A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover

  • pomplo
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    Before I get into this I felt the need to make it abundantly clear that I absolutely love using the sword. It's my favorite weapon. It has been my favorite weapon for the last 2 years.

    Right off the bat I think most people who are familiar with pvp and the sword have noticed this update bringing a lot of... strange situations with how sword duels interact. A lot of moments where both parties are swinging, but only one players attacks are connecting. That on its own would be enough to raise alarms because this issue has started to make sword fighting feel more RNG than skill based (inb4 le dank meme "sword =/= skill !1!!").

    With the addition of the damage changes this has turned close quarters combat into a 5 second who-does-the-server-like-more fest. I've been on both ends of the spectrum many times this update, neither feel very satisfying.

    Blocking isn't consistent when turning and the vertical hitbox is not high enough. Blocking feels more risky than strategic and leads to confusing moments where it seems like the other pirate has slashed you directly through your sword. This may be more server sided, on a 0 ping environment blocking may work perfectly. However on the live servers there is definitely a noticeable amount of time where it feels very bad and unfair.

    The last thing I'd like to bring up is sword lunging. A cutlass players favorite high risk high reward attack. As of this patch if you are damaged, knocked back, or pretty much interacted with in general while charging up the attack. You are sent into this weird purgatory state where your sword lunge does not actually come out, however you are thrusted forward and cannot fully turn your pirate (as if you had succeeded). This has been the biggest boon to cutlass play for me, as I am a sucker for an epic lunge.

    This has been my review of the current state of my favorite weapon. Based on many hours of plundering the seas since the last update. I do not know if the community is running into many (or any) of these issues. But they've been glaring in my face and it felt like this would be the best outlet to express them.

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  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @pomplo said in A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover:

    Before I get into this I felt the need to make it abundantly clear that I absolutely love using the sword. It's my favorite weapon. It has been my favorite weapon for the last 2 years.

    Right off the bat I think most people who are familiar with pvp and the sword have noticed this update bringing a lot of... strange situations with how sword duels interact.

    I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, besides the damage update, which I rather enjoy and support.

    A lot of moments where both parties are swinging, but only one players attacks are connecting.

    Again, I don't experience this, but if it's a thing, it's a bug that needs to be fixed.

    That on its own would be enough to raise alarms because this issue has started to make sword fighting feel more RNG than skill based (inb4 le dank meme "sword =/= skill !1!!").
    With the addition of the damage changes this has turned close quarters combat into a 5 second who-does-the-server-like-more fest.

    Again, not in my experience. I've had fights lasting as long as 20+ seconds.

    I've been on both ends of the spectrum many times this update, neither feel very satisfying.

    I disagree. Kicking butt feels great!

    Blocking isn't consistent when turning

    Again, I haven't experienced this - my block has been working just fine. Even if this is a thing, you can easily block and then sword dodge through your opponent to get at their back.

    and the vertical hitbox is not high enough.

    Does it have to be? I think not - if you need to block high, try looking up.

    Blocking feels more risky than strategic

    That's because you're probably not using it to the fullest.

    and leads to confusing moments where it seems like the other pirate has slashed you directly through your sword.

    Nope; just angles - block only protects the front, but if even a portion of their slash passes through it, it can count as a side or back hit. I use it all of the time - remember, its slash is a wide arc.

    This may be more server sided, on a 0 ping environment blocking may work perfectly.

    Maybe - my network is 💩 though, and I do just fine.

    However on the live servers there is definitely a noticeable amount of time where it feels very bad and unfair.

    Not for me. Are you sure it's not just you?

    The last thing I'd like to bring up is sword lunging. A cutlass players favorite high risk high reward attack.

    I never use it because it's not as good as most seem to think it is.

    As of this patch if you are damaged, knocked back, or pretty much interacted with in general while charging up the attack. You are sent into this weird purgatory state where your sword lunge does not actually come out, however you are thrusted forward and cannot fully turn your pirate (as if you had succeeded).

