Throwing and shields- needs a rework

[Astrel]

Originally my thrower had resist and focus, but due to his more or less lower strength, 110, his range was not so good, but misses were not a problem.

So, I fitted him out with Giant Steps leggings, which apart from reasonable resists also give

5 Str, 5 Dex, 5 HP, HP Regen 2, and 10% DI

Plus, Breast plate of the Berserker, also reasonable resists and

5 HP, Stam regen 3, LMC 4%, SSI 10%, DI 15%

Then a Pillar of Strength shield, giving

Str +10, 10 HP, DI 20%, Phys resist 10%, Pois 1%

making my char

126 Str (with +5 Str weapon)
133 HP
130 Dex
47 Int

(HCI is 26%. current throwing skill level 115+)

To offset the shield penalty I swapped GM Focus for GM Parry
Result, this char now hits about one in three, which is a joke.

As for damage, so so, doing about 130 per hit, when it hits, using a slayer cyclone on a Fire Daemon (My archer hits for around 212 most of the time on a regular Demon and rarely misses).

 

[Harb]

Posted this in a previous thread on a similar subject. Yep, absolutley broken in current state. Only thing I'd add not covered below is mine plays at 140 str, 102 dex/ 150 stam, 71 mana, and 30 DCI and HCI sans weapon (thanks much for imbuing!):

Throwing, more to your point as it requires a gargoyle character, is currently hard to "love." The drive toward an optimal range is probably a good idea conceptually, but in any form of play other than a group PvM very difficult to attain and maintain against anything more than a mongbat. The limitations need review. I've tried mine in two major variants, as a melee/ range character, and as a caster/ range thrower. I went the latter route first, going with 120 throwing, 120 eval, 120 mysticism, 100 imbuing, 100 tactics, 100 anatomy, 60 chiv + jewelry. You can cast either colossus or animated weapon and begin your tossing, so once you have the optimal range, it’s a little easier to maintain. Where it gets rough is trying to get strength (it takes 140 str to attain max range for weapons, and 120 to lose only one tile), stam/ dex to 120 so you’re not a slow-motion “dexxer,” and if casting is a way of life, as much mana/ int as you can muster. It’s a challenge, even with imbued clothing. There’s also the troubling effect of the DCI penalty, as that mongbat I mentioned earlier hits you every single swing, and the penalty is so excessive I couldn’t find a way to offset it. After noting on UOGuide that you could offset penalties with swords and parry, I tried a different route, where I still am today. 120 throwing, 120 swords, 120 parry, 100 tact, 100 anat, 100 heal, 60 chiv + jewelry. The range penalties suddenly weren’t “as” bad, I could manage stat requirements, and playing the character had a “better feel” to it. But again there’s a major downside, even with 120 parry, you cannot parry a single incoming blow, and the DCI problems are still overwhelming. It can be fixed, I’d recommend maintaining the concept of an optimal range in a lesser penalized method and would maintain the current str requirements, but would lower significantly the DCI penalty and enable parry to actually parry if the skill is present. As it stands now, throwing and the gargoyle requirement associated to it so far as I can tell is a failure. I worked the character hard for a month, but the poor guy is probably forever retired unless something significant changes.

 

[Astrel]

Just for interest I took my archer out to kill some Fire Daemons, using the same bow I used on the Demons (not the most powerful one at 35 DI). The damage was much more, hitting 300 quite often, with one hit that looked to be 300+. usually finishing them off in 4 hits, but with 30 HCI I missed 5 times in a row, compared to a rare miss against demons, and missed often. My swords char with 35 HCI rarely misses a hit against Fire Daemons.

 

[curlybeard]

Parrying doesn't seem to be have any affect on the throwing shield HCI penalty. Also, using a throwing weapon you'll never gain parry with a shield equipped. This lack of skill gain is possibly an indication that parrying isn't being checked in the current formula. Switch to a sword and parrying will gain.

I had to add bushido to my template and remove the shield, even then I am not certain that I am blocking correctly. When I switch to a sword at the same skill level it seems that I am getting hit far less frequently.

 

[maroite]

The damage was much more, hitting 300 quite often, with one hit that looked to be 300+. usually finishing them off in 4 hits,

And people say tamers are overpowered....

lol

Does the bush parry work with a thrown wea pon? According to Stratics you only need a 1 or 2 handed wea pon, doesn't say what type.

 

[Harb]

... Also, using a throwing weapon you'll never gain parry with a shield equipped. ...

With 120 throwing and 120 parry with a throwing weapon equipped, you simply don't parry blows at all. And the heavy DCI penalty remains in effect, and though I don't know what it specifically is, 30 DCI will not offset it in the least. Not sure if the no parry at all nerf is intended or accidental, but am absolutely certain I detest it and loathe the fact it takes 360 points (add 120 swords to parry and throwing) simply to offset throwing penalites, and then atop that have parry non-functional.

 

[Darhon]

Shield equipped with Throwing weapon gives huge penalty to dci, and it's intended.

 

[Gheed]

I've never cared much for these ranged type of templates where distance from mob actually effects ability to hit and do damage. Did they include a range finder or do you just eyeball it and get a feel for it after a month or two?

 

[reddeer]

I just know this i cant hit a darn thing with the throwing skill!

 

[Oakenwraith]

this is obviously bugged. parry skill is supposed to negate the penalty, and it dosn't. you're supposed to be able to parry with a shield if you have a throwing weapon on, and you can't. obviously bugged.

 

[SchezwanBeefy]

Your success hit rate is dependant on the difficulty of the creature you're fighting.
For example, I'm 100% successful hitting a mongbat on both my 115 archer and swordswoman, but I do not always hit at a leviathan.
When I PVP, I miss like 7/10 times. Nooo joke.

 

[Astrel]

As for range, if you get within 2 squares of the target then you also need swords, the rest of the time you just watch the damage and work out the best distance, although you need to be super strong to get the full range. Compared to archery it is a joke, as you need additional skills to make it work (and then it doesn't really work anyway). The only reason I started using the shield is that it is an AF that adds str, I don't really care whether or not it actually works as a shield but I have to add parry just to carry it, and now I can't hit a barn door.