Combat Feedback for Update 5.

[Grendyll]

I am extremely disappointed to hear of this nerf. 2HF had already caught up to 2WF and even passed it with epic SoS. Elite and Epic play is dominated by 2HF Barbarians and Kensai. All I see is a terrible and unwarranted nerf to 2WF and especially to the poor rogues who already struggle to find a place in high end content.

It sounds like you have proposed to reduce DPS lag by simply reducing DPS altogether. Make no mistake, this change will cost the average rogue 25% of his DPS and greatly nerf all strategies that involve high attack rate (vorpal, smite, banish, WoP, WoE, etc.). The sheer number of attacks being thrown by 2WF was the only thing keeping it remotely competitive with 2HF, now that is gone.

[Beherit_Baphomar]

So this will be in U5 on Lama within days/weeks?

Yeah, nothing to see here, move along.

[Gringo]

I can remember being a ranger and being unable to find groups because you weren't seen as a dps source. Slowly the mind set changed and rangers were accepted into groups. Then the WOP nerf hit (which I support, it should have happened) and twf took a big hit. Now you want to decrease the amount of damage rangers do and send them back into exile?

Monks are just starting to gain acceptance in high level content, being seen as a source of DPS (be it less than almost every other class) and as an asset to groups and your going to knock them down now too?

With the system the way it is you see a wide variety of builds. After this TWF nerf (lets call it what it is) all we are going to see are half-orc THF barbs with epic SOS running around.


Reduce lag by reducing the number of dice rolls?

I Love It. With some of the suggestions in the posts, you can drastically reduce the number of dice rolls tied to every attack and reduce the overall lag.

Changing attack speed to double strike?

I don't like it, but will accept it. I like my ranger and monk being able to swing/punch faster than my barb but I can justify the change mentally from a flavor perspective.

Changing off hand attacks for ALL TWF builds?

Hate it, your going to kill classes and drive away subscribers.

I think you will see that most of the DDO populous will accept changes #1 and #2. But change #3 and you will have a very unhappy demographic of your player base. I for one don't want to see another mass exodus of players because you are taking all the hard work they put into their toons, and all the enjoyment they get out of playing them, away. TWF isn't game breaking, so please don't break IT .

[Potvin]

I can remember being a ranger and being unable to find groups because you weren't seen as a dps source. Slowly the mind set changed and rangers were accepted into groups. Then the WOP nerf hit (which I support, it should have happened) and twf took a big hit. Now you want to decrease the amount of damage rangers do and send them back into exile?

Monks are just starting to gain acceptance in high level content, being seen as a source of DPS (be it less than almost every other class) and as an asset to groups and your going to knock them down now too?

With the system the way it is you see a wide variety of builds. After this TWF nerf (lets call it what it is) all we are going to see are half-orc THF barbs with epic SOS running around.


Reduce lag by reducing the number of dice rolls?

I Love It. With some of the suggestions in the posts, you can drastically reduce the number of dice rolls tied to every attack and reduce the overall lag.

Changing attack speed to double strike?

I don't like it, but will accept it. I like my ranger and monk being able to swing/punch faster than my barb but I can justify the change mentally from a flavor perspective.

Changing off hand attacks for ALL TWF builds?

Hate it, your going to kill classes and drive away subscribers.

I think you will see that most of the DDO populous will accept changes 1 and 2. But change three you will have a very unhappy demographic of your player base. I for one don't want to see another mass exodus of players because you are taking all the hard work they put into their toons, and all the enjoyment they get out of playing them, away. TWF isn't game breaking, so please don't break IT .

This sums up my feelings. I'm very fearful that this pure monk DPS nerf is going to really hurt my enjoyment of this game post level 20 achievement.
I don't have time, or desire, to level multiple characters here, especially if they are going to be irreparably nerfed for the 'sake of lag reduction'.

I'm all for the change in mechanics, just don't nerf a) overall damage or b) combat builds comparative to each other right now.

If:
a) the 18/2 ranger/monk does 100% of max possible damage, and
b)a 20 barbarian does 95% of that max damage, and
c)a 20 monk does 92% of that max damage, and
d) a pure fighter does 90% of this max damage

then do not change this ratio in the new system
(note: the above values are just made up by me, to provide an illustration)

Changing this ratio of DPS/build more then anything else will cost you in angry customers.