Shattered Kingdoms

I would just like to say that Counterstrike should be changed. It's not right that you can just have a horse bash a barbarian then cleave him. Any decent player can totally omit the counterstrike skill and it's useless unless you are fighting NPCs.

Counterstrike should be changed so that it counters any attack that happens between rounds. All flanking attacks, cleaving, and anything that happens in between rounds you should be able to counter. With the exceptions of bash and trip.

Counterstrike should just be modified to work against bash and trip, the only hole in the skill. It's only meant to give the barbarian the first strike.

Your idea would make this skill totally overpowered.

Call of Duty 4 is better... oh wait you're not talking about the first person shooter where you?

*facepalm*

barbarians are not ninjas. The way I see it, Their nerve and general combat affinity give them the ability to 'grab the initiative' of combat, and punch the enemy in the faec before he does. If you look at the system, its not really a counter attack, since that would imply the original attack actually hit.

After combat starts, they're just as succeptible to getting stabbed in the back as any other guy. (well not stabbed in the back as that is impossible in SK when you've been fighting anytime soon, but you get the point)

My suggestion would be for counterstrike to be irrelevant to the damage the attack would deal to the barb, since I dont see how a barb can simulate the massive ammounts of damage of a backstab or cleave back to the guy who hits him.
Instead, it should stop (fail) whatever initial skill was used against the barb such as bash and trip, and 'lag' the attacker for 1 round.

Example:

It makes me laugh how many times the argument "XXX class was not meant to be a ninja" erupts.

The way I see it, counterstrike works as a one-shot damage mirror. I think it makes sense to keep the damage dealt proportionate. Not that there's anything ninja about it, but having a cleave pushed back into your face would hurt more than just a 'normal' swing from a sword.

Yes but it has a power rangers feel to it. How exactly do you 'mirror' a cleave?

I mean, if the barb gave you the 'stare' and suddenly your own weapon slashed through space, its blade disapearing before your eyes and reappearing behind your neck, carrying the weight of your blow full on you, I'd not have a problem, but I don't think that's the case here.

So how exactly does the barb do it...

That's the reason for my suggestion. Systemwise, I don't think there's anything wrong with counter as it is, at all. Its the visualization of it that doesn't make much sense to me.

I always envisioned it as a move where the barbarian senses you coming and then brutally twists your arm so you stab yourself with your own weapon. Think about how an elder brother makes you punch yourself in the face. Except with a knife. Ouch.

So if he's talented enough to twist their arm and stab them, why can't he just... step out of the way of a bash or something? That's why counterstrike sucks.