The "Ratkiller" Maul vs. Greatclub Drama-storm of 2011

[Claver]

Devs -

Please keep my comments in proportion. The event looks fantastic!!!! This is not a complaint, just some feedback on a small way it could be better.

I was soooo much happier with the named item "Ratkiller" when it was a greatclub as described in the first event. In the latest build of Lamannia, "Ratkiller" is a maul. This is not as good of a design in my opinion.


First, some trivial observations:

- "Ratkiller" just sounds like a greatclub more so than a maul. There is better verisimilitude with a big dumb half-orc playing whack-a-mole with a plank of wood.

- As a greatclub, "Rat-killer" could have been an excellent weapon for Druids when they are added to the game. True, Druids are proficient with clubs rather than greatclubs but it would make sense (and increase sales) if half-orc druids had great clubs as a racial weapon enhancement line (2 handed tribal weapons that are made out of wood). Since the "Ratkiller" is bind to account and the event might be reused there is some opportunity here to lay the ground work for Druids.



Here is my main complaint, DDO is at its best when it promotes DIVERSITY.

Weapons like rapiers and khopeshes are strictly better than most melee weapons. When you look around Stormreach, more two weapon fighters have rapiers and khopeshes than sickles and hand axes. The same could be said when comparing two handed blunt weapons like mauls vs. great clubs - the maul is strictly better.

Maul 1d10 Crit 20/x3
Greatclub 1d10 Crit 20/x2

The only reason to chose a greatclub over a maul is if it has magical properties to offset the lower critical multiplier (x2). Odds are that on average, there will be a randomly generated maul from the loot tables on the auction house that's effectively better than a randomly generated greatclub at the same level range because of the x3 vs. x2 crit multiplier.





The best way for lesser tier weapons like the greatclub to a have a visible presence in Stormreach is for Turbine to create flashy named items from those less than optimum weapons. Again, this can promote DIVERSITY. If the named item is somewhat exciting, functionally sound, and different from what everybody else is using then I will build a new character around that item.

* Make a cool greatclub like "Ratkiller" and I will roll up a half-orc greatclub Kensai

* Make an awesome named returning throwing hammer and I will create a Dwarven Brutal Throw specialist.

* Make a decent named vicious spiked tower shield and I will even give a character focused on shield bashing a try

*But make another top tier weapon like a rapier or a khopesh and I won't buy another character slot and I won't extend my DDO career rerunning the same content when I already have Tempest characters (like the rest of the world)

[asphodeli]

Coming in U9: More rats to kill! Red ones, orange ones and purple ones! Don't forget the Epic Rats! (Ooh, what a stab to Disney)

[Quarterling]

Coming in U9: More rats to kill! Red ones, orange ones and purple ones! Don't forget the Epic Rats! (Ooh, what a stab to Disney)

Epic Mickey is going to be the next new purple named?

What? was Warner Bros. not enough so they are now even extending to Disney?

[Claver]

Don't forget the Epic Rats! (Ooh, what a stab to Disney)

+1 Rep if I knew how

I really did laugh out loud

[sephiroth1084]

Isn't the BIGGEST WEAPON IN THE GAME a greatclub?

[Claver]

Isn't the BIGGEST WEAPON IN THE GAME a greatclub?

It's not the size of your greatclub - it's how you use it.

[asphodeli]

+1 Rep if I knew how

I really did laugh out loud

It's pretty easy actually. I'm surprised no one has come in to say how. There's this scales icon on each person's post beside the exclamation mark (!) icon. That's how people give +/- reps.

[sephiroth1084]

It's not the size of your greatclub - it's how you use it.

Not what yo' mama said last night! OHHHHH!!!!

Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else to put there.

[andbr22]

Epic Mickey RULE. The funiest thing is that we have Kkomglol so why wouldn't we get Mickey the Rat. Also I would add Brain and Pinky (if I am correct they are WB ). "Rats that wana rule the world bhahahaha!" pack.

End of off.
The problem is not diversity, but usefullness of some divert stuff. Of course your rouge can dual wield daggers, but when he reach endgame he will be expected to use rapiers (or picks on epic trash). There are simply no epic some types of weapons (epic light/hevy pick, light hammer (that is btw one big mistake for it to add to game as melee weapon - it should be left only as trowing weapon (only blunt trower))), and most of epics are far behind GS items.

EDIT: but sure Ratkiller would look better as Great Cube

[wax_on_wax_off]

/signed

well thought out post and it makes a lot of sense, im sad to hear that they changed the rat killer from a greatclub to a maul.

[Shade]

I'd like to see it as a Greatclub with a x3 crit and the hardness of a maul.. With a cool unique appearnce.

x2 crit two handers are just terrible as epic weapons tho in general, so even for a druid, a x2 crit greatclub would be a big waste of time. They be better off with a earthgrab greensteel which would at least do some dps with acid dmgs burst hits.

Not like a freakin druid is going to be able to stun things anyways with stunning blow, the proc almost never works given its low dc.

And it has no caster enhacements. So no.. It's not a wepaon intended for druids.


It's a fighter/barb/paladins dream two hander for epics is what it is.

I think it should be harder to get, but nerfed? nah.. Too much nerfs going around lately really shows a lack of skill on turbines fault for making bad items in the first place.

[MrkGrismer]

Also I would add Brain and Pinky (if I am correct they are WB ). "Rats that wana rule the world bhahahaha!" pack.

You have apparently not done the Attack on Stormreach chain. They are in there, although it is something like Brinky and the Pain.

[Kale_Hagan]

Yeah, it's Brinky and Pain, a kobold priest and ogre barbarian, discussing what they're going to do tonight. They show up in Siegebreaker.

For what it's worth, my only problem with Ratkiller is that they should have called it Ratsmasher. I think that just sounds cooler.

[andbr22]

:-) It seems my knowlegde is small, but cool -> still they should be white rats (not to mention purpurle named :P)