I don't really like the idea of cooldowns longer than the animation. There's no physical reason preventing you from spamming kicks, and if you need a cooldown for balance reasons, there's probably a deeper problem with the capacity. The main reason I don't like it is because the user has to remember an arbitrary time interval in order to maximize his effectiveness in order to use the ability well, instead of analysing the situations in which you should kick/nudge/whatever. The former means it's always beneficial to use the ability when you can (which was largely true with the old kicks), the latter means you have to read the game.
Also kicks definitely had low risk
Blocking with kicking was not low-risk, it was average-risk because :
- when you kick you cant rotate your body
Unless your enemy is extremely close to you and is also sidestepping very fast, on regular flat terrain and actively avoiding a kick, this isn't a problem given the length of this state
- if the kick misses, the enemy is out of range or at your left/right
- the enemy can hit you from behind if they move around your left/right
- the enemy can kill you even if you kick-block
He is only out of range if your weapon is shorter than kick range. You can only get really punished if the enemy gets in your back
A cooldown on kick would have been smarter, now if you kick you're most likely very sure you're going to land it, or you're dead.
You don't miss your kick, or you may be hit once if you are a little bit unlucky. First off, you shouldn't miss. It's not that hard to refrain from attempting kicks all the time, and there are many situations in which kicking is really an evident choice (more on siege maps). Second, being hit isn't that bad for you, Butan
You're almost never sure you're going to land it
Sure enough to try it naked, really. Against your average short weapon user kicks are super easy to land, as well as against anyone stuck or on a slope/on stairs/near a ledge. They also grant a second free hit on people that were knocked down (did that nearly three times in a row to you
)
=> people stop kicking
=> less gameplay elements
=> less fun
GG cRPG
The kick cone area is still too small for the punishment you receive when you miss at the moment, in my opinion
People still kick, especially when they should (also you see more shielders doing kicks). It's a very powerful move and works best when unexpected, a bit like chamberblocking. It doesn't need to be spammed to be an important and interesting game mechanic. I think there's also a problem with timing on top of the current range, because kicks last so long you can be kicked after dodging it, while attempting a counterattack. A little bit like 2h stabs and overheads I should say.
