Game Mechanics: Archery Diagnosed!!!

[Awsten_Tx]

I have other post discussing primary damage bonus being factored into archery damage, thats not the point being made here.

I am fairly certain I have gotten to the bottom of archery damage being "throttled" on P99.

For history sake, I distinctly remember Ranger Bow DPS coming online and becoming viable in Live during velious era.

However that is just not the case here on P99. Despite having BIS Bows, with double damage bonus a ranger will struggle to maintain DPS in the 40's.

So having said all that I set out to ascertain the problem with archery.

My first theory was that bows were pulling not just the primary damage bonus, but also the primary damage, but that just wasnt the case. The numbers did not line up and the parses did not indicate this.

Then I discovered archery had a higher miss rate in addition to its throttle damage.

Then it dawn on me to take off all weapons except a bow and as simple as it sounds, it hit me in the face.

Archery damage is not using a skill check on each round on archery. So despite having 240 archery skill, my attack, with only a bow, is a mere 948. When I put a 2 hand slasher on in primary it jumps to 1435.

See screenshots below, first is no weapon;
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And now second is with my 2 hand slasher on;
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This explains why a ranger with a War bow of Rallos Zek with 8 damage arrows (51 damage total) will hit a standard shot of around 130 damage max (no bonus), but when equipping a 45 damage 2 hand slasher such as primal axe or claidmore. Will hit for around 280 damage.

I suspect the bug has something to do with the game not recognizing the ranger slot as a weapon. I am not familiar with the code or how its written but this is consistent with other players seeing a melee weapon firing arrows in lieu of a bow.

[Jimjam]

Its calculating displayed attack off hand to hand skill when just fist/non weapon primary.

Your screen shots are missing.

[Awsten_Tx]

Damn thanks for heads up... Wonder why they didn't pull in.

Also thats kind of my point, with the bow equipped and being used, the paper doll should be indicating my attack with archery skill. But it does not.

All evidence points to my conclusion stated above.

[Jimjam]

Why do you think the paperdoll should calculate your displayed attack off archery?

[Awsten_Tx]

Because a bow is equipped in my hand. Archery is a skill I have...

[Jimjam]

That would make sense, but assumes the original client devs weren’t silly billies and programmed the UI to display based on what is held visually instead of what is in the primary slot.

Just because it displays your hand to hand attack doesn’t mean that is what is being used for archery (but is a worthy line of investigation, especially as primary hand damage bonus is being misused for archery!)

[Awsten_Tx]

So what I am getting ready to do is test the damage difference between BFG in primary slot, and BFG in range slot. I am willing to bed there is going to be a noticable difference in the damage range between the two.

[YendorLootmonkey]

Does anyone have any parses for Windstriker they can share? Including highest crit?

Because these guys are talking about doing 902 dmg with Windstriker, double damage non-rooted, with Trueshot /disc (well, against a player), and the guy isn't even level 60 or maxed archery yet, in era. Interested to know if that compares to archery damage here:

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...98660925722555

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...98756911373540

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...m9917976572967

[YendorLootmonkey]

Originally Posted by Awsten_Tx [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So what I am getting ready to do is test the damage difference between BFG in primary slot, and BFG in range slot. I am willing to bed there is going to be a noticable difference in the damage range between the two.

Grab like a 2/40 Orc Pawn Pick and a 25/40 Wurmslayer, and test each in your primary. ATK should be about the same (Wurmslayer has +5 STR so it'll be slightly higher), and see if you notice a difference in the damage distribution. If not, that rules out primary hand weapon damage at least, right?

[Awsten_Tx]

Not sure what that would accomplish. My theory is that the bug causijg primary hand damage bonus, is also causing the algorithm that checks weapon skill to miss archery skill, thus throttling the damage from the range slot.

The reason i want to test BFG in primy, versus secondary, is its the 1 weapon that can be used in both.