HELM and Barrel ball buffs

Both these are not really useful

Helm locks the wheel. They can’t turn and if done perfectly, one can cause ship to crash into stuff. And keep them from turning

Barrel prevents players from using resources for a short while. How’s that not useful??

@burnbacon

Helm locks the wheel for a short time and is very very situational dependent. Compare that to any of the other Purple balls (except barrel) which are far more versatile and useful.

Barrel is useless. I have NEVER had it used against me with any effect at all. I normally have enough in my pockets to wait it out and/or crates to go to. So no, not useful. Now if the crates on the boat also locked and it was for 20 additional seconds it maybe.

In both these cases my crew does not even bother to pick them up most of the time and they live in the fireworks barrel when they do.

@miserenz

Helm locks the wheel for a short time and is very very situational dependent.

Yup, and those situations happen so often. Cleverness and Tactical advantages. Compare it to other items, they are what many call "sitting ducks"

Barrel is useless. I have NEVER had it used against me with any effect at all.

Havent seen many curses used anyways, and mostly Skeleton ships use them.

I normally have enough in my pockets to wait it out

Keyword. "Normally" and not all the time. Lock you out of your supplies, force you to use what you have. Combined with spears, scatter and firebombs, the ship takes heavy damage. You can only patch so many holes or fix your wheel/mast.

So no, not useful.

Someone said the same about Snake Crate and Traps. They are the worse thing to come across on an enemy ship.
Many people see items as worthless, mainly because they only use them what they are for, and never really get creative.

Example: Personally, the Weary or Jigball could also be useless. But if your slept, a cannon ball/blunderbomb blast knocks you awake. Dance same way. And yet...Firebombs dont. Let not forget the Limp, but if you know they are taking on water...that limpball can be the nail in the coffin.

Grogball also a worthless thing, but bucket of water clears that up. :P
Even further, Ballast is worthless. Just lowers a ship into water for few seconds and most cases players are bucketing to fast anyways. Unless...they aren't paying attention ^_^

Bottom line, All curses are worthless unless you truly know how they work outside the normal.
(That and fact of even finding any of the curse balls you want is random at best)

@miserenz personally believe the helmball (while situational) is fine as it is.

I like the idea of the barrelball effecting crates. Any competent crew will have supplies in crates, I only ever use it on skelly ships as it stops all skeletons from repairing.

I can not recall an instance when I have seen a helm ball change the outcome of a fight.

Are you saying you do not get cursed balled any more? I use and have them used on my every single time I do a PVP session for more than an hour.

What I mean my "normally" is when ever you face me on the sea, my pockets are either full or I am raiding barrels to full them up. Hence never had a barrel ball effect my ship in any meaningful way.

I have had traps used against me and used them. Almost on a daily bases so I do not know who you are referring to here.

We are talking relative to each other, ease of use. Not how they work for a new player with less than 20 hrs. The fact that older players like ourselves no not to follow up a sleep ball etc with a cannon ball is not the point.

I is why I do not follow these with a cannon or blunder. Limp is useful

Ballast against sloops maybe but even then it does slow the ship down a little. Vs a galley, yes please! Followed by blunders on the stairs for the win.

All through this you have not made the argument that breaking the wheel or locking the crates would make them OP or that it can't be programed for a technical reason. Either of those are valid arguments. What you are saying is not constructive.