Underpowered and Overpowered Items [Special Topic]

Website · Post by **Leaf** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:42 am

In this topic, you can post items that are unbalanced, underpowered or overpowered. Please name the object and briefly argue what, and why the item should change.

If the developers agree with you, the artifact might even be changed at your request!

This topic is not intended for a whole discussion why an item is under- or overpowered, so try not to react on other posters.

Also dont ask for spoilers in this topic, questions like "where can i find the White Dragon Scale Mail" are not welcome, and will be removed without notice.

On a final note, be sure to quote and trim pertinant content in your followup or reply.

Note: after your post has been examined, it will be removed and a followup post on what has been done with additional comments.

cavesomething · Post by **cavesomething** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:46 am

One Item I do recall being underpowered at the time I got it (many months back now) was the ring from the undead royalty quest [looks up map summary for name], the animator's ring. It is identical to a strange ring, and someone who is capable of completing that quest will probably have a reasonable chance of having one of those already.

More interesting would be to make it have a unique effect, maybe +50 drain, depletion and ghosthit instead of +100 drain. For a low-ish level character, bonuses of +50 are quite reasonable, especially in ghosthit, which is difficult to defend against early on.

woo · Post by **woo** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:26 pm

I'm going to go with color spray being underpowered - it's difficult to get, costs a lot of mana to use - and being based on sorcery it's almost always being cast at low levels of sorecery.

Perhaps color spray could include a boost to your effective sorcery lvl which might make it more effective?

Azriel · Post by **Azriel** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:27 pm

I agree. If you can get color spray, you don't need it (spark shower is much more efficient to raise your sorcery level).

One way to avoid this would be to increase (a lot) the damage it does.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:01 pm

i dont believe you are supposed to wear the animators ring. You are supposed to give it to the king of scorn, in exchange for baronett i think. I also think its just a copy of the strange ring with a specail nane to make it an artifact...

And I dissagree. When i got the ring, i didnt have a strange ring, so it was very helpful untill i just found a ring of life at level 37ish...

Mith · Post by **Mith** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 5:17 pm

*** WARNING: SPOILER ALERT ***

i have a few items which are unbalanced:

- Katana of Masamune:
That is Katana of Masamune +3 (Str+2)(Dex+2)(Con+2)(Wis+1)(dam+25)(item_power +40)(weapon speed 1)(slay undead)(Attacks: physical, weaponmagic)(resist drain +100)(resist ghosthit +100)(resist depletion +30)
- this weapon has too much item power. Compare it with a chaos sword. That sword has better attack type (chaos) and much more damage.
The katana has some better stats than the chaos sword, thats why i think it should have more IP than the chaos sword, but just not 40

I think 25 would be a better match for you can have resist drain+100, depletion +100 with only 7 IP (ring of life) and the attack types with only 1 IP. Stats with weapon enchantments. Together this gives at most +25 item power.

- Elven Robe (enchanted):
That is Elven Robe +5 (Dex+4)(ac+3)(item_power +40)(Max speed 1.80)(sustenance+4)(stealth)(resist confusion +60)
NOTE: this object can only be made with alchemy. AFAIK there is NO elven robe in the game.

an elven robe +1 (this is how they come out of the forge) has 13 item power. Enchanting it shouldnt add that much, imo

- it has too much item power for the few bonuses it gives - a Midnight robe +5 is much better, and has only 25 item power. Suggestion: make the elven robe +5 item power +20 at most
- it is too slow - the max speed is set way too low. (spoiler says it is 5.00, so i assume it has been much faster in the past)
- it should have resist confusion +100.
resist confusion +60 is worthless: you need +100 or it wont help much. (confusion is a strange attack type, just like paralyse and slow, you get the full100% once you are affected)

Mithrandir staff
That is Mithrandir staff +4 (Wis+2)(Cha+2)(dam+5)(item_power +50)(weapon speed 6)(magic+2)(Attacks: physical)(resist magic +30)(resist confusion +30)(resist drain +100)(resist fear +30)

- +50 Item Power is just insane. Its the reward for a relatively low quest; i think lvl 40 is enough... so item power +15 seems more reasonable - but still high

cloak of the underworld
That is cloak of the Underworld (Cha-4)(item_power +45)(resist fire -10)(resist confusion +50)(resist acid +90)(resist drain +100)(resist ghosthit +90)(resist depletion +100)

- here again: too much item power for this cloak. it's a good cloak, but not worth his 45 points.

belzebub's sword
That is Belzebub's sword +7 (Con+2)(Int+1)(dam+17)(item_power +40)(weapon speed 3)(magic+1)(slay angel)(Attacks: physical, acid)(resist magic +30)(resist confusion +100)(resist drain +100)

- good resistances, but thats all
- i dont think the attack type justifies the +40 item power. Now i only use the weapon in very special occasions.

demonslayer
That is Demonslayer +7 (Str+2)(Cha+2)(Int+2)(Pow+2)(dam+30)(item_power +7)(weapon speed 5)(slay demon)(Attacks: weaponmagic)(resist magic +40)(resist fire +40)(resist cold -20)(resist drain +100)(resist depletion +100)

this weapon has not enough item power, i think.
good resistances, only a -20 cold, which makes it less attractive
nice stats, weaponmagic attack and _only_ 7 item power! i think 12 would be more reasonable. (not as much as chaos sword, but more that 7)

girdle of the fire god
That is Girdle of the Fire God of strength * (worn) (Str+2)(Con+2)(Pow+2)(item_power +1)(resist fire +30)

just a plain not enough IP

power dragon mail
That is Power Dragon Mail +5 (speed +1)(ac+8)(item_power +35)(Max speed 1.90)(Spell regen penalty 9)(armour +60)(resist fire +50)(resist electricity +30)

- the problem is not its initial item power (+12 for a power dragon mail +4) but the insane +35 for a power dragon mail +5

more will follow, i think

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:00 pm

I think fireball is underpowered. I think it should be made a higher level spell, and have the damage boosted. Anything that is hit with a fireball, and anything else close would normally be instantly vaporized, unless its like a dragon, fire elemental, or fireborn.

I would also firebolt as a powered down fireball, but no explosion to balance it out.

Avion · Post by **Avion** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:23 pm

I think it would be nice to list each item and your argument for it's change in the sourceforge RFE tracker. It is more likely to be read by developers and easier to track that way.

Also on the same topic: Bugs, patches and enhancements requests are easier to manage if they are very granular and specific. Do not submit an RFE or bug item saying
- "economy is unbalanced" rather say,
- "healing potions are too expensive - this is my opinion on a better value..."

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:59 pm

I dont know if this is one, but here it goes...

At the same levels of resitance cold spells like icestorm do a helluvalot more damage than firespells like burning hands.

The easiest way to reproduce this is do use a dragon with +40-50 resistacne in fire and cold, and then use the dragon TC in scorn, or any other maps that have both normal and fire dragons.

I can easyly be killed by 3 or 4 overhappy chinese dargons, while i can stand next to ancient re dragons for over 10 minutes and still be alive.

Take this how you will, either fire spells should be strenghtened, or ice spells should be weakened, or dragons should be leveled out. I dont know about other players using spells, but i believe that it holds true.

Some players on Metalforge have also confirmed my findings...

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:02 am

Sorry about the double post, but these topics fit better in seperate posts...

Angels are easily killed by Sunspear. Angels, being creatures of light, shouldnt be hurt much by a light spell. Its equivalant or burning demons, and freezing ghosts... I dont know if its a bug, or sunspear should just be a little weaker... So i guess angels are unperpowered...