX] Axes saying they miss but still doing damage.

[FIX] Some messages being colored incorrectly caused confusion as to who they were intended for.

[FIX] There was a critical bug hidden in the stealth code that caused anyone with level 55+ stealth to essentially have godmode, a proc that should be a 2% rate was a 100% rate.

[FIX] Some graphical issues with players not receiving the 'fading to black' animation at certain times.

[FIX] Mobs being able to attack you after you've stealthed away from them.

I'll continue to update this changelog with nerfs/buffs as they're released, cheers.

[BraumBi 9]

Good job on this, I like the balancing of armor, btw :)

[Deleted User 009 0]

Good job on this, I like the balancing of armor, btw :)

Wooo a comment, thanks babe <3.

[Cracker 4570]

Sweet, this is looking better and better.

Probably not going to get the best responses for this, but have you still thought about adding a skill that counterbalances stealth? Most characters, even though their human guards, dwarven nobles or orc warriors will still probably pick up stealth because it gives a nice combat utility which you can't find with other skills.

It's probably already over your head and you've already done a good job enough already but if a skill could be created so that more brutish characters can get an extra combat skill too with unique traits like defense-buffs or raw damage increases so they aren't forced to lose out to assassins in PvP, that'd be spectacular. Just an idea.

[danic 352]

[FIX] Some graphical issues with players not receiving the 'fading to black' animation at certain times.

Someone's having trouble with fading to black? Well, We better call Love Doctors Rel and Philip.

On a serious note; Great Job!

[Fuzzy4ev3r 19]

[FIX] Some graphical issues with players not receiving the 'fading to black' animation at certain times.

I like the update but the way you stated this one really made me laugh. But nice job Vaq.

[V0idsoldier 1139]

Vaq I was thinking. Right now, and in all previous updates, wrestling has been mostly useless. Yea, for a short time it was op right now, but that was only for a few moments. There are some times when I think there is no reason to use wrestling, but I take it anyways because it fits my character. I was just wondering if you could do something to make it more useful.

It is a utility/defense skill but I feel like it doesn't even do that well. Something I was thinking was, at level 100 it could cause level 2-3 knock back, or proc 1% per level to slow people drastically. Something that will make them useful, but not op. As of now, they do 0 damage to people in armor, which kind of sucks, so to make up for that, do you think you could do something? I want something cool, and fun, and interesting that stays with the concept, and doesn't make it op.

Good job and keep it up Vaq!

[DrakeHaze. 2524]

So how much damage would a golden sword do to a fully diamod armored person? If the 100 stealth 100 unarmed can do at least half heart to a fully diamond armored man, i expect at least 2 hearts for a golden sword? Or else unarmed and stealth can just walk into Oren and take on the entire guard. Unarmed and stealth is the perfect tank, but if it can do damage on par with a sword it's just game breaking hurhur.

[Jexdane 213]

Ah, yes, combat balancing, how we needed thee. Being able to level Stealth naturally from now on will be useful as well, if the number of players messaging me asking how to level stealth is an indication of the initial difficulty, or as some have stated, impossibility. I also appreciate the fix for vanishing around mobs. I always found it odd that a skeleton still attacked me, even though I was technically "no longer visible to it."

In any case, thank you for another wonderful bugfix, and keep them coming. (That is assuming we have more bugs, hopefully we do not. However, if we do..keep the bugfixes coming!)

On an unrelated note, thank you for fixing that "Fade to Black" issue. It has been increasingly probelmatic, and I nearly resorted to using my magical pumpkins again (which were banned from Old Alras for being used as birth control...blasphemy).

[E__V__O 2000]

I don't find anything else that needs changing, personaly why not let the RolePlay take where it is taken, if they seem to powergame the new set skills given then post a strike/ban, My character has 100 wrestling+100 stealth but I only use it for only defence as of blocking, I will never use it for attack. . .

[no longer active 734]

Thank you! You are listening to our complaints and suggestions!

[V0idsoldier 1139]

Because when you inform people of your stats, they don't really care what you have. I see people taking stats that don't make sense for their character, and then telling people that stats don't matter, and I see people getting 100 stealth and thinking they can dodge and block everything. It is frustrating.

[Redbaron™ 690]

^ Eff I know, 100 stealth does NOT mean you can block anything extra rply ffs. One of my farmers in town decided to get 100 sneak and I kicked him out of Solace.

[V0idsoldier 1139]

*Sneaks behind Lancel* ((100 sneak)) *Breaks his neck instantly* ((100 wrestling, 100 sneak)) *And hides the body, not allowing for anyone to know of the situation. He then deletes Lancel's post* ((100... sneak)) *With his superior skills*

[argonian 14254]

So how much damage would a golden sword do to a fully diamod armored person? If the 100 stealth 100 unarmed can do at least half heart to a fully diamond armored man, i expect at least 2 hearts for a golden sword? Or else unarmed and stealth can just walk into Oren and take on the entire guard. Unarmed and stealth is the perfect tank, but if it can do damage on par with a sword it's just game breaking hurhur.

I'd like to know the answer to this.