Feedback:User/Erasculio/No random chances
No random chances | |
|---|---|
| User | Erasculio |
| Categories | Mechanics |
An old interview has a very interesting quote:
“We spent a few years experimenting with and making major adjustments to attack rates, skill cast and recharge times, damage and armor mechanics, the hit point scale, and even eventually removing the random chance to miss from our combat. We thought this last change was a risky one, but it was overwhelmingly embraced by our players, who were very enthusiastic about the notion of combat being determined by skill.
— Guild Wars Factions interview
With the new level system in GW2, it must be very tempting to add random chances - not only to miss with attacks, but also a resistence system so spells have a chance to fail or be resisted, especially when there is a level gap between the caster and the target.
My suggestion is: don't.
The quote above explains why, mostly. The idea that combat is to be decided by skill, not by luck, was one of the most innovative concepts of GW1, and it would be a shame if such concept were lost in either PvP or PvE; the emphasis on skill and other player-controlled factors is also an important element in highlighting the tactical and strategical aspects of the game, making it closer to an e-sport. Likewise, focusing on skill as opposed to player stats means that resistances being given by level are a bad mechanic. A level 10 character casting a slow down spell on a level 5 character or on a level 20 character should have the same chance of working - 100%, unless one of the targets does something to disrupt the spell. To do otherwise would be not only allowing chance or stats to determine the outcome of a combat, but also adding an element of frustration as players would have a chance of being simply ineffective in combat.
