Interesting bug with skills that improve abilities

[Aoslare]

There are three ways to put points in a skill:

1) Placing points there manually

2) Using the level 5/15/25 bonuses to put a bonus there

3) Wearing equipment that gives a bonus to a skill

 

For most of what skills do, all three of these point sources are considered. This includes:

1) Contributing to the raw power of an ability

2) Contributing passive effects (middle column skills)

3) Unlocking new abilities at 6 points

4) Unlocking an effect that's part of the base ability at 3 points

 

However, let's look at 4 more closely. Most of these effects ramp up based on the total points you have in a skill. For example, a Blademaster's archery skill will get +5% crit chance at level 3, +10% at level 4, +15% at level 5, etc. A Sorceror's Lightning Wind increases its chance to land the Weakness status successfully. etc.

 

For that "ramping up" effect, ONLY points placed manually (category 1) count. Points from the 5/15/25 bonuses, or from items, seem to be left out of the bonus calculation.

 

I'm not 100% sure if this bug affects gameplay or if it is visual only. I suspect it does affect gameplay.

[RainbowDashRadical]

Cool, slarty is back! Hi Slarty.

[Lilith]

So just to be crystal-clear: the 3-point effects of active skills are not influenced by any source other than direct skill point investment, but the 3-point effects of passive skills are, as are the 6-point effects of active skills and the 7-point effects of passive skills?

[Aoslare]

As far as I know, yes. I haven't done exhaustive testing to see if, for example, the 3-point skills that affect armor produce visual gains from item points, but not actual damage reduction, because that would be a lot of irritating testing. But I'd assume the visual and the actual are the same unless evidence suggests otherwise.

 

To be extra clear: items/5/15/25 points DO count towards ACTIVATING the 3-point bonuses. They just don't count towards quantifying the 3-point bonuses. For example, if you have Ice Storm with 2 points manually spent and the level 5 bonus in the left column, you'll see it listed with a 10% chance to stun, even though the chance increases by 5% per point in the skill.

[Aoslare]

Here's another bug.

 

As far as I can tell, Stunning Powder -- the Shadowwalker's 2nd hardest to acquire skill, at 33 points -- is 100% inferior to Shadowstep, which costs 4 points. The stun effect is identical except that it has a higher chance of succeeding with Shadowstep! Eeesh...

[Jerakeen]

Does anybody know if the missile damage bonuses that you get from some items apply to other missile-like attacks, such as yankshot or shrapnel grenade?

[Aoslare]

I'm fairly sure they do. (They did in AEFTP and I haven't seen evidence to the contrary here.)

 

Another bug: it looks like the drakes summoned by Call Drake were intended to be a lot more impressive -- they were loaded up with four abilities that can't be accessed on the player menu. Whoops. One of many, many things I am fixing in the remix...

[Randomizer]

Jeff writes code and then either forgets to make it activate or decides he doesn't want it to be used. You see it more in remakes where he makes the code a comment section to remove an older feature.

[Triumph]

Is this something likely to get fixed in v.1.1? If not, this is the sort of game-mechanics thread that belongs in Strategy Central.

[Jerakeen]

I'm fairly sure they do. (They did in AEFTP and I haven't seen evidence to the contrary here.)

 

Another bug: it looks like the drakes summoned by Call Drake were intended to be a lot more impressive -- they were loaded up with four abilities that can't be accessed on the player menu. Whoops. One of many, many things I am fixing in the remix...

 

Are you talking about creature #84? I find it hard to believe that summoned drakes are intended to have Daze, Haste, Inferno and Call Aid. That sounds more like a normal drake. But I couldn't find another drake in the script, so I don't know.

[Randomizer]

I'm glad I didn't see that as a player facing an NPC drake.

[Aoslare]

I find it hard to believe PC drakes *aren't* intended to have those abilities. Otherwise, Call Drake is a huge waste of skill points, given that a Hellhound is plenty sturdy can be basically as effective. I mean, Reflection is utterly worthless -- it's even outclassed by a much cheaper Blademaster ability, which is hilarious. Anyway, in the remix, Call Drake, Stunning Powder, Assault Blessing, and Inferno Turret will all have meaningful reasons to exist, to say nothing of the ridiculously bad top left abilities most of the classes have.