Shattered Kingdoms

Oh, why thank you for the history lesson, you cute bastard, but I am talking about the skill in this particular mud. What the hell is it? The help file is ambiguous, it explains the ends but not the means:



We can extrapolate information as to the form and function of this skill from the following clues:

1- It requires a slashing-type weapon, meaning the form of attack is a cutting swipe and not a thrusting motion.
2- It makes a single attack against everyone in the front row of the enemy formation, supports the first clue, an arc style swing in order to hit numerous people at once when standing next to each other in a formation.
3- It can only be used but once every few rounds, it is a risky maneuver that creates an opening in your defense and needs to be used at proper moments, meaning a powerful swing with a wind up.

So, I imagine blitzkrieg being a heavy swinging-swipe style maneuver, two-handed or single handed performed backhanded or forehanded against an enemy formation. Still with me? Wake up, you derelict.

I bring this up because the “slashing” attack type requirement makes no sense, it is entirely too limiting. Limiting in the so many attack damage types in the game for all manner of weapons, limiting in the way that mercs have so many options for specialization for weapons that do not benefit in any way from this skill, and in the way that it cuts a lot of the possibilities for using this high tier (Mentor) skill in the Mercenary’s kit that is not even game-breaking, you are supposed to be bashing anyway, but hey, flavor.

I mean, really, in simple allegorical game terms, how does a magical flaming sword function vs a regular steel sword? Expand that thought to any of the other slashing-capable weapons. Are you not in the end, still slashing and fighting in exactly the same way you would with the regular sword than with a fire sword?

I think the skill should be revised, with having it work on weapon-types, and not attack-types.
Weapon Types Suggested:
Axes: Battle-Axe, Double-Bladed Axe, Great-Axe, Pole-Axe
Polearm: Halberd, Scythe, Bill, Glaive
Staff: Blade Staff, Ajatang
Sword: Gladius, Scimitar, Longsword, Broadsword, Katana, Bastard Sword, Greatsword, Claymore, Flamberge, No-Dachi, Landsknecht
Exotic: Kusari-Gama
Flail: Flail, Ball and Chain
Whip: Spiked Chain, Battle-Whip



No Bows, Crossbows, Boulder, Daggers(? Maybe? Too short a range to hit three dudes standing abreast, clad in full armor and armed, unless they were really close together, which is damn awkward, which is why I didn’t include any of the shorter range swords)

Thoughts?

Hitting this up to say the post makes sense. Its great for those who have found a favored specifically slashing weapon and are specialized in it. Weapon types make ever so much more sense. You either know how to swing it in an arc effectively for damage, or you don't. And, it also makes sense that not all weapon types would be usable/effective/make sense in this type of attack.

It's a skill that sits and collects dust at end game, useless in PVP and horribly ineffective in PVE.

This is incorrect information.

I've made several posts about this skill. It doesn't work at all unless an enemy is attacking you. That enemy has to be directly attacking you and only then will a blitzkrieg will do damage to them. Otherwise you can spam blitzkrieg to waste PE and get no return. Also, it's just a single physical attack.

All the best weapons that could be used with blitzkrieg will get you killed fast while trying to use them. Like flamberge/greatsword/bill/glaive/halberd.

So it doesn't work as worded in the helpfile and you'll look like a clueless noob if you try to use it as it works now. Chem's assessment of the skill is spot on. It's useless in PvP and horribly ineffective in PvE

Yeah it's sadly come up multiple times but the only real use of it is when you're powerleveling with a priest friend at your back to lure NPCs in and let you blitz spam while they heal you.

And the real use there is if the priest is still trying to level up or master heal. It still doesn't really do anything useful for a mercenary if the skill itself is useless, even if mastered.
This is suppose to be a higher tier skill and it is individual to the mercenary. It deserves some love.

Mercenaries are the most solid class in the game. Do they need a buff in any way shape or form. Blitzkrieg is a waste of time to use ... mostly because there are much better things they could be doing. A few quick thought to make it useful with out being OP. Make it usable from prone. Considering the only way to make it useful is to have a two hander that is going to get you killed might as well let you use the skill before you die.

Could also remove it and see if anyone would actually miss it.