What exactly does defense do?

[dicemanxx 0]

Hi everyone, I just recently discovered this little gem of a game and have been playing (and enjoying!) it to death. I am on the XBOX and I had a few questions that I was unable to find answers to:

 

1) Is there some sort of glitch with the + X to All Combat Arts on the XBOX? I didn't find any indication of such a thing in the glitches thread and was wondering if I was doing something wrong. When I equip a Pendant or Ring with +X Combat Arts neither the Combat Art levels rise as a result nor is there any change in the damage listed for those CAs that do damage. The same thing happens when I slot the +CA. Are the levels actually increasing but without any change in the Combat Art screen?

 

 

2) What exactly changes at level 75 once you attain combat mastery in any of the focuses or lores? Looking at the Sacred 2 wiki page there isn't any significant hike in the numbers going from level 74 to level 75. For instance, the focuses have the following info listed as far as %regeneration is concerned:

 

level 73 63.2%

level 74 63.4%

level 75 64.3%

level 76 64.7%

 

Instead, there is a cryptic claim that mastery "further decreases regeneration time" without going into any explanation or providing any specific numbers indicating how significant the increase actually is. In fact, my first toon reached level 75 just recently, mastering a focus and lore in the process, and both the damage and regeneration time both barely changed in the combat arts I was using.

 

3) I had trouble finding info about what exactly "defense" does - is it used to compare against the attack value to see if the hit actually connects? I was contemplating taking shield lore but wasn't sure whether this will have any significant impact as monster attack levels rise in the later difficulty levels. I've been playing in platinum with a HE and elected to refrain from shield lore opting for the amazing boost I got immediately in damage from Combat Discipline (wearing armor with + All skills slotted). I noticed that a number of HE builds avoid shield lore altogether anyways (I already picked up Armor lore and Constitution)

[Ryanrocker 200]

Hey there dicemanxx and welcome to the forum Answers are below in red.

 

Hi everyone, I just recently discovered this little gem of a game and have been playing (and enjoying!) it to death. I am on the XBOX and I had a few questions that I was unable to find answers to:

 

1) Is there some sort of glitch with the + X to All Combat Arts on the XBOX?

Hmm, there might be knowing the buggyness of the console versions. If you are looking at buffs, make sure to activate the buffs after equipping the +CA equip as it will not register the change.

 

2) What exactly changes at level 75 once you attain combat mastery in any of the focuses or lores?

Glad to see your using our wiki Keep in mind that some skills on console, such as damage lore, have masteries that are either broken or semi-broken. I assume your using an aspect lore and focus though, so you should have seen a difference. Perhaps someone else here can help with that.

 

3) I had trouble finding info about what exactly "defense" does - is it used to compare against the attack value to see if the hit actually connects? I noticed that a number of HE builds avoid shield lore altogether anyways (I already picked up Armor lore and Constitution)

You are correct. Defense makes a check against the opponent's attack rating and if the game calculates a hit...you get hit. Lol, about the shields. I'm pretty sure none of those builds were from Dobri, as he is a stickler for defense. It's true though, you can never have too much defense with a high elf, as they are very squishy. I say go for the shield lore, as it will give you loads of defense in the higher levels because it is a % based bonus.

[locolagarto 15]

Welcome dicemanxx!

[essjayehm 58]

Welcome, Dicemanxx... I've chimed in below in green

Hey there dicemanxx and welcome to the forum Answers are below in red.

 

Hi everyone, I just recently discovered this little gem of a game and have been playing (and enjoying!) it to death. I am on the XBOX and I had a few questions that I was unable to find answers to:

 

1) Is there some sort of glitch with the + X to All Combat Arts on the XBOX?

Hmm, there might be knowing the buggyness of the console versions. If you are looking at buffs, make sure to activate the buffs after equipping the +CA equip as it will not register the change.

Yes it is bugged. The soloution is to go online and then a "patch" will be downloaded which fixes that issue. Otherwise, it is not completely broken. +All Combat Arts +10 will give you and actual increase in each of your Combat Arts by only one, a 10:1 ratio!

 

2) What exactly changes at level 75 once you attain combat mastery in any of the focuses or lores?

Glad to see your using our wiki Keep in mind that some skills on console, such as damage lore, have masteries that are either broken or semi-broken. I assume your using an aspect lore and focus though, so you should have seen a difference. Perhaps someone else here can help with that.

Always wondered about that. I guess it's a bug, then, and I realize why points into a focus is "only for mod points" on console. Is there an actual difference on PC when you go from 74 to 75 hard points?

 

3) I had trouble finding info about what exactly "defense" does - is it used to compare against the attack value to see if the hit actually connects? I noticed that a number of HE builds avoid shield lore altogether anyways (I already picked up Armor lore and Constitution)

You are correct. Defense makes a check against the opponent's attack rating and if the game calculates a hit...you get hit. Lol, about the shields. I'm pretty sure none of those builds were from Dobri, as he is a stickler for defense. It's true though, you can never have too much defense with a high elf, as they are very squishy. I say go for the shield lore, as it will give you loads of defense in the higher levels because it is a % based bonus.

Good answer from Ryan here, no need to eloaborate

 

Hope that helps, some. The only reason to NOT go on-line with Sacred is if you want "full" abuse of the VD exploit for a dryad bargainer. That was slightly nerfed with the console "patch".

 

Have fun!

[Ryanrocker 200]

Thanks for the clarification Scott, I've been away from the console version for too long

[essjayehm 58]

Thanks for the clarification Scott, I've been away from the console version for too long

Ahhh... but you missed my question for you

 

On, PC, does going from 74 - 75 points in a focus skill give a signifigant increase in highest CA level without penalty and/or regeneration times? On console, there is no signifigant difference; only small increase for HCALWP and very small decrease in regen.

[Spunky 16]

Not really, with heaps of +skills equipped you see a great boost when going up to mastery, but if not there's not much difference.

Edited August 31, 2010 by Spunky

[essjayehm 58]

Then I can safely say Aspect Focuses are borked on console. Offline "version" for sure.

 

I usually play with a whackload of allskills, and when I have taken Focuses to mastery, I'll get a 1-level HCALWP increase and an insignifigant decrease in regen times.

 

Darn. I hate learning something new about Sacred

[locolagarto 15]

Then I can safely say Aspect Focuses are borked on console. Offline "version" for sure.

 

I usually play with a whackload of allskills, and when I have taken Focuses to mastery, I'll get a 1-level HCALWP increase and an insignifigant decrease in regen times.

 

Darn. I hate learning something new about Sacred

As I recall Console has a display bug that shows incorrect bonuses in the tooltip when +all skills take a skill over 75 softpoints. it displays the mastery bonus when in fact you haven't unlocked it yet. so Scott you may in practice get a much bigger bonus that you see in the tooltip.

[gogoblender 3,071]

You got some great answer here dicemanxx

 

I'm just here to spam you a welcome to DarkMatters!

 

 

gogo

[essjayehm 58]

Then I can safely say Aspect Focuses are borked on console. Offline "version" for sure.

 

I usually play with a whackload of allskills, and when I have taken Focuses to mastery, I'll get a 1-level HCALWP increase and an insignifigant decrease in regen times.

 

Darn. I hate learning something new about Sacred

As I recall Console has a display bug that shows incorrect bonuses in the tooltip when +all skills take a skill over 75 softpoints. it displays the mastery bonus when in fact you haven't unlocked it yet. so Scott you may in practice get a much bigger bonus that you see in the tooltip.

 

Okay! Then now it all makes perfect sense. I had never truly tested what was happening there, but noticed some "sacred funkiness" and just assumed it was broken.

 

Thanks, Loco!