Feedback Request on Consider Command

[Zax]

The Consider command (see "help consider") will give you an general idea of how tough a mob would be to kill. It is intended to be approximate and your mileage may vary depending on your equipment and class.

That said, a few players have mentioned that, for them, it's inaccurate to the point of not being very useful. So I'd like to ask you to post replies to this post stating whether you find the command useful, why you feel it is or isn't, and if not, do you feel it's generally giving you results that are too high, too low, or just randomly inaccurate. Also, please state which class(es) you play most often or are playing when you feel Consider is too inaccurate.

Thanks.

[Tyme]

Consider command for me always seemed to be ok when my eq was fairly normal for my level and only up to like level 20 or so. I don't know what all goes into the command (level of mob vs. me, my ac vs theirs, etc...), so can't really tell much, but I have only ever used it as a newbie and chump, and even then if you are sanced and spelled up it doesn't help in the least bit. I don't know if code can bring more attributes into the function to make it more accurate (again, don't know what's in it now so can't say what else could be added...hps, damage dice, etc.)

[Dell]

Yeah it's good to run around with a char knowing know monster, the xp gain is more telling, but spells are suppose to be better at that. On the other hand the donation gears dumped on donation hall does boost the power of newbies making it even more more inaccurate, where my mu/th can kill almost everything short of the two highest description without swear.

[Votrepatron]

I play a barbarian, Tera. I would say the Consider command for me is pretty useless right now. I had amazing gear at one point and could kill most things no matter what it told me(within reason for my level, i still died to things that would 2 shot me.)

Most of what i noticed now, since i dont have my hero barb shield <weep> is that the Consider commands that say "Maybe i should just kill you now" or "You are MAD" are usually correct, those things have nasty descriptions and will most likely kill me. But i am in Shangri'la right now and all the fiends there say, "Easy" or "No Problem" and i usually barely make it out on top, and have died multiple times.

I did notice that some mobs were showing a "max number of hits" and other things along those lines when 'considered' but most of the fields were empty.

That is what i have noticed. But my toon is all sorts of screwed up, i think. But i like playing him anyway.

[Dell]

After some use you get etter with consider it seems, as my mu/th sees comparative hp, AC and estimate of numer of attacks per round.

[Tyme]

I believe that the consider command gets more detailed if you know one of the Lores. For instance, if you know People Lore and cons a person, it'll give you those extra lines. Without a lore, it seems the level based algorithm is lacking quite a bit.

[Dell]

Ooooh that's what it is.

[Bounces]

This is Necroing this thread...but there isn't a whole bunch of traffic on the forum these days, so it probably doesn't matter much.

To chip in my two cents, once I am kitted out and buffed I generally con just to make sure that it doesn't say "Why don't I just kill you..." It seems like one on one and keeping them bashed I can solo most anything up to "You are mad". Playing a Cl/Wr right now...but honestly it seems like it has pretty much always been that way. Through Newbie and Chump you have to be more careful about more of the upper ratings on consider, but once you get to high chump or medium you seem to just start tearing through things that are level appropriate if you are well prepared.

That's the way of TableTop DnD too though, you don't have the option to consider most of the time. If you think you will win then pick a fight and be ready to run if things go sideways.

And with Siri in Common for always on emergency summons picking fights with things that might be a little above your weight class is less risky.

If I were going to redo consider I would have it output something along the lines of what superb lore gives...but with more solid info. It should even be able to factor in things like damage resistance or susceptibility for you (but probably not for them since your character likely doesn't know that they are resistant without magic investigation like know monster). The system can crunch all the math, so it should be too difficult to give something like this:

You will probably hit them 4 out of every 20 times.
You will probably kill them in 50 hits.

They will probably attack 3 times per round.
They will probably hit you 16 out of every 20 times
They will probably kill you in 10 hits.

Why don't I kill you right now and save you the trouble?

The made up math assumes that the to hits are based on a d20 roll vs AC with hit bonus factored in. If that is the case every chance to hit is a percentage multiple of 5 that can be defined by x out of 20. (If you have to roll a 13 on a d 20 to hit them then you will probably hit them 8 out of every 20 times)

This of course does not factor in any special abilities you or the mob has to tip the scales. if you are fighting something that casts spells or has abilities and you don't keep them bashed then that will change the math too, but that seems like it would be harder to code...as well as harder to discern from a Con if it is your first time fighting the critter.