Template:Weapons
Our approach for weapons within Ashes of Creation is that weapons are not just stat sticks. They have different feels as was demonstrated both in the melee examples with the great sword and the daggers as well as now with the longbow and the short bow. These changes can be pacing, they could be speed, they can be critical rates, they can be critical damage, they can be base damage values, they can be separate effects- like the longbow has a charge up on its basic attack whereas the short bow doesn't. There's more motion in the greatsword than there is necessarily in the daggers. The idea is because each weapon type has an associated weapon tree for progression. We almost want each of these weapon groups to feel distinct in the way they play and because of that it touches a lot of different aspects of a combat for them.[2] – Steven Sharif
Weapons determine a player's damage output alongside other conditions and stats.[2][4]
- Choice of weapon type changes the feel, pacing, speed, and other aspects of combat. Further specialization is achievable within each weapon's skill tree.[2][5][6][7][8][9][10]
- Some ranged or melee abilities require a specific weapon to be equipped. Weapons that are equipped in the character's ranged or offhand slots will be automatically swapped in and out as required by the skill.[11][12][13]
- Players can select which weapon they wish to use as their primary weapon for basic attacks.[11]
- Some abilities will require that certain pieces of equipment are equipped.That's true for melee abilities like a shield bash requiring a shield to be equipped, or certain ranged abilities requiring a ranged weapon to be equipped as well. It's important to note that as part of the Ashes of Creation paper doll, you have a melee main hand, an offhand slot, and then you have a ranged slot as well, so you don't have to switch between weapons per-se if you execute an ability that requires a ranged weapon, but if you have your melee weapon out it will automatically swap to the range weapon and use the ability and then back to your melee weapon for your basic attack should you choose; and then you can select which weapon you want to have available your melee or your range for the basic attack and you can swap between those two even in combat, but they're they're still equipped.[11] – Steven Sharif
- The bulk of a weapon's power comes from its crafting recipe and the materials used in its construction.[14]
- Q: What percentage of an weapon's power will be defined specifically by blueprint materials, character skill, the station and region where it was crafted, and by the player's own selective inputs?
- A: A big chunk of it going to come from the static recipe value. That's going to drive a lot of the stat block; and then as we saw here, you will be able to influence the quality of the recipe and the distribution of stats within the stat block based on the components that are dedicated to the craft. So, that presents a wide variety of potential output from a single recipe. recipes have the ability to gain experience. You can unlock different results through different compositional contributions of resources; and that in and of itself is an exploration progression that crafters will have access to.[14] – Steven Sharif
- The developers are considering per-use consumables/buffs that can be applied to weapons that applies certain rider effects to basic weapon attacks.[15]
- Weapons with alternate healing functionality are being considered by the design team.[16]