Rework quality curving, rule of 70 and metal property interaction

[Oblivionnreaver 5,174]

As it currently is, the combination of rule of 70, added in 2011 as part of pvp balancing but also being added in pve (some info on it can be found at https://www.wurmpedia.com/index.php/Wurm_Server_Release_Notes_2011#110628_Full_loot_reinstated rolf was never known for his complete patch notes), and the newer quality curving, added in 2020 (info can be found on https://www.wurmpedia.com/index.php/Quality_level ), in combination with material changes from whenever that was, leads to higher quality weapons/armour being prohibitively wasteful to imp to/grind skills for

 

An example of how no curve works, an item that is used in combat but isn't effected by either of these curves, a bow. 30ql bow does 30% dmg, 50ql bow does 50% damage, 70ql bow does 70% dmg, 90ql bow does 90% damage etc. this is how all armor/weapons worked before rule of 70 was added in 2010 and later the pre-70 quality curving were added in 2020, with bows and arrows being left out of both of these curves.

 

With quality curving and rule of 70

1ql weapon curves to 20, rule of 70 takes this to 36 effective ql for 36% damage

10ql weapon curves to 34.7ql, rule of 70 takes this to 57 effective ql for 57% damage

30ql weapon curves to 50.4 effective quality, rule of 70 takes this to 75.6 effect ql for 75.6% damage

50ql weapon curves to 61.2 effective ql, rule of 70 takes this to 85 effective ql for 85% damage

60ql weapon curves to 65.8ql, rule of 70 takes this to 88 effective ql for 88% damage

70ql weapon doesn't curve, rule of 70 takes this to 91 effective ql for 91% damage

90ql weapon doesn't curve, rule of 70 takes this to 99 effective quality for 99% damage

Alternatively, a curve graph, X is ql, Y is % damage, Blue line is normal metal, Red line is addy/silver, i'm too lazy to label it

Spoiler

Imping weapons past 75ish ql was always a waste of time, but now it's even more of a waste when for example, you could get a silver or adamantine weapon at 65ql, and it would be the same damage than an iron weapon at 100ql. A 40ql silver/addy weapon, which probably won't even take a single lump to fix up after a hunting trip on average, does 90% damage of the damage of a 90ql weapon, it's absurd how worthless that imping skills in general for combat have become through the years, and that not all combat benefits from this, such as bows and arrows not using either of these curves, not being able to use metal bonuses while also being the most time consuming way to imp to average quality due to needing to imp each arrow individually. 

Suggestions are
Adjust the curve so it's not skyrocket to 80% then everything past that is 500x time spent imping for 5% more damage
Make all forms of weaponry and armor use the curve (off the top of my head, bows, arrows, shields dont use it but more probably don't), but make it so that the skillgain check isn't based on curved ql, as it currently is this nukes shield skilling due to your shields being massively curved all the way up to 70ql where you'd want a low quality shield for skillgain like the majority of skills
If neither of these, make weaponsmithing not 5x slower anymore since it's already a worthless skill that has no need to be grinded past 50 anymore outside of pvp minmaxing due to power creep. The only value in weaponsmiting currently is placebo effect from higher numbers and selling to others who get placebo effect from higher numbers.

[Madnath 3,113]

 

for real though, sounds like some really needed balance

[Oblivionnreaver 5,174]

7 minutes ago, Madnath said:

 

for real though, sounds like some really needed balance

i have converted it into a picture book for you

 

[sarahbee 66]

Honestly what I'd want to see here is either a HARD quality threshold (somewhat like horseshoes used to have) where 70ql = 100ql, so imping above 70 is simply to keep your gear at maximum potential for longer. Alternatively, drastically reduce the time/material cost of imping from 70 to 90 for weapons and armor in particular. 

[RainRain 591]

disable the quality curve on gear beneath 10q too

artificially makes shield training harder