First off, my own observation.

I think these changes have made the strong melee classes a BIT more powerful in pk. Let me explain why.

It is because they have become quickly specializable in combat. If damage type of weapons, and armor defending against damage type in combat is actually important (as in having an effect in a pk outcome), then the one wielding the weapon has a huge advantage now.

example:

Giant warrior is fighting (insert class), his (enter dam type) weapons not doing as much damage as he expects. He hits a macro, now he is wearing (different damage type) weapons in less than a round of combat....which do alot more damage.....or don't do as much, so he hits another macro, and is wearing (different damage type) weapons in less than another round.


While for a mage to change defense depending on his foe will be HARD, will require fleeing combat, and having enough time to switch out multiple pieces of eq. Not to mention shifters who would have to flee , revert, switch pieces of eq. Not to mention again that mages have less str to be carrying sets of eq for different defensive purposes.



Which brings me to my main question.


How does this effect shifters? If these new skills, and ac/dex/hit rolls actually matter more than a tiny bit in pk, I sure hope that shifters will get to take part in these new skills. But, the fact that they aren't wearing armor in form makes me think they have taken a defensive hit across the board.


Also, aside from a very few spells like giant str and haste, the shifter can not prep for str or dex loss....at all, unlike every other class.

So, if a maladicting class lowering +hit roll and dex now means more effect against your offenses/defenses, without any way to prep for this fight, it seems that shifters have taken a huge power loss compared to maladictors.