Classes and weapon armor proficiency

Post » Tue Oct 30, 2012 2:38 pm

Currently, we have been told that any class can wear any weapons or armor. This sounds awesome on paper, but what got me worried is that after everyone has played enough, everyone will become "proficient with everything". Let's say a regular warrior needs healing, no problem, he just switches his sword to a staff and heals himself. A sorcerer runs out of mana? No problem, he'll just switch to a bow and use nukes based on stamina. Mage is about to get bounded? Switch that two-handed stave to a shield until you gain more distance. Essentially, our combats roles will diminish, as everyone will have everything maxed. (Also, everyone who has played Darkfall knows how annoying this kind of a system is, and in the end, being competent will require you to max all skills).

What I'm proposing is a proficiency system. This means that all classes can use all weapons and armor, but not to as good extend as the other classes.

The proficiency works from 0-40 skill, each class will have minimum skill of 10, and max of 40. This is called "proficiency skill".

10 = apprentice, 20 = journeyman 30 = master 40 = grandmaster.

This means that 0 skill = 0% efficiency, 20 = 50%, 40% = 100%.

Example of a proficiency skill:

Grounding shot (Marksman):

Deals 25% to 50% weapon damage (from ranks 0 to 40)
Slows the target by 40% (from ranks 0 to 40)
Duration 2.5 to 5 seconds (from ranks 0 to 40)


As you can see, the spells proficiency benefits are marginal, but they still give slight differences. Lets take comparison of rank 20 and rank 40. At rank 20: Damage is 37,5% and the duration is 3.75 seconds. As opposed to rank 40, which is 50% damage and 5 seconds.


Since we level each spell. This spell can be leveled from 0 -&--#62; 40, giving us the maximum benefit. However, lets say your class has proficiency of 20. The spell wont become more powerful after the rank of 20 (thus it doesn't level further).

And for an armor skill (Ultimate):

Counter-Magic (Block):
Redirects the targets weapon ability back to the opponent on next successful block, if the ability's level is equal or less to your block proficiency. (Ranks 0 to 40)


Yup, a powerful spell, but as you can see, it can be utilized to the maximum extend for a class that has a block proficiency of 40. Otherwise, the most proficient weapon abilities (assuming a class uses weapon proficiency of 40) won't trigger the ultimate. Balance reasoning, you wouldn't want a pure mage to have such ability and utilize it to as powerful extend as a dragon knight.


Now, to understand this concept further, we need to take a look at an example. I'll just randomly put proficiency skills for two classes (just to showcase, no need to discuss the classes). Keep in mind that these proficiency levels only apply to the weapon and armor skills, not the classes own skills as whole. This is to create a concept of balance. A barbarian can, for sure go for a stave and the heal that comes with it, but he won't be capable of using it to as high extend as a Wizard, since his staves healing skill caps at 10, and wizards at 40. As show cased above, the difference however between proficiency of 10 and 40 is marginal.

Barbarian:
Axe: 40
Blunt weapons: 40
Long blades: 40
Short blades: 20
Spears: 10
Marksman: 20
Staves: 10

Light Armor: 40
Medium Armor: 40
Heavy Armor: 30
Shields: 40
----------
Sorcerer:

Axe: 10
Blunt weapons: 20
Long blades: 10
Short blades: 40
Spears: 20
Marksman: 10
Staves: 40

Light Armor: 40
Medium Armor: 40
Heavy Armor: 20
Shields: 20

As you can see above, A Sorcerer wouldn't be as efficient with axes as a Barbarian. But don't get me wrong, it doesn't force the sorcerer to go for "Short blades" for example, since his proficiency with them is 40. Give all the weapon and armor classes different spells (really unique ones) and people can use them as they please, but they need to understand that these spells won't be as effective on them as they are on the others. Lets say sorcerer seriously wants to use a bleed skill that axes give, but the weapons proficiency is only 10. Why would he use it? He would, if its balanced correctly, he would.

NOTE: THESE DO NOT APPLY TO THE CLASSES OWN SPELLS; classes own abilties and spells are unaffected by the weapon / armor proficiency, they only apply to the abilities gained through the weapons and armor.

Now, I haven't even finished my first cup of morning coffee whilst writing this. if there are any inconsistencies within or something is unclear, tell me and I'll elaborate it further.


Edit: adding something. This would only work if all the weapons and armor had different, distinct abilities. Let's say long blades have a snare, but no stun, where as blunts have a stun, but no snare.

Let's say sorcerer has no snare ability. And he really wants one, as it would work with his build, the sorcerer gets bows, thus he gets a snare, although the snare lasts 1.25 seconds less and deals less weapon damage, he would still have a ranged snare he would otherwise lack.

This creates further customization and would add unique "toon building" elements to the game.

Edit: To showcase healing ( and different variations):

Self-heal (awesomely unique spell name, staves):
Heals self for 75-100% weapon damage (from ranks 0 to 40)
Cast time: 3 to 1.5 seconds (from ranks 0-40)

Here's an example, the amount of healing wouldn't dramatically change per class, but there's clear difference in cast time. (or well, clear and clear, less than 1.5 seconds, keep in mind that if all classes have minimum proficiency of 10, the highest difference would be 1.35 seconds).
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Camden Unglesbee
 
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