Sil: What are the weakest abilities?

[taptap]

I take back what I said about Knock-back...while it is great with Charge + big damage, it won't help if you you're trying to kill Morgoth.

Well. But it makes running away easier - definitely more fun than exchange places - just push them away

[debo]

Remember the days when knock-back would trigger opportunist?

[HugoVirtuoso]

Remember the days when knock-back would trigger opportunist?

...when it was a bug and half knew it wasn't supposed to happen.

In the old days, the Knock+back + Opportunist + Charge cycle was the way to off Morgoth. Starting in v1.1.0 Knock-back no longer triggered Opportunist.

[half]

I agree that controlled retreat is strong, I just find it tedious to use because of the way you have to invoke it.

In your example of using it, you talked of z dir z dir z dir etc. This is one way of using it and can be best with blocking or riposte or something, but another way to use it is forward-back-forward-back, which is often better for you and may (or may not) seem easier to do.

[half]

Knockback + charge + sprint?

+ Flanking. Flanking and Charge is great.

[half]

although it is bad that the opponents are already one tile away when they start to run away

Not sure if that was meant seriously, but Knock Back makes them skip their next turn so it doesn't let them flee faster. I suppose it means you miss your opportunist attack if you have one.

[debo]

In your example of using it, you talked of z dir z dir z dir etc. This is one way of using it and can be best with blocking or riposte or something, but another way to use it is forward-back-forward-back, which is often better for you and may (or may not) seem easier to do.

I think I need to play more with this ability

Edit: I need to try that flanking + charge thing too!

[Daniel Fishman]

So attacking counts as not moving for activating controlled retreat?

[half]

So attacking counts as not moving for activating controlled retreat?

Yes. It does require you to hit a direction key, but it is not moving for the purposes of Sil (e.g. for Sprinting and Dodging too).

[taptap]

Clarity: To my own surprise I took Clarity with Thirim (my first Naugrim/melee winner). Given that I was entranced and confused each once in the throne room even with Clarity and a will of 14, I am certainly happy that I did. It also gave me the confidence to take over the hoards of cold dragons - which really helped. And while there are many sources of clarity - have you guys ever the equipment slots to keep potions of clarity or armor swaps during the midgame?

Sprint: I used to take sprint every time, but actually you don't need to. It solves some of the trouble that you bring upon yourself - and more often than not it isn't sufficent to solve it (cats, wolves etc. will still catch you, other obstructions, it needs time to activate when you most urgently need to get away etc.). I would now take it only on stealthy chars to hide behind the next pillar / door or it might be great with flanking when you never actually attack the opponent directly. You don't need it for charge, knockback + charge works well and against the nasty, breathing opponents I won't run backwards in line of sight unless I really try to get away.

Flanking: I love it so much. What a great ability. I would however build towards light weapons (finesse->zoc) and high evasion (dodge<->flanking) so I wouldn't combine it with charge.

[HallucinationMushroom]

have you guys ever the equipment slots to keep potions of clarity or armor swaps during the midgame?

I make room for clarity potions, but not clarity equipment.

I have rarely taken sprint. When I have, it was on weak endgame characters trying to flee Morgoth on long, hectic, stressful escapes. In that particular scenario, maybe the best ability in the game, save for perhaps exchange places.