I feel your pain. Personally I'm fixskilling back to tower shield and protective wall. Even if you're in RT and get dropped to knees or prone they won't be able to hit ya then.


As I gaze over the horizon, the wind tugs at my cloak and whispers, "Adventure" in my ear.

AIM: Kaight (Matt) GS4

Do what I do with bandit tasks on all my characters: ASK ALANNA ABOUT REMOVE

Starchitin

A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.

> 1) How often are you getting an open result like that?

Often enough, that my last three deaths have been the exact same scenario. If they all didn't happen in my current level (75) then it was in my previous level.

> 2) Beseech?

Doesn't get you out of this, I tried. Prop up is maxed as well, and doesn't stand me up.

Will have to try and do like others said here, and either remove, or start cranking up PF. I've even trained in the maneuver that gives me more defense against maneuvers (name escapes me).

Thanks all.

>> I then get stuck in offensive, kneeling, in perma RT and just...die. Rather frustrating. Anything that can be done about this (whatever it is)?

With my capped Paladin I don't find bandits to be that challenging (it's pretty easy to wait through an RT locks they throw my way and then clean up on the back end) so am assuming some training or spell differences here. My paladin is pretty much my only character that I choose to solo hunt bandits with:

- Are you using a shield? That obviously adds some to your defense and gives you a chance to block some of the incoming blows. You mentioned Prop Up (which is a shield ability) but it doesn't work in the way you referenced it (see below).

- Are you running around in Offensive Stance or are their maneuvers doing this to you? I typically travel from room to room in Defensive stance, and then once they start leaping out I open with 1630. You can also use open cast 1602 to pull them out of hiding and slow them down (once you are out of any RT lock they have placed you in).

- I know a lot of folks are all about the 'offense is the best defense' approach to the game but if you are running around with 1617-Zealot up you might consider swapping it out for 1609-Divine Shield when hunting bandits. For my own hunting style, I pretty much never use 1617-Zealot.

- Spells: I typically hunt with my own spells and then a set of wizard spells as well (nothing else). Without wizard spells I can still hunt bandits without dying but then I spend more time eating herbs after some of the battles. If you don't have easy access to wizard spells, using a small statue in place of the wizard spells would provides a similar defensive benefit in helping to survive any bandit RT lock.

My typical bandit combat encounter would look something like this:
- Enter the room.
- Bandits start popping out.
- Waiting ensues if they get any maneuvers off
- Open cast 1630 (or 1602 if you are concerned about hitting people in a crowded area).
- Stance Offensive
- Open Mstrike
- Then start plucking them off with ambush shots to the head with some shield bashing thrown in for fun when they stand up (assuming you opened with 1630).


Prop Up Description: You have learned how to rely on your shield like another arm to prop yourself up.
Mechanics: Gain a 1/3 chance per rank to avoid being knocked to the ground due to critical damage. Gain a +5 bonus per rank against Sweep, Tackle, Bullrush, and Hamstring attacks.


For reference and comparison: My paladin is a sword and board pally - I have +32 full plate (it also has the benefit of being HCP but that certainly isn't required), a +35 great shield, and an 8x bastard sword for gear comparison. Thinking about this.. maybe the HCP is reducing the RT on the maneuvers a bit but I am leaning towards not.

Recently capped training as follows:

>skill
Chaqual (at level 100), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 276 176
Shield Use.........................| 302 202
Combat Maneuvers...................| 259 159
Edged Weapons......................| 302 202
Ambush.............................| 140 40
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 160 60
Physical Fitness...................| 201 101
Harness Power......................| 200 100
Spirit Mana Control................| 105 25
Spiritual Lore - Blessings.........| 111 27
Spiritual Lore - Religion..........| 140 40
Spiritual Lore - Summoning.........| 74 16
Survival...........................| 90 20
Perception.........................| 124 32
Climbing...........................| 201 101
Swimming...........................| 201 101
First Aid..........................| 120 30

Spell Lists
Minor Spiritual....................| 30

Spell Lists
Paladin............................| 50

>cman info
Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Combat Focus focus 1
Disarm Weapon disarm 3
Feint feint 5
Specialization I wspec1 5
Combat Toughness toughness 1
Surge of Strength surge 2
Tainted Bond tainted 1

>shield info
Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Tower Shield Focus tfocus 5
Shield Bash bash 5
Shield Push push 2
Prop Up prop 2
Shield Forward forward 3
Shield Spike Focus spikefocus 2
Shield Spike Mastery spikemastery 2
Block the Elements eblock 2
Spell Block spellblock 1
Protective Wall pwall 2
Steely Resolve resolve 1
Phalanx phalanx 1

-- Robert

Due to the volatile atmosphere, random bolts of lightning can intermittently be seen streaking through the skyline.

