by Rynn Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:17 amYou know, I've long been of the opinion that this game was not balanced around the player imposed cap of level 120. I think I actually am fully capable of proving this statement though, and here is how I am going to prove that.
First off, I'm going to prove that as you get closer to the meta of a game, all things balance out. I can do this by showing a decreased use for any of the stat improving pieces of gear that exist. This includes the mask of the father, mask of the mother, mask of the child, as well as the dusk crown.
Due to the player imposed meta of 120, the value and consistency of PvP drops off after level 120 in all areas of the game environment. The forest covenant then remains as the only covenant where PvP consistently occurs.
I hope to prove the following during this conversation.
So let's start, right?
If your endurance is at 99, we have several critical weight capacities.
34.7 = No Equipment items
40.0 = Mask of the Father
41.7 = RoFAP
69.5 = DWGR
80.0 = Mask of the Father + DWGR
Meanwhile at level 120, the DWGR is often used to do what the end-game (meta) is allowing us to naturally do. With the mask of the father, We get precisely what the DWGR normally allows a level 120 character to do normally.
The Dark Wood Grain Ring when used alone allows a user to equip more weight then any level 120 build usually has equipped at one time, or ever should have equipped for a large majority of builds.
As The Ring of Favor And Protection does the job of both the Mask of the Father and the Mask of the Mother, the ring of favor and protection will be favored over the fathers mask. As the DWGR alone supplies more then enough weight for most builds, the mask of the father will not be in use in conjunction to the DWGR either.
99 endurance is effectively the end of the reign of the Mask of The Father.
The mask of the mother will still be reliably prevalant at level 713, however in Player Versus Player Combat, the Mask of the Mother is mathematically weaker then the Big Hat. However to explain this, I must first explain buffs.
You see, at level 120, builds have to be designed around the buff for a buff to be used, however, at level 709-713, buffs will become an integral part of any character.
Darkmoon Blade will add 500 magic damage to a weapon.
CMW will add 441 magic damage to a weapon
Sunlight Blade will add 430 Lightning Damage to a weapon.
While sunlight blade is a better buff, it will take 3 attunement slots to get 3 casts, rather then 2 attunement slots for CMW, as such, the magic damage will be more likely to occur, especially since sorcery is overall considered more utilizable. While this will give a notable disadvantage to those that have the dusk crown equipped, it will also provide an additional 70 or more damage blocked by wearing the Big Hat instead of the mask of the mother. The mask of the mother only provides an additional 280 HP, and so within 4 hits (which you will survive with the high defense your level entails) the Big Hat has done everything the MoM did, and possibly more. The big hat will also effect all magical attacks in a similar manner.
As such, a wise player will know that the MoM is in most situations weaker then a big hat. The Big Hat might similarly become a symbol of mini-maxing as a result in a world where we all went to level 705.
Havels Ring is an item intended for lower level gameplay. Just like the masks, this ring's use is quickly outdated by bother equipment as you level, and you eventually will not be using it soon after starting to level. Please observe this example of a characters evolution to level 709.
Level 29
Level 51
Level 76
Level 120 "Endgame"
208: Point of Diminishing Returns.
429, all direct ombat stats maximized.
Max level
This character is not the best example, I needed to lower my eqip load by 1.5 pounds to show you the best example of how equipment becomes less OP as we level. But think about it, and maybe talk it out here. What we see as overpowered is no longer efficient at the true endgame. We only have ourselves to blame for a majority of the imbalances in this game!
First off, I'm going to prove that as you get closer to the meta of a game, all things balance out. I can do this by showing a decreased use for any of the stat improving pieces of gear that exist. This includes the mask of the father, mask of the mother, mask of the child, as well as the dusk crown.
Due to the player imposed meta of 120, the value and consistency of PvP drops off after level 120 in all areas of the game environment. The forest covenant then remains as the only covenant where PvP consistently occurs.
I hope to prove the following during this conversation.
- The Family Masks would have had nearly no effects in the true meta of the game, as a helmet would provide a marked improvement to your defensive attributes.
- The "Fat Roll" was not intended for PvP, as it is easy to avoid doing such at the true meta of the game.
- Certain features and rings were designed to eventually be cast aside and never used again. Such as Elemental Weaponry and the Havels Ring.
- Weapon Buffs are game changing, and the Developers expected these buffs to be in wide use by all players.
So let's start, right?
If your endurance is at 99, we have several critical weight capacities.
34.7 = No Equipment items
40.0 = Mask of the Father
41.7 = RoFAP
69.5 = DWGR
80.0 = Mask of the Father + DWGR
Meanwhile at level 120, the DWGR is often used to do what the end-game (meta) is allowing us to naturally do. With the mask of the father, We get precisely what the DWGR normally allows a level 120 character to do normally.
The Dark Wood Grain Ring when used alone allows a user to equip more weight then any level 120 build usually has equipped at one time, or ever should have equipped for a large majority of builds.
As The Ring of Favor And Protection does the job of both the Mask of the Father and the Mask of the Mother, the ring of favor and protection will be favored over the fathers mask. As the DWGR alone supplies more then enough weight for most builds, the mask of the father will not be in use in conjunction to the DWGR either.
99 endurance is effectively the end of the reign of the Mask of The Father.
The mask of the mother will still be reliably prevalant at level 713, however in Player Versus Player Combat, the Mask of the Mother is mathematically weaker then the Big Hat. However to explain this, I must first explain buffs.
You see, at level 120, builds have to be designed around the buff for a buff to be used, however, at level 709-713, buffs will become an integral part of any character.
Darkmoon Blade will add 500 magic damage to a weapon.
CMW will add 441 magic damage to a weapon
Sunlight Blade will add 430 Lightning Damage to a weapon.
While sunlight blade is a better buff, it will take 3 attunement slots to get 3 casts, rather then 2 attunement slots for CMW, as such, the magic damage will be more likely to occur, especially since sorcery is overall considered more utilizable. While this will give a notable disadvantage to those that have the dusk crown equipped, it will also provide an additional 70 or more damage blocked by wearing the Big Hat instead of the mask of the mother. The mask of the mother only provides an additional 280 HP, and so within 4 hits (which you will survive with the high defense your level entails) the Big Hat has done everything the MoM did, and possibly more. The big hat will also effect all magical attacks in a similar manner.
As such, a wise player will know that the MoM is in most situations weaker then a big hat. The Big Hat might similarly become a symbol of mini-maxing as a result in a world where we all went to level 705.
Havels Ring is an item intended for lower level gameplay. Just like the masks, this ring's use is quickly outdated by bother equipment as you level, and you eventually will not be using it soon after starting to level. Please observe this example of a characters evolution to level 709.
Level 29
Level 51
Level 76
Level 120 "Endgame"
208: Point of Diminishing Returns.
429, all direct ombat stats maximized.
Max level
This character is not the best example, I needed to lower my eqip load by 1.5 pounds to show you the best example of how equipment becomes less OP as we level. But think about it, and maybe talk it out here. What we see as overpowered is no longer efficient at the true endgame. We only have ourselves to blame for a majority of the imbalances in this game!
