This is a brainstorming thread to get players views on ways to balance consumables in factions and in pvp in general. Consumables include items like bandages, potions, magical apples, bola's, etc.
The general consensus is that if an item can be used in place of a skill or more effectively then a skill, then it is overpowered and reduces the quality of pvp and play in general.
To kick off the thread I always found that items tied to skill as an effective way to balance consumables...
For example, Few people complain about bandages as being over powered... they can heal damage, cure poison, res the dead and they can be used on yourself, others and pets....
However bandages are balanced in many ways. The speed at which they work is tied to your Dex, the effectiveness they work is tied the skills of healing, anatomy and vet. Plus they have an extremely limited range of one tile and damage can disrupt their effectiveness.
Contrast that to Bola's, which are a consumable that gets a lot of critizism. It does have game mechanics in place to help balance (Thrower must be on foot, disarmed and can not remount immediately upon throwing). However, none of the balance mechanisms are tied to skill. In addition, it is an offensive consumable (an attack against another) which a defender has no defense.
The Bola
Suggested Change:Bola's are a consumables which all players should be able to use and have a decent chance of successfully dismounting another without a specific skill.
Base percentage for a Bola to hit 65% [opposed to the current 100%]
However, a players skills in related areas can increase the chance of success.
-Tactics: Increase percentage 5% for every 40 points in tactics
-Throwing: Increase percentage 5% for every 30
Thus increasing the base percentage to dismount up to 100% with Lengedary Tactics and Throwing.
An attackers HCI (max of 50 *since this would be technically a throwing consumable)and defenders DCI (Max 45) should be included in modifying the attack chance as well as a characters Parry skll to block the attack.
This allows the consumable to be used by anyone however it gives characters with related skills a higher success rate then players who have no related skills (sorry taming, and magery are not related to bola throwing).
The entire formula for the game would look something like this:
[45 + (Tactics/40 * 5) + (Throwing/30*5)] + [Attackers HCI (Max 50) - Defenders DCI (Max 45)] - [Parry Percentage]
As players we have the luxary of letting the game do the math for each throw and all we need is the basica understanding that High levels of hci, tactics, and throwing will give us the best chance of success while a defender understand that high DCI and parry skill will give them the best chance to dodge.
Lore
The general consensus is that if an item can be used in place of a skill or more effectively then a skill, then it is overpowered and reduces the quality of pvp and play in general.
To kick off the thread I always found that items tied to skill as an effective way to balance consumables...
For example, Few people complain about bandages as being over powered... they can heal damage, cure poison, res the dead and they can be used on yourself, others and pets....
However bandages are balanced in many ways. The speed at which they work is tied to your Dex, the effectiveness they work is tied the skills of healing, anatomy and vet. Plus they have an extremely limited range of one tile and damage can disrupt their effectiveness.
Contrast that to Bola's, which are a consumable that gets a lot of critizism. It does have game mechanics in place to help balance (Thrower must be on foot, disarmed and can not remount immediately upon throwing). However, none of the balance mechanisms are tied to skill. In addition, it is an offensive consumable (an attack against another) which a defender has no defense.
The Bola
Suggested Change:Bola's are a consumables which all players should be able to use and have a decent chance of successfully dismounting another without a specific skill.
Base percentage for a Bola to hit 65% [opposed to the current 100%]
However, a players skills in related areas can increase the chance of success.
-Tactics: Increase percentage 5% for every 40 points in tactics
-Throwing: Increase percentage 5% for every 30
Thus increasing the base percentage to dismount up to 100% with Lengedary Tactics and Throwing.
An attackers HCI (max of 50 *since this would be technically a throwing consumable)and defenders DCI (Max 45) should be included in modifying the attack chance as well as a characters Parry skll to block the attack.
This allows the consumable to be used by anyone however it gives characters with related skills a higher success rate then players who have no related skills (sorry taming, and magery are not related to bola throwing).
The entire formula for the game would look something like this:
[45 + (Tactics/40 * 5) + (Throwing/30*5)] + [Attackers HCI (Max 50) - Defenders DCI (Max 45)] - [Parry Percentage]
As players we have the luxary of letting the game do the math for each throw and all we need is the basica understanding that High levels of hci, tactics, and throwing will give us the best chance of success while a defender understand that high DCI and parry skill will give them the best chance to dodge.
Lore