Tweak my weapons

I figured it was high time we get a thread going about cleaning up and tweaking the weapons we have on the mud. As we come up with some good ideas i’ll go through and edit them into the first post. I compiled some of the points made during an OOC conversation this afternoon to get the ball rolling.

Recent changes:

[quote:25f7j7iy]
(ID: 284) Snipe Modification

Pistols
[list:25f7j7iy]Small lag on draw
(OOC) *Avanga: Pistols need to become the Smuggler’s weapon of choice. 927 damage, Smuggler skill that makes them effective. Something that’d take the place of blaster mastery for combats. Finesse or something
(OOC) *Henrin: maybe a way to "aim" them secretly
(NEWBIE) *Vortex: I would like to see less fire, though decently accurate. I think even though you are inexperienced. It is a pain to go five rounds of combat before you hit something
(OOC) *Xavier: Pistols should be the most accurate close quarters weapon, I think.
(NEWBIE) Nix: shoot from the hip? Han Solo Shot?
(IMM) Asmodean: Smugglers should be able to draw a pistol slowly without being seen.
LOW rate of fire, HIGH accurace, LOW snipe damage, LOW damage.
[/list:u:25f7j7iy]

Rifles

Frankly, I think we were lucky to hit such a delicate balance between repeaters/BH melee/lightsabers and any changes should be done slowly and carefully. That being said, my stuff on pistols stands. Duelist should be a smuggler thing. Uh… sniping’s a dangerous thing to toy with because it’ll make combat lame. Lag on draw is stupid, as all it’ll do is turn the MUD towards a tendency of lame-ass ambushes, rather than straight-up fights.

My biggest thing is, repeaters are /the/ weapons often carried by soldiers. It falls to the players to enforce restrictions on them, and I think that if there were players enforcing it, a lot of the issues of "balance" would fade away.

Here’s my opinion-

[b:1enzfxgj]Repeaters[/b:1enzfxgj] should do the most damage of all blasters, canonically, in regular combat. They should also be less accurate than rifles.

[b:1enzfxgj]Rifles[/b:1enzfxgj] should do a lot of damage when sniping, and be more accurate than repeaters. Should do more damage than pistols, less than repeaters.

[b:1enzfxgj]Pistols[/b:1enzfxgj] should be the most accurate in close combat, the worst to snipe with, and the least damage. They should have a feat to draw them without people noticing, yes, which could be counteracted by sharp_eye. But there shouldn’t be anything else to compensate for the lack of damage, attacks, and sniping. People use pistols to A) Be sneaky, or BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE A RIFLE/REPEATER.

[b:1enzfxgj]Force Pikes[/b:1enzfxgj] should be more damaging than blades, harder to use, less accurate, and have a chance of a stun effect when doing damage.

[b:1enzfxgj]Bowcasters[/b:1enzfxgj] should do /slightly/ more damage than repeaters, and be more accurate. Attacks per round as a rifle. More expensive to build and buy ammo for than all of them. Should also be, I dunno, RELOADABLE. <!– s;) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!– s;) –>

[b:1enzfxgj]Vibroblades[/b:1enzfxgj] should be divided between light (one handed), medium (one handed), and heavy (two handed). Heavy should do quite a bit more damage than medium, hopefully modified by STR. Medium would be the vibroblades in game now. Light should do a lot less damage, but give you an extra attack (since you can move faster with less weight), and should also benefit from the same feat that would make drawing pistols invisible to people without sharp_eye.

Finally, [b:1enzfxgj]Unarmed[/b:1enzfxgj] should be a lot more badassed than it is. Unarmed mastery needs to go back to the combat class where it belongs. There also needs to be a martial arts master feat, or something, that increases your damage, lowers your AC, and gives an extra flurry of attacks when fighting unarmed.

[b:1enzfxgj]Grenades[/b:1enzfxgj], I agree with Avanga. No smasher nades tho. Bad stuff.

Yep yep. I miss anything?

First off, if there is going to be key differences between weapons, I think there needs to be a separate skill set for every weapon, based on level. They shouldn’t all be just regarded as &quot;blasters&quot;, it should be &quot;pistols, rifles, repeaters&quot;.

Pistols: Are currently quite useless. I think they should be changed to be more of a smuggler or civilian weapon, and a military sidearm. Medium damage, small clip, medium rate of fire. Smugglers should get a skill called slowdraw (this has been mentioned before, I know) which allows them to draw ONE pistol slowly, and not be seen while doing it. Also, I think smugglers should get a high end sneak attack ability (like 130 or 140) that has a long cooldown, which is primarily used for escaping. When hidden, and pistol drawn, the sneak attack would do slightly more damage than usual and stun the target for a round or so, allowing the smuggler to escape. Obviously this could be abused if it didn’t have a long cooldown. As for a military sidearm, they should be placed in a boot holster or something of the type, which can be drawn using an alternate combat skill. Therefore if the combatant is disarmed, or lacking a weapon, he can instantly draw his ONE sidearm pistol to defend himself with. This isn’t really required, though would make for a more realistic approach to pistols.

