I guess I didn't read your post closely enough, wasn't even thinking of price. I'll try to respond to as many points as I can from the OP.
- buff ranged in the ways I listed in my post (hate me for that, I have an opinion that differs from yours).
1/ reduce a lot throwings price, and more generally, all ranged items's prices, to make it more affordable for new players.
2/ increase the randomization into ranged items (pin point accuracy jarids/longbow that don't kill in one headshot is exactly the opposite of common sense if you ask me). For that, a plain buff of damage would be fine (damages automatically reduce accuracy, that's the objective). Ranged players aren't snipers you know, but throwers, archers, and crossbowmen. They need to KILL, not to fire accurately some ridiculously weak sticks to the ennemy.
3/ Create a second wpf spread for ranged, that is two times (or something around) weaker than the melee spread. For example, a guy gainning like 40 wpf in one ranged spec should get 20 wpf in melee ones, or something around, to enforce fighting instead of kiting, and allowing more huscarl builds (shielder + throwing).
A lot of throwing is already cheap. I think the only throwing weapons that are overpriced are probably javelins (cause it's currently UP) and above. I think that the cheaper ones may be too weak. Hybridizing also noticeably decreases your throwing power. At least some of them have lower weight now.
I think this randomization you speak of can be handled by more extreme locational damage multipliers. I think that randomization in accuracy doesn't do too much to help. Sometimes your inaccuracy lands you a hit. It's ironically easier to dodge when you know exactly where the ranged weapon will land.
Changing shared wpf require a UI update on the website. I think it'll be easier to accept a behind-the-scenes change such as increasing the minimum wpf to be a value above 1, something around 70-100. It won't be perfect since it still kinda hurts other hybrid builds, but it'll be simple to do. I'm also in favor of ~170-180 wpf cap. High enough to be fast and indirectly raises importance of IF to keep that final wpf value.
- Buff support melee classes, like pikers and spearmen. Decrease a lot the prices of the 1d weapons, add some of them, make them easier to handle for new players (improve stabbing with those slighly maybe ?) and maybe do kinda the same for 2d weapons (not talking about the high tier ones like the english bill, in fact, there should be some kind of axes used as a 2d weapon). -> If you're too weak, either take a shield or a pike, and stay near of your mates, or take ranged weapons, and skirmish/give support at the cost of your melee ability. To avoid them being overused because OP, buff slighly other weapons directly on their fighting abilities. No need to explain it's to make it having more benefits for old players that know how to play. I'm not that sure about this being needed, but I believe new players also go support.
I think the stats are quite good for these weapons, but you raise an interesting point on the price. The price is lined up equally with any other weapon. Maybe it would benefit to have artificially cheaper weapons for these classes. Even if you aren't skilled, you'll still make money and have fun, at least for the middle tier weapons.
- To counter the pike and 1d spears buff, buff again cavs. Even thought I really dislike cavalrymen, they're a part of the battlefield, and if everything is getting buffed, they deserve some love too. Horse archery, horse crossbowmen and particularly horse throwers need to be unfucked. The horse ranged should play a support role, definitely, but they should be way less accurate than the foot version of the class (except for horse throwing, which is actually hard, and inaccurate).
I think removing the 0 armor legs would go a long ways. Devs wanted cav nerfed. HT is pretty easy with an optimized build. HT is anti horseman even more than the others, play that role and you'll make a large impact.
- Buff damages of medium tier weapons (thinking of the simple sword and the likes), they're completely useless, even at +3 rank.
One of the largest changes of the revival patch was the buff of low to mid weapons. The likes of the simple sword can't get any better without making it OP. How is 95 length, 102 speed, 25 pierce, and 30 cut at +3 useless? It'll do extremely well in a cheap gear environment and is only poor against plate (though 23-25p on stab is still good).
- Level 36 should be the new level for characters at 37. This will make OP builds become less OP, simple as that. Some builds are viable only if they are level 37, otherwise, they always lack something (athl, if, or whatever).
Up to the devs. Some builds are also complete at 36 and others at 38, depends on what you're trying to do.
- Even if you disagreed with the things I did write, you will however agree on the fact new players should be helped even more : give them the website adress when they log in, and improve the website by adding tips, builds, and listing the characteristics of each build.
A dev would need to do this. I think Harald did a great job, but there are still people who need help creating an account and getting properly started.
Can't tell, but maybe an increase of the zone of damage peak of the two handed polearms's stab (not the 2hs, I meant the pike/longspear stabs) would make it easier to use for new players. But I don't think balancers will forcefully agree...
Requires a dev. Only thing balancers can do is increase damage or tweak the animation itself. I think the damage scaling for stabs just follows the animation, otherwise you'd get instastabs and late dragging stabs. Damage is probably the most efficient way.
