I'm looking for a more concrete understanding of surrounding the sunrise. The way I see it working now is as a sliding scale, with it being most effective in "close quarter" spaces, and least effective in broad open spaces. Here's how I'd rank things:

Forest/Mountains/Swamp
Indoors/Cavern
Roads/Outdoor cities
Plains

Is this a fair overview of the legacy? When I say most effective, I mean evading more attacks from multiple opponents in the manner of the anti-gank code.

Also, are there physical traits of the character (size/intelligence/dex) that play into effect?

Thank you!

I don't know which terrain falls where exactly offhand, but in general, more closed in / crowded terrains are good for the legacy and more wide open (plains, roads, etc.) are bad.

Surrounding keeps people from being able to initiate combat with you, whether by command/spell/autoassist/whatever. A round or so later, or when the lag from that command is up, they can try again.

One conclusion might be that Surrounding combined with a strategy or planned fighting style that forced people to re-initiate combat with you might be a good idea.

Better at night than during the day given an outdoor room?

Without checking the code, I don't think it matters.

Back in Hunsobo/Xinrithil days, I also had an Outlander warrior with Surrounding.

Unless it was changed significantly from then, it did not prevent command initiation, ONLY autoassist. The Tribunals were pretty quick to figure that out while I was doing retrievals.
Even ordering mobs such as guards to initiate combat, instead of autoassisting, bypassed the legacy.

I solo-raided the Empire a lot after I got it, and when I fought the council, people had problems to engage me. Or even at centurions.

Your breakdown of the terrains is close enough to be good. Just think the move cover you would have the better so most wilderness places are good and roads/plains are bad.

So surrounding has changed a lot over the years. The current implementation does not work like the anti-gank code.

It works just when trying to initiate combat (through autoassist or direct attacks). Once they are in combat it either does absolutly nothing or has a very minor affect on anti-gank code (I am just guessing on the anti-gank during my last char with it i could notice zero benifit once they were in combat).

Even in the best circumstances I don't think I ever saw more then 3 attempts or so to get into combat so on average you are saved from a round or two of engagement.

The times where it seems to shine are around ranking and raiding. Specifically when you are fighting a mob (like an inner or outer guardian) and the defenders are having trouble engaging you because of it.


Personally I think it would be cool if it got tweaked to scale up the more people you are fighting. So you have the base hard to get into combat. Once 3 people are hitting you it then starts making them miss commands like anti-gank code. Once you get 5 people it gives you the automatic feint deal on every person fighting you every round. I think that would be way cool and flashy for the guy who likes to take on redic odds. I mean you are still likely to die anytime you got 5 on you as a warrior but you could at least do it with style!

It does nothing to prevent someone from initiating combat through spells or communes.

See the logs of the Imperial council tearing up Xinrithil back in the day.