Just some impactful thoughts on weapon changes (Free discussion, maybe wishlisting)

Fatshark Lounge
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You can see what follows up next as some kind of shower thoughts or caffeine induced thinking-processes.

Currently all the weapons work in the same way. Wait wait, let me explain and lower your pitchforks and torches :smiley:
The weapons have their own swing patterns and the combination of different swings forms the character of a melee weapon. But anything else are just some numbers which could be changed by a lunatic developer anytime in a spreadsheet.
Change some numbers on the rapier and voilĂĄ you got a two handed sword with rapier model.

Now comes the heretic part. Victor, let me talk, please. ^^
Often in many different threads I said I’d like to see the weapons far more specialized so picking an axe over an hammer would have a real impact instead of just some small stat changes.
But now I thought about some more heavy changes like a complete overhaul to the whole weaponry and turning the backs to the traditional VT1 weapon handling:

I am talking about different blocking mechanics, degrees of armor penetration, different kinds of push-attacks, headshot multiplier, stagger and even backstab values. Something more players have to weigh up and maybe even prefer something due to their playstyle.

As I just look at my primary screen and see the Rapier I start to talk about this one as example;
Imagine you could not hold the parry button infinitely. Either it ends automatically after a short time window (boooh, don’t want) or the longer you hold the button the more stamina is used per x seconds. On the other hand WHCs perk Eternal Guard (no light attack block costs from frontal attacks) becomes the Rapiers innate perk.* So no costs from blocking anything in front of you but only for a certain time.
Where’s the pro to that nerf? Automatic counter attacks, like some kind of offensive-parry trait, limited to 1 per 0.5 seconds or so.
There comes more:
The Rapier’s secondary attack while blocking is another kind of push-attack: but instead of a Rapier swing a pistol shot follows up.

While I was stabbing a Stormvermin from behind I thought “Why don’t I have anything from flanking an enemy? Why is that only for Shade?” This leads me to another point: Scalable AP depending on the positioning. Call it flanking bonus or whatever. While some attacks from the front simply have no AP on the side they might have 25% AP and 50% on the back (don’t pin me down on these numbers, please) while some AP attacks get higher crit values (5/10% ?) instead.

A random thought I just got: Except for bows every other ranged weapon should get a melee attack pattern something similar to the grudge-raker but with more swings. A Huntsman starting to swing his Handgun like a bat, Sienna pushing Enemies with her staff in a wide swing or stabs, depending on the used staff. Heavy but slow hits from the Stock of the crossbow or Saltzpyre smacking an enemy with the BoP’s hilt in quick strikes. Why should you swing you ranged, even weaker, weapon in melee? Because the weapon switch times become far longer, depending on the ranged weapon. And sometimes you just want that one hit to kill or atleast stagger before doging away to switch the weapon. These attacks would trigger melee talents.

Because my post becomes quite long I just fling in some more random thoughts on melee weapon handling overhaul:

  • Different headshot multiplier or effects on all weapons (hammer blows to the head knock down for a few seconds while swords or daggers don’t)

  • Bleed effect with a chance on bladed weapons.

  • Axes are somewhere between hammers/maces and swords on stagger/bleed/crit

  • Higher critical hit/bleed chances on swords.
    (Somehow this sounds famliar…But I can’t put my finger on it…)

  • Flanking bonus on “finesse” weapons
    — Maybe special (heavy) attacks after dodging

  • Range on melee weapons should have far more impact
    — Something like a cleave fall-off on one handed weapons. The farther away the lower the cleave. DonÄt know how this could work. Just a thought.

  • Some kind of “charge attack” on a few weapons (when moving forwards while preparing an heavy attack)
    — I know there is already that kind of mechanic which slows you down and then lets you “leap” a step forward but it feels so weird. Either it should trigger some effects like dodging does to enemies or the slowing down part should be removed while granting the same benefits as a push-attack for the same stamina costs. Or remove the stamina costs and make the game handle the assault as a dodge move, according to effects on enemies, talents, cooldowns and so on.

  • Can we have a sprint on shift (left thumbstick on controllers) which costs 1 stamina per second or so? Maybe connect it to the assault heavy attack I just mentioned?

  • Secondary traits on red weapons. The second one may only have half the effectiveness as it would have been as primary trait. It is rolled seperately. Not every trait is available as secondary like conservative shooter or concoction.

  • Before a WHC-main cries. He could get a new perk like "The next dodge after an heavy attack has 20% increased range
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