Shattered Kingdoms

I think ardith pointed out the fact that swashies don't get any bonuses for being in mood defensive, which is a problem. So, why not have an added affect for going mood defensive - increased parry chance with a weapon held in your off-hand.

As far as melee goes, swashbucklers are definitely weaker than mercs and barbs. However, they get taunt, so all in all, I feel like they're almost balanced. They should receive a *small* buff, imo. This buff definitely should NOT be a passive ability, since we're looking for ways to make the class less boring to play.

I think something along the lines of the "distract" ability cannibal proposed would be really great. I would make it so a swashbuckler can sacrifice some of his defensive ability in order to distract everyone in the room (or maybe one target?), making it so they don't notice certain things. Maybe those affected would miss out on the "xxx starts to concentrate" message, or something along those lines. Maybe it would be something that essentially turned on one of the nospam options for the enemy. Just throwing out ideas.

Meh. I don't think that making swashbucklers more interesting is that important. They should basically be spending PvP time taunting, quaffing, dirting, or tripping, whereas a barbarian just dirts, berserks, and bashes. Pretty much all melee characters are boring in the PvE environment.

Join a tribunal and order a guard around if you really just can't stand winning fights without doing anything. Or just make up cool looking emotes during fights, or race-specific aliased insults.

Hrm. Do you agree that they deserve a small buff? I don't consider myself an expert when it comes to melee, so my assessment of the class might be wrong.

Well, again my opinion is probably pretty accurate, but also probably not the best on the matter, given that A) I'm playing a sorc and swashbucklers totally screw me over (Although that goes for a majority of the pbase) and B) I've never played a swashie past level 25 or so.

BUT, if you want my two cents, the swashbuckler class is completely fine the way it is. A well-armored mood defensive swashie is sick nasty, because on top of the insane AC given through buffs, high AC armor, and mood defensive, they also have the insane dodge/parry/eparry given by the two swords they wield: And again on account of the crazy AC bashes don't land very often. Given that taunt is one of the most deadly skills in the entire game added onto their crazy survivability, I think they're just fine. Back when Veret was equipped, we could roll people because I'd just put him in front of me and he would never die or even come close to it. Nasty stuff.

I don't think it's an issue of boring combat (though that could be said for all melee classes), but the fact that they have little utility. It would make the class more fun (overall) if they were given some utility to make the class more interesting.. and ultimately more fun.

The swashie's utility lies in ganking Edoras.


Okay, so what we're looking for is some sort of skill that gives the swashbuckler added utility outside of pvp, is fun, and fits with the persona of the class as witty, acrobatic, city-dwelling fighters. Does that sum things up?

I mean, I get -why- you're doing it, I just don't see why swashbucklers need to be the special melee classes when they're not really in need of a buff.

In other words, I'd rather revamp enchant armor than add a utility skill to what's already one of the most deadly classes (With assistance).

That's true.

Truth be told, I necro'd this thread because I found it very odd that nothing ever came from this. Dulrik was the one who initiated the thing, many things were discussed, many ideas presented, a good number of those ideas were good and Dulrik even liked them, yet.. nothing ever came from it.

Yeah, baldric, something like that.

Everytime Veret came up against a battle whip or bandalore wielding opponent he got absolutely trashed. Unuka almost two-rounded him with a hoplite shield. Ranged combat also demolishes swashbucklers. They also don't get to use weapons that have reach unless you count exotics. Then, all the bandalores in the game have almost been removed. Except these two:



Swashbucklers get mutilated by these weapons. No [REDACTED] contest. Once my swashbuckler came up against a battle whip and bandalore wielding giants and I can't [REDACTED] believe today that I beat them both. I must have been maxed out on good luck that day.

I'm not sure why you think that this is one of the most deadly classes, Edoras. Sure when I rolled around with one, perhaps they were. Stance was mood then, and taunt was unbeatable. But today taunt is trash, it's easily broken, aiming mid with a battle whip will quickly disable a swashbuckler when one of their arms goes flying, same thing with ranged combat. They don't get the benefit of shields, and are limited to the front row and front row weapons. They for some reason get crossbow and skirmish even though they only get two attacks with crossbows. I mean, why don't they just get guns?

Yes, I'm proposing that swashbucklers get guns.