Advanced weapon talents in Legacy edition

[TippetsTX]

This question is for those of you who are actively playing TFT using the new Legacy edition rules.

What has been the in-game impact of the new Fencer/Master Fencer and Weapon Expertise/Mastery talents? On their face, they seem a bit too good, maybe even game-breaking due to the significant benefits they grant, but I'd like to hear some actual gameplay experience using these talents.

[hcobb]

You can't get mastery with a starting character unless you do a cheat like this...

Halfling Weapon Master(?)
ST 4 DX 13 IQ 13
6x Well balanced daggers (1d+1, +1DX)
Weapon Mastery-Knife(3), Two-Weapons(2), Weapon Expertise-Knife(3), Knife(1) and 4 other skill points

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by hcobb

You can't get mastery with a starting character unless you do a cheat like this...

Halfling Weapon Master(?)
ST 4 DX 13 IQ 13
6x Well balanced daggers (1d+1, +1DX)
Weapon Mastery-Knife(3), Two-Weapons(2), Weapon Expertise-Knife(3), Knife(1) and 4 other skill points

Yeah, or maybe that Goblin array you are fond of. ;)

But yes, the one controling factor for access to these talents is their cost obviously, but that doesn't tell me how they might alter the dynamics of combat in actual gameplay.

[hcobb]

Of course Shield Expertise is far better than Weapon Mastery.

[larsdangly]

I'm well into a new campaign with the new rule set, played RAW, and one thing I can tell you is that the advanced talents don't come easily. My players are aware of them and covet them, but purchasing just the first rank (expertise) in one weapon requires an XP investment that feels huge to an early-career character. I doubt any of them will even be saving up for it for another month or two. And it will take something like 10-15 sessions of play to earn the XP for that talent. I think other groups are likely to have experiences similar to ours, and that weapon masters will only appear in campaigns after they've been going for 6+ months.

[Skarg]

Yeah, so far no one is anywhere near being even a weapon Expert, and I may have house-ruled those talents into something different before it comes up.

Hcobb has already demonstrated an annoying munchkin tactic for them though, using them as masters of abusing the Engagement rules to Defend and prevent foes from getting to your archers while the archers do all the attacking.

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Skarg

Hcobb has already demonstrated an annoying munchkin tactic for them though, using them as masters of abusing the Engagement rules to Defend and prevent foes from getting to your archers while the archers do all the attacking.

I wouldn't waste a weapons master on front line defense. That's a job for your medic.

Doctor Grumpy
ST 12 DX 6(0) IQ 14 MA 6
Brand(1d-2), Plate Armor(5), Large Shield(2+1), Toughness(1)
Shield(1), Shield Expertise(2), Master Physicker(2), Expert Naturalist(2), Vet(1), Physicker(2), Literacy(1), Naturalist(2), Human Tongue(1), Miner(0)

Assume that he takes several hits of 1 to 3 points each during the fight and that he applies three points of healing to each.

[Helborn]

Originally Posted by hcobb

I wouldn't waste a weapons master on front line defense. That's a job for your medic.

Doctor Grumpy
ST 12 DX 6(0) IQ 14 MA 6
Brand(1d-2), Plate Armor(5), Large Shield(2+1), Toughness(1)
Shield(1), Shield Expertise(2), Master Physicker(2), Expert Naturalist(2), Vet(1), Physicker(2), Literacy(1), Naturalist(2), Human Tongue(1), Miner(0)

Assume that he takes several hits of 1 to 3 points each during the fight and that he applies three points of healing to each.

You can't do it during a fight as each healing takes 5 minutes. See ITL PG. 40

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Helborn

You can't do it during a fight as each healing takes 5 minutes. See ITL PG. 40

He heals himself completely after each fight.

Assuming he's attacked by three fighters with ST 12 DX 12, Broadsword(2d), for nine rounds (those branded crossbowmen should have finished the fight ages before this) then each attack is 4/(DX-1) or 23.92% times three swordsmen times nine rounds is six strikes.

Each strike is 2d-9 which is 83.33% nothing, 8.34% one hit, 5.55% two hits and 2.78% three hits. So at worst he's taken a single wound of two hits. Which he then heals after combat and the party is ready to slaughter the next encounter.

The remaining question is if Shield Expertise makes bowmen fire slower?

(The advantage of the cheap magical flaming weapon (and light source, but that part's much less useful) is obvious for this role.)

[Terquem]

I don't understand the focus on statistical analysis. In my opinion it does not inform the gamer as to how the game actually feels to play