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Rings can't help you hit. Bracelets can't help you hit. But they do. They add HCI.

Why can't shields?

Was this intentionally turned off? (the fact that they no longer spawn with HCI)


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Because item properties must be logic now?
Ok what's the explanation for skill bonus?

Please remove that idea from your head that UO's developpement follows any kind of remotely vague beginnings of "logic". Example : aw there are bots in our game we must fight them! Oh BTW I just made the quests you asked me for crafters, they'll be from npcs in safe zone, they'll ask tons of stuffs that requires no skill just ressource and the reward will be completely random.


But yeah go go ask why jewelry has HCI!

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I don't like the whole HCI/DCI idea anyway

if you want to hit more often and cause more damage? get weapon skill
if you want to be able to dodge attacks get parry skill

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Shields were intentionally turned off. The "logic" behind that change (as I understood it) isn't that shields can't help you hit, but that the purpose of a shield is defense. Rings and bracelets don't have a specific offense/defense purpose, so the magic on them is more generic.
I don't think there was a very strong argument as to why to remove it, it just seemed appropriate at the time to the developers.

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You are arguing that the logic behind taking HCI off of shields (shields are for defense) also applies to rings and bracelets (they can't help you hit). Therefore, EA should return HCI to shields.

Rings and bracelets can have HCI through magic. Of course, you argue, shields can too.

And you're right.

The real reason, near as I can tell, that HCI was taken off shields was that they devs wanted to limit the ability of someone to get to maximum HCI without artifacts.

I don't mind it either way, but that's perhaps just because I could (and did) afford a