Posted by A mid-ranged paladin on June 30, 2000 at 17:24:40:
In Reply to: PALADINS + some ideas - Immortals please comment if able. posted by up-and comeing paladin on June 30, 2000 at 06:19:31:
> Tho I am not a Hero paladin yet, and thus unable to fairly judge the balance of it. 3. True. That's a sacrafice. 4. You can easily have an avg18 non limited 2handed blade at any level. Easily. > I've spent close to 15 hours useing the skills gained by Paladins who dedicate to two-handed weapons. Yet they have not improved once. 5. I noticed that, also. From my experience it's worse than trying to master shapeshift. But then, you're probably playing a storm, like me, and the IMMs probably don't want too many *masters* of the 2h specs. "And the benifits From the skills seem to hold little benifit." 6. Wrong. I know of two that I will use despite the 2round lag in PKs, if they're applicable to the situation. These two do more than simple damage, and, of course, are "sacraficed" by shield specs. "Nothing that ive gathered so far comes close to the gains recieved from dedicating shield." 7. That's arguable. What do you value being able to do in a PK? What wins PK's for you? I don't know, but the specs aren't bad. Even when you're hunting for gear from a big old nasty mob, you want to keep it hurt and blinded while you're resting for hp/mana. But, you won't be able to rank as easily as a shield spec. That's a sacrafice each spec makes, but they're not "losing" anything. They're just choosing the role their character will have and what they want to gain. > If All goes well I will be able to continue on towards Hero level and be able to determin more on the dedication. 8. Perhaps you should wait until then before you come here and write a note to the Immortals, eh? 9. ****It's ALREADY been done.**** > - Allow the dedicated Two-handed weapon skills to be used by other weapons. 10. How do you know that isn't so? You're not even a Hero. You haven't seen everything 2h specs can do. Why are you making judgements when you admit you have no idea they're even valid? > - Give a similar bonus to parry for the dedicated two-handed weapon paladins, as you did for the shield blockers. Or perhaps a dodge ability. 11. See #10. 12. That's valid. But it is a similiar situation with Bard songs. It was even worse for bards because you couldn't even tell if the song affected the victim or not. Very many spells and communes have "hidden" effects that you're not aware of except through experience. Who would have thought that crimson scourge would decimate mana as much as hp? Must a helpfile spell that out? That's the challenge of playing a new class. That's the sacrafice you make (not knowing everything relevant) when you choose to play a new class. Anyway, I have a mid ranged paladin, just like you. A 2h spec just like you. I know I've learned of less than half of what neopaladins can do, now, and even when I do learn that, I probably won't learn how to use them until this character's dead. There is a choice you make at 10th level as to what additional benefits you wish to gain. You can choose shield or 2h or nothing at all. The only option that sucks is nothing at all. I chose the spec because it seemed inherently challenging, with both the unknown and versatility. In short, it's too early for you to be making judgements.
That could be your answer *right there*.
> What I can see worries me some what. If one chooses to dedicate shield He gains many benificial abilities and becomes a extrem master of the use of the shield. If one chooses to dedicate two-handed weapons he effectivly sacrifices shieldblock
1. Wrong. He does not "effectively lose shield block." Sometimes using your 2h specs are beneficial. Sometimes using your shield block is beneficial. The choice of which one to utilize in a give situation is yours. You can't have life both ways. But keep in mind that shield specs do not even get that choice. They've "sacraficed" *all* of the 2h specs.
"thus become a much much worse tank."
> Being restricted to being able to use two-handed weapons and swords and maces in particular is made even more finite with the MASSIVE lack of weapons avaliable.
> Some suggestions for the immortals:
> - Make some of the current standing weapons two handed.
> - Utilise Polearm , Id expected to see its use in the dedication.
> - Perhaps have sub help files on the skills avalible. Haveing a skill and seeing a message followed by some damage isnt usefull if you dont know what it truely does.