Let us take a look over the weapon skills, how we can improve them, and gauge their effectiveness:
Sword: (Good Mobility)
1) Ok
2.) Ok
3.) Still needs a more fluid animation
4.) Ok
5.) High tendancy to miss, main use as a block, attack rarely connects.
F1) Ok, maybe could use a range buff (self-rooting)
Axe: (Lacks Mobility)
1.) Chain needs rework
2.) Ok
3.) Lackluster, should be reworked
4.) Too slow + lackluster
5.) Pitiful Damage + No utility + Broken whirl finisher
F1) Ok
Mace: (lacks all mobility)
1.) Very slow, but Ok
2.) Same as Sword 5, counter-attack is an afterthought, main use is block, should be reworked.
3.) Ok
4.) Low vulnerability, Lackluster, Insanely Slow. Rework
5.) Ok
F1) (need adequate testing after patch)
Shield:
4.) Ok
5.) Ok
Warhorn:
4.) Ok
5.) Ok
Rifle: (Lacks all mobility)
1.) Needs to become power oriented (change bleed for Vuln). rework
2.) Ok
3.) Ok
4.) Long cast time, lackluster. Rework
5.) Ok
F1) Ok (Risk/Reward)
Longbow: (ONLY weapon with a combo field)
1.) Slow attack speed, no additional effect. Needs rework
2.) Ok
3.) Ok
4.) Ok
5.) Ok
F1) Revert changes made, damage normalization, skill did not gain adrenaline. (which was the supposed reason it was changed.) Revert
Greatsword:
1.) Slow attack, average damage.
2.) Lower Damage, Add movement. Rework
3.) Ok
4.) Ok
5.) Skill causes pathing issues, high chance of missing, loses control of character. Rework
F1) Needs rework, not worth noting. Average Damage, access to boons we have access to already. Does not fit the role of a burst skill. (no burst of anything…)
Hammer:
1.) Ok
2.) Below average attack speed
3.) Ok
4.) Ok (need adequate damage testing)
5.) Ok (Risk/Reward)
F1.) Z-Axis needs fixing, “teleport” bug needs fixing (animation bug), need adequate testing for damage.
For a master of arms, we are running dangerously low on useful skills. Having only a small portion of weapon sets that have a good full combination of skills is holding back much of the variation and enjoyment of playing the class. Fixing key skills and improving the cohesion of the weapon sets will go a long way into making the gameplay much more enjoyable and much less stagnant.
Try to keep the topic civil, and add your own notes as to what skills you believe fall towards the “useless” or “lackluster” side of weapon design and skill usage. And which should be retuned or reworked to better fit its set, or the classes use.
One major note, is that aside from the Longbow, the weapon sets have no combo fields to aid in team oriented or self-comboing battles.