Shield Cleave

[Phostan]

I think Seryie is definitely a bit too aggressive, and needs to suck back some sleeping pills and jack daniels, and chill out for a bit. You can't just assume you know the reasoning behind someone doing or saying what they did. But Seryie apparently thinks they've been granted the divine power to do exactly that. Everyone on the forums needs to realize they've no right to judge other peoples actions, that's being egotistical. I might hate all of you, but I'm not going to tell you it's your fault I hate you. That's abusive. So basically Seryie, I can tell you're very emotionally high-strung, and have a high potential for abuse, please don't ever take it out on any partner you have or on any children you may adopt. It's not fair to take out personal frustrations on others.

[Seryie]

Firstly, My post wasnt directed to you at all, if you don't want to read it.. skip straight past the bit i pointed out that is was directed at dhamphri.

All i can say..

[TheOneAndOnly]

First of all stay on topic, no one cares about who or what people are like. Play the game and stick to the thread. I have been the same rank for some time, and mastered several skills with the same PC, would this affect the learning ratio? I have ranked once or twice and it does not seem to affect my learning curve, so does changing sparring partners change the ratio? Looking for a little insight because I am reaching extreme frustration.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Phostan]

Well if you said what skill it was I could tell you for sure. Usually mobs you're training on only matters if its an area effect spell/skill or a defensive skill. Other factors would be your level, int, wis, quests, character age. And remember, you learn quicker from your mistakes usually then from just normal getting better at. If you are still talking about shield cleave, well, the lower level the mob, the higher chance of you succeeding cleave, so then a higher level mob or person would be better to train on. At least that's what I assume since when my level 50 was being attacked by level 20's when he had a cabal item he weapon/shield cleaved first shot everytime five times in a row with 75% weaponcleave and shieldcleave.


Oh, and Seryie, you're right, I went and judged you were emotionally high-strung because of your aggressive behavior towards other people. And that's not fair. So if you promise not to decide single-handedly why a person said and did what they did, I'll promise to do the same.

[TheOneAndOnly]

Shield cleave is the skill..a shield cleave post-no being a smart ass when I say that, just thought it was understood. I am training with one of equal level. I am using a method that does not all allow for me to successfully cleave his shield, or I have yet to in nearly 48 straight hours, so I assume so. I have yet to learn from my mistakes, I learned once early on when attempting to perfect the method of unsuccessfully breaking his shield. I am currently using a whip, but have used weapons that I am proficient in, and niether has given me the desired result. So the question is this (directed more towards the Immortal staff) has shield cleave been altered where one can not learn under certain circumstances? or are there certain circumstances in which learning is halted? For the record I am a seasoned player and have never had such difficulty in mastering any skill (disarm, shield disarm, weapons, riposte, or any defenses) to name a few. A little insight if you will.

Thanks in advance.

[TheOneAndOnly]

To give you the factors you specifically asked for-character is 40 some odd hours, giant int, over 100 quest. Go figure, I am quite puzzled.

[Sebryn]

Just a small possibility (and I'm not part of the IMM staff incase you want to disregard this), but could your 'luck' have anything to do with it?

[xanthas]

[Avendin]

Factors that affect skill% increase that I know of and am willing to divulge:

random factor
intelligence
quests (to a smaller degree than before thanks to a very sensible change)
rank

It doesn't matter whom you are fighting with, NPC or PC, as long as the skill gets checked. For example, you can improve your weapon percentage on a parried blow because the weapon strike was successful, even though the opponent parried the attack and thus received no damage. In training, with the large number of variables involved as well as a random factor, very strange things will happen. I have gained a skill increase 4 times in 7 castings of a spell before. I have failed to gain a percentage in a spell on the same character over a 2 to 3 hour period of constant spamming (with 25 intelligence, level 30 or so, and over 100 quests). Training is going to be slow on a giant, as it is meant to be, no matter what your rank or number of quests. Thus, if you are intent on mastering a large number of skills with a giant (the only sane reason for this would be to enter warlords.. never mind, that's not a sane thing to do), then prepare to be very patient. With a skill like shield cleave, it's not even worth it.

[Sebryn]

I still say luck has something to do with it too... luck is probably one of the most underestimated and overlooked factors in the game, IMHO.

(I could be wrong, but it just seems to make sense.)

[Avendin]

Sebryn, you are wrong. Luck is one of the most OVERESTIMATED and overscrutinized factors in the game. I'm pretty sure that thieves' skills like blackjack, pry, steal, etc. have been conclusively proven to rely on luck, which is logical due to their complexity and randomness, because of the great success of thieves with luck items. Most players, however, ascribe luck with far greater properties than it truly has, as I remember both Burzuk and Davairus mentioning, people who are INTIMATE with the game's code.. on a regular basis...

Anyway, the only effect luck has here is to slightly improve the chances of success for some skills, thus improving the chances that you will improve through a "You have become better at *". It also correspondingly reduces the chances for a "You have learned from your mistakes, and your * skill improves" improvement, and since these improvements have a chance of increasing your skill by up to 5%, luck in the end may have no net effect at all with regard to skill% increases.

[TheOneAndOnly]

By the by, I appreciate all your input although nothing has truly come from it. I have an experiment going right now that should answer all of my questions. I suppose it is preferred that one discover his own answers anyways. To Avendin and the rest again, I appreciate your effort. However, you guys really need to work on remaining on topic.

[Sebryn]

Hmmm...

[Avendin]

We're discussing skill% increases which from what I've heard straight from the IMPs themselves is not affected by luck. Thus, either your statement is wrong or off-topic. Luck has no impact on training a skill.

You seem to go out of your way to make things about your ego and take things entirely out of context. I don't know who you are and I don't pass judgment on people I don't know. I just said you were wrong, not that you are a horrible person. In fact, I don't even know (or care about) what characters you play.

[Vertas]

[Avendin]