Cav are balanced. There are simply to many of them (makes it crap to play cav now...to crowded). Simple solution is fixed ranged. It was obvious that if ranged got nerfed then cav numbers would explode.
Cav already costs a shit ton. Besides...upkeep changes don't actually make a difference, all I'd have to do is sell 1 loom point to play it happily for several gens. Marketplace wooo.
Except the argument was the one you just made. "Ranged is balanced, there is just too many of them."
Cavalry does
not cost a shit ton. You can create a gen 1 character and afford to start riding as soon as you can level up to the riding requirements. You make money very effectively all the way through the mid-level horses and gear, which in themselves are Top Tier as far as the game goes. The only thing that costs a ton is the "Armored Tank" build that nothing can scratch.
That is the real issue in a nutshell. All other classes have an effectiveness range that starts out as "Useless" or "Gimp" through mid-tier that gets to "Decent" or "Damn Good" and up to "Great" or "Awesome".
Cavalry has an effectiveness range that starts out as "Decent" or "Damn Good" through mid-tier that gets to "Great" or "Awesome" to the upper end that is "Godly" or "UnStoppable".
Perhaps that is exactly how the developers have envisioned this class, and to a large degree I can agree with that concept. However, we need to really restrict who can use it and upkeep just isn't cutting it. We have to come up with some ideas outside of what we are doing now. That means, don't suggest something about the class itself, but about how we can ensure that it is a strong class on the field, but also very limited in population.
Some thoughts on this:
I don't think that a Gen 1 character should be able to use a horse. I realize that some people have never retired and this thought will be unpopular with them. There should be some mechanism to address that issue for clear veterans of c-rpg. The other group that it will be unpopular with is of course new players. Sorry, I think you should have to level up to 31 in a different class before being allowed to retire/respec into the most Elite Class in all of c-rpg.
This would limit cavalry to players who understand their role and the impact of things they do on their own team (like team bumps).
Limit Cavalry class to Main's only.
This would ensure that if you see someone on a horse, it is because they dedicated themselves to the build. Cavalry on a lark should go away. (I'm an archer, if I want to go lancing, then I need to retire and devote myself to doing it, not just whip up an alt or STF character and run around destroying shit)
I think you see the direction I'd like to take this. Make Cavalry an Elite class, yes. The 99% are NOT the Elite.
