Combat, You , and AoC~ A helping hand

T-roy

Hey all, i realize this is long. But i assure you it is worth the time to read.

I never post, but feel like a lot of the readers here maybe do not understand fully how in depth AoC's combat really is.*i know i know, bare with me*

It seems like people are flooding the site with half-minded reviews (IMO).So here i am offering my advice.About Combat ,you, and AoC.

First what you have to realize is that the Combat system for AoC is honestly really in-depth. Yes, yes, i know you hear about people saying "you just hit 1,2,3-1,2,3".

But for those who have yet to play the game to it's potential, believe me when i tell you that is far from the truth.

 

I will talk about general gameplay,combat. AoC offers a system where a player can literally real-time defend him/her'self  via numerous actions.

As well as numerous almost endless attacks.

Yes you start off with buttons, 1,2, and 3. but classes at lvl 40 get two more attacks. Being Q and E. Completing the deemed "Rose or bloom" key feel.

Once this happens you start to actually see how in depth the combat can be.

Yes i know your lvl 20 has three attacks and you wrote a "complete" game review because of this. But sarcasm aside.

Until you reach lvl 40 and complete the rose combat keys, you have yet to experience AoC's fully.

Combat aside, which is something we can talk all day about.

You also get other things like Active blocking* , Real-time blocking* and double-tap modifiers*

Active blocking  is just what it sounds like. You hit X (Default) and this function lets you kind of  "Turtle up" for brief periods of times.

Taking no damage, unless you get rushed from behind rapidly or something.

This feature alone i think sets AoC apart from the rest.

You can literally "tank" hits in real-time, and give your healers time to bring you back to full. If any hardcore or vet PvP'ers read this, you know how HUGE this function alone can be.But the down side is, you cannot do it forever. Also it works the same way in PvP and even PvE. It's -that- good.

It eats through your stamina bar quite fast. So you kind of get to pick your poison

 

Next we have real-time blocking via the Ctrl key (Default). This function is similar to active blocking. But lets you actually take control of the "area" your chr posts his defenses. It's better for tankers, or healers that needs to deflect hits here and there.

It works on the same principle as your combat attacks. As we talked about before we get 1,2,3,Q,E for our complete rose.

But, holding in Ctrl, and hitting the rose keys switches your block modifiers accordingly.

You can put all defenses to the front of you, to any side, or half them up. A few to the left, and few to the right. It adds ANOTHER huge function to the game that just feels right, like it always should have been there. Also real-time blocking does not take stamina away, because your essentially "fighting" but just using blocks instead of attacks.

While again active-blocking is a set "Turtle mode" but costs my needed stamina.

Last we have double-tap modifiers. just another cherry on this sweet sweet cake.

There pretty simple.

Double tap your movement keys, grants you a short but awesome buff.

Double tap forward (W) gives you a "on next hit chance to stun" which is huge. It is not a 5 secs stun, just a little 1-2 sec "i'm here and in your face" kinda move.Or spell interrupt.

Also there is no cooldown to the actual "stun" you can do double-tap modifyers anytime. But when players do get stunned, or snared, or get knockdowned. There is an active debuff that grants them immunity from happening again. For all classes it's the same.It is not long maybe 5 seconds.

Stun me once? ok i can't be stuned again for 5 seconds, etc. It prevents for the most part getting killed from 100%-0 in a "Stun lock" we all know to well about.

Next we have double tap back (s) key default.

This grants you a buff to your evasion rate and  general defenses. The buff says specifically evasion. But it does everything like parry % as well.

This,like all double-taps do not last long 5 seconds tops (?) But again it's huge for all aspects of combtat. Also it's worth noting that almost 99% of the time i double-tap S, for those 5 or so seconds i never get hit. The buff tooltip does not list the % of this increase to defenses but it is really high i know that.  Again, you can do this again, and again.

Giving you free-range combat control of you and your character.

Next we have double-tap (A) and (D) default side movement keys. Strafe left /right for the vets.

This double-tap buff shares the same weather you do it left or right. It grants you a On-hit miss % debuff for ALL magical effects.

meaning if your getting casted on and tapx2 right, that guys not landing his next spell.

It's HUGE when in the hands of a skilled player.

Again lasting only 5 seconds or so, or on the next hit. But you can start to see how much control you have now.

 

I know this is long. But i felt no justice was being given to AoC's combat.

Listen when i say this please. What you have just read is nothing but the tip of the combat and control you have over your chr' in Age of Conan.

We talked about the rose system, active-blocking,real-time blocking, and double-tappies.

You still have yet to hear about Class feats (point based skills), class combos *HUGE, or even to an extent ranged combat (which is a  whole other thing in itself).

 

So if you read through this, i hope you can understand that yes, we might be just pressing 1,2,3.

But name for me one other game on the market atm, that gives you this much free-range -control- over your character and the combat you "yourself" learn and do.

 

Playing MMO's in general or any game can be deemed "skillless" and "just pressing buttons".

But AoC offers the -smart- player the ability to block those incoming attacks, or turtle up to get that much needed heal, or side step that incomming magical damage.

 

If anyone likes to PvP or PvE. But wants complete control over there chr' to actually show there "skill" and or have it shine through.

AoC is about the best platform your going to find atm for this.

Yes, you press buttons. But the guy or gal that knows when to block, or what areas to put there defenses in, or strafes and taps accordingly is going to win 99% of the time agaisnt the normal player that just stands there completely still, Thinking there damage is going to see them to a victory.

Which is not the mindset you can have in AoC. It's use your moves the right way, think ahead of your opponent, time your counters and combos.

I truely feel anyone that has the nerve to even think of complaining about AoC's combat system honestly does not understand it, and probably never will.

in conclusion.

-TLTRV-

*This game does not hold your hand in combat. You either learn to adapt to it, or get taken out by the guy thats already comfortable with it.

 

End of story. thanks for reading if you got this far. I hope it does help even a few people.