Melee enthusiasts unite! Lets hammer out Blocking together.

[Helljack84]

While we're at it, how about a buff for sword&board? I'd suggest something similar to excalibur exalted blade where you get front arc damage reduction even while not actively blocking. 

This might make shields more appealing for squishies, also more in line with historic use of shields*.   

 

*Awesome armor = no need for shield // No awesome armor = use shield to not become pincushion

[(PSN)lhbuch]

On 27/10/2016 at 10:23 AM, Aeiroth said:

Channeled blocking is energy suicide. Using a Volt Prime with 850 Energy and an Ack&Brunt against a Level 140 Ballista will require 95 Energy per shot since the channeling cost increases with damage.

Using the same set up against an Elite Lancer however cost all 850 energy within 5 seconds...

 

NEVER EVER EVER CHANNEL WHILE BLOCKING.

Exactly. You are safer with your energy pool and the capability to CC...

[(PSN)Yes-Man-Kablaam]

Im sad other weapons block as well as sword n shield.

[tris1]

still think blocking should be 100 percent blocking not damage reduction considering its only blocking damage from the front and doesn't stop damage from bombards and such

[JalakBali]

The current blocking system just seems lazy and not even following any rule of logic. So I'd like to address the logic of this space ninja blocking skillz by setting up some ground rules:

1. Quick weapons make for better bullet blocking.

2. Small weapons make for smaller surface area to use as blocking.

3. Heavy weapons are bad for blocking except for weapons that can be spun (staves).

4. Blocking could have additional benefits in this space ninja universe.

5. The mechanics of blocking is based on how cool it would look like (not awkward or clunky) and whether it has precedence in pop-culture (anime, scifi, fantasy, etc)

 

So, with those logic in mind, let's review each weapon type:

• Sword: the standard one. Should have good coverage and speed. This should block 75% of incoming bullets. Instead of blocking a damage %, it should be a % of hit chance. Like, blocking with this gets you only a 15% chance of getting hit. Doesn't block explosions, of course, but blocks stagger and knock downs. Blocking melee should be 75% of damage absorbed.
• Dual Swords: also fast and actually has better chance of blocking due to using 2 separate surfaces. 90% blocking chance.
• Dagger: fast but the surface area is small. 50%. But it has the added bonus of auto-finisher when used to parry melee.
• Machete: same as Sword.
• Dual Daggers: better than Dagger due to having 2 pieces. 60%. Same bonus.
• Fist: very fast and the surface area is at least comparable to daggers. Also, 2 surfaces. 60%.
• Sword-Shield: complete blocking. It's a damn shield for god's sake. 100%.
• Sparring: same as Fists.
• Polearm: heavy but as a staff weapon, it;s long and has large surface area and it can be spun so it should be at least as useful as a Sword. 75%.    
• Staff: same as Polearm.
• Glaive: large surface area but not very fast. Still better than using a small knife to deflect a hail of bullets. 60%.
• Whip: OK, if the animation is using the whip to create a storm of blocking surface, it'd be good. But the animation is using a tiny weapon to block. It's the size of a dagger if not being extended. 50%.
• Heavy Blade: unwieldy and slow. You don't block bullets with a large weapon except Guts' Dragonslayer maybe. But even the Galatine is not that size (it's Veritux size). But at least large weapon has large surface area. 50%.
• Hammer: same as Heavy Weapon.
• Nikana: same as Sword... BUT it's a goddamn space katana. Cutting bullets is a staple in pop culture. 90% (!!)
• Claws: like Fists but with larger surface area. Due to cool Wolverine factor: 75%.
• Scythe: same as Polearm.
• Tonfa: originally tonfas are small but these space tonfas are HUGE. By spinning them you practically have a shield on each arm. Also, fast. 90%.
• Gunblade: slow and heavy (it's a GUN). Shouldn't make the best weapon for bullet deflecting ninja. But it has decent surface area. 60%.
• Nunchaku: look. It's a nunchaku. It's supposed to block any projectile thrown at it and even reflect it back. That's how it's supposed to work in any cool kungfu ninja setting. 90% with the added bonus: 40% chance the bullets get reflected back to the enemy.
• Blade-Whip: same as Sword.
• Rapier: terrible for blocking. It's a stabbing weapon with thin surface. 50%. Same bonus as Dagger. Call it "Riposte".

That's my ideas for how blocking should work against projectiles and melee. There's a concern that blocking can be used all the time to absorb damage and my idea of making sword+shield blocks 100% would make the worst of this. So an additional mechanic is needed: after blocking continuously for 10 seconds (counted by the first blocking hit), you will be unable to block for 5 seconds.

[Kalvorax]

11 minutes ago, JalakBali said:

That's my ideas for how blocking should work against projectiles and melee. There's a concern that blocking can be used all the time to absorb damage and my idea of making sword+shield blocks 100% would make the worst of this. So an additional mechanic is needed: after blocking continuously for 10 seconds (counted by the first blocking hit), you will be unable to block for 5 seconds.

seems good..except this part...cooldowns (except for focus....and even then i have my doubts, due to the long &#! timers, but that is another topic) have no part in a fast paced horde game like this.....instead of that, why not make it a degrade over time so the longer you block, the more damage gets thru using the same timers you proposed...though maybe double that?

Edited December 6, 2016 by xcynderx

[LuckyCharm]

I want to be able to block for guaranteed counter attacks. Like a melee unit will flash red and then strike. If you block during the red you counter. Something like that but only with melee equipped. 

[ENIAK_Prime]

As a LONG-TIME Melee Enthusiast, I have to say the new blocking mechanics they have in the game feel like a really watered-down and incomplete version of an idea I had a long time ago called "Coverage", which I described here: 

Note that it IS archived, so you won't be able to post in it.

[JalakBali]

6 hours ago, xcynderx said:

seems good..except this part...cooldowns (except for focus....and even then i have my doubts, due to the long &#! timers, but that is another topic) have no part in a fast paced horde game like this.....instead of that, why not make it a degrade over time so the longer you block, the more damage gets thru using the same timers you proposed...though maybe double that?

That was actually what I first thought of but then I figured it is very unintuitive. Like, how would the players know when blocking is losing its effectiveness? Also, in my idea, the cooldown doesn't start unless you hold block for 10 seconds straight after the first hit. 10 seconds is a long time to be blocking. During that time you could already run up to the enemy or escape enemy fire. As long as you do something that breaks blocking before 10 seconds is up, it resets. It's just to discourage AFKers and cheesy strat by holding block all the time.