05/01/2008    |    Devlog    |    Taelorn    |    Discuss

If you havent read about the general skill changes, check the start of the first devlog in this series. You can find it here.

One of the common complaints about Privateers is that they have skill options they want to take, but they are forced to invest in paths they dislike to get a specific skill. Sanctioned Piracy is the usual culprit. Now, Sanctioned Piracy is a free skill that Privateers receive at level 15. Weve also done some restructuring and adjustments to make more chains viable.

In the process, we removed the following skills from Privateers: Grease the Wheels, All or Nothing Shot 1, No Quarter, Stealth 1, Hide Crew, Maneuver 1 and Defense 1. Here are some of the new Privateer skills to replace the old ones:

 Sturdy Rigging – Tier 3 Agility: Provides a passive boost to mast integrity. ~12.5% mast integrity
 Agile Tactician – Tier 4 Agility: A group buff similar to Battle Doctrine. 1% resist, turn, damage, accel
 Jugular – Tier 5 Agility: This is a major debuff that can only be used if your target is in a bigger ship class than you. It reduces DR, acceleration, reload rate and a small amount of accuracy. It gets more effective with each hit that lands. ~-20% +2% DR, -15% +1.5% accel, -10% + 1% reload. Max 15 hits.
 Ride the Wind – Tier 3 Battle: A passive boost to target tracking and OS speed. ~5 tracking, ~5% OS speed
 Concentrated Fire – Tier 4 Career: An attack that deals bonus damage and ignores a portion of the targets DR. ~35% damage, ignores ~40% DR
 Hired Crew – Tier 5 Deception: Gives a passive boost to max crew. ~15%

Aside from the new skills, there are a number of adjustments to existing skills. We did some restructuring of the Privateer skill chains to make them more desirable, especially with Aggression and Agility. Heres a sample:

 Battle Preparations: These skills now last for four minutes with an eight minute reset timer. They can be used in combat, allowing you to chain them.
 Burst of Speed: Shortened reset timer (2 minutes)
Demoralize: This is now an attack skill that can be used at any range. Reduces target max morale by 5.
 Evasion: Reduced morale cost & block (~35)
 Foul Lines: Changed to Entangling Shot, an attack skill that requires dismantling shot. Since its now very easy to apply, the amount of mast resist reduction is now 20%.
 Hit & Run: Temporarily increases your speed and acceleration. Becomes more effective with each additional shot that hits. ~1.25% speed, accel per shot that lands, limit 9. 1 minute duration, 5 minute recharge.
Second Wind: Now includes the bonuses of No Quarter.
 Signals: This is now a tier 1 skill.
 Stealth: The stealth % is not as high as before, but it now includes an absolute stealth. This means its more useful on smaller ships. ~25% stealth, -7.5 mi visibility
 Surprise Below Decks: Reduced morale cost (~40)
 Terrorize: Reduced morale cost (~40)
 Unpredictability line: Reduced morale activation cost (5)

Heres what the Privateer skill tree looks like:
 Aggression: Tracking Shot – Deaths Embrace – Burst of Speed – Hit and Run – Aggression
 Agility: Agile Rigging – Tack Upwind – Sturdy Rigging – Agile Tactician – Jugular
 Battle: All or Nothing Shot – Increased Damage – Ride the Wind – Surprise Attack – Crushing Broadside
 Career: Sanctioned Piracy (free @ 15) – Terrorize – Plunder – Second Wind – Concentrated Fire – Break Formation
 Deception: Evade Aggression – Hidden Reserves – Stealth – Surprise Below Decks – Hired Crew
 Disabling: Demoralize – Cut Shroud – Entangling Shot – Damage Rudder – Cripple Enemy
 Flexibility: Signals – Battle Preparations Defense – Maneuver – Battle Preparations Offense – Rapid Reload
 Survival: Improvise Sails – Defense – Improvise Armor – Evasion – Rebuilt Ship
 Unpredictability: Speed – Resist – Maneuver – Sail Defense – Offense

That’s it for this devlog. Questions? Comments? Drop by the forums and leave your feedback. Next up: The Freetrader.

05/01/2008    |    Devlog    |    Taelorn    |    Discuss