How do you guys feel about the new defense/survivability system?

It hadn't really crossed my mind, but I realize now that the new way that Maplestory calculates monster damage is far more fair to the players than what it was before. The fact damage is exactly what it says on the tin, instead of growing exponentially higher means it's not just really easy to know how much monsters hit for, but it also means there won't necessarily be a point where low HP classes suddenly start dying in 2-3 hits after comfortably taking around 10 hits before they die. It racks up much more steadily. Where at level ~40-50 while you'd take about 100-150 damage per hit, 20 levels later instead of suddenly jumping up to 800-1200 damage you're instead taking.... around 200-250 damage. And THEN at 80-90 you're taking.... around 300-400 damage. From 90-100 it's around 500-600 damage. It's just very nice that the damage increase is smoothed out, meaning HP washing is far less needed and almost makes playing the game without a pet far less panic inducing. It was seriously a real nightmare when I played on my Hermit that at level 11x I'd take around 1500-1800 damage a hit. With the new system I can expect about... 800-1000 damage on appropriately leveled mobs. Where I would have normally trained pre-BB, the 13x Chief Guardians that would hit me for around 3,000 damage to up to 4,500 damage, if I trained on the a level 13x monster now like Rextons, I would only take around 1800 to 2,000 damage. I can imagine if there was a pre-BB level 16x monster I can expect it to deal around 6,000-8000 damage just by touch damage.

The defense system itself, I like that they actually have both a flat reduction value and a percentage value. This means against very weak monsters you can always expect next to no damage, and yet on really nasty monsters like Pink Bean the percentage reduction will really help make it easier to take a hit. I also like how every single stat gives a slight increase to defense, which means all classes will have pretty decent defense just by leveling alone.

I understand though that high end bosses like Pink Bean, Chaos bosses, and Dark Empress will still hit like a truck. However, it's just so much better that for training monster damage doesn't rise so ridiculously that most players expect to be 2-3 shotted by the time they're in early to mid 3rd job. How do you guys feel about the new game mechanics for defense, and just the fact mob damage doesn't rise as fast? Does it make the game too easy, is it more fair, can be become better?

Defense should have actually done something from the start. I know people are going to disagree with me but, even though I'm an Evan and I can survive a crap load of hits with all my buffs on, I like that monsters do less. I hated how much some monsters did >.> *COUGH BIG FOOT* I think the defense system should be done better though. Either armors give more defense or defense is just worth more.

Increasing Will levels after chaos gives more def/hp too (:

honestly, i still think you take too much damage. Spamming pots is one of the things i hate the most in maple. To me it really just takes away from the fun of killing monsters. Would be cool if all classes had some small healing/health regen type mechanic. Nothing close to what priest can do or even what a paladin is capable of though.

edit: talking about normal training, bosses are fine as they are now

Dual Ghost Pirates hit f`ucking 1.3k if you don't have any damage reduction skill (PG, Meso Guard, MG). That's still a sh`it ton of damage.

honestly, i still think you take too much damage. Spamming pots is one of the things i hate the most in maple. To me it really just takes away from the fun of killing monsters. Would be cool if all classes had some small healing/health regen type mechanic. Nothing close to what priest can do or even what a paladin is capable of though.

edit: talking about normal training, bosses are fine as they are now

That's why they sell Auto HP pet gear. The only thing to watch out for is inputing another command at the moment where the auto HP would activate. Easy enough with some training.

Dual Ghost Pirates hit f`ucking 1.3k if you don't have any damage reduction skill (PG, Meso Guard, MG). That's still a sh`it ton of damage.

still better than skele pre bb lol 3.7k

The defense system made Paladins broken as pineapple, not in the bad way mind you.

I would still deem HP washing as necessary for bossing later on, especially for the more fragile classes such as Corsairs, NL's, and Archers. While the HP damage increase is reasonable, some things still hit too hard for bosses. A returning 19x NL friend of mine still didn't have the HP necessary to survive Chaos Zakum without Hyperbody. Lyka still one hit kills my NL if she lands an explosion (it hits 7k on me). But you're still right for the most part about defense finally mattering. There's no more of that wtp jump in damage when moving from CWK monsters to Ludi monsters.

The defense system made Paladins broken as pineapple, not in the bad way mind you.

This. Then again, the good side to this is that made Paladins useful by turning them into being godlike tanks that never seem to die.

Can't say lolpally any more.

I would still deem HP washing as necessary for bossing later on, especially for the more fragile classes such as Corsairs, NL's, and Archers. While the HP damage increase is reasonable, some things still hit too hard for bosses. A returning 19x NL friend of mine still didn't have the HP necessary to survive Chaos Zakum without Hyperbody. Lyka still one hit kills my NL if she lands an explosion (it hits 7k on me). But you're still right for the most part about defense finally mattering. There's no more of that wtp jump in damage when moving from CWKPQ monsters to Ludi monsters.

There is nothing odd about the concept of ranged classes needing HB for survival, but it is a little annoying a lvl 190 ranged would have problems with a boss that is so much lower leveled. If the said person does not have any % HP stuff and such, then it is as it should be though. Chaos patch and its 2k HP rising pots and the extra HP through those personality stats will most likely fix the worst issues for good.

This. Then again, the good side to this is that made Paladins useful by turning them into God tanks that never seem to die.

Yeah, I'm really happy they went back to the original design of the paladin class. Only took them like 6+ years to do it!

Can't say lolpally any more.

I dunno about that. I still like the statement someone here made. They went from making paladins a joke in the game to make the game itself a joke.

Yeah, I'm really happy they went back to the original design of the paladin class. Only took them like 6+ years to do it!

Good joke.

I dunno about that. I still like the statement someone here made. They went from making paladins a joke in the game to make the game itself a joke.

So true in many ways. Lulz

Too bad DrKs didn't see too many difference in this system. We get nice amounts of DEF/MDEF from Iron Will + maxed-out Hex of the Beholder (it does take some damage off), but in most cases we are just showing our giant ball of HP all day, every day.

I kinda miss dieng in 2 hits on my nl made you think twice before you fjed or avengered and when you got a miss on a hit that would kill you it gets your heart pumping

Personally, it doesn't feel much different to me. I think I use more pots but, now a days I'm making more mesos so I'm not really sure.

As far as a change from "hardly a difference" to "HOLY COW THIS DOES LESS NOW", it delivered as promised.

However, I've been thinking that standard equipment could use more defense. Especially to accommodate those newly changed defense scrolls.

I kinda miss dieng in 2 hits on my nl made you think twice before you fjed or avengered and when you got a miss on a hit that would kill you it gets your heart pumping

This. I miss the feel of nearly dying, only surviving by scoring a MISS and such. More survivability is nice, but they kinda made it too easy. s:
Hope LHC mobs deliver a nice challenge to this survivability system.

*Coughs* Paladin *Coughs* Guardian *Coughs* Shield Mastery *Coughs* Lots of STR for lots of W.DEF *Coughs Coughs Coughs *

Where's the options for "Makes the game more broken / a joke now" O.o

However, I've been thinking that standard equipment could use more defense. Especially to accommodate those newly changed defense scrolls.

Yeah, when I have 1900 def from base stats and skills (as a 2h user... triple that with 1h) the fact my gear adds ~460 def total is not all that important.