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Comments
I mean it has full-on damage checks built into it, even if not for all attacks. If I need to add more anti-illusion or class-detection, it wouldn't be much of a problem. Part of the design concept of the system was being inherently "basic" which would help newbies a lot, midbies a little, and high-tier people very little, without getting hands-on and improving it (which honestly isn't that hard to do, as intended).
I've also been toying around with an "undo last" function that could just be hot-keyed, for annoying but repetitive and predictable illusions. This could also easily be made into an "ignore last" that'd ignore a line for the duration of a fight, or set amount of time.
There are a few other nifty tricks but I don't want to screw over SLC users too hard, or give away any creative illusionists' secrets out (although chances are I probably knew about them before I released it ;p ). Can't catch'em all, especially with a "for donations" system that nobody donates for.
For you coders out there, you might want to look into using a wielding check for SoA absorption lines
There are a lot of false or at least incomplete statements flying about, here.
First and foremost, it should be mentioned that you should not be in situations where you might need to run after your next attack, at risk of dying. Thus, that entire line of thought is irrelevant, IMO.
Also keep in mind that the denizen attack damage type is important here, as the physical resistance increase from the SoA buys you nothing against non-physical damage in many cases.
You also need to factor in that slower attacks == less crit chances, which is in almost all cases, bad. Killing something faster is a perfectly viable form of damage mitigation (although ideally this would mean taking damage from the next NPC sooner).
Furthermore, you can switch shields on every attack, so there's nothing ruling out using a buckler most of the time, although even still, if you're at risk of dying, you should probably re-evaluate your bashing area choice, instead of swapping shields and reducing your DPS.
Assuming that using an SoA is better is a perfectly logical hypothesis considering that it is an artefact and absorbs the occasional attack, but the hypothesis doesn't stand the test of math (or actual bashing test-runs). It also becomes totally irrelevant at high levels when tanking things stops being a factor on your bashing entirely.
tl;dr: You should essentially always use a buckler. If you can't handle an area using a buckler, you should probably bash something else. IF this isn't possible/practical at the moment, then using an SoA will help, but it's going to slow you down significantly, probably negating any benefit you get from bashing that area instead of an "easier" area that you can bash faster.
Speed difference: Negligible at best, it's not significant. +1 for SOA
Damage difference: Noticeable, but not substantial. 50/50
Mitigation difference: Very nice. +1 for SOA
SOA wins.
edit: You're right in that you probably shouldn't try to *overbash* though, since that means you're likely going to have to hit-and-run. (*Going to an area above your capability*)
Go right ahead, nobody is stopping you.
Artemis says, "You are so high maintenance, Tharvis, gosh."
Tecton says, "It's still your fault, Tharvis."
[ SnB PvP Guide | Link ]
12 str, no artifact longsword.
SOA -> 1.9s bal, 611 damage = 321.5 dps
Buckler -> 1.77s bal, 566 damage = 319 dps
Tower -> 2s bal, 654 damage = 327 dps
Whereas SOA -> Buckler is like 9% less on the cutting/blunt (which are REAL values now, by the way. Not random numbers). Sooo...
Protip @Kafziel - When something is higher, but cancelled out by everything else, then the point is not given to the one with the higher value. If you want to be nitpicky, then damage+mitigation points would be given to the SOA, and speed given to neither since it's not even a difference that would save you in any situation. 2:0 points in favour of the SOA.
That's like saying broadsword vs longsword:
Broadsword has more damage +1 broadsword
Broadsword looks cooler +1 broadsword
Longsword is faster but broadsword has more damage and looks cooler +1 broadsword
You call it nitpicking, I call it at least try and be right when you're being a smug ass.
Imperian has used that philosophy with the artifact shields there since time immemorial to the benefit of the game.
It just seems like a silly thing to me.
Viva la Bluef.
[ SnB PvP Guide | Link ]
Flawed logic.
Viva la Bluef.
People still disregarding crit rate. Sigh.
At least up to a point. An SoA with a lvl 3 longsword reaches S&B's speedcap just the same as a buckler does, so technically it can be as fast as a buckler, it just costs you 2100 credits instead of 500.
Are you sure about this? I haven't tested speed, but I have yet to hear this from anyone. I mean, I guess I can test it right now...
I'd honestly be kindof pissed if this were the case. I didn't upgrade to a level 3 sword for a defense bonus.
Yeah, no. It's considerably slower, just did 20 on each.
I'm confused.
L3 longsword + buckler is much faster than L3 longsword + SoA. I just confirmed this on dear old @Amranu.
Issue being:
My unartefacted longsword/banded combo is 2.2. My unartefacted longsword/buckler appears to be 1.9.
Using an SoA is only "bad" because 2.2 is a touch slow for some common setups and affliction tricks. I need to use a buckler for that 1.9 combo speed to make the most of my abilities. Buying a level 2 or 3 longsword, I assumed via conjecture, lowered the SoA's combo speed down to 1.9 or better, so that you can use an SoA with buckler speed, getting the best of both worlds.
Thus:
If you have a lvl3 longsword/SoA and it is -not- getting down to 1.9 or better, then your weapon isn't helping your combo speed much at all, and so that sounds like a terrible purchase. (1600cr just for a touch of extra weapon damage, and still can't use an SoA effectively) If lvl3/SoA combo -is- 1.9 or better, then what I said is true, buying a lvl2 or 3 longsword removes the "penalty" of using an SoA instead of a buckler. If your lvl3/buckler combo speed is -also- getting help, and is down at 1.7 or better, then that's nuts and I thought we fixed that. S&B doesn't need to be as fast as a Serpent with a Fang.
Some raw data should sort it all out:
Edit: Okay, Xer posted some numbers while I was composing. If lvl3 longsword/SoA gets down to 1.9 then it essentially becomes buckler speed at that point. That's all I was saying. I may have been inaccurate about the nature of the "cap" if such a thing exists, and a lvl3/buckler may still be faster, but the important bit, in my mind, is that SoAs become viable weapons in combat (They're always stellar for hunting) with level 3 longswords because they break the 2.0 threshold and can use all the same setups that forged bucklers can. That's what I was pointing out to Valdus.