Well mages have gotten dreamweaving, and now psionics/telekinesis. Guardians have astrology now, so what about the knights ?

Knight knighthood specializations are NOT, repeat not, the answer. Polarms/axes would be 'cool' but I think most of us would agree that we want unique skills, like everyone else has had a taste of and not simply a new set of afflictions.

As such, I propose this, and Divine please comment on this.

1) Take away roughly half the skills in athletics including Puissance, sturdiness, headslam, intimidation, regen, boosting, and doors.

2) Then, make athletics have some cool specializations.

As an idea check this out.

Athletics--->Forceful manipulation specialization
CHUCK (lame name)
Using your mind you can spin your weapon in circles with blinding speed and project them a room away, smashing your oppenent from afar.

Thats a good idea. I would much prefer Athletics alteration over new weapon specializations. It would be much more interesting than a different set of afflictions.

An athletics specialization would be nice... but, well, not quite sure how "interesting" it would be possible to get it.

You also have a choice between Low/highmagic. And that gives you 3 tradeskills to choose with lowmagic.

I wish you well of course, new skillsets are always cool.
I think druids are in line now though.

I just wish I had psionics and not astrology. It sounds really cool, has a specialization, when astrology is not really a choice for me, it's too random, unreliable and complicated.

it is rather discourging to me to even play anymore, the only thing that keeps me going is knowing ok yes a month or so ago the admins busted there ass's and tried to balance us out, thanks i know its a constant work in progress, but this is weird the mages/guardians keep getting new skills and all us knights get is downgrades and some adjustments. PLEASE PLEASE do somthing about this, i love this mud but its getting to the point i am like why even bother.

Heh, I've been working on one. Here it is.

I'm sure some of these attacks could stand to look outrageous or 'overpowered', but it must be remembered that this is a single weapon that the Polemaster can use. He can only raze one defence at a time, he can only attack one limb at a time, use one venom at a time, so he's severely disadvantaged in this form. I believe the damage caused by polearms should atleast be damage and a half in equal to what other weapons cause, if not double, as most people can already sip off what others do and they can only inflict up to two afflictions a round, as opposed to the possible three to four the other two masteries can do. Lastly, two-handed polearm weapons should be piercing, ranging up to 33% less damage reduction from all armours, of magic nature and cutting/blunt deductions.

Added to Knighthood
Strike.

You have gained the following abilities in Knighthood:
Swing Improved ability to swing weapons.
Jab Improved ability to jab weapons.
> Strike Improved ability to strike with weapons.
Raze Attack the defences that would keep your weapons out.

The current polearms of a halbard and bardiche will serve as two-handed, and knight's lance and trident as one-handed. However, spears will need to be designed for one-handed, and war lances for two-handed.

Bardiches and halbards will serve as two variants for massive damage, average precision and slow speed.
Tridents and spears will serve as variants for average damage, average precision and fast speed.
War lances will be the most costly and will serve for massive damage, high precision, and slow to fast speeds.

Unless there's some other formula for weapons, just trying to throw some dust into the wind for them.


Added to Forging
You have gained the following abilities in Forging:
*Polearms These enormous weapons are standard fare in battles.
> *Warshields Great war shields most effective with polemasters.
Rimyur A dwarven rune that increases the chance to hit of weapons.

- I will get a description made for the first public war shield design.

Consider all skills in here that deliver from the sharp end of the polearm to do wounds damage, and possible stun? if from the shaft or butt end.

I do believe that polemasters will be at a great disadvantage to other Knights with the ability to raze only one defence at a time, so some of their skills I tried to make up for this by slowing them in several ways, or quicker ways to impale and slow the process of adding in extra shielding along with rebounding. However, I believe a true combatant using this Mastery would make great use of all of its skills to dominate an enemy.

AB Polemaster --- A new name is MUCH WELCOMED. This looks so fruity.
-----------------------

Polearm mastery - You're now a master of two-handed and single-handed polearms.
You are now a master of two-handed and single-handed piercing weapons, and you will notice a drastic improvement while using them. See Knighthood's stabbing and targetting abilities for information on how to use two-handed and single-handed piercing weapons.

Launch - Hurl yourself at someone.
Syntax: LAUNCH AT
LAUNCH
Leap into another location and knock an enemy flat on their feet. If a target is mounted, this attack will dismount them. You may launch into a room for someone who's not present in that location, but, obviously, you will do naught else. Mounted Knights will strike at an enemies chest upon launching, bypassing any rebounding or parrying. This is a thrust attack.

(Notes: This is to make Polemasters more agile to chase other Archetypes, or hold them still. If they're launching at someone it should give a bit of stun, more like an upgraded charge or some such.)

TearCalf - Tear the calf of someone.
BodyPart: Leg
Maneuver: Stab, two-handed and single-handed polearms.
Minimum Wound State: Light.
By tearing the calf of someone, you disable their ability to stand up and cause slowed movement and balance recovery whilst it remains untreated.