Nice skill, but I use large shields instead of tower, but thanks for the tip.

Where is your training points going towards? Perception and CMs (especially Cunning Defense) aid against CMs. Also, learning a point or two, etc in a specific CM helps you against that specific CM. How much dodge do you have or do you use a shield? What spells are active?

otherwise, I'd get better armor.

__________________________
- Kobold in Disguise Falvicar, Blade of the Night

You swing a silver-edged black veil iron katana at Sevynne!

* Sevynne drops dead at your feet!
* Sevynne just bit the dust!

>>My perception isn't high, I think 26 ranks

I think you'll be very happy with investments in perception and survival.

Very, very happy.

Doug

It may be totally at the cheese and smooth stone level - but I believe that Survival's ability to help the character avoid natural traps and pitfalls works in concert with Perception to identify and avoid unnatural traps and pitfalls.

I went from getting my hair cut to devastating, and I had already maxed out perception. . . so. . .

Doug

Are "traps and pitfalls" intended to use SMRv2, or will they continue to factor in survival? Beyond bandits, how often do these come into play?

I'm pretty sure it's been stated before that survival helps with bandit traps.

While the SMRv2 skills should probably be considered the best options for all-around defense. There can and will be mechanics that integrate other skills where it makes sense, even if they are migrated to SMR eventually. As an example, if something like a wizard labyrinth full of traps were added to the game, it would make sense that some of the traps may have a magic item use aspect tossed in for minimizing/negating damage.

Viduus

>>I'm pretty sure it's been stated before that survival helps with bandit traps.

Dadnabit! I'm wrong. Again! For the 4th time in my life! And 2 of those times were times when I thought I was wrong!!

Thanks for adding clarity, Viduus. This one's getting captured and posted on the wiki.

>>if something like a wizard labyrinth full of traps were added to the game, it would make sense that some of the traps

You say that like you . . . know something.

Doug

Wow... I just learned something. I always assumed survival was for things like weather at Trace and skinning some beasties. I just might have to work on that after I max at my PT and Perception to a full 2x and just keep blowing off lore for now heh

If this helps, this is my current training. Granted, I use two handers and I'm obviously post cap (stats are as perfect as can be)

Falvicar (at level 100), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 300 200
Combat Maneuvers...................| 302 202
Two-Handed Weapons.................| 304 204
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 170 70
Physical Fitness...................| 235 135
Dodging............................| 300 200
Magic Item Use.....................| 90 20
Harness Power......................| 200 100
Spirit Mana Control................| 105 25
Spiritual Lore - Religion..........| 140 40
Perception.........................| 205 105
Climbing...........................| 123 31
Swimming...........................| 120 30

Spell Lists
Minor Spiritual....................| 20

Spell Lists
Paladin............................| 50
Training Points: 4 Phy 1 Mnt
(Use SKILLS BASE to display unmodified ranks and goals)

2 days remain until the annual FIXSKILLS is to be granted, on 05/20/2018.

Your 30 day migration period will begin when you choose to degrade a skill.

Further information can be found in the FAQs.
>cman info
Falvicar, your Combat Maneuver training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Combat Movement cmovement 1
Dirtkick dirtkick 1
Shield Bash sbash 1
Disarm Weapon disarm 5
Feint feint 3
Specialization I wspec1 5
Crowd Press cpress 1
Combat Toughness toughness 3
Surge of Strength surge 3
Trip trip 1
Cunning Defense cdefense 5



Currently I'm working on perception getting to 2x and PT to a full 2x. I probably will finish up Multi Ops just because and otherwise probably just working on survival next. Hope this helps you out though. Some things I learned because of preference (such as full disarm) since it does come handy whether for RP or just fighting something really tough that you need to disarm to allow you to hit them easier. Happy Hunting.

__________________________
- Kobold in Disguise Falvicar, Blade of the Night

You swing a silver-edged black veil iron katana at Sevynne!

* Sevynne drops dead at your feet!
* Sevynne just bit the dust!