Shattered Kingdoms

Maybe I don't understand how riposte is supposed to work, but I'm not convinced it is quite like this. This snippet is taken from battling a swashie NPC, and is the complete sequence from the combat round:

Tel'rashyn ripostes your attack!
Tel'rashyn slashes your stomach, cutting a deep gash.
Tel'rashyn slashes at your chest, causing only a minor wound.
Tel'rashyn slashes your forehead, causing a small wound.
Overall, Tel'rashyn has some small wounds and bruises.

I attacked normally in the round before this one, and in the round after this one. However, why did the NPC get three free attacks from this riposte? This occurred three times during the battle, and in each case I attacked normally in the round prior and following this bizarre riposte sequence.

Looks as if your first attack was parried, riposte fired (which counts as 1 attack), and then the NPC succeeded in its second attack roll with one weapon equipped.

If I understand what you are saying, since riposte is a follow-up to a successful parry, my attack doesn't show, and the riposte message shows instead, followed by all of the other normal attacks in the round...?

Just seemed odd that it happened three times exactly the same way, especially since I normally get at least two, if not three attacks every round, and if I understand what you are saying, that meant I only got one that round for some reason. That is what made it stand out so blatantly, just seemed like the rest of my attacks were prevented by the riposte or something.

Also of note, that NPC dodged, parried or riposted almost every single attack even while I was aiming lower with an axe at mastered. Far more than any other swashie I have seen in combat, even players.

She is now my nemesis.

Edited after I reread the helpfile more carefully

You might want to check your nospam settings. As far as I know, a successful riposte by anyone always hits the offender on the arms slot. In your example the stomach, chest and forehead were upper and lower slots. A swashbuckler with two weapons equipped is capable of doing 2 attacks per weapon hand with adequate speed, not counting the potential ripostes. For clarification, the 1-4 attacks after the riposte have nothing to do with the riposte itself. A bit long winded, but there it is.

Thanks Min, that is interesting. I do not have any spam turned off, so that is everything. I would have expected to see her get the riposte, followed by four attempted hits (since she was getting four every other round) and some of my own mixed in. That is what made this look really odd.

I don't think any of the above posts explains it.

There were not any nospam options on, In most of the other rounds of combat he did get three attacks. The only thing I can think of is that his first attack was riposte and because of that for some reason he did not get any of his other attacks.

I know it makes no sense, and that shouldn't be what happened, but how else can you explain the lack of his other two attacks for more than just one round of combat. In three combat rounds it started with the NPC getting a successful riposte, if he did NOT dodge or parry the riposte attack he did not get any more attacks that round.

If he did dodge/parry the initial riposte attack he did receive his other two attacks.


Riddle me that?

Looks like you got one attack, she riposted which gave her another followed by her normal round attacks. Keep in mind unless 2nd and 3rd attack are mastered you won't always get those attacks. Even your weapon speed plays a role in that.

Oops, I made a mistake on riposte hitting spot. Enhanced parry always hits arms slot, whereas riposte hits the 'aim' slot. For NPCs it is random. So in the original example that NPC did a riposte followed by 2 attacks. The rest of the explanation is correct, a swashbuckler can do 1-4 attacks not counting ripostes.

As for greencannon having only attacked once in that example, it may just be coincidence and/or random factors. For anyone to deal any number of attacks, it depends factors such as weapon skill, weapon speed, and attack skills. Maybe check weapon size too. Try a faster weapon to get more attacks consistently.

It very well could have been coincidence that caused all of that to come together the way it did. I know all about weapon speed and skill mastery affecting numbers of attacks, and it is conceivable that for whatever reason I suddenly only got one attack the rounds that NPC riposted my first attack. Just seemed quite odd. I have second attack mastered, and third a tick or two off mastery. Battle axe isn't a fast weapon by any means, but it is still very rare I would only get one attack anymore.

I'll chalk this up to a bizarre set of coincidences that came together to create a combat sequence that simply looks out of place, but behind the scenes might be correct. Though if any Imm cares to see my log to see how crazy it really looks, I'll pm it. And someone might want to take a peek at that NPC, as her combat skills are absolutely incredible for the level she cons at. I thought I read somewhere in these forums that aiming lower made it a bit harder to parry - well, I fought this NPC aiming higher and again aiming lower. She had no trouble parrying almost every blow and riposting every single round at least once regardless of where I was aiming.

Thanks for the responses.