Rifles: I agree what’s been said with them in the above quote from DCLXVI. They should be a sniper weapon only, and snipe should be changed to accommodate this. They should only have a few shots in the clip, like a maximum of six. In addition with the snipe change, I think that engineers should get a skill that makes binoculars, that increases your scan range when you scan, when held. This way snipers can go a little farther than traditional scan range. In toe-to-toe fighting, rifles should only have a maximum of one hit per round, with decreased accuracy. How easy is it to shoot somebody with a sniper rifle when they are right in your face, seriously!

Repeaters: In the help file, it says these are restricted for military use, though everyone is walking around with them. What’s the deal there? Anyway, I think they should have a special skill to use them properly, which is at a high combat level (repeater mastery at 130 or 140) to make them truly military weapon. High damage, high rate of fire, low accuracy, massive clip. They shouldn’t be able to snipe at all. I’m comparing this to a light machine gun/assault rifle or something of the sort in real life. Most civilians wouldn’t be walking around with a military issue assault rifle on their hands, so I don’t see why they can here.

Bowcasters: Seriously, who has ever used one of these in actual combat? I know I haven’t. Maybe lower fire rate, more damage.

Forcepikes: Similar to vibroblades, I think they should be oriented a little more towards combat characters to make them useful. (perhaps a combat skill that can only be used while wielding a forcepike?)

Vibroblades: Set up for hunters, I think that they are quite balanced as is. For the light/heavy thing, I think light vibroblades should be comparable to daggers or knives, medium as short/longswords, heavy as a two handed sword. If the slow draw thing is going to be applied, it should only be for light vibroblades.

Lightsabers: Parry damage should reflect the damage that was originally going to hit the person parrying the shot. For some reason when you get hit with a parried blaster shot it does way more damage than the maximum blaster shot normally would.

Grenades: Different types of grenades, a lot more damage, more collateral damage, much much more expensive to make, more materials to make them with.

Unarmed: Actually useful? I have ideas for this but I’ll save them for another time.

[quote:4g5b2we9]Repeaters: In the help file, it says these are restricted for military use, though everyone is walking around with them. What’s the deal there? Anyway, I think they should have a special skill to use them properly, which is at a high combat level (repeater mastery at 130 or 140) to make them truly military weapon. High damage, high rate of fire, low accuracy, massive clip. They shouldn’t be able to snipe at all. I’m comparing this to a light machine gun/assault rifle or something of the sort in real life. Most civilians wouldn’t be walking around with a military issue assault rifle on their hands, so I don’t see why they can here.[/quote:4g5b2we9]

Disagree. Restricting the weapon to levels does nothing but limit the players. Leaving it to the players to restrict them promotes RP and gives the clans’ army personnel something to do for once. It’s in the clans’ court to make it happen.

[b:3tf7y60d]Blaster(Pistol)[/b:3tf7y60d]: Pistols do feel to more of a concealed weapon, with a quick draw. Attack speed of a pistol could be based on dex/level. A smuggler with higher level would probably be more experienced is quick rate and firing faster then a lower level smuggler or another class, like a diplomat or pilot.
[i:3tf7y60d]Effected skills/feats[/i:3tf7y60d]
Aim: Allowed
Duel Wield: Allowed (with slight penalties)
HitAll: Not Allowed
Snipe: Allowed (penalty for each additional room after the original room (possibly allow scopes on some pistols to make aim easier, but not as powerful as rifle scopes))

[i:3tf7y60d]Feat Idea![/i:3tf7y60d]
Steady Arm: Would allow somebody proficient with pistols to gain benefits when using one pistol to make aim and sniping shots.