(Notes: I'm looking at this as PierceLeg with the added loss of dexterity and slowed movement whilst it's untreated. If prone, they can stand up but it destroys their balance for a short, short time.)

ImpactJaw - Smash someone with the shaft of your polearm.
BodyPart: Head
Maneuver: Thrust, two-handed polearms.
Minimum Wound State: Medium
Using the shaft of your polearm, you temporarily slow eating balances on an enemy by busting their jaw.

(Notes: This effect on eating shouldn't last any longer than 5 seconds, I'd imagine. Can be cured, of course, but the slowed eating/smoking is in effect until balance regain without it as an affliction.)

PenetrateLung - Penetrate the lung of your enemy.
BodyPart: Chest
Maneuver: Thrust, two-handed and single-handed polearms.
Minimum Wound State: Heavy
By penetrating the lung of someone, you create a wide gash to which they'll quickly suffer loss of endurance. Periodic blackouts come with this injury.

(Notes: Pretty much puncture lung and puncture chest in one round, I'd think.)

SplitBicep - Split the bicep of your enemies arms.
Bodypart: Arm
Minimum Wound State: Medium
Maneuver: Strike or stab, two-handed and single-handed polearms.
By tearing the bicep of your enemies arm, they'll bleed extensively and experience a loss in strength while it's untreated. Further, recovery on the arm in question will be slowed.

(Notes:

SplitFemur - Split the femur of your enemies.
Bodypart: Leg
Minimum Wound State: Medium
Maneuver: Strike or stab, two-handed and single-handed polearms.
By tearing the femur from the thigh of your enemy, they will suffer a loss in dexterity and slow their balance recovery. As time progresses, if left untreated, they'll periodically fall to the ground.

Trip - Knock your enemy to the ground.
With a deft thrust of your polearm, you can knock your enemy to the ground; leaving them stunned and prone.

TrueStrike
Using the length of your weapon, you can more easily thrust past your enemies stancing and parrying that may hinder your assault.

(Notes: I'm thinking atleast a 33% chance to get past parrying and stancing for Polemasters, no more than 50% I'd imagine.)

Defend - Superior defence with your shield.
Syntax: DEFEND
You must be wielding a single-handed polearm in one hand, and a war shield in the other. You will set the shield before you and place the polearm in the nook of the shield allowing for only thrusts to the gut, chest, arms and head of your target. With the position of the shield and your legs, you effectively add a 75% blocking chance to all of your body from the gut up, and 50% less of a chance to hit your legs.

(Notes: This is 75%/50% defence because the person has TrueShield in Knighthood. If they also obtain TrueShield in Combat it's raised to 80%/50%. Trans Combat should raise it to 80%/65%.)

CrackFemur
Bodypart: Leg
Minimum Wound State: Heavy
Maneuver: Strike or stab, two-handed and single-handed polearms.
When your attacks go past the femur muscle, and to the femoral bone itself will leave it as an unstable fracture it. This will cost your enemies to fall prone to the pain consistantly and be unable to walk whilst it's left in this state.

(Notes: I could be wrong at how curing is looked at in Lusternia between arnica and regeneration, but I think should take two applications of regeneration to heal as a fracture, being a crack in the bone, would need to be regenerated for it to not be in such a state anymore.)

Thrust - A concentrated strike to avoid defences.
Syntax: THRUST
Power: 2 (Any)
This concentrated strike will avoid most of your opponent's combat defenses such as shields, rebounding, and stances. This counts as a strike.

(Notes: Pretty much like lunge.)

Spike - Impale your enemy onto your polearm.
Bodypart: Gut
Minimum Wound State: Heavy
Maneuver: Thrust, two-handed polearm.
Spiking your enemy with your polearm will leave them imapled upon it.

To remove your polearm:
WITHDRAW

(NOtes: Impale version for Polemasters.)

Impale - Set your polearm up to defend against charging enemies.
Syntax: SET
You may set your polearm up before you and viciously impale any aggressor assaulting you from an adjacent room or the skies above you.

(Notes: This will cause some fair to decent wounding damage and will be just like Spike.)

Bore - Bore your polearm into your enemy.
Syntax: Bore
Power: 3 (any)
If you're mounted, you may bore your polearm into someones chest. This is a thrust attack.

To remove your polearm:
WITHDRAW

(Notes: An impale on the chest. Also has the ability to PenetrateLung.)

Carve - Remove your polearm from an impaled enemy with a twist.
Syntax: CARVE
Carving your polearm out of someone will dissect their entrails, leaving them with a minor blackout and loss of balance.

(Notes: Rend for the Polemaster.)

Whirling - Dextrously spin a two-handed polearm.
Syntax: WHIRL
When wielding a two-handed polearm you may spin it a circle about yourself, crashing it down on any enemy brave enough to assault you.

(Notes: crashes on the same arm that is being struck from, or has a possibility of hitting the chest. Think of it as a stab.)

