Update:Combat: Give Your Feedback

Hey all,

Following a large amount of feedback on Legacy combat and a few hot topics we’ve seen mentioned (such as this article ) the DarkScape Team and other combat gurus at Jagex decided to jump into a room and not come out until we had a decent proposal for you.

Below you will find the results of our initial talks and a set of rather interesting updates focused around solving the problems raised. Have a read and give us your ideas and opinions on what we have so far.

Problem: Weapons are not diverse enough and same-tier weapons having the same DPS and accuracy is boring.

Proposed Solution: We will redefine what each weapon in each tier is supposed to be good at, and weapons in the same tier do not have to have the same DPS or accuracy - they can be min/maxed based on the weapon's chosen niche.

Ideas so far are: For Magic: The basic spells would follow this and base their niche via the spell element. Ancients will be for utility.
 * 2h swords – Focus on burst damage, lower DPS than average but higher max hit. Standard accuracy.
 * Scimitars – Balanced, current tier.
 * Daggers – Lower DPS, Lower damage, higher accuracy
 * Long Swords – Higher DPS, Lower max hit, normal accuracy

For Ranged: New craftable arrows and bolts that min/max these values. Adds diversity to range and an extension to the fletching skill. “Sharp arrows/fire arrows/ice arrows/blunt arrows”.

Problem: Strength is useless as a skill

Proposed Solution: Totally remove the combat triangle from the accuracy calculation.

Combat styles will be more about what type of gameplay that style offers. Initial thoughts are: Problem: Armour is useless and 1-itemers have it far too easy.
 * Melee – High defence, burst damage
 * Range – High DPS, low defence i.e. glass cannon.
 * Mage – Control and utility.

Proposed Solution: Every armour set in the game will get set effects (2pc/4pc/5pc). Some of these may be global to all styles (i.e. for 2pc melee, you get a strength boost). Some will be specific to that tier (e.g wear full mystic and your Binds will lastfor 1 more second). Every set effect will enhance the style of play for the combat style using it.

Damage reduction on armour will be bolstered so armour doesn’t have to rely on accuracy to sell it. This should ensure that armour is always worth wearing. This would be direct damage mitigation, rather than the previously implemented damage soaking and the current percentage based system.

Prayers will be locked behind wearing armour. In order to get your melee boosts, for example, you’ll need to equip a few pieces of melee armour. To get higher boosts, you’ll need more pieces of armour of that style.

Protect Item will be locked behind at least 3 pieces of armour.

That’s all for now. Let us know your thoughts on the proposed solutions and any changes you think would be beneficial. Any other ideas to combat the problems raised above are very welcome.

I look forward to working with you guys on the issues and making some awesome changes to the system.

The DarkScape Team