That Time Spicy Was Bored And Wrote Too Much About Armed Balance

[Spicy Serious]

Okay this is the post where I probably catch some downvotes. But I’m both bored, and think the discussion is good for the game’s balance. 

Armed is seriously overturned. And it really needs to be addressed one way or another. 

Now I’m not someone you should ever ask about PvP in this or any other game. I’m fucking trash, and I don’t spend near enough time with the systems to really feel out their intricacies. Hell the last serious fight I had I think was against a Fire-Mage build back before 1.0. So don’t take my word on it but Armed’s current balance has gotten wacky enough for even me to notice. 

So what’s the problem? I have three words for you. Damage. Damage. Damage. Armed (and other trees) have gradually krept up more and more in Damage. Hell I think Power Smash now outclasses Ultra Smash in damage? Armed has so much access to high damage moves though that even when running just armed alone you won’t be starving for more in the least. 

This would be fine if it was still the meta of mid-e3 tbh. That era where sustain was so wacky you’d have rpbs lasting eons, hod forbid if it was two sustains fighting each other. You’d be there all day. Or early e4 where Minefield was still unnerfed, new, and oppressive. Where prevalent CC made closing hits difficult for Armed….but nerfs have (rightfully) tuned those down to reasonable levels, and yet Armed seems balanced -for- those Metas. For before vit stacking got nerfed, before all that. 

It’s tuned for High Risk High Reward. With the theory near as I can gather being that it’s harder to land and puts you in danger of being smacked hard for your sin of pride, but the options to withstand those hits, to make it Higher Risk have dwindled while the damage flourishes to where it is now. And it just kind of sounds oppressive. 

Solutions? Look idk. I’m not a Verb Chad. Heck I’m not a Verb Virgin I’m a Verb Embryo. Ideally? I think Armed has it’s numbers toned down a LITTLE, not massively, and it’s counters are theoretically improved to make them more proper counters. Maybe the Block change will do that? Maybe dumb dumbs like me remembering block is a button would help?

I dunno. I’m just a Spicy. And this is just a dumb post I made because I was bored and because I think e3’s wound back to where a small handful of builds are actually really competitive. But maybe I’m not seeing the real numbers at play because I’m stuck on the ground floor and my mobile at that.  

Also my pirate is going to be Armed please please please don’t nerd it into the ground I BEG. Just make other stuff cool too!!! That’s all I want !!

[Moloch]

Eternia is a story about mages being oppressed by people with swords, so armed being stronger is simply lore accurate

[ACuriousGrey]

"I don't know why you think you'd get downvoted, you're kinda spitting." -An armed player.

[Detective100]

When the armed moves are so good you are starting to wonder whether the signature skills will be worth it in comparison, you know there's an issue 

[Ohverride]

I just think it's lame even as an armed player, when I land a combo (or someone lands a combo on me), in one button it deals similar damage far easier. Armed used to be riskier, but if every exchange out-does what your opponent does, there's little risk in the first place.

Reduce Psmash's damage. Reduce Pslash's damage (or at least it's hitbox to only be about like avalanche). Reduce Quickdraw's range. That is all.

[Ohverride]

Also another thing I want to add to this - the fact is that not only are the SD values on average high, but with a nyeshk greatsword you're hitting them for a weapon that has +80 power for that move in particular, which, might I add, would be insane on a staff.

[Allegory]

it is a tale as old as time itself

[SilkiyTea]

I use Ultrasmash. It:
+ Has a janky hitbox that unless you use it super close to the person ur gonna miss
+ 1 less SD than P.smash
+ 45 Second CD (HELP ME? IM SUFFERING)
+ Does not slow like P.smash
+ I have never seen the tornados do anything to anyone
+ And it does not scale with melee weapon's physical damage so it is weaker than P.smash actually.

TBH beyond its CD and not gaining the extra power from +phys on melee weapons, it isn't all that bad. It is just a very weak version of power smash that doesn't slow which is a bit of an oopsie moment but. I do a funny lil hop when I use it. Just a funny lil hop.

But yes Ultrasmash is worse than any armed ability I use. Except maybe double slash.

[ACuriousGrey]

Don't you dare shit talk double slash like that...

[Oicha]

Armed got it's big counter tree at the time nerfed. Vit stacking got nerfed, which ended up benefitting armed the most because it has insanely high SD moves for no good reason. Then another utility spell got added to armed (the counter) Armed keeps getting buffed over and over and over. People have been asking for it to be nerfed since the patch came out, but who knows guys maybe they'll nerf Psmash damage back down to 15 and say fixed hehe :)

Armed was always in a fine spot if you were good at it, now it only takes two brain cells to rub together to play.