    I've been seeing this happen vs. skeletonssince BEFORE day 1, so to me, this is nothing bew.

    This has been the biggest boon to cutlass play for me, as I am a sucker for an epic lunge.

    Don't do it; lunge is for wannabe master swordsmen - not actual master swordsmen.

    This has been my review of the current state of my favorite weapon. Based on many hours of plundering the seas since the last update. I do not know if the community is running into many (or any) of these issues.

    I'm not.

    But they've been glaring in my face and it felt like this would be the best outlet to express them.

    Nope - that would be support.seaofthieves.com.

  • pomplo
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @galactic-geek
    Thank you for taking time to read and reply, I believe the reason you may not have seen any of these bugs would be that we have very diametrically different playstyles. My crew spends 6+ hours on the sea almost daily purely PvPing so these issues may not stand out as much if you're not in the trenches all day.

    Nope - that would be support.seaofthieves.com.

    Not sure what you mean. This is the feedback forum, I'm giving my feedback.

  • graphical24
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @pomplo I agree with everything here.

    Sword combat feels "Luck Based". It feels like its whoever gets their first three hit sword combo in first wins. Doesn't feel skill based at all. Just luck of the draw.

    I also have experienced that certain sword lung bug for a long, long time now. Hopefully they fix that.

  • Stundorn
    Castaway
    Insider
    Founder

    Tbh it sounds like DG tryhards spreading Fake News.
    Never had issues and support what @Galactic-Geek already said.

    Cutlass is skill-based, i can block, i won duels versus people who started a combo first, i blocked the 3rd slash then attacked (no combo) and won in the end.

  • ViperishEmu2992
    Marauder

    You make some fair points. The Lunge is no longer worth the risk. Especially with the sword now being just a 4 hit kill.

    Blocking has never worked great, but it seems even less reliable than before the latest update? (maybe that's just me?)

    I've never thought much of the hand-to-hand combat in SoT. It's okay to meh at best. Personally I don't find it any worse now than at any other point over the last few years. Just different.... and still wonky.... so business as usual.

    Usually it takes a week or so after each weapons update to get used to the new "state of mediocrity".

  • avecrux
    Captain
    Insider

    @viperishemu2992 Lunge was never worth the risk. It's something that makes you suffer in 90% of the cases. You need to be lucky to kill a player with lunge.

    @pomplo I don't think that you're using sword properly. As someone said sword combat is in good state right now. I was fighting many times with a sword and was able to block and dodge other players attacks.

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @galactic-geek

    Don't do it; lunge is for wannabe master swordsmen - not actual master swordsmen.

    Bro you don't actually know how to play if you are saying stuff like this...
    I can promise you I will beat you every single time in a sword duel only using lunges... Lets 1v1 I've added you accept and we can duel

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @avecrux sorry bro but you literally have half the time spent on the sea's than us... I can tell by your achievements that we're more experienced

  • avecrux
    Captain
    Insider

    @rikology By your posts i can say that you're a PvP only teenager whos taking this game too serious.

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @avecrux I'm just sick of people who obviously aren't pvpers trying to act like them and talking complete rubbish on here...

  • avecrux
    Captain
    Insider

    @rikology you just confirmed my statement. Further conversation with such shackled to his opinion man is unnecessary so i wont explain what this game is. You should 1v1 yourself in the mirror.

  • Cpt Elora
    Captain
    Insider

    @avecrux yeah dude because wanting the game to be in the best state possible for pvp is not a good thing dude.

  • Stundorn
    Castaway
    Insider
    Founder

    Arena caused this mess and oneyed aproach, just to say.

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @pomplo I couldn't agree more... It's starting to become obvious now that a lot of the people on these forums aren't actually pvpers who spend every single session looking for people to fight.... They are PVEers who find casual PVP fights and so its obvious they won't come across these issues ….

  • Fllw3rb0y
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @bugaboo-bill how does this comment contribute anything to the discussion

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @bugaboo-bill You are a pve lord, just to say.