[b:3tf7y60d]
Rifles[/b:3tf7y60d]: Rifles are a soldiers best friend. These masterful weapons should get bonus ToHit when sniping, and aiming when sniping (if allowed at some point). When fighting in the same room when wielding a rifle, the ToHit bonus should not be as high as a pistol would (depends on quality of weapons of course) sense it is a bit harder to combat in close range with a rifle.
[i:3tf7y60d]Effected Skills/Feat[/i:3tf7y60d]s
Aim: Allowed
Duel Wield: Not allowed
HitAll: Not allowed
Snipe: Allowed (Bonus for sniping into other rooms. Possibly not losing the bonus until after a few rooms. EX: first 3 rooms give +X, but every room after that the benefit goes away, eventually becoming negatives)

[b:3tf7y60d]Repeaters[/b:3tf7y60d]: Average power fast shooting guns of death. These should be as powerful as a rifle (comparing to real life automatics, NOT gatling or mini guns!) But their accuracy should be pretty shitty, considering you are laying down fire extremely fast with a lot of reprocussion. 10 shots in one round is a lot, more then likely one should hit, but rarely all. Possibly having the first shot being the most accurate with each additional shot being less accurate then the first. Possibly having a &quot;how many shots per round&quot; trigger. [setshotper X]
[i:3tf7y60d]Effect Skills/Feats[/i:3tf7y60d]
Aim: Allowed, but only on low shots. A burst (semi-auto) would make sense.
Duel Wield: This is questionable considering the light weight of most things, maybe EXTREME penalties?
HitAll: Allowed!
Snipe: Allowed (Penalties for same room aiming)

[b:3tf7y60d]Bowcasters[/b:3tf7y60d]: Bowcasters….hmm…they actually just seem like a mix between an ancient wookie weapon a rifle. Can’t really say a lot about them. Sense the use quarrels, allow them to pass through shields? Also, if they are more like rifles, but also like a crossbow, give them some qualities like a pistol (easier to fight in the same room), and the ability to aim and shoot like a rifle.
[i:3tf7y60d]Effect Skills/Feats[/i:3tf7y60d]
Aim: Allowed
Duel Wield: Hell no
HitAll: Not Allowed
Snipe: Allowed

[b:3tf7y60d]Grenades(Explosives)[/b:3tf7y60d]: I think grenades can be very effective if used correctly, but at the same time, can cause a lot of trouble. Grenades, in comparison to real life, seem a bit off in game terms. I drop a grenade, I am hit by that same grenade 2-3 rooms away. That makes me feel like each room is only 5 feet away from each other, and I know landing pads are not 5 by 5. If the explosion radios doesn’t change, maybe allowing to throw multiple rooms away?
[i:3tf7y60d]Ideas of Grenade types[/i:3tf7y60d]:
Ion: Damage and stunning to droids, ship components, and people with multiple implants
Fragmentation: Already detailed and no reason to change
FlashBang: Used to stun targets in a room. Add effects like gouge would.
Smoke: Good for obscuring vision. Helps to stop sniping and aiming.
Chemical: Could be a wide range of things. Poison, sleep, ect….
Napalm: Another type of chemical that applies damage over time. This could extend to some type of acid grenades.
Sticky: Something like a sticky grenade from Saving Private Ryan, or Halo. Requires a throw action which will involve an ToHit check.

Some of these grenades could be a mix of things. Having a sticky frag, or a sticky smoke.

[b:3tf7y60d]Vibro-blades[/b:3tf7y60d]: The idea of the different blade sizes sound nice, but making a two-handed vibro-blade seems to fantasy like. I don’t want a gamorrian coming at me with a 2h vibro, and having an image of an Orc charging at me with a Broad sword. The smaller blade would be a good sneaky weapon, and maybe even something that can be hidden and thrown (rolling a ToHit). The &quot;medium&quot; sized blade should just me all around average. The basic melee weapon to base other weapons off of.
[i:3tf7y60d]Ideas[/i:3tf7y60d]:
Possibly adding different fighting styles to encompass bonus from str, or from dex. Maybe odd styles that involve wis (monkish).

[b:3tf7y60d]Forcepikes[/b:3tf7y60d]: Forcepikes are weapons that are used by skilled warriors. These add a great deal of damage through thrusting and could be used to stun opponents through bludgeoning (maybe a small part of the pike that has a shocker on it). These weapons should also apply bonuses to disarming other weapons (from the reach), add bonuses to parrying, if it exists. If it doesn’t exist, add increase defense against other opponents on melee, and just a general defense increase because of the distance of the pole, and people have to approach to attack.
[i:3tf7y60d]Ideas[/i:3tf7y60d]:
My thought process is now starting to slow down after being interrupted a million times by now.
[b:3tf7y60d]
Unarmed[/b:3tf7y60d]: Unarmed should be effected by a combination of different stats, skills, and levels. It is martial arts. Everything that is physical and mental applies here. Maybe keep unarmed basics in combat, and apply the masteries as feats? In doing so, this could open up trainers across the galaxy. Each trainer has a different style and can apply their own benefits/negatives.
[i:3tf7y60d]Ideas (based on real life forms)[/i:3tf7y60d]:
Aikido: Extremely defensive! This form has almost no offensive assault (I studied it a bit). Roll a check verses the attackers ToHit, if the check is made, the attacker takes damage that would have been applied to the defender, and stuns him for a round. Again, extremely defensive.
Jujitsu: Focused on defending against armored opponents. Mainly revolving around pins, grapples, and locks. Maybe a lot of stunning. <!– s:-D –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!– s:-D –>

If the advanced martial arts becomes a feat, it may be able to allow an entire tree to open up, focusing only on Martial Arts, and different styles, or bonuses that can be gained through the practice of. These seems more like something that can be shitty at first, but can be a serious threat in the end. Give good reason to have shields if fighting somebody with a blaster (especially a repeater).

