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View Full Version : Sugar and spice, and killings in thrice...


Kaberu
01-23-2005, 07:47 AM
<DIV>Between the various calls for tweaks, supposedly needed fixes, and a rant of a bear-form dislike... I think some people misplaced what defines a Berserker and WHEN this definition applies. Berserkers were not caged animals waiting for the day of battle, awaiting their release (well, maybe metaphorically). They were regular men. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>They had families, friends, hobbies and chores.</DIV> <DIV>  Wives and children, pets and more...</DIV> <DIV>They were farmers, builders, smiths and bakers</DIV> <DIV>  and in the end, they met their makers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regular people in their regular lives. What set them apart was in battle. In battle they became fierce. They became like the bear... once enraged, they would attack until their enemy lay dead (or like you should in a real bear attack, pretend to be dead so he thinks you are). They use to wear skins from bears and wolves.... physical representations of fierce and enraged killers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Of course our bear form looks more cuddly. I guess it doesn't really fit does it?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM>Usually bears in the backcountry are more curious than aggressive. They may approach, but will usually run if they sense that you are aware of their presence. It is not unusual to see bears on the trail in daylight hours, although most of the sightings will be evening to nighttime hours. During these hours bears are out foraging for food, and also campers and backpackers cooking their evening meals will arouse the curiosity of area bears. The scent of the foods cooking attracts many, even though usually they will not wander in, only stand on the sidelines hidden; watching.</EM></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I guess bears are regular people too. I guess they don't wander around flipping out on people all day long. Just don't startle or scare one or threaten it or it's young. That's when the killing starts, that's when they become enraged. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When is a Berserker a Berserker? When he's berserk of course!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So while most of a Berserker's life, he may seem unassuming, contemplative, oblivious or even just mediocre... in times of urgency and danger, in times of battle and war, in times of meals if all the tea is gone... that is when we become Berserker.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So I guess I'll have to disagree about the bear form being inappropriate. I AM curious, I  AM gentle, I AM usually looking for something to eat... but pop an add on me and I'll flip the freak out on that mob's health bar and send his head rolling into his next spawntime.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Do we need more tweaks and fixes? Ya, most likely... but I do trust the devs to balance it. They aren't looking to nerf our class, but balance it with all the others. Sometimes that means a reduction, sometimes that means an advance. As long as it ends in balance (or gets darn close), it's all good.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>OK, so who's next... I'm looking for more "Final Words" that clearly (and creatively if ya like :smileywink: ) declares where you stand on the issues of tweaks/fixes/nerfs and the Bear form at level 40. Make it good... make it something you can refer other people to no matter how often they ask you on the subject. Just to get it all out anyway. By no means should you stop commenting if it still bothers you... communication is key even when we break down and flame from time to time. I'm just looking for a nice "lens" to see the game through the eyes of fellow players.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P>Message Edited by Kaberu on <SPAN class=date_text>01-22-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>06:48 PM</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Kaberu on <span class=date_text>01-22-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:50 PM</span>

Dashel
01-23-2005, 08:53 PM
I would say the majority of Berserkers want most to stand out in some way. To diferentiate themselves from those who chose other paths. "Look at that bear, it's probably a level 20 Mystic"or.."There goes a 40+ Zerker"Essential to gameplay? Nah, but why not make it something of a reward if you're gonna have it in? Same with the tweaks and fixes. I feel I contribute to any group as is at level 40. I also want to be effective though. I want my commitment to getting good AC gear to matter when I tank. I want the fact that I'm chosing to hold a tower shield and give up some damage and buffing my defensive buffs to mean something. I dont want my class to slip in between as some sort of hybrid that's not good at anything. I signed on to be a tank, I want to be a great tank. My view of a Zerk is a heavy tank with a nod to offense. Guards should be more slightly more effective at taking damage compared to a Zerk, and have a better skill set to "Guard" and protect healers and other party memeber. Zerks should be slightly better at dealing damage compared to a Guardian, have more group DPS buffs with an extra bonus when dealing damage to multiple enemies. The trick is to get the ratio right. My feeling is you take the primary trait your class falls in and weight that heavier than other traits. Meaning, Tanks are sought to absorb damage primarily. Yes they deal melee damage but that is the main province of scout classes, so melee DPS for a tank should be given less weight than damage mitigation, absorption, avoidance etc. So if you say a Guardian is 10% better at taking damage (in whatever form, avoiding getting hit, parry, block, absorption...) then to compensate another class with DPS, the compensation needs to be higher. So maybe 20-25% more DPS.

Davish_Darkwolf
01-24-2005, 06:52 PM
<DIV>They were regular people, yes, but not that regular.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Off course they werent caged or locked-up somewhere, but they went berserk even when NOT in battle.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>History records show us that some berserkers went "nuts" randomly, sometimes even killing familiars or</DIV> <DIV>friends. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Many also had a bad reputation and behaved aggressively to anyone who crossed their way and were</DIV> <DIV>known for [Removed for Content] women and killing randomly (records even tell of a father killing his own son or a young </DIV> <DIV>brother killing his own kin)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What appears we have here, is a person who looks normal, but that in certain circunstances gets in a </DIV> <DIV>"crazed" mood, ignoring pain, friend or foe.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wether this "crazed" state was influenced by drugs or large amounts of alchool, is not known, but what</DIV> <DIV>is known for sure was that a Berserker was dangerous, very dangerous and although appearing like</DIV> <DIV>regular persons, they could "explode" randomly if provoqued (or not).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So what has become of them?  I think they are still among us, we just dont call them by the name  <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>