Charm: Calm and weapon effects

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:40 am

I have a question about using Charm: Calm as a Healer, as I (seem) to be one of the only users of this skill.

The Healer has the ability to calm the savage beast within. Healers may spend 1 Life Point and call "Charm—Calm”. Delivery of this may be done through a weapon or packet. If affected, the target may not swing for more than 1 damage until they rest for 10 uninterrupted seconds. You must have the “Soothe” skill in order to use Calm.

It does not state whether offensive effects are lost- ala Crush, Poison, Vorpal, etc. It also doesn't say whether this skill affects only the damage from melee attacks, or also ranged attacks.

Also, does it stop the target from starting the count on a charge-up damage-causing skill until they make the 10-second negation count first, or at the very least limit those charge-up skills to 1 damage+their effect (Druid's 5 crush> 1 crush)?

Seems to me that as a Master Level skill that also requires another (largely useless in context of the other basic healer skills) basic level skill as a prereq, it would also drop the weapon effects for the required time.

Especially as without dropping such things, certain builds are completely immune to this call, such as a Swashbuckler using "Lvl4: Vorpal" or Barbarian's swinging Crush unless they also were using a Weapon Focus to swing +1.

Dallid · Post by **Dallid** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:47 am

As it says 'swing', the effect is on melee damage. Such melee damage can not be anything other than 1 (or 0). Dealing the effect is an interruption, so any charge is lost. Any damage-increasing ability is also lost and must be reapplied after the 10 seconds of uninterrupted rest.

As this skill is worded, ranged attacks are unaffected.

Post by **GM_Chris** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:13 am

Correct

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:52 am

Ok. I had assumed that it was a nerf for melee attacks only, but had heard some contradictions on whether it would remove weapon effects, some saying it wouldn't. For example, a big monster swinging "5 crush" would continue to do "crush" just only at "1 crush" at a time, and I thought that was a little harsh for a Master Level skill.

GM-Phil · Post by **GM-Phil** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 4:37 pm

I personally would like to see this re-worded so that it does affect Ranged attacks, they too would be just as Calmed by the attack and should not be able to throw or shoot any harder than someone could swing.

Thoughts?

notsabbat · Post by **notsabbat** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:43 pm

being one of the few ranged guys at finalhaven I dont see why it woulnt. actually it seems like pretty much anything that says "swing" could just mean attack with a weapon (melee or ranged).

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:10 am

That re definition of the meaning of "swing a weapon" would cause issues with the functionaity of other skills. If a skill is intended to be usable with ranged AND melee weapons it should be worded more like taunt or disarm.

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:59 am

I'm not that worried about using it on a ranged guy as I would first have to get close to him/her, though with well-thrown packets I can see it being effective.

I have always intended on using it to stop NPC's from swinging things that maximize damage, like Crush and similar skills, at my comrades, and wanted to check here to make sure that was officially correct as the skill is loosely worded.

That and melee-only isn't that bad when you team up to use it to stop things from swinging more than "1" at a Warrior(s) using DM, or stopping Crush damage against a shield-using ally).

It's especially a good 'instant neutering' against anything relying on high damage to overpower a Healer.

(I just wish it didn't require Charm Soothe.)

Dallid · Post by **Dallid** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:57 am

It's a mega-debuff that works on anything charmable - rendering the most powerful creatures no more harmful than a villager. Given the power of the ability, the prereq is reasonable.

Yeah, occasionally an inexperienced NPC tries to tell me he can still do Crush - I make sure to correct him.

However, a poison applied to the weapon should still work.

I think of ranged damage being representative of the shooter's skill, not his strength or ferocity. If anything, a calming effect should allow for even greater precision/concentration and increase ranged damage.

Post by **GM_Chris** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:08 pm

We will have a clarification of "swing" soon.

Yes we will have adjusted wording to make sure there is no confusion

Thanks for the question

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 2:55 am

GM_Chris wrote:We will have a clarification of "swing" soon.

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:18 pm

so many meanings ...so little time...