Guarding Bug and CVC Honor

[Gorth]

This has been a pretty long standing bug, but I am bringing it up publicly (yes, it has been bug reported) because I think it can teach us a good lesson.

The Bug: Lets take a situation. We have Bob, the 2,000 melee guy with sweep and tackle and shield bash and all that. On the other side we have Joe, the 1,000 melee guy, who no one cares what abilities. Then we have David, the 55,000,000 melee guy who isn't there to swing on people just watch. Bob and Joe are fighting, but something happens that makes David decide to guard Joe, because he wants to try and resolve the situation, or something boring.

Bob does a shield bash. Now, the way this works, currently, is that David intercepts the attack, but the shield bash will still go to Joe, because it is an ability. This is how it works with Shield Bash, Sweep, Tackle, Shield Charge, Dirt Kick, and probably others I am forgetting. I wouldn't mind a Duelist testing if something that is literally an attack, like Quickstrike, works the same way.

The Point: This has been a long standing thing, back into COGG. i don't recall if the GMs said it was intentional or not, though I don't see why. I am here to advocate for two things:

1. This not be a thing. The way guarding works at the moment, as best as I have been able to determine ( and I should specify that I have been around COGG's combat system for a long time and been a part of figuring out mechanics) is that if an attack is sent to someone you are guarding, you have a %100 chance of intercepting it, as long as:

• It is an attack, not an ability of some sort (I still don't know how the game differenciates them, possibly based on which skills are used).
• You are not staggered, stunned, proned, mezmorized, rooted, or similar.

Therefor, if we simply made abilities hit the guarder (David), David would intercept it, have a chance to be staggered, and then someone else, or Bob (if he has low enough roundtime) could hit Joe. Same routine with something like Dirt Kick:

• Bob Attacks Joe, triggers Marauder Tactics to Dirtkick before attack,
• David intercepts dirtkick,
• If the dirtkick succeeded on David, he is staggered, and Bob's attack goes through unimpeded on Joe.
• If the dirtkick failed, David continues to intercept, and takes the attack.

2. (This being the second thing I am advocating for, mostly because CVC is starting to kick off strong) CVC Honor. This is two fold. Number one, lets try to remember not to spam out strongest attacks on people without any sort of variation. I.E. Shield bashing every seven seconds without doing anything else. it's not cool, it's not fun, and it's not compelling. Just something to keep in mind. And also, lets try to keep in mind things like this bug/mechanic. If someone is being guarded, maybe try to take note of that and not immediately start swinging with your abilities that you know ignore guard. It's a weird gray sort of meta thing.

These are all just CVC notes. Thoughts and guidelines to hopefully help people remember that we're all playing the game, together. We're all writing a story, and trying to have fun. Being steamrolled, or dying/suffering to a weird mechanical loophole is not fun. No one wants that.

Also, another thing to keep in mind, some characters want to get in on the roleplay, but do not have 2,500 skill. Sometimes inventing reasons to come at someone with a weapon you are less good at, or with certain abilities disabled, can make it more interesting. Even if you still smash them into the ground, hopefully they can recognize that there was more thought put into it.

I just want people to have fun, because CVC is great, if done right. Be mindful, and remember that a lot of us play this game for fun. Not to play a life/punishment simulator.

[Squeak]

I don't have much to say on the aforementioned guarding bugs, but!

The latter portion seems to be something that needs repeating again, and again, and again. Remember, this isn't a game that is about Winning(tm). It's about cooperative storytelling. Even the most battle hardened David's out there will have a bad day; spice things up a bit and RP him having a rough day sometime. He gets a cold. Sneezes in the most inopportune moment. Et Cetera.

The mechanics are fun to tinker with, don't get me wrong. And in CvE, do whatever makes it easier for you to grind (within reason), but when it comes to CvC just remember. Your character isn't superman, despite your skills and abilities and understanding of mechanics making it seem like such. Sometimes the best character arcs are found when you go contrary to your character's mechanical benefits.

[Rias]

(I could have sworn I posted this yesterday when the changelogs happened.) Per the recent changelogs:

- Fixed a bug that was causing various special attacks (tackle, sweep, dirtkick, shield bash, pounce, etc.) to target a guarded character when they should have targeted the intercepting guard instead.
- When a guard intercepts a melee attack on their ward, the guard can no longer avoid the attack by staying out of melee range. (It is still possible for the guard to fend off attacks if they are holding a melee weapon to fend with.)