Barbs


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Halls Hopper

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Joined: Friday, 20th January 2012, 00:47

Post Friday, 4th April 2014, 16:26

Barbs

Recently I lost a char because I walked with barbs and didn't noticed it, even though I could have easily waited in place (no monsters around). I know it was my fault, but a warning before walking with barbs status would be nice. Something like:

"Are you sure you want to walk with barbs?"

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Vestibule Violator

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Post Friday, 4th April 2014, 17:42

Re: Barbs

That sounds really painful, no pun intended. If anything is changed here, how about automatically removing barbs when nothing's around?
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Halls Hopper

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Post Friday, 4th April 2014, 20:08

Re: Barbs

Currently, only manticores do this. So I think it will not be that annoying comparing to lose the char for this

Blades Runner

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Post Friday, 4th April 2014, 22:03

Re: Barbs

giovform wrote:Currently, only manticores do this. So I think it will not be that annoying comparing to lose the char for this

It might be very annoying when you're one step away from the manticore and you want to move that one step for the kill.
In general, however, +1 for your suggestion when you are at Low Hitponits Warning status. Then such a warning might be appropriate.
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Temple Termagant

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Post Saturday, 5th April 2014, 00:48

Re: Barbs

+1 if you are on low hp, like Zicher said. Barbs are mean.

Crypt Cleanser

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Post Saturday, 5th April 2014, 23:07

Re: Barbs

At the very least, not allowing you to kill yourself with barbs sounds good. The game already prevents similar deaths like walking into deep water and lava. It seems fair to have a thing that pops up saying "if you move right now the barbs will kill you" instead of moving.

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Dis Charger

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Post Sunday, 6th April 2014, 21:57

Re: Barbs

I think in general there needs to be some warning about it doing damage before you move the first time; for two reasons (1) only a single enemy produces this effect; so a lot of players might not be aware it even exists or what it does and (2) it's easy to not notice you have it when you have a lot of other effects going, poisoned, repel missiles, flying...
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dck

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Post Sunday, 6th April 2014, 22:45

Re: Barbs

I don't think barbs are a very interesting effect nor that they impact situations the player has gotten into using common sense noticeably. Even working under the assumption that the effect is indeed interesting, tying it to a monster as slow as a manticore and which can deal relevant damage both at range and in melee respective to its depth just means any competent player will use the manticore's lack of speed to isolate it in one way or another and take it out in a safe environment, thus making the barbs irrelevant.
I don't know if manticores still have limited projectiles but if they do then that's even worse.

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duvessa

Dungeon Master

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 13:10

Re: Barbs

For what it's worth, I think manticore barbs can be interesting and dangerous, particularly in Shoals. You don't always have the luxury of getting away from a manticore before it barbs you.

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 16:56

Re: Barbs

well even if you like the barbs effect, surely it shouldn't be on a slow monster...

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Dis Charger

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 20:04

Re: Barbs

Barbs doesn't add anything that enemy throwing nets didn't. it's a reason you can't move the only difference is; you -shouldn't- move because damage; instead of you can't move because you are caught in the net. It's not that interesting of a difference.
I'm beginning to feel like a Cat God! Felid streaks: {FeVM^Sif Muna, FeWn^Dithmenos, FeAr^Pakellas}, {FeEE^Ashenzari, FeEn^Gozag, FeNe^Sif Muna, FeAE^Vehumet...(ongoing)}

Dungeon Master

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 20:28

Re: Barbs

The two offer different choices. With barbs the choice is "it hurts to move, but do I do it anyway? Do I try resting it off before moving?" With nets, the choice is "do I need to escape this net? If so, do I blink, teleport, or struggle?"

Also, solutions are different. In the former case, blinking and teleportation can move you, but not free you from barbs. In the latter, blinking and teleportation completely resolve the issue. In both cases wasting time can help (barbs: resting; nets: struggling).

Zot Zealot

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 22:34

Re: Barbs

I agree with Lasty. In particular, barbs and mesmerization have a cruel synergy together that can be fairly interesting.

I also don't see why a slow monster having barbs is bad, since said slow monster has a ranged attack that encourages you to move towards it. Normally you can kite a slow monster or move it back to a safe location - barbs make you pay for this tactic. If a fast monster has barbs, you treat it no differently than if it didn't, since you can't outrun it anyways!

I mean, I guess you could give something with harpy AI barbs for especially fun times... Otherwise I don't see why fast > slow for a monster with barbs.

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 22:58

Re: Barbs

WalkerBoh wrote:Normally you can kite a slow monster or move it back to a safe location - barbs make you pay for this tactic.
no they dont because you dont get barbed because the monster is slow

Zot Zealot

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Post Monday, 7th April 2014, 23:54

Re: Barbs

If barbs could only be applied while in melee, I would agree with you.

Tomb Titivator

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Post Tuesday, 8th April 2014, 00:02

Re: Barbs

I think this is one of those things that forces a strategy on you, and I hate that more than Donald does.
Barbs can hit when you aren't in melee, so you just have to sit around while you get peppered at range unless you're playing a ranged character, at which point you should be at range anyway and probably don't care.

Lair Larrikin

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Post Saturday, 12th April 2014, 22:27

Re: Barbs

A forced --more-- when you get covered in barbs (à la catoblepas dust) might help?

Temple Termagant

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Post Tuesday, 6th May 2014, 13:06

Re: Barbs

I also had a stupid death the first time I got barbed. There was an unseen horror in the vicinity which I thought got some lucky hits, but that it'd be safe to run. I do like the effect, but it needs to at least warn you when you are about to make a suicidal move.

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