Yet another thread for an improved Adventurer PvM FA pistol

[plugszzz]

Been a gun advy since day 1, nice to see Zwelgje still around. I'd +1 for a bumped up FA pistol. I'm primarily always been PvM focused so I was all about being a DD monster and when I was active, as a DD machine on pande raids, especially if some engies and soldiers were around,lol

[Timba]

Taking a small break IRL from the game, coming back when Christmas stuff is up. Any new info tidbits? I was considering switching my adv to melee purposes just for PVM, since with the new pads seems Leet + 1he feels a bit better than guns.

[Timba]

Anything new for Adventurers with this last ICC patch thing? Any new weapon plans for whatever future we have?

[Awikun]

Adv was my first and only character for first few years of my adventure with AO.
"Recently" the only occasion I logged him was to tank Collector in "Tree morph"
But as few month ago it was changed I hardly ever log him as he is totaly useless in any pvm encounters.
What I mean is that If I have a choice to log 220 Adv or 220 - Enf, Sold, Crat, Shade, Doc, Eng there is no situation where I would need Adv more than any ocf other characters mentioned here ...

[Zwelgje]

Anything new for Adventurers with this last ICC patch thing? Any new weapon plans for whatever future we have?

As far as the new stuff, the most useful items are accessible for any profession, nothing profession specific off real importance that I’m aware of (if any have been introduced). No answer on the upgrade FA request either… And the last few patches the Professionals (perhaps it’s just me being set to mute :X Hahaha) have had little info, if any, to work with nor was input requested.

[Zwelgje]

Adv was my first and only character for first few years of my adventure with AO.
"Recently" the only occasion I logged him was to tank Collector in "Tree morph"
But as few month ago it was changed I hardly ever log him as he is totaly useless in any pvm encounters.
What I mean is that If I have a choice to log 220 Adv or 220 - Enf, Sold, Crat, Shade, Doc, Eng there is no situation where I would need Adv more than any ocf other characters mentioned here ...

Well to be honest, Advy’s never had a real ingame roll, other then winning PvP 1 vs 1 from the Dev team. (True story….).

Adventurers was the cool “loner/ solo” profession, and a kind a weird choice if you play a MMORPG. The fact that we where outdoor solo roamers, with even some of our toolset used to be focussed for outdoor use only, is something that has sure faded over time. There used to be, but currently there hardly is, any profit to be made outdoors or on a solo base.

Because our toolset was, above par of the first AO decade, the profession did very well. But with current changes the roll of others has been solidified, and ours has been formed in a “fill the gap” description. That’s not a bad thing pre se but as there’s always a better option people will go for the real thing and not the “gap description” when it comes to team play.

But besides that rolls have been solidified (on a Nano base), items have perhaps played an even bigger roll. Low defence toons have gained a lot (% wise) with consequence that there survivability has increase spectacularly. The weapons have evolved to such lvl that there isn’t really a profession that doesn’t do a decent amount of damage. And last, the more recent additions ingame have such mechanics that certain professions are mandatory (for there skillset) to complete the content successfully. Each of these changes by it selves seem irrelevant however all to getter impact certain professions drastically, including Adventurers, when it comes to being pick for teams…

I do feel your pain as Adventure was my first toon for a long time as well.

[McKnuckleSamwich]

Low defence toons have gained a lot (% wise) with consequence that there survivability has increase spectacularly.

You're kinda touching on something here that I'd like to talk about a bit.

I was playing with a fairly new guy recently (on my lowby shade), this dude was just learning the game, and he was struggling because of the IP shortage at Tl3. He had phase blades on and some crap armor.

It dawned on me that Advy has always been arguably a super low damage prof with arguably the strongest defences:

* has coon
* has DoF
* has nanos that boost evades up to CiB level (pre 18.7)
* has CH
* has spammable (but low) heals
* can wolf for defence OR sabre for offense

But 18.7 actually took away a lot of what Advy's basis was for being strong. And 18.7 arguably broke advy at any level lower than 200. And it's unfortunate because a few minor changes would have fleshed out the hero from a low level through to end game. But, as usual, attention is paid mode to the final product, not to the in-between.

The harsh reality for advy, currently, is that at any level below 220, you now have sub-par offense, and sub-par defence.

Early game your nanoskills are stretched wildly, your weapon skills demand incredible IP investment, and you're also stretched defensively: Advy generally requires enough tank to survive an encounter with BD, but also enough evades that they aren't eating every hit, but they also require nanoskills for defence and healing, but also really need to be using shields because none of the other defences actually work, and then your nano shortage demands nano pool or first aid, and that leaves... enough IP to raise 1he and half a line of fast attack.

Alternately, you raise your weapon skills, then realize you can't defend yourself, heal yourself.

And even if you manage to get an IP distribution that works, you still do crap damage, and only a drop in the bucket in terms of healing, and if you attempt to be a healer, you only get three off and your nano is empty.

The problem is that Advy has been a seriously high value defensive prof, but early game, there simply isn't enough power in the advy toolset to make an impact in a team environment where their toolset allows them to contribute. They really are sub-par DD, sub-par support, sub-par secondary healers, and don't offer any valuable team buffs of consequence - mainly, because the only team nanos are VP purchased, which basically mean they are off limits until 150ish when BS starts running.

Honestly, I don't know what they need at low level, but I would start with across the board boosts to cyclic shields to make them a reasonable investment. Ideally, cyclic shields should be strong enough that advy feels tanky at low levels, and offers enough absorbtion that they can either perk into coon for the damage shields and only really need coon for emergencies, or add secondary tick healing similar to what MA's have with Zazen, so that one cast of their single target heal pops a small HoT that lasts 10 seconds and does 5 ticks of heal/10 or so. This way, they can pop their cyclic absorb, and go fight with their sh*t DPS, and be able to continuously absorb some damage and do one big heal followed by a few ticks of lower health which would make up lost health until the absorb ticks again.

That would be the first two decent changes, the other thing I would do is make half of ALL the cyclic absorbs provide TEAM cyclic absorbs. This is such an obvious one it strikes me as ridiculous that FC never did it in the first place. But a team cyclic absorb is such a good change. It should provide a small insurance for all teammates against their hits of damage for each damage type, and stack with any other absorb they have running. This makes the advy enforcer combo MUCH stronger, which it should, considering advy being so supporty and such a crap DD'er until later.

Those three changes and basically advy is a fun prof at low level right thru to end game.

[Zwelgje]

snip ..

Well about the "low defence toons", I should have put low defence professions instead. The rest of your post I kinda feel the same. As the multi-purpose roll can be seen as a positive the amount of choices and the lack of IP at early levels is also it's downfall. I still play a froob adventurer (my first toon ever) and with that toon I feel the most how things have changed over the years. I hope that the future can balance abit more for the early levels. Yes there is always the freaky twinked-out toon around at any level but those can't been seen as the standard. As last monthly already said,more balance is in the pipeline, I hope the input of the professionals and community can be worked into those changes as well. We'll see where it ends.

[Timba]

Bump for more discussions ^. ^. I'd love to hear more feedback from fellow adventurers.

[Timba]

Half-a-year bump!

[Zwelgje]

Don't expect anything to be done regarding that FA gun or AO in general...

FC radio has been dead for over .. how long again..


If this is correct: http://steamcharts.com/app/396280
then management would say it's running stable for the last 2 months...

[Xzeepo]

Don't expect anything to be done regarding that FA gun or AO in general...

FC radio has been dead for over .. how long again..


If this is correct: http://steamcharts.com/app/396280
then management would say it's running stable for the last 2 months...

Has been said before in many threads, that steam chart doesn't work at all properly.