Shields

[Rhynox]

I think the original question was why people prefer wearing an axe and a shield instead of two axes (as the gladiators excel). Of course, parry won't be able to make up for the loss of defense due lack of shield, but right now it looks as if the plus two axes give (more damage) can't equal wearing an axe and a shield. In other words, people prefer to end the battle in a minute at feeling very well than in thirty seconds at slightly hurt.

There is an obsession with health (which I believe happens due the amount of PvP that there is around lately). If not for it, we would see more people caring less for defense.

As a sidenote, another skill I asked for the neidars was the death song, as known in some D&D settings: as the dwarf closes to death, he begins singing his death song (which is unique for every dwarf, much like the anthem every minstrel must write for himself), which strengthens him. It is different from the old kdie, where the knight would recover his health completely and fight to death, but instead, the neidar would become stronger and harder to get hurt. This way neidars would run around at very hurt or lower at all times. It would be a nice change from seeing rangers healing you as soon as you hit somewhat hurt (nothing wrong against that, but hey, let me get a bit hurt from time to time!).

[Davvol]

Knights sometimes use two handed weapons, especially when we aren't tanking.

That's the point. Lets make tanking with 2 weapons better with hig two handed+parry skills. It's easy to code and will make some guilds more balanced.

[Tarax the Terrible]

I think the original question was why people prefer wearing an axe and a shield instead of two axes (as the gladiators excel). Of course, parry won't be able to make up for the loss of defense due lack of shield, but right now it looks as if the plus two axes give (more damage) can't equal wearing an axe and a shield. In other words, people prefer to end the battle in a minute at feeling very well than in thirty seconds at slightly hurt.

There is an obsession with health (which I believe happens due the amount of PvP that there is around lately). If not for it, we would see more people caring less for defense.

As a sidenote, another skill I asked for the neidars was the death song, as known in some D&D settings: as the dwarf closes to death, he begins singing his death song (which is unique for every dwarf, much like the anthem every minstrel must write for himself), which strengthens him. It is different from the old kdie, where the knight would recover his health completely and fight to death, but instead, the neidar would become stronger and harder to get hurt. This way neidars would run around at very hurt or lower at all times. It would be a nice change from seeing rangers healing you as soon as you hit somewhat hurt (nothing wrong against that, but hey, let me get a bit hurt from time to time!).

Like being a berserker..
Think there is room for this type of behaviour, living life close to the edge and all.. Yeah it would be cool.
Although you may need to give yourselves some self harming specials otherwise you might be waiting all day to get there!

[Tive]

An example.. years ago violed-edged shortsword was a highly desirable weapon. I don't think anyone bothers even to check for it now days.

[Tarax the Terrible]

An example.. years ago violed-edged shortsword was a highly desirable weapon. I don't think anyone bothers even to check for it now days.

Good example. I have seen people use it a few years ago. And shields were better then than now.
I can't work out how to get the bugger out, I have done the quest but had no luck ever since then.

[Laurel]

An example.. years ago violed-edged shortsword was a highly desirable weapon. I don't think anyone bothers even to check for it now days.

a certain pair of boots gives better boosts than defender ... and it's dmg output plainly sucks

[Tive]

That's because obviously everyone and his uncle wanted to show others they can code the coolest stuff without trying to balance those with some negative effects.

[Rhaegar]

Wasn't The Defender red-edged and not violet-edged?

[Rhynox]

Like being a berserker..
Think there is room for this type of behaviour, living life close to the edge and all.. Yeah it would be cool.
Although you may need to give yourselves some self harming specials otherwise you might be waiting all day to get there!

My idea was incorporate our mana as health in some way (Gorboth's idea was giving the neidars a Reorx blessing and removing battlerage, I opted for battlerage because, while the gift could be better, the typical image of a dwarf battling is one with gritting teeth, not one enveloped in light. I think he was disappointed that we refused the change). Since opponents cannot see how much mana you have, they could hit you lots of time but you would still be at feeling very well (even though your mana would be completely wasted), to combine both (so that some hits drain your health and others your mana) or that you could choose which one. The idea kind of made sense because it would create a weakness for neidars (steel weapons would smack us cold once our mana ran out), we don't use mana at all in the guild, nor are interested in serious spellcasting, we don't have a huge pool of mana (at best, I am guessing it is less than half our health points, so it would only increase our health 50%), and the power itself would be slow to reset (as dwarves prefer to walk wasted, our mana points would recover pretty slow). This way we could justify walk around at very hurt while at the same time consuming our mana as in in a trance-like state to dismiss physical wounds.

If I am posting this here, you can imagine what wizards thought about it It was a cool concept, though, and I guess it will be implemented some day (although not for neidars, that much is clear).

^
I still remember when the favorite spare weapon for the Shadow Union was Jaine's narrow knife. Nowadays I doubt anyone cares about it.

[Tive]

i used that knife a few days ago! it's very nice for wanderer size players