So, I know I'm a non-com, but I'm interested, at least theoretically in classes and balance. I'd be a combatant if I had the time to build a system and learn how to code for different clients (mush is weird). At any rate, I'm not sure certain classes are as OP as people say they are, like bards (Hai Rynn!) I've developed a system for classifying a classes overall 'power level' if you will. Different aspects of the class will be considered. This is mostly a project because I'm bored, and I'm willing to make any changes if I can be convinced if my scores are wrong. That being said, I'll start here with the Bard class. Let me know your input. I may have missed some catergories, as I haven't done this for any other classes yet. Let me know if I left something out. Also, I'm working with simple math here. If you're mathematically inclined and can come up with a better scoring system, I'm all ears.

Each category will be granted a score between 0 - 3, 0 being nonexistant, and 3 being the best, or one of the best.

Offense: 2
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Bashing Offensive [Crit/Strength based, Variable by Weapon: Accentato/Jab/Cantata] - 2

PVP Offensive [Affliction Setup/Damage Based: Voicecraft/Tunesmithing/Offensive Harmonics] - 3 *[Note: Even with those three points, it's difficult to manage from an affliction standpoint. Much easier for stronger and faster races. Not so good for average races.]

Heavy Hitters/Instakills [DFA/Funeralmass] - 1

Defense: 3
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Bashing Defense [Defensive Harmonics/Aria/Tune/Dwinnu] - 3

PVP Defense - [Same as above] - 3

Evasion: .50
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Hiding - 0
Evading [Backflip/Somersault] - 1 *[Note: Do you think a 2 is deserved here?]

Utility: 1
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Item Creation - 0
Experience Generation [Chorale] - 2 *[Resurrections will probably go here. If not, I'll redo the numbers and add a new category here]


Revealing: 0
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Locating Skills - 0
Revelation Skills - 0

Travel: .50
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Travel Skills - 0
Terrain Navigation - 1 [Swing/Scan/Etc]

Upkeep: 2 [3 means there's no-upkeep, or less than average upkeep.]
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Weapons/Armour: 2

Other Class Equipment [Instruments] - 2
==========================

Hard Score: 1.3 [Average of All Scores]

PVP Score: 1.8 [Including Offense/Defense/Evasion]

Utility Score: 1.1 [Including Utility, Revealing, Travel, Upkeep]

I say a true OP class would have a score of at least 2. Let me know what you guys think, and feel free to use this to do other classes, or give me the info to them or whatnot. I think I can reasonably do Serpent as well, though I'm not entirely confident on that one. Druid has changed too much sense I've been one, and I can do Sylvan.

In the PVP defensive, and likely doesn't need a boost on the 3 rating since it is tops anyway, but I would say a good half of a bards defense in PVP is in not being hit. This would include TrueParry, DrunkenSailor, Acrobatics, and well Balancing (more so making us hard to prone). Add in Arrowcatching (Serpents hate that one) and dodging for Ranged. Its what makes bards a nice foil for those classes that rely on To Hit to hurt someone, and more vulnearable to those classes that cannot miss. We have crap for armor, so if you cannot miss us, if you hit everytime regardless, then you can do better against us, than those that have to hit us to hurt us.

I would also say comparitively, travel is a 0. I cannot think of a single class that is as hampered in travel as bards.

I would also say our lack of a insta kill and the difficulty of getting DFA off in most situtations, should perhaps lower the heavy hitter score. Bards are perhaps the most hampered of all classes when it comes to damage ramping (basically we got prefarar into arm double breaks at maximum) of any of them (perhaps include sticking Naseua for an extra like 500 damage)

Also I disagree with the 2 rating on Utility. Chorale as I found out once again today, is so difficult to put together. I do not know all the other classes well, but you can pretty much toss Minuet, Funeralmass, and Chorale out a window when considering a bards "usefulness" since they are the only class I know of (except maybe that bloodsworn thing) requiring cooperation of other "classmates" to pull it off.

Also as a rant, SoulfulVoice is the TRANS voicecraft skill and I cannot think of a single instance where that has ever helped me. Does any other class have a more useless TRANS skill than SoulfulVoice? I am asking because I do not know.

Anyway, just my opinion on the bard power ranking.

Thanks for the input.

Suicide Mice

Edit: For any respectable Jester, as they'd not have access to the use of this skill.

Hi.

I don't know how often you fight bards, but there are many other variables that make them a better class than you make them out to be.


Edit: had to change a word.

Stop wasting your time and learn how to fight.

Kthxbai.

You can't determine whether or not something is "overpowered" by averaging a bunch of scores. For example, having no revealing skills lowers -your- rating of the class but has absolutely nothing to do with being powerful in combat. More importantly, a class would be overpowered if they had just one ability that was completely unbeatable in either offense or defense. They could have a 3 in that category, get a low score in all the others, and still be "overpowered". This method of of comparing classes is fairly useless.

However, the being said, I'm not sure any classes -really- are overpowered, but it also depends entirely on what you consider too powerful.

Also, what Kakon said! If you're interested in combat, forget trying to classify classes and ponder combat strategy instead!

I like how monks would have an average of 3.0

I like how your whole 'I swear I'm never posting again' thing worked.

QFT

FIX SUICIDE MICE DAMMIT

Yep.

Respectable jester is an oxymoron.

Sobriquet's respectable. That's also because he's an old man.

onp

MUST KILL THE PIGEONS

DFA was nerfed. It's only really useful for blackout.

Bards also do huge damage.

Do you really think funeral mass makes bard fighting better, Talesinger?

Nowhere did I say funeralmass makes bard fighting better.

Anything with any sort of instakill or heavy-hitting skill gets a '1' simply because it exists. That does not mean it's any good at all.

POWER LEVEL!?

I can't believe no-one has said it yet.

NIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNE THOUSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDDDDDDAHHHHHH!!