HACKED

[Rhekimos]

this , make it like chambering, if your quick enough you can block. Dont just give it a free hit, due to long stun times

This. No free-hit mechanism, please.

[cmp]

I would prefer to avoid making major changes (like adding a stamina-like system). If necessary chamber blocks can be made harder/more rewarding/whatever is needed to make a place for parries.

This. No free-hit mechanism, please.

Free hits are lame, definitely out of the question.

[Phew]

Free hits are lame, definitely out of the question.

Some clarification: do you define a "free hit" as an unblockable hit (like when you are knocked down, for instance), or just a mechanism that allows someone to attack twice in a row without having to block in between swings?

If it's the latter, then consider toning down block stun on held attacks while you are at it. I hate how someone can hold an attack with a Morningstar, hit my shield (stunning me), then get a free second hit on my shield before I even have a chance to retaliate. My shield is half broken before I even get to swing.

[DarkFox]

What will actually make me use parrys instead of blocks? After block I can successfully countrattack anyway, not matter how fast enemys weapon is. This small stun wont give me any real advantages.
 As I see it you should nerf blocks somehow. There should be something that will punish people for being too passive, or we will still have           
patience >skill situation.

[Lech]

I still haven't decided whether a good parry should mean increased attacker stun or decreased defender stun (or both). Suggestions are welcome.
Held attacks will be changed so that holding too much will result in a damage decrease (currently held attacks reach 150% damage at 0.6s, then go down to 120% and stay there). That should get rid of holding contests, unless one wants to deal ridiculously low damage and risk glancing.

Woah! Something to stop holding contests, bring it on. It's one of the most stupid features right now.

[Pollux]

parrying should only be available to weapons that don't already have block (daggers)

[Byrdi]

I would prefer to avoid making major changes (like adding a stamina-like system). If necessary chamber blocks can be made harder/more rewarding/whatever is needed to make a place for parries.

Please don't make chambers more difficult, just to make room for some new feature.
Also I don't quite get this parry thing. Why not just chamber an attack (with the intend of chamber blocking) instead of tabbing block?

The main reason why there aren't more people who chamber block is because they never bothered to learn it. Why not work on the current features we have instead of dumbing down and making new features that are easier or removing some to make things easier (nerfed turnspeed)?

[Kafein]

I prefer an increased attack stun. At least enough to prevent the attacker to try any kind of lame double hit trick.

Also, if the balance team believes long and heavy weapons should be globally nerfed (or, equivalently, that short and light weapons should be buffed), what about increasing the recovery time the longer and the heavier the "deflected" weapon is ? It only makes sense a big ass two handed axe is harder to put back in ready position when your swing has been deflected, than a much lighter longsword for example. Also, this could apply to any swing that only hits air.

As for balancing it with chamberblocking, maybe chamberblock attacks could be faster so that it actually rewards the ones that pull off the move. I recently chamberblocked someone on purpose in siege mode just for the heck of it, and the guy just blocked my attack. Chamberblocking is very high risk, almost no reward right now.

[Patoson]

I voted yes.

Chamberblocking is very high risk, almost no reward right now.

That might be true, unless you chamber-block someone with a high ping, like me, who can't block the chamber, especially if the weapon is fast.

[SixThumbs]

Personally I almost always tap block and this would just increase the use of half second holds which visibly already look like they're going through my weapon into me.

I can see this putting people with a short weapon even more at a disadvantage before melee combat actually begins. Couldn't you just hold every consecutive attack you make for that half second unless the defender shifts the cadence to tap block a hold?

[Vodner]

That might be true, unless you chamber-block someone with a high ping, like me, who can't block the chamber, especially if the weapon is fast.

When you see that an enemy isn't blocking your swing, try switching to a block under the assumption that they are going for a chamber. This usually works for me when I hop on the EU duel server (which gives me a fairly high ping).