Knowledge, Build, or Gear?

[Perryc]

Ok, new topic just cause I haven't stirred up trouble lately ... what makes more of a difference in game, game/quest knowledge, character build, or gear?

Btw, butterflies are a dish best served with revenge (and honey mustard).

[gorloch]

I would say game/quest knowledge. With the knowledge comes knowing how to make a good build (game knowledge of what works and what doesn't) as well as what equipment you are going to need where (featherfall, UA, Poison Proof, etc..). Of course it takes someone smart enough to utilize the knowledge that they have gained.

PIXA

[Clay]

i agree with Gorloch...

can have the best gear but if yer a stone in someones pocket cuz you keep messing simple thing up... then they don't do you much good.

in another thread someone posted that the mark of a good player is being able to play a gimped character well... I agree... If all you ever play is a "perfect" dorf ftr or bbn... then i imagine the quests will get a little boring...

Its fun to roll a character that is odd in its creation.

Maybe i am just projecting...

[loki523]

All three.

Edit: You left out raw skill though which, IMO outweighs all 3...

[Clay]

All three.

Edit: You left out raw skill though which, IMO outweighs all 3...

wouldn't skill fall under the catergory of game/quest knowledge? Or would it have been better expressed as two categories: quest knowledge and gaming ability?

[Scarsgaard]

Personal skill helps.. the gear is least important.

If you can't do simple things like control aggro, shield wall, manage mana... etc... well you're pretty much useless.

It is also key to have these 2 skills... ask questions if you don't know something and follow good leadership. If you can follow a good leader, you'll make a good leader in time.

As far as builds go.. the best build is useless if it doesn't suit your play style I like casters and clerics. I get them.. and while I can build a good tank (i.e. copy my friends).. I'm not interested in it, and thusly... my tanks are mediocre.

Loot comes eventually, but if you're a good team player, a solid player and have knowledge... you can do wonders with the gear you gather. A bad player can have all the best gear and still blow chunk.

[loki523]

wouldn't skill fall under the catergory of game/quest knowledge?

There's a difference between knowing which way to swim in Crucible and making it every time without taking damage on your sorc...

[Perryc]

I think gaming ability and skill are probably the same thing here; the ability to take a specific action or series of action successfully such as the Crucible swim, getting the levers in the Reaver's Fate, or getting on top of the maze on the purple side without using the stairs in the Twilight Forge. Just because you know how to do it doesn't mean that you can. This is even more true if you run multiple toons with different stats -- it's much harder to make the Crucible swim with a low reflex character than a high reflex/evasion build.

Adding gaming ability/skill to the list.

[XFracture]

Knowledge.

No contest. I see too many "leeted" out players getting owned because they're ******** to believe otherwise.

[Jundak]

Knowledge. Hands down...

You can be a skilled player with the shiniest toys, but if you don't know what the hell you're doing in any given situation...well, then you're only as good as a Harbor rat with masterwork gear in Gianthold. That is, good at getting yourself killed.

Skill comes from practice for 90% of the player base. Shiny toys can be bought at the AH. Knowledge comes from paying attention...which sadly seems to be the most difficult task presented to most folks I've run across.

[Jaywade]

knowledge and skill go hand in hand if you ask me I've seen far too many people that have opne and not the other....gear is helpfull but a good build is a good build no matter what weapons/gear you may or may not have

[Scarsgaard]

A person without knowledge of the Quest can be taught, but a person who can't shield wall by lvl 12 (ask Malnon about this one) can't be taught anything.

[narizue]

Knowledge. Of the game. Of the quest. Of your build and its strengths and limitations, and of your party members strengths and limitations. Shinies are nice and do make things easier but are seldom if ever anything other than an EASY button. Knowledge also reflects to me the understanding of the various concepts of the game including aggro control, self-sufficency, tactical combat etc.

After knowledge I would say build, for example using con as a dump stat can often be a death sentance if you lack the knowledge. Gear can repair some of the damage of a bad build, but not all of it by a longshot. A solid build that is not equipped with the uber items will still outperform a totally twinked out build 90% of the time in my experience.

Player skill, to me is reflected by knowledge and build. Skillful players will seldom build gimped builds unless it is for the challenge of doing so. A player who is bragging constantly about their uber loot endlessly often lacks the skills to use it properly.(Now I know we all brag about our good pulls, but I cannot count the number of times that I have been in a party looking for a tank when we get some ranger trying to join with the words "I have a paralyzying bow." Von 4 was a personal fave for that situation.) Gear makes the game easier. Thats all.

[ace_mason]

SKILL,KNOWLEDGE,THEN EQUIP.
I do think that euip can over come alot of the lack of knowledge.

[Brai]

I go with skill and ability every time! That is the most important. That and some basic intelligence (not knowledge) and common sense. These two are the most important for completing quests and advancing through the game. The others are nice to have but you can advance through the game without leet loot or knowledge. Remember when scavenged war plate was hot, and Gwylans stand was unknown, we made it through that because someone had some brains and some ability.

If you are good you can pretty much solo or duo up to 12, heck this is pretty much standard GoL practice. We do it cause way too many people in the guild have way too many capped toons, and rarely build new ones. Side effects of that are that we learn to be self sufficient and how to play our toons to their max. Buy time we can actually join in in on the raid and loot fun with the other established powerhouses we know what the toon can do very well. Recently I just took over my friend that quit the games account. He has a lvl 12 ranger, I have never played a ranger before so I will try not to get in over my head before I figure her out, it is all about comfort level. But I had the ability that the first time I really played her we 3 manned the titan with a ranger, wizard, and fighter.

More equipment and knowledge definitely help speed up the process, but ability is key, Ability is the building block.

[loki523]

it's much harder to make the Crucible swim with a low reflex character than a high reflex/evasion build.

That's my point right there. Anyone who thinks they need evasion to make the swim easier is a little lacking in skill. There is no reason to take damage in there even if you have no evasion, 90 hp, zero swim, and zero reflex. A skilled player will dive in with this toon and go solo the gnolls. A player who lacks skill will look around and say, "Ok who's carrying my stone?"

[Scarsgaard]

Yeah yeah ...

Knowledge is Power ... hell.. in every freaking Kabbalistic text and High Schhol Sylibus you'll hear this quote...

..but in my opinion Knowledge is Useless if you lack the testicular fortitude to use it, the mental capacity to understand it and the character to validate it.

In other words... everything depends on the player. I've been on perfect first time runs with players that lacked the quest knowledge but understood teamwork, their role and how to communicate.

..and I've been on craptastic runs with craptastic players, who made the best known runs into a bleeding nightmare.

Knowledge is great... but personal skill and social skills are everything.

[5footStep]

Frankly.... I think the most important qualities... *shrug* is a dash of patience and a sense of humor

[Scarsgaard]

oops... I forgot beer

[Brai]

I though beer was a given with mmos???