Coming from an EQ background, I am used to levelling, and then maxing every weapon type ASAP so I can always use a superior weapon if it drops. I have noticed that we have quite a different set up here in VG; primarily the specialization area. I notice that I can lock a skill, set a skill to increase, and even set a skill to decrease. At level 17 I have every major type maxed, as well as most of the specialization types maxed, (including hand to hand, and all the thrown types); am I gimping myself by not locking certain types? Is is possible to lock crossbow for example, and increase Great Axe beyond the "normal" level cap? Or, is it only possible to goto cap + bonuses? Short version: is raising a skill like thrown hammer detrimental to raising something like Great Axe, or can I just be ARetentive and max everything with no down side? Thanks Edit: everythign = everything
Specialization is kind of different. You only have so many points to spend, and depending on your class you may have more options than you do points! This isn't a big deal early on, but later on the caps seem to outpace the amount of points you get so you'll end up having to make a choice what weapons you want to specialize in. You can't push passed cap on Weapon Specialization, there's no benefit anyway. Once you're at Spec cap you get a damage boost. So the Plus, Minus, and Lock options are there to make sure you have the skills you want raised while the ones you don't can be used to pump the others up when you run out of free points. Now, your normal weapon skills can keep going up passed the cap and this helps your accuracy. There isn't a limited number of points in this category though so you can raise your skill in each weapon here to max by using it. This one is also much easier to raise then Specialization.
Great info Koralith, I appreciate the reply. That makes more sense to me, knowing that at higher levels my available skill can out pace the rate I get more points. Guess I may as well keep doing what I'm doing to build up some of the skills to cannibalize later.
if you're leveling up weapon skills for your warrior, there are some weapon skills you don't have to worry about. just make sure you level swords, axes, maces, hammers, bows, and crossbows. possibly pick 1-2 2h weapon skills for finishers.
Shal wrote: DK actually. I'm a completionist in some ways; if I have a skill, I am compelled to max it out, regardless of how useful it might be. My worry was that I'd actually hurt myself by locking up points in basically useless areas, like hand to hand, (which I have maxed). Thanks for the insight though.
