I don't know exactly what goes into the calcs for water combat, but... it really seems broken. I was fooling around in the shark area on Aesry, and I found that even though I'm past the hard cap for exp and I have 99 strength and agility, I couldn't damage them at all with certain weapons. That seems a bit extreme. And if swimming skill helps the penalty, I have over 400 swimming which is enough to move around the area with 1 second roundtimes. Here's a few examples:
You get some throwing blades from inside your celpeze-hide bag.
>
< Moving poorly, you throw a throwing blade at a bull shark. A bull shark evades.
The throwing blade lands nearby!
[You're solidly balanced and have slight advantage.]
< Moving poorly, you throw a throwing blade at a bull shark. A bull shark dodges.
The throwing blade lands nearby!
[You're solidly balanced and have slight advantage.]
< Trying poorly, you throw a throwing blade at a bull shark. A bull shark dodges.
The throwing blade lands nearby!
[You're solidly balanced and have slight advantage.]
< Trying poorly, you throw a throwing blade at a bull shark. A bull shark dodges.
The throwing blade lands nearby!
[You're solidly balanced and have slight advantage.]
< Moving poorly, you throw a throwing blade at a bull shark. A bull shark dodges.
The throwing blade lands nearby!
[You're solidly balanced and have slight advantage.]
[Roundtime 6 sec.]
R>
Straight up dodging 670 Light Thrown.
These guys teach to what, 300s in combat? I'm not sure exactly.
Here's me trying to brawl:
< Driving in with naturally fluid movements, you kick your foot at a bull shark. A bull shark attempts to dodge, moving directly into the blow. The foot lands a harmless blow to the shark's right hand.
[You're slightly off balance and opponent has slight advantage.]
[Roundtime 6 sec.]
< Moving in with powerful grace, you slice your fist at a bull shark. A bull shark fails to evade, leaning wrong and blundering into the blow. The fist lands a harmless strike to the shark's head.
[You're nimbly balanced and in good position.]
[Roundtime 6 sec.]
Well, at least they didn't dodge. 693 brawling. Here's the appraisal:
Taking stock of its defensive abilities, and attacking with no weapon, you are certain that the bull shark is a creature completely beneath your notice.
And yet my katar completely destroys them:
< Moving with powerful grace, you step backward and then slice at a bull shark. A bull shark fails to dodge, moving directly into the blow. The katar lands an awesome strike that cleaves the foe clean through from collarbone to hips.
A bull shark gives a final lunge, its teeth snapping mere inches from your skin, then shudders and turns belly up, biting in vain at anything within reach until it ceases all movement.
[You're slightly off balance]
[Roundtime 1 sec.]
It isn't that water combat makes things more difficult. Rather, it makes water combat areas a complete waste of space if you use one of these weapon types that gets nerfed so badly.
Another good example is the middle tier celp areas on Mer'Kresh. They teach less and are significantly more difficult than super celps. Plus the bloodfish they're coupled with have a special attack that damages shields. So there's no real point to having them there.
Any chance water combat penalties could get looked at with new combat? And if being in water adds a penalty, maybe there should be an exp boost to go along with it, or something.
You lick the dirt and discover that it tastes like dirt.