  • Fllw3rb0y
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @pomplo i totally agree, i was pvping with a friend earlier (we were in an alliance and he managed to get a spot for me) and while i was blocking almost 1/2 the swings made it through. unless youre constantly looking straight at youre enemy i dont think the block even registers. its funny to me because 90% of the combat rare shows in the trailers is super slow and 100% doesnt resemble how we actually play. it makes me feel like they're designing the game arund some idylic preconception of the combat instead of the gross reality

  • Guilleont
    Vanguard
    Insider

    Finally someone had put into words how I feel about the sword, more even now that in almost a swing you are done.

    Much of the problem is server/client issues and ping. When I have a good ping I'm able to cut them like butter. When I don't... I just die.

    Other times I see other playings lagging like hell and swinging the air by the ladder while I'm already on the anchor.

    Yes, cutlass sucks right now. I miss those early days sword combats when you could face a 1vs3.

  • pomplo
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @graphical24 said in A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover:

    @pomplo I agree with everything here.

    Sword combat feels "Luck Based". It feels like its whoever gets their first three hit sword combo in first wins. Doesn't feel skill based at all. Just luck of the draw.

    It's nice to see others are experiencing the same problems. Close quarters combat did not need more coin-flipping, we already have the blunderbuss for that.

    I also have experienced that certain sword lung bug for a long, long time now. Hopefully they fix that.

    Yes. I didn't make it very clear in my post that this has been happening for a long time. I feel that I could have emphasized more that it has gotten much worse with the update.

    @bugaboo-bill said in A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover:

    Tbh it sounds like DG tryhards spreading Fake News.
    Never had issues and support what @Galactic-Geek already said.

    I've never really been a double gunner friend but either way I'm not sure what this comment has to do with my feedback, friend.

    Cutlass is skill-based, i can block, i won duels versus people who started a combo first, i blocked the 3rd slash then attacked (no combo) and won in the end.

    There are plenty of situations and moments where blocking work for me and is just fine. But you are minimalizing the entire sword play experience into your personal bottle-necked opinion that "it hasn't happened to me, so it's fine". Keep in mind this review is from a player who has spent over 100 hours purely PvPing since the last patch. So as I said to Galactic, you're probably not going to notice as much if you're not in combat more often than not.

    @viperishemu2992 said in A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover:

    Just different.... and still wonky.... so business as usual.

    Usually it takes a week or so after each weapons update to get used to the new "state of mediocrity".

    Yeah.
    This is the usual course of action and normally what I do. (Hence, this being my first thread about it). It just felt like so many compounded issues couldn't ALL be ignored. If Rare fixes just a few of these things I'm sure cutlass combat can be very enjoyable once again.

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @Rikology just challenged me to a duel - I was happy to accept, but his arrogance proved too much. He actually claimed to be able to hit his lunge 99% of the time! 😂

    I had to cancel because I couldn't take him seriously!

    @Bugaboo-Bill was right - he's so immature it's laughable. All he wants is to win a macho-man contest; not actually to determine if the sword is in a good place or not by honest to goodness scientific testing.

  • pomplo
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @galactic-geek said in A review of the cutlass, by a sword lover:

    @Rikology just challenged me to a duel - I was happy to accept, but his arrogance proved too much. He actually claimed to be able to hit his lunge 99% of the time! 😂

    I had to cancel because I couldn't take him seriously!

    @Bugaboo-Bill was right - he's so immature it's laughable. All he wants is to win a macho-man contest; not actually to determine if the sword is in a good place or not by honest to goodness scientific testing.

    This seems incredibly off-topic and like troll bait. Please take your personal grievances to DMs and keep this thread on-topic. Thanks!

  • Rikology
    Castaway

    @galactic-geek So you run away from me and come here to talk rubbish... You cancelled because I already had you beat.... I said I was going to record it and you couldn't take the embarrassment which I can totally understand... Now keep running

    I apologise that this is off topic but just wanted to respond to this lil scaredy cat

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