ThrowPolearm
Syntax: THROW at
While you wield a single-handed, you may aptly throw it into an adjacent room at an enemy at a targetting limb. This is a thrust attack and bypasses defences. It does have a chance at doing all other passive abilities of a Polemaster, except for Skewer, Drill and Strike..

Reprise (If wielding a two-handed polearm)
Upon successfully parrying an attack, you'll deftly use the butt end of your polearm to smack your enemy, stunning them.

Retaliate (If wielding a single-handed polearm)
With a successful parry of an attack you will quickly drive the polearm up the arm of their enemy and strike at either the arm in question or the chest.

(Notes on these two: Perhaps they should be combined into one AB, but I didn't think one would get stunned very much from a single-handed polearm, not would one find maneuvering a two-handed to someones chest up the length of their as easily as a single-handed, so I thought it'd be more interesting with two types. Retaliate can set off SplitBicep or PenetrateLung, venom from the polearm applicable. Reprise can set off ImpactJaw, no venoms induced from the polearm - it's the shaft, not the sharp end.)

Skewer - Viciously impale your polearm into someones head.
Bodypart: Head
Minimum Wound State: Critical
Maneuver: Stab, single-handed polearm.
If the target is prone, you may plant your polearm into their head, killing them instantly.

(Notes: Instant kill for Polemasters. Behead replacement, I suppose.)

Drill - Expose your enemy to a series of three blows from your polearm.
Syntax: DRILL
Power: 10 (Any)
Striking one of your enemies legs, and swathing it through to their adjacent arm, you expertly tear it through their body and end with a pummel from the butt end of your polearm.

(Notes: Haymaker/Pulp version for Polemasters.)

I think some more skills should be put in, but I'm running short on ideas. I've Terenas and Thorgal to thank for rebounding ideas off them. Thorgal thought up bore, and Terenas wanted more skills making use of riding. This Knight mastery I see to be very Anti-Knight, and I believe it'd make a good adjustment to the game. I'm not at all sure how damage on polearms should be viewed, probably considerably higher than swords, in forms of piercing attacks and damage statistic. I'm not sure if piercing should apply to denizens, or not, though. Nor am I sure if it would be probable to apply the DEFEND skill to bashing, although it would be fairly neat if it decreased damage taken by denizens. I don't want them to be inept at bashing, the other Knight Masteries are good at it.

--

There's a bit more included to a Divine I sent it to, but that'll remain UNMENTIONED.

Oh, I never realized I was missing another way of attack with the polearm. Stab, too.

I have to agree with Ixion here as well. Granted we got some balancing, and we all understand how long and difficult that can be, but it is disheartening that we never get any new skills/specializations.

I like the idea of have an athletics specialization. Perhaps it could be something that would focus on hand-to-hand combat or martial arts. It would be nice to add some martial arts aspects to the warriors, so we're all just all about the weapons.

Ahem. I'll stick to being blunt here, which is what I'm good at.

Quit pissing and moaning, already. Wait your damn turn. Look at how quickly things are happening, apparently, as people tell me only ONE week after some skill for guardians comes out, another comes out for mages.

And what is the thanks from people for this hard work? Bitching. Pure, simple bitching.

Mages got dreamweaving. Then knights got a MASSIVE change to their skills. Then Guardians got a new skill. Now, Mages have a new skill.

See a pattern?

Be patient. Dayyumm, people.

Warriors, are you really serious? More time has been spent on your archetype since the game opened than any other archetype, and all you can do is moan about not having a third skill choice yet? Man, give the people upstairs a break. Roark and Hajamin must have the patience of saints to deal with this kind of outrageous thread.

I like being a blademaster, while a new specialization would rock, I'm content.

I think if there is anything proven in Lusternia it is that the world is constantly evolving and being added to. Stagnation is not a thing that happens here.

I think perhaps the last couple of weeks of quick-fire additions in several sectors have spoilt you all somewhat. Be patient.

Good things come to those who wait.

I am thoroughly amused by your signature.

I don't think anyone feels spoiled though, we all appreciate all the works the admins have put in. Thanks!

I personally don't feel like knights are neglected, but we're awefully plain right now compared to Mages and Guardians. Oh well, at least we're still overpowered in the wounding department.

well if we are all overpowered then isn't it balanced?

Bah, you KNEW you would be plain when you signed up for the job, Mr. HitsThingsWithWeaponsOfVariousDecsriptions!

Summed it up nicely, I don't feel negelcted at all either . We aren't neglected, but the interest factor pales in comparison to the other classes.

Warriors are never the most interesting classes, if you look at almost any RP game or Fantasy novel. They are your straight hack-n-slash type class. Warriors here are different from the other classes based on original design. That said, we have something special for you.

Ok, then i will stay in Paladins to check out what you vgot there for us.

I tried to be a knight in Achaea, and found it severely lacking in the fun department. Being a warrior here is truly a great experience, and I thank the designers and coders for making things interesting. Can't wait to see what's next!