[Finalgenesis]

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

You do realize this would obsolete Lightweight Scale Mail? Not that that's necessarily bad...

Sounds good, toss out lightweight and make weightless cheaper.

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

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Moving to 1-hand would definitely open up to potential situational use...

I'd say my suggestion falls short by a lot, for reference I always compare to the value weapons, in this case I'll pull out Kryss since it's same const level:
+ 2x attack
+ AP attack
+ Death poison
+ PR
- Const 6
- Cost 10 N

Moonblade:
+ 2x vs magic (I'd take just AP over this, less powerful, works on everything. same with 2x attack if less power vs magic but more versatility)
o Cost 5 S
- 2 hander
- Const 6

Really, I would make moonblade 1 hand AND give it either a) +MR b) slay magic or c) x3 vs magic creature, all of which are thematic and gives it an actual purpose. Up price to 10S with the above modification, and it would be a weapon that might actually be considered.

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

Do people make rings of the warrior? RE: the axe - how would it then compare vs. the heart finder?

I know I forge rings and axe often when I have blood access (they do well together even) as they cost practically nothing and are very usable for super economic thugs and general thug deterrent. Axe gives unresistable chest wound! where heart finder gives MR kill, both have their uses (SC deterrent vs animal/low MR slayer). I know from experience how daunting it is in terms of using thugs/SCs to find enemy flesheaters + warrior rings liberally sprinkled all over the place (for a pittance).

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

I think that 1H bane blade + shield is pretty much always better than the 2hand version, which leaves its utility down to units you were going to give a magic weapon to that don't already have shields and you don't want to invest another 5 gems into...

Right, about the only time you might forge 2H is if you don't plan on a shield, but then you'd still go for 1H because of the option and versatility of adding shield. Considering the situation you would use baneblade for (not heavy duty anti-thug/SC surely), the damage boost from 2H doesn't seem that good most of the time to justify giving up shield possibility, maybe if you keep 2H bane in const 0 and 1H bane in Const 2 or 4, or a large boost to 2H bane like AP or 1 AoE horror +0 effect.

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

All of these seem reasonable, in light of hammer removal. However, consider the impact of forging the hammer of the forge lord or hammer (potentially + forge lord pretender and/or early FoTA from Ulm) to churn out the above items.

Indeed, but that is true for all items, FoTA is nuts before, it's still gonna be nuts either way. hammer forge lord, forge lord and hammer are all going to skew things before and maybe a little more with the changes, they are powerful for sure but each with their price (rushing const, taking forge lord and burning pts on him, declaring war on the world), and all things considered, I don't think that's a bad thing in general until proven beyond a doubt that it's broken as hell and most games are won relying on them.

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

At that price, people might be include to do it just to get the corpse candles at the edge of the field.

Agree, it just might, and I'd be happy to see it instead of the usual vine, eye, gleaming gold and charcoal. changes to other never-seen shields might be in order too, so they can actually compete for player consideration.

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

Note that at 2A it's the same price as the air-based shields.

a 5 gem cut seems excessive I admit, but then most things that can use missile prot amulet would rather tend to use various shields. I will agree there are rare cases where for slot consideration you may use this instead, but really, for 10 gems, you can get a very solid shield that both block most arrow and do a hell of a lot more. So... I'm on the fence for this one, maybe a mini boost? (50% LR? tiny def boost?)

Originally Posted by Stavis_L

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For the Sword of Swiftness, perhaps adding +1 or more attacks would be a better re-balance vs. a price drop?

Agree, 3 attacks would give swiftness actual use as anti-high def, or otherwise give it something or lower price, again compare it to Kryss:
same # of attack, no AP, no death poison, no PR, same gem cost (though using W rather then N), the only advantage is Const 4...

Same with axe of hate, you get a fatigue damage on hit which has its use, but would you trade it for kryss' list of utility for the same price? Though it does comes much earlier at Const 2, so I could actually see it stay as it is now when you need to kill something BIG before const 6 rolls around.

Edit: Zeldor's list looks pretty reasonable too, though I have little experience with artifacts (never gotten Const 8 early enough).