Wednesday, 18th January 2017, 21:47 by tabstorm
To be clear, we need to distinguish between choices in weapon class function and choices in resource allocation.
Do characters make in-game (as opposed to pregame) choices based on the function of a weapon class? Not very often. I can only think of summoners using polearms to reach to attack behind summons. Players don't often change to Long Blades because it has riposte, for example. Why? Because, once the player has found a decent (not floor trash) weapon, typically in the starting class (but not always for a non-weapon start) the power of a given weapon mostly comes from investment, in the form of both experience and enchant scrolls, not the ability the weapon has, so the value of the secondary ability at the margin is small compared to the XP/enchant investment previously used.
Assuming for the sake of argument you are a Mage background and trying to pick a weapon class, not being previously hamstrung to a starting weapon type, are you going to pick a weapon class based on what its function is? No, you are picking whatever has the fucking elec brand on it and has a decent amount base damage. Overall, I think we can conclude that few meaningful choices are made in-game with regards to the function of weapon classes. Pre-game is another matter, since players who want to use cleaving, or riposte, or a gsc or whatever might pick their race accordingly.
Do players make choices in-game based on experience allocation in weapons? Yes, the decision is most often "don't change weapon classes", though there are exceptions, usually involving cross training and that damn elec brand again... I actually did change weapon classes in my last game, because I had cross-training from axes (which I always use out of laziness and liking of button mashing) and found a demon trident... of elec, and had no other decent axes.
This is what I was saying earlier, where in practice the function of the weapon skill system is to restrict choice in weapons, since the power of a given weapon comes from enchant, brand, base type, and XP investment. So the actual decision that has to be made is: Should I start investing experience/enchant scrolls in a new weapon class for no returns for some amount of time? Usually the answer is "no", but occasionally it is "yes."
So the weapon skill system mostly creates decisions in XP investment and resource allocation. But the actual function of different classes leads to few decisions of any real import, as players who want a different special-weapon-trick will often pick accordingly at the start screen. Aside from reaching, the different weapon class abilities don't change melee tactics in a substantial way.
I personally could care less about whether there are weapon apts or not. Assuming they continue to exist, their function is in practice a form of power level.
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