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Ratbeard needs More Love

AuthorMessage
Petty Officer
Dec 22, 2009
71
Hey Ratbeard,

Having being the one of the lead developers (or at least the main one who responds to us XD), I have an issue. Not a big one, just an issue.

"Why you no mek yar self a we bit stronger on the crew of jolly mateys to eldorado!"

Ratbeard is funny, scurvy, has good character and BY FAR the most piratey pirate on your crew.

However, he doesn't have anything to stand out against other buccaneers. He is just a regular buccaneer. No special exclusive skills, no extra damage, no riposte (buccaneers with riposte are very good) - why?

Rat-beard is like one of the most main companions in the game - everyone gets him so no imbalance of class companions there so why?

I guess he is fine, I just wish the main characters in the story would be renowned for a skill. Take Bonnie for example. She is the ONLY musketeer with a scatter-blast. And you guys added a heal to her which made her just unique enough which I sorely appreciate.

Thus, Bonnie Anne is a Special musketeer - which is appropriate. Everyone gets her.

So Rat-beard, don't you kinda think you should be a little more epic on the game??? Even if its just 20+ damage over regular buccaneers. Something that makes a person actually consider Ratbeard as a Pvp candidate. Lets face the facts - most hardcore players see El Toro as a must - and Often bring Bonnie Anne as well.

Just another suggestion - I think Ratbeard deserves a little tweaking to be a little better than other buccs. After all - he is our most vocally piratey and poetic question answering developer XD

AngelX

P.S: Don't tell me has has the "Hold the Line Epic" >.<

Developer
Yet there is something still that will always be mine, something I'll take unstained out of this world... mon panache.

Bosun
Oct 15, 2012
364
Xiriganism on Mar 6, 2013 wrote:
Hey Ratbeard,

Having being the one of the lead developers (or at least the main one who responds to us XD), I have an issue. Not a big one, just an issue.

"Why you no mek yar self a we bit stronger on the crew of jolly mateys to eldorado!"

Ratbeard is funny, scurvy, has good character and BY FAR the most piratey pirate on your crew.

However, he doesn't have anything to stand out against other buccaneers. He is just a regular buccaneer. No special exclusive skills, no extra damage, no riposte (buccaneers with riposte are very good) - why?

Rat-beard is like one of the most main companions in the game - everyone gets him so no imbalance of class companions there so why?

I guess he is fine, I just wish the main characters in the story would be renowned for a skill. Take Bonnie for example. She is the ONLY musketeer with a scatter-blast. And you guys added a heal to her which made her just unique enough which I sorely appreciate.

Thus, Bonnie Anne is a Special musketeer - which is appropriate. Everyone gets her.

So Rat-beard, don't you kinda think you should be a little more epic on the game??? Even if its just 20+ damage over regular buccaneers. Something that makes a person actually consider Ratbeard as a Pvp candidate. Lets face the facts - most hardcore players see El Toro as a must - and Often bring Bonnie Anne as well.

Just another suggestion - I think Ratbeard deserves a little tweaking to be a little better than other buccs. After all - he is our most vocally piratey and poetic question answering developer XD

AngelX

P.S: Don't tell me has has the "Hold the Line Epic" >.<
lol agreed he could have vicious strike, that works JUST like buc players own, that would make him real good

Gunner's Mate
Dec 16, 2009
212
I agree that Ratbeard can use an upgrade but do not agree with the upgrades proposed in prior posts. Ratbeard occupies a unique position being the only character up till now with realistic crowd control abilities due to being able to train hold the line Rank 2. I have seen much potential for Ratbeard to hold back a group of opposing melee companions while leaving friendly musketeer companions a clear line of sight. The problem with this methodology is two fold

1) Limited movement- Ratbeard only has 4 movement squares(as do most melee companions with the notable exception of El Toro). This means that Ratbeard can only get a limited distance ahead, reducing crowd control potential.

2) Poor defenses and accuracy- Being a bucaneer, Ratbeard is not renowned for his dodge rather he is renowned for his armor. However, while Ratbeard does have armor, he has less potential armor and health than bucaneers such as Subodai. His active skills(ie Repel boarders, First strike) will often draw Ripostes due to his poor accuracy. reducing survivability and often leading to his crowd control potential lasting only one round. On my PvP trials of this strategy, I trained cheap shot on my ratbeard along with max hold the line to maximize his survivability(as cheap shot is triggered by movement away from his sphere of influence, it is less likely to activate deadly Riposte/Relentless strings) with limited sucess.

I feel the some potential improvements to Ratbeard that would allow him to retain his unique battle style would include one or more of these additions

1) Better durability via armor, health and resistance
2) Better Accuracy
3) One more movement space
4) A skill that reduces adjacents enemies movement or damage potentials for multiple rounds.

Petty Officer
Dec 22, 2009
71
Lol Ratbeard, your plume adds character, not effectiveness in combat.

Yeah Rat-beard has unique character, but not that unique combat. So you not gonna consider it?

Well think about it :) I don't mind if you don't do anything I guess cause I barely use Rat-beard, but its something to ponder :)

Lieutenant
Dec 18, 2012
187
Admiral
May 30, 2010
1221
I kind of see Bonnie Anne as representing the person on the development team who always has the aspirin, the bandages, the antihistimines and the stash of readily available and cheerfully given snacks and caffeine, so they gave her in-game avatar the healing. Quite possibly Ratbeard was just the sane voice in a crisis so they can't figure out a way to represent that in-game?

Look at least they got rid of the wretched second promotion hat! (Maybe he's the team's practical joker and the bad hat was penance?)