(This a long post but it includes necessary description of melee dynamics for those who are not familiar with them. Sorry for the size but I hope the content is enlightening.)
Lets talk about crushtrhough in step by step logical way to see if it is overpowered or not:
There are only 3 types of attacks that you can do with a crushtrhough weapon like a barmace weapon: Left, Right, Overhead,
And there are only 4 blocks you can do with any other melee weapon: Left, Right, Overhead, Thrust.
With a crushtrhough weapon you get to ignore 1 of the blocks part of the time. That means that 33% of your attack arsenal has the potential to punch thru and hit your opponent even if he blocks properly. But since you know that 1 of the 3 strikes that you can launch is partially unblockable you will throw that attack more often. So 33% of your attack arsenal will now be used 50% + of the time. So more then 50%+ of the strikes you throw have the potential of going thru even if your opponent blocks properly.
The standard advice of combating crushtrhough chars is just move out of the way or maneuver. In one way its good advice in another that advice ignores the in build mechanics of the game for 2 reasons:
1.) Character Build
2.) Melee Game Mechanics
Character BuildLet's take a person who wants to create a crushtrhough barmace character. He knows the needs high PowerStrike for a greater chance of crushtrhough so he knows he needs a strength build. He goes with 24 str and 8PS. Well he also knows that most people will try to maneuver out of his way so he converts some points and gets athletics 5. Now if you look around the Character build page most people have athletics of 6 to 7. Split the difference you get 6.5. Moving backwards a character with 6.5 athletics is slower then a char with athletics of 5 moving forwards. So while you can slip from side to side and backwards out of the way of 1 or 2 or even 3 strikes, a determined str crushtrhough char will be able to chase most people down and get them into melee range with the barmace. Now what happens once they are within melee range?
Melee Game Mechanics(if you are interested in a longer discussion on melee mechanics I posted an explanation of melee game mechanics here:
http://forum.c-rpg.net/index.php/topic,1545.0.html)
Basically The games melee mechanics work very much in a turn base way:
Lets say your opponent is the first to launch an attack, you block. This is the end of his attack phase and the beginning of yours. You attack and your opponent blocks. This is the end of your attack phase. Opponent attacks and you block, this ends his attack phase and is the beginning of yours. I am sure by now you get the picture. But what happens if your opponent chooses to attack again after his attack phase is already over? Answer, if your opponent chooses to try to hit you after his formal attack phase is over, and swings during your attack phase, you will hit him with your swing since this is your attack phase. Even if he has greater wpf and a faster weapon he will not be able to outswing you during your attack phase.
You can make small movements and still be in your attack turn, however if you make large movements it eats your attack phase and then your opponent is in his attack phase, where you will not be able to outswing him.
What does this mean?
Lets assume both players have good melee skills
Crushtrhough guy runs at you with barmace raised overhead for a strike. What are your choices:
1.) Move back
2.) Maneuver left or Right or diagonally
3.) Block
4.) Attack
Lets examine your choices:
Move BackWell we already know that with athletics of 5 moving forward the crushtru guy will be able to chase down the majority of the Crpg community with athletics of 6.5 and bring them into melee range of his crushtru weapon.
What happens: Crushtrhough guys charges. You move back, the crushtrhough guys chases you down, CRUNCH. So not the best choice then.
Maneuver left or right or diagonallyYou want to slip by the big bad guy with the giant baseball bat.
What happens: Crushtrhough guy charges. You move diagonally right. Crushtrhough guy swings and missed, what a fool you think as you prepare to strike him. Just as you are about to swing, CRUNCH. WTF??!!??? You scream at your screen.
What actually happened was rather subtle. You got caught violating the melee mechanics of the game. When the crushtrhough guy charged and you moved out of the way, you moved too far and your movement ate your attack phase. When you went to swing you were no longer in your attack phase you were in the crushtrhough guys attack phase. So he outswung you and you got CRUNCHED.
(The only way to make large movements and remain in your attack phase is to have very high athletics and since we are assuming 6.5 as the average in the CRPG community it is not enough.)
Now what also could have happened is: Crushtrhough guy charged. You moved diagnoll right. Crushtrhough swings and misses. Crushtrhough guy got confused by the change of direction or hesitated. His hesitation or confusion ate up his attack phase and you were able to swing and hit him. But remember we are assuming you are going against a player with skill here, so his recovery time is good and he will not likely get confused and he will not hesitate. So maneuvering left, right or diagonally not the best option then.
BlockAgainst better judgment you block
What happens: Crushtrhough guy charges with barmace raised overhead. He swings. You block. CRUNCH. But good news you are still alive !!! You go to swing to pay back that evil cheap bastard. Haha you think, I got you no
.. CRUNCH. WTF ?!!??!!
What actually happened was rather subtle
bet you knew I was going to say that.
The way the melee mechanics work, is that if you hit an opponent they lose their attack phase and you get another turn. So in this scenario once you got hit with the barmace and tried to swing back, you were not in your attack phase, so you got outswung and killed off. So not the best choice then.
AttackYou see the big bad guy coming at you with the barmace, and you think I am going to MESS THIS MOFO up.
What happens: Crushtrhough guy charges with barmace raised overhead. You step in and attack. He blocks. (I know he should not be allowed to)
Its his attack phase now. He swings overhead, you go to the other choices (which we already saw):
1. Move back CRUNCH
2. Manuver left or right or diagonally CRUNCH
3. You block Double CRUNCH
4. Attack out of your attack phase CRUNCH
So not the best choice then.
SummaryTherefore after logically examining Crushtrhough based on character build and melee game mechanics I would submit that crushtrhough is overpowered. Whatever option you pick fighting against a crushtrhough guy that option has serious weaknesses If you take 2 equally skilled opponents with the same character build the guy with the crushtrhough has a dominating advantage. Game balance should not work that way, properly balance two equally skilled opponents using similar level of items should battle each other to a draw. This is currently not possible with crushtrhough. Opinions?
P.S What is my advice on fighting Crushtrhough based characters? Well now you know that 50%+ of the attacks launched against you from a Crushtrhough character will be overheads, I would recommend chambering overhead, followed up by attack. Then maneuver to confuse the guy and make him hesitate and attack again. It works, but again it is not the best of options
but its the best out of a bad lot.