Also under blasters, possibly only allowing limited settings. Repeaters can not be set for any variation, not even stun. It is a weapon of war. Pistols could be affected by their construction with the ability to stun, maybe a high/low/stun setting. Same with Rifles. High/Mid/Low/Stun. I haven’t had a chance to mess with lightsabers yet, but I enjoy the idea of KOTOR with the different types of crystals giving different effects.

I know I wanted to add more to this, but like I said….my thought process is dwindling away….

I want to see any or all of the weapons actually use stun. In my time at LotJ, I have only seen, maybe one stunning, with the stun setting of a blaster on an actual PC. If we upped the chances, except against master combatants or BH’ers and force users, then we could possibly have more stunnings than just killings. When I see blood on the ground and an incapacitated person I think A) I better help them, or If he gets up, I’m dead, that’s if I did it accidentally or intentionally. So maybe more stunning with stun settings would promote longer lives. Just a theory. Maybe not.

But I have always wanted to use the stun setting as it should be.

Grenades-

Flashbangs (or similar)
Theres already an ears wearloc, as well as jewelry, people can create some sort of sound-dampening device and place it over the ears, or upgrading a helmet with sound-dampening effects should also cover the ears and provide protection against flashbangs, also, goggles could have another type which can also combat the flash effect.

Smoke
Goggles should have a few types, standard will provide protection from gas grenades so the gas doesn’t mess up your eyes and incapacitate you, infra-red should combat smoke grenades, and a third type that combats flashbangs, this means a soldier has to think carefully about what type of goggles to purchase.

Thermal Detonator
Traditional boom, but should be able to be made with more volatile chemicals for different effects.

EMP grenade
This would knock out systems on a ship, throw one in the engine room, engines go dead, throw it in the cockpit, the nav controlls bust, throw it in a room with droids, bye bye droids, droids should have a slight chance of dodging it because droids might not be all stood next to each other, it just looks like they are because that’s how we view it on the MUD. These grenades should have a small chance of making blasters and repeaters lock up, the blasters and repeaters will still have a chance of successfully firing, but theres a chance that you pull the trigger and sod all happens.

Datapads should have to be activated to use, and if a datapad happens to be active and in your inventory when an EMP grenade goes off, your datapad shuts down and has to be repaired to work again, if inactive, the EMP blast would do nothing.

EMP grenades should effect anything electronic, I realise that’s a hell of a lot, but EMP grenades did exist in star wars in some fashion, and we should reflect this, at least a little on the MUD.

Oh, I almost forgot-

[b:1r7ok9f8]Slugthrowers[/b:1r7ok9f8] need to be put in. Less damage than blasters, moderate accuracy, and attacks as either pistol or rifle. Yep. Why? Because they’re cool, not just because they can’t be Reflected by sabers. Yep.

A lightsaber can melt through a blast door, I’m sure it can melt a projectile in flight. Only way a forcer should get owned by a projectile weapon is if it’s a flechette launcher.

&quot;Emmeline&quot;:2xrwtz3r wrote:

I want to see any or all of the weapons actually use stun. In my time at LotJ, I have only seen, maybe one stunning, with the stun setting of a blaster on an actual PC. If we upped the chances, except against master combatants or BH’ers and force users, then we could possibly have more stunnings than just killings. When I see blood on the ground and an incapacitated person I think A) I better help them, or If he gets up, I’m dead, that’s if I did it accidentally or intentionally. So maybe more stunning with stun settings would promote longer lives. Just a theory. Maybe not.

But I have always wanted to use the stun setting as it should be.[/quote:2xrwtz3r]

Back in the day, stun worked. It was awful. Entire battles consisted of setblaster stun, snipe {dir} {target} until they were unconscious, and then perm them. Combined with the fact that it takes /way/ longer to avatar now than it did before, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

About the lightsabers and the slug throwers. Bullets travel damn fast, would a lightsaber be able to melt the slug in time, or would the molten mass of the slug make contact against the wielder of the lightsaber? I don’t think that the slug would technically slow down from &quot;hitting&quot; the lightsaber. Even in the movies, it takes a good while for anything a lightsaber hits to melt,or cool down, it is never destroyed.