SP - Player, NPCs & Troops Athletics could use some love

[Haddontoo]

The run speed is amazing once leveled, but it takes such a long time to get to a point where it feels meaningful that the skill just doesn't feel fun. The extra HP is nice for sure, but I think athletics should do a bit more. Some ideas I have are as follows:

1. Athletics increases kick damage by .1%/point, and increases the stun from kicking by .5%/1 point
2. Athletics decreases the speed reduction from incline by a small %, no idea on the number there, X. It also increases the speed bonus from going downhill by 2x.
3. 1% chance/50 points to shrug off all damage below 10. Basically an RNG dodge against rocks, small hits, that kind of thing.
4. increases the movement speed of foot troops under in your party by like 30% of the increase it gives you. Very small increase, but a nice addition over time, especially in addition to what already exists through perks.
5. A TINY amount of HP regen while in combat

Now, adding all of these would of course be way too much, so adding a couple, maybe 1 of the larger effects and one of the minor ones. Personally, I think the ability to go up and down hills and outcroppings really quickly would be a fun way to play; it might make playing as a skirmisher actually valid too!

 

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

The run speed is amazing once leveled,

It only feels this way because the player runs like a fatass until they're like level 200. The run speed in most games is ridiculously slow, but in Bannerlord it's almost a joke. I can walk faster in real life than the player can run in game.

Personally I don't like the idea of running speed tied to level. The player barely ever spends any time on foot unless they're forced to, like in town scenes and hideout raids, and in those cases it does nothing except waste your time. If there is to be a running skill, it should be tied to something else so you don't have to dedicate points to something hardly anyone uses, but is extremely annoying not to have.

 

[five bucks]

The run speed is amazing once leveled, but it takes such a long time to get to a point where it feels meaningful that the skill just doesn't feel fun. The extra HP is nice for sure, but I think athletics should do a bit more. Some ideas I have are as follows:

1. Athletics increases kick damage by .1%/point, and increases the stun from kicking by .5%/1 point
2. Athletics decreases the speed reduction from incline by a small %, no idea on the number there, X. It also increases the speed bonus from going downhill by 2x.
3. 1% chance/50 points to shrug off all damage below 10. Basically an RNG dodge against rocks, small hits, that kind of thing.
4. increases the movement speed of foot troops under in your party by like 30% of the increase it gives you. Very small increase, but a nice addition over time, especially in addition to what already exists through perks.
5. A TINY amount of HP regen while in combat

Now, adding all of these would of course be way too much, so adding a couple, maybe 1 of the larger effects and one of the minor ones. Personally, I think the ability to go up and down hills and outcroppings really quickly would be a fun way to play; it might make playing as a skirmisher actually valid too!

+1.

It only feels this way because the player runs like a fatass until they're like level 200. The run speed in most games is ridiculously slow, but in Bannerlord it's almost a joke. I can walk faster in real life than the player can run in game.

+1 to this as well

Personally I don't like the idea of running speed tied to level. The player barely ever spends any time on foot unless they're forced to

Isn't that the point of having a dedicated skill, then? To incentivise a playthrough where you stay on foot, providing variety from being on a horse the whole time? So you aren't forced but it's there as an option?
In my opinion, the Athletics skill should exist to make infantry main character playthroughs a viable alternative to cavalry playthroughs, by providing great perks that make it worth running around and forgoing the horse speed.

Perhaps the answer is to do that with some of the options OP mentioned, and also raise base runspeed a little bit, so as you said it isn't frustratingly slow without specifically investing in the skill.

 

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

Isn't that the point of having a dedicated skill, then? To incentivise a playthrough where you stay on foot, providing variety from being on a horse the whole time? So you aren't forced but it's there as an option?

This would be the case if you could spend the entire game on horseback, but you are literally forced to walk around in some scenes, while being on a horse is completely optional.

My point is that the base running speed is far too slow, and most of the time when you encounter it, it just wastes your time. There is no gameplay benefit to gaining speed in town scenes or even in most battles, where you soend half your time just running towards the enemy. Base riding speeds are just as bad, but you can upgrade your horse with money while you can't upgrade your legs.