I've found how frustrating can this be, and it is simply not a reliable way to be a defensive character, since it appears to trigger like two hours after you click the damn quickslot button, and it deactivates every damn time you kill an enemy and you don't automatically switch to another, wich makes it dificult to use even if you intend to activate it as you enter the fight and never deactivate it untill the fight is over.
Would it be desirable for expertise to be changed into a free action? I'm thinking of something similar to "Rallying cry" ability of the purple dragon knight, but that instead gave +5 Dodge AC and -5 AB for something like 2 or 3 rounds.
This way, it would be most usefull.
No need to change this, works just perfectly. Expertise kicks in at the start of the round, so if you activate it late you'll have to wait. If you move from the spot, you also lose it. Just takes some time to get used to.
The main problem i see, is that it deactivates when you kill an enemy, because there is no target any more. If you are under arrow fire, this can be VERY bad for the PC. A single missclick can also screw you if you are not very carefull.
It also makes it hard to switch in between "Defensive" and "offensive mode" while fighting a single enemy, although i'm not sure if this is desirable.
It would also be nice if it could be used while not fighting, just drawing fire, for example, running arround to distract the archers while your buddies cross the firezone.
There are several ways to do this the right way. Practice. Catch me on IRC if you want some mechanical tips.
I dont know where you live, Drakill, but all the combat skills, expertise, power attack etc, suffer very highly in high ping situations.
I live on the edge of the earth, with resulting high ping, and in multi-player situations the skill is effectively useless. I often have it activate much later than one round after pressing, or not at all, or go on then off again because I thought it hadnt worked so I press it again.
It's tricky when it is inconsistent, since it is such an OP skill when it works, you sort of want it to go when you activate it.
That has happened to me as well.
It's a problem with all those stances you need to activate. They're broken and there's no question about it. Alas, I don't think an effective solution has been found to the problem. I'm sure it would be fixed if there was an easy fix.
This will also automatically reactivate after you kill a monster if you click to attack the next one. I imagine you are clicking the button in this period, thinking you're turning it on. In reality, you've turned it off.
I think you're doing something wrong. Expertise is not perfect, but it's VERY good.
Expertise is decent the way it is, if a little overpowered. Fact is if you're going for defense and your expertise dropping causes you to instantly get crushed you're doing something very wrong.
It's not very difficult to make almost every monster (baring certain bosses) need 15-20(mostly 20) to hit you without expertise by knocking back a barkskin and a protection from evil potion. Provided your stats and feats are allocated in a reasonable manner. (Hint: Anything below 13 dex is too low)
It works perfectly TBH, it just takes practice to learn the timing of when to click. NwN is really vulnerable to random/chaoting clicking, just gotta keep a cool head, man. Your original suggestion to make it like an ability, would work exactly the same way. If you activate it half-way in the round, it still waits 'till the next one before activating.
Same with using wands/items.
TIPS: Expertise breaks if you use WSAD to run at your enemy. It doesnt break, if you click with the mouse on the target. (this way you can charge up to the archers with it on, and turn it off the very moment you attack)
Right after you kill your melee-foe with expertise on, instantly click on another target, this way it wont cancel the mode.
Watch the combat log, to see what 'part' of the round is currently 'happening'.
Use potions and consumables before leaping into the fray with Exp on, as any item/potion use will cancel the mode too. (Yes, you have to explain your questing buddies IC that you use a defensive stance so they should provide you healing - its all about teamwork, really.)
Oh right. And quickslot Detect Mode.
SN nails it. Expertise is almost OP if you know how and when to use it, even in high-ping / low fps situations.
Quote from: Lulzebub;176403SN nails it. Expertise is almost OP if you know how and when to use it, even in high-ping / low fps situations.
There is nothing better in those situations! +5 or +10 AC that you have to do nothing for? Yes please.
I'd like to point out that expertise is hardcoded and thus can't be changed in any way, short of replacing it with something else, which would require who wants the feat to download another override and/or use some hackjob /c command to activate it.
That said, it is possible albeit tedious to replicate the effects of expertise and tweak a copied version of it to persist after a single enemy is dead, and be canceled when using an item/wand, spell or potion. (But honestly, why bother?)
I have had multiple characters with expertise get to level 8-10. I guess I'll just play a few more and I will eventually get the hang of it.
That Expertise 'lag' scrap has nothing to do with ping. I too play at 400+ ping (also in Australia). Its just the weird way it works.
Patience and timing are the key to Expertise. If you're thinking a few moves ahead, it's devastatingly effective, particularly combined with several other feats/abilities available to characters.
Just gotta practice and get used to how it works!
It does not activate until the beginning of the next round, I believe. So it will always take time.
well this certainly explains many many untimely deaths.
Generally, if you're a defencive PC, don't charge into battle then use expertise - let them come to you. It gives you the time to switch to expertise, and not having to move, you therefor won't disable it.
Done. Fix.