Mid-fight weapon switching?

ArchivedUser

Birnir said:

I voted no. I don't like the system like in GW2 where you had to switch weapons to maximize DPS and keep up all your dots. That was just silly. But i think you should be able to switch weapons FX when a range character is attacked by melee and vice versa. 

Why are you basing your vote off another games mechanics then?

ArchivedUser

I dont mind that if done properly at to some degree - like mage mainly using a staff lest say will be limited to a wand and a shield or some off hand item, ranger using a bow and switching to a 1h or some DW and so one - lest keep some realism and ofc there would be some reasonable CD on that.

ArchivedUser

Weapons yes, armor no. I always enjoyed the weapon switching aspect in aion. It gives melee an ability to have a ranged weapon, that even if they aren’t proficient with it and dealing the big deeps, can still put some damage on someone kiting them. I feel this helps alleviate the need to give melee 6 billion gap closers. It also makes sense to be able to switch your weapons in combat, BUT since macros are a thing, I hope that they give weapon swapping a global cooldown so you don’t see macros that are just constantly switching weapons before skill casts. Macros should be for convenience, not a mandatory thing to be able to get maximum dps/hps. 

Armor switching(also like aion), just adds a ridiculous level of metaing, and the feeling like you need to build and keep too many armor sets on you. It also just doesn’t make sense that you are able to switch gear so quickly in combat from an rp/immersion stand point. If they do end up including armor switching, I hope that they limit it; one additional armor set, with its own additional slots.

ArchivedUser

It would make sense to have a couple weapons Equipped and being able to switch between them. Like a small sword or knife and a bow equipped and you can switch between them. Just not opening your bag to look for your knife mid-fight. If it wasn't on your "toolbelt"...sorry

Also not this: 

A couple or maybe a few equipped weapons tops.

ArchivedUser

Yes to weapon swap (like the GW2 system). No to a full gear swap. 

ArchivedUser

My current understanding is that class abilities can cause a swap to a secondary weapon.
If a Ranger's primary weapon is a Sword and secondary weapon is a Bow, clicking on Hail of Arrows will automatically cause the Ranger to swap from Sword to Bow.

This doesn't answer the question of the possibility of equipping something else from inventory mid-battle.

ArchivedUser

I want to be able to switch as a ranger/scout type class from bow to melee and back again.  It just makes sense.  EQ2 does it well by what ability icon you hit, it switches the weapon.  Having 3 weapon slots (2 melee + ranged) should be enough.  I'm not for armor switching or dragging weapons out of bags.

ArchivedUser

HumblePuffin said:

Weapons yes, armor no. I always enjoyed the weapon switching aspect in aion. It gives melee an ability to have a ranged weapon, that even if they aren’t proficient with it and dealing the big deeps, can still put some damage on someone kiting them. I feel this helps alleviate the need to give melee 6 billion gap closers. It also makes sense to be able to switch your weapons in combat, BUT since macros are a thing, I hope that they give weapon swapping a global cooldown so you don’t see macros that are just constantly switching weapons before skill casts. Macros should be for convenience, not a mandatory thing to be able to get maximum dps/hps. 

Armor switching(also like aion), just adds a ridiculous level of metaing, and the feeling like you need to build and keep too many armor sets on you. It also just doesn’t make sense that you are able to switch gear so quickly in combat from an rp/immersion stand point. If they do end up including armor switching, I hope that they limit it; one additional armor set, with its own additional slots.

I agree with this with the exception of a shield as it is hand held and is technically armor but based on fighting style could be considered and used as a weapon as well.

To handle it it in most situations would have to allow for 3 spots as 2 weapon fighting styles is a thing. 

1) Back
2) Left Belt
3) Right Belt

3 Should cover most situations any more than 3 would start getting a bit ridiculous.

I agree only the 3 possible slots should be allowed for change without penalty going through a back pack is a bit ridiculous.

*****

Tho it's unrealistic to go through a bag during battle in dire situations it could happen. Not saying this should be allowed it would make things a bit more complicated but could add a bit of realism if the action lock the person in a real time time lock and massive AC decrease making the target much easier to hit and prone to more damage. In order to successfully switch something out in the middle of battle you would have to commit to swapping items from back back for a set amount of time to do it successfully (Time Bar)

So like I said this would be complicated and not saying it should be allowed but if they decided to allow for it maybe down the road after the game comes out it could actually add some interesting situations. 

Imagine being in a huge PVP battle realising there is something that might be more helpful than the 2 or 3 items you have slotted and want to swap something out from the back pack. You would probably have to try and duck out from battle temporarily to try to swap out safely and then return as swapping would take a real time action in order to complete the action lowering AC and a increased damage modifier if they get hit while performing this action as well as a decreased skill check when checking against abilities used against them during this time.

Now unrealistic as to why someone would want to take such a risk in the middle of battle but if someone wanted to it would be a good way to handle it which makes the situation realistic.

Now I'm not for it or against it but if it was to be considered I think this would be a realistic fair way to incorporate it into the game.

ArchivedUser

I imagine weapon switching mid combat to be the same as real life. You'd have to take a huge movement debuff that scales to the weapon you're switching to. In addition, no other skills would be usable during that time. If you switch from a bow to sword, you're not dropping your bow, you're putting it over your shoulder and drawing the sword. If you're switching from a sword and dagger class into a sword and tome for a spell-sword the debuff wouldn't last nearly as long.

And can you imagine all of these animations? It's not as simple as "Sheath: Dagger; Draw Tome." New animations would need to be added to display each of the weapons. Magical bags of holding aren't the one stop fix. The UI has to completely switch and it throws off immersion which (I believe) is what Ashes is trying to maximize while maintaining a solid control scheme.

ArchivedUser

Weapon swapping and skill swapping allows for more diverese character creation and in any combat MMO that is a good deal.  Having the ability to manufacture characters that are either specialists or generalists is never a bad idea.  The problem comes when the generalists power dwarfs the specialist.  If this is never an issue (IE: allow for any class to cast a heal spell, which seems to be already present in secondary classes modifying primary skills) but make it so that a specialized cleric will always be better in some fashion (recast, casting speed, etc) than a secondary class cleric and there is no problem with weapon switching.

Give it a cooldown and a hot swap recast skill timer and you have created a way to enhance combat.  Giving people more options is never a negative.  Some of the best Pvp MMO systems ever made gave you the ability to do just that.  Create a game where Pvp has options and worth and you can have a game running for years on a subscription model.

Good pvp keeps pvpers happy, a great system for dungeons and overworld city v city keep both pve minded individuals happy and everyone can meet in the middle.

ArchivedUser

I don't know what types of weapons we will have . but if weapons have powerful active spells on or somekind of power burst will kinda make it hard to fight since people will abuse those weapons. I do think they a change of weapons need to be only after you out of a fight for at least few sec or maybe if you weren't hit last 20 sec u can change it . 

ArchivedUser

This question was asked during a LiveStream. If i recall, they do not plan on doing this. But its neat to think about. But i think the Cons out-weighs the Pros imo