I have a more comprehensive plan for orcs than this, but following the example of shapeshifters, I plan to phase it in piecewise.

The short version is that the majority of the changes will focus on higher-level orcs, and continue to expand the class in a way that keeps it unique and different from other classes. I've seen a few suggestion that struck us as "make their best skills better!", but I'm opposed to that in terms of balance-- we're not interested in creating classes where the optimal tactic is to repeat a small subset of overly powerful skills.

Orctember 1st changes:

1) Smear has been added at level 49. The helpfile is now available.

2) Last Stand has been upgraded-- the blows will occasionally skip conventional defenses and land with full force.

3) Desecration: There was a mana cost defined in the code for this, but it was never implemented. That is fixed. The movement cost has been reduced. Also, there was a bug that made sacrificing additional items irrelevant-- this has been fixed, and they will now properly "power up" the Desecration as intended. Finally, potent Desecration acts will now give orcs limited protection from holy attacks for a decent duration, stackable with any existing positive or negative conditions.

4) Fashion War Banner: There was a mana cost defined in the code for this, but it was never implemented. That is fixed. This now takes fewer items from the victim's corpse. Also, it will no longer give -AC affects, which had minimal impact on gameplay. Instead, those affects will enhance regeneration while the banner is held. Finally, forming a war banner improves an orc's morale for a good duration.

5) Skills unique to orcs have been reviewed for compatibility with Berserk. Nine more skills will no longer take a penalty for the orc being Berserk: Bloodsteep, War Shout, Last Stand, Pin, Fashion War Banner, Enslave, and the three Chieftain skills.

6) Both Grapple Weapon and Offhand Grapple will inflict extra hurting on the arm of a victim if a successful attempt is foiled by an unremovable weapon. It's probably not enough to make you spend time doing that on purpose, but if you do try it in that situation, you get more than you used to.

7) Scavenging has been moved down to level 2, mostly because Nepenthe loves that skill and thinks it would be good for newbies to see it even earlier.

More will follow on Orctember 2nd. Note that orcish calendars are notoriously unreliable and difficult to forecast.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com