AE rampage and the absurdity of 75 archery skill

[Abatoir]

In the beginning there were hybrids who were unable to use bows, and it was bad.

Then, in their infinite wisdom, the powers that be said "let there be archery in the hands of knights everywhere" and it was.. well, it didnt totaly suck.. but 75 archery skill is pretty damn useless.

Do players realize just how poorly Sks and Paladins use bows, those friggin hundreds of bows that are dropping and made in PoP that have Paladins and Sks on them, but who would be lucky to hit a house while standing inside it using one.

Now people will say "So what, do other things" and "there are only a few mobs that require long range attacks". This was true when Ventani was the only mob out there that would give you a serious beat down from melee range.. but now they're everywhere from Cursed on up the line. Mobs with such heavy ae's and AE rampage that you just plain cant time it and hope to survive for even a round or two without a 9 cleric ch line.

Sks get some taps and DoTs to compensate.. but paladins get, well, lets see- 75 archery, an 850 point heal and a 125 dd with a 30 second recast, oh and we can try to suicide rush the tank with a ninja LoH if we can get close enough to see their friggin life bar updates without getting Rampaged to death. Paladins dont need to be a wizard or rangers when it comes to damage, but ffs 75 skill cap? Sad even back in original EQ, but all these expansions later without a single raise when we're only 10% or so behind wars in other skill caps? Dont want to raise the skill cap? Fine, how about knight only bows with some nasty Proc's since you dont need a hit for that to work.

Naturaly this is only a side affect of the TOTALY ABSURD AE RAMPAGE list thats rampant in PoP. If you think paladins are sucking wind here I cant even imagine being a rogue or monk who were supposed to be the kinds of melee, now being asked to sit back and throw suriken and shit for 50 points when they should be backstabing for thousands while wizards click off 4k a nuke.

The more I think about it, the more it baffles me that AE Ramp hasnt gotten more press since it gives the finger to every melee class but the "Main Tank". People thought a DT was so horrid it got taken off the Emporer, but what ammounts to an AE DT people dont seem to mind? Riddle me this?

Abs

[Furor Planedefiler]

with mobs having AE rampage. I actually like the ability.

The problem is the range on AE Rampage is too large. I believe it is set at 100 range currently, thus on mobs like Magmaton that have high attack values and max hit for ~2950 and Rampage EVERY SINGLE ROUND, even if you find a spot that you can get in some attacks without taking page, all you need is one bad push a millimeter over and you are gib.

I see them fixing this problem around ~April when WoW goes beta and 50,000-100,000 subscriptions are finally cancelled.
This is probably around the same time when they make PoEarth B key function, etc...

At 50 range, the ability is actually an excellent ability and should probably be given to more mobs of LARGE size. It's the anti-afk melee ability IMO. You need to stay awake when meleeing mobs with 50 range AE Page and high melee so you dont get too close and get gibbed.

[Kether]

With this expansion they have taken ideas and run with them. IMO they ran right over the cliff. An AE rampage that dissuades true melee AFK fighting is a good thing. It keeps everyone involved. But with no margin for error it ends up going down the same toilet that the flag system did. A means by which everyone would take part in the 'grand quest' results in guilds killing the same mob over and over to 'flag' each of their members who can't play exactly when needed to.

[Qalar-Drinal]

Are you sure the AE rampage range isn't calculated from the mobs melee hit box? There are quite a few mobs where the range is deffinatly not 100.

[Furor Planedefiler]

Originally posted by Qalar-Drinal
Are you sure the AE rampage range isn't calculated from the mobs melee hit box? There are quite a few mobs where the range is deffinatly not 100.

pretty damn sure its straight up 100.

[Abatoir]

Agreed

However, I think that it -can- already be sized, it just isnt in most cases .

Consider that you can melee some mobs from max melee range already if you do it just right and move around to maintain the range.(and Im not gona say which for fear the guild will have a heart attack, but we know its true)

Problem is, there are too many mobs with AE assrape that extends out to a range so great you cant even get health bar updates. The cry of "WHATS HE AT??" sound familiar to anyone?

So, like I said, its a problem bigger than Hybrid bow skills, but that should be part of a potential solution in the meantime. It wouldbt be the first time VI looked at skill caps and decided they didnt quite make sense, AE rampage just puts the spot light on the problem.

Abs

[Jagsnor Dinapengar]

Originally posted by Qalar-Drinal
Are you sure the AE rampage range isn't calculated from the mobs melee hit box? There are quite a few mobs where the range is deffinatly not 100.

Actually there are some mobs in torment that have AE rampage but very short range on it.

[Kneesmasher]

Paladins can use bows?

Wow...ya know...now that you mention it, I guess I can use a bow. I have a pretty nice bow in the bank too. Hmmmmm, thinking back on it, I have even fired it once or twice. I had almost forgotten about that. Didn't hit anything of course and once I got my skill up to 75 way back in the day, just to be able to say I did, I never picked it up again. That was years ago.

Would be nice to actually have a REASON to pick it up, dust it off, and use it, with at least some results....

[Immortalis]

who gives a fuck if you cant use a god damned bow very well. You have so many other advantages over the warrior class and now your crying because your archery isnt doing tons of dmg? Eat my ass with a spoon you knight bitches.

You want a REASON to dust of your purddy lil bow? stats... theres your fucking reason.


(I was bored and realised I hadnt made any post in a long time to start a flame, so this is my weak ass attempt at one... /sigh I suck... I know)



----------------Immortalis-----------------
Dark Elven Overlord of Eternal Wrath

[Extreme]

All bow capable classes should have the endless quiver AA

[Elindel]

That isn't going to happen. Verant pretty much hates the EQ AA :p

They could up knights Archery to 200 or whatever and I doubt any Ranger would care. (well, plenty would bitch for the sake of being whiny bitches) But it wouldn't do you a bit of good really. The only thing that makes Ranger archery worthwhile is the fact that we have a 4x multiplier on archery damage with crits. (x2 for non moving, x2 for AM3).

I can't see why you'd want to be more Ranger like. I would think you'd rather see melee be less of a pita on these mobs.

BTW, tab to yourself and back for health updates ;)

[CarlieSolRo]

you could always be a monk and go sit in the corner during ranged encounters.

[Mojig]

Bow damage blows ass unless you are a ranger so deal with it. But it is a pain the ass having to make arrows constantly and carry around hundreds of arrows for pulling. Can't see any reason why all bow capable classes shouldn't have endless quiver.

[gimpish]

Well, Furor ~ you mentioned about a Plane of Earth(b) key part not working? Or did I misread? Well this 'key event' was fixed, have you explored the caves/tunnels recently? You will be surprised..

[Borzak]

EQ is a deas issue for any class but ranger. VI's already mentioned at fan faire it was a fuck up of sorts. I'm guessing that's why there are no uber drop/fletched/quested arrows in PoP. Vi can't hire anyone with an imagination to come up with a way to make arrow(s) drop off a mob that wouldn't totally overpower mobs since you only need 1.