Some suggestions for existing abilities and a new one.
Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 5:15 am
Adrenaline Rush: Can we get the energy return upon knocking someone down to apply when you already have the buff? As it stands, you cannot gain energy from knocking someone down if you have the melee buff from this ability. Alternatively, why not quadruple the energy gain upon getting the buff? It's got a fair duration, so it's not like you'd get 13-15 energy every dozen or so seconds. More like once every couple of minutes or more unless you're aiming for the legs or using Tackle or similar.
Coup de Mort: I can't stress how redundant this ability is due to its energy cost per attempt and the immense likelihood of failure even when it should be almost guaranteed. I have failed seven or so Coup de Morts in a row (three or four on a severely wounded, knocked down, tired and stunned enemy) when grouped up with a Dwaedn using polearms. I succeeded all of one time at the very end out of pure luck. You guys really need to either nuke this ability's energy cost per attempt down to 8 or 9 with 5 drained on success and/or raise the likelihood that it goes off on properly wounded and prone, stunned, or fatigued enemies. It's just not worthwhile for the risk you take of knocking yourself out trying to land it five-ten times in a row or until the target NPC goes unconscious due to bleeding. If I'm wielding a heavy-hitting weapon as is, why would I spend 25 energy each try for a very miniscule chance to deal major damage or instantly kill the target, when I could aim for a vital location and potentially instantly kill them for 5-7 energy an attempt? Sure, I did 194~ damage to that one infested NPC's eye and that was very likely a low roll for damage, but I nearly dropped my character into unconsciousness trying it on other mobs there.
New ability idea: Advanced Tactics. I've noticed how you can't switch tactics during round time while having taken Tactics Mastery and thought it might be cool for the Mercenaries, being so bent on being strategic masters of melee as they are, to get an ability that enhances Adrenaline Rush's energy returns slightly due to experience and expertise and allows the possessor to switch tactics in round time as long as they're not stunned or otherwise debilitated. It would open up an interesting amount of builds and character concepts, as well as make Tactics Mastery fairly powerful compared to decent while remaining very thematic. Obviously it should require Adrenaline Rush, Tactics Mastery and a decent sum of melee skill, maybe in the 800-ish range.
Coup de Mort: I can't stress how redundant this ability is due to its energy cost per attempt and the immense likelihood of failure even when it should be almost guaranteed. I have failed seven or so Coup de Morts in a row (three or four on a severely wounded, knocked down, tired and stunned enemy) when grouped up with a Dwaedn using polearms. I succeeded all of one time at the very end out of pure luck. You guys really need to either nuke this ability's energy cost per attempt down to 8 or 9 with 5 drained on success and/or raise the likelihood that it goes off on properly wounded and prone, stunned, or fatigued enemies. It's just not worthwhile for the risk you take of knocking yourself out trying to land it five-ten times in a row or until the target NPC goes unconscious due to bleeding. If I'm wielding a heavy-hitting weapon as is, why would I spend 25 energy each try for a very miniscule chance to deal major damage or instantly kill the target, when I could aim for a vital location and potentially instantly kill them for 5-7 energy an attempt? Sure, I did 194~ damage to that one infested NPC's eye and that was very likely a low roll for damage, but I nearly dropped my character into unconsciousness trying it on other mobs there.
New ability idea: Advanced Tactics. I've noticed how you can't switch tactics during round time while having taken Tactics Mastery and thought it might be cool for the Mercenaries, being so bent on being strategic masters of melee as they are, to get an ability that enhances Adrenaline Rush's energy returns slightly due to experience and expertise and allows the possessor to switch tactics in round time as long as they're not stunned or otherwise debilitated. It would open up an interesting amount of builds and character concepts, as well as make Tactics Mastery fairly powerful compared to decent while remaining very thematic. Obviously it should require Adrenaline Rush, Tactics Mastery and a decent sum of melee skill, maybe in the 800-ish range.