RavynousHunter on 6/9/2009 at 18:05

---

Everything except the dagger, if only because I'm a Thief purist.

Flash Mines: Good if you happen to run out of flash bombs, or to trap a hallway just in case a guard comes up along that particular path.

Invisibility Potions: Good if you're low on gear and are trying to get past an unjackable enemy, like the metalheaded Mechanists or their bots.

Slowfall Potions: Gives more options for escape, should such measures be necessary.

Gas Mines: See Flash Mines, except replace flash bombs with gas arrows, which are rare in and of themselves.

Brazilian Taffer on 27/5/2010 at 23:28

---

182 total votes.
'Blackjack - 176 votes - 96.70'

What. The. Hell.

There are actually 3.30%(6) who don't want a blackjack?!

Er... Well, leave that behind.

About the sword/dagger debate, well, I, honestly, know very little of sparring. Sure, I've got a (sharp) sword on my gala uniform, but it's mostly there just for decoration. I know a lot about knifes, though.

Fighting with a knife is more focused about dodging than parrying, and as the knife is a smaller and lighter weapon, it allows you more freedom of movement. There are techniques of 'incapacitating' a enemy with a knife (less-lethal takedown), but it's kind of only to take prisoners, as the target will probably die without immediate medical attention. So, yes, a dagger leaves a really small window of non-lethal takedown or even self-defence. And, you CAN use a knife to bust throught wooden boards. You just have to use it like a lever.

People who are discussing for the sword, state that the sword is a more reliable mean of 'self defence'. It is, in the game, because people there don't bleed to death when they have slashes all over their body. But it should prove a reliable source of defence against non-humanoids.

And, a sword is also relatively long. Depending on the size of it, your crouching may be affected. And a 'short sword' would also have a shorter range, that would make it unreliable in close combat, as your enemy would have a longer reach.

And, again, I cannot stress this enough, there are NO non-lethal takedowns with lethal weapons. If you slash your target two times with your sword, it runs away and you knockout him, he should bleed to death. But hey, it's a game.

And someone mentioned 'defending yourself until you find a opening, run away and recover'. That should technically raise the alarm on the whole area that should make your mission virtually impossible. When you get caught, your mission's almost over. Perhaps you would have time to grab the 'special loot' (Lord Bafford's Sceptre, The Sapphire Vase, etc) and get out while you still can. (Dynamic objectives, anyone?)

So, I have reached the conclusion that any sort of blade is just not feasible in normal missions, as you will probably have a hard time keeping your body count zero. However, in zombie/supernatural missions, it comes in handy. My vote is for the sword, as the dagger is just a bit more useless.

Brazilian Taffer on 28/5/2010 at 23:10

---

Eh, well, to say the truth, I kind of bought all sort of gadgets on the loadout. Holy water, moss arrows, water arrows, speed potions, breath potions, slowfall potions, invisibility potions...

I kept them alls with the thought "Not now. I'll use it in some emergency." And in 90% of the cases I never used anything but the water arrows and ended the mission with almost the same gear I started.

I think they are more for the flavor than everything, actually.

Brazilian Taffer on 30/5/2010 at 02:57

---

Well, as I said, long blades aren't really my speciality. But to be sincere, from my own experience, a disarm is just a little moment in the fight when you gain some time over your enemy. It can be the exact moment to execute your opponent or to run away. I do not think one would be able to knock out someone right after disarming it. And running away in a situation like this, will make the guard raise the alarm and would* make your mission almost impossible. But again, I'm nothing but a zero to the left in swordsmanship. (And good 80%+ of the disarms I've experienced were in training.)



Well, yes, broken bones aren't lethal. And the guards wear chain mail which should make most of the wounds broken bones and hemathoms. I guess I've lost a point here. (I guess I've forgotten how effective armor was back then) But still, a fight is noisy, the enemy may scream for help, and I have stated before, it pretty much would* botch a mission. (And that knight is a tough fellow. He probly broke all his ribs. And broken ribs can be pretty lethal if they pierce lungs. And broken ribs hurt like hell.)



Well, a subtle, intuitive and effective combat system would be a major hit on the gameplay balance, unless they adopt a realistic alarm system.

* With the presence of a realistic or at least decent alarm system.

Brazilian Taffer on 30/5/2010 at 19:20

---

Hmm, yes, it sounds good. A more realistic approach to AI/NPC interaction. I mean, it's should be at least a bit close(r) to real life. Alarms in Thief are just pathetic, to say the truth. The thing rings and almost nothing goes different. There should be guards searching and protecting the more expensive 'loot'. And guards and objects don't cause anything.

And the guards themselves are more like blind/deaf things than persons. :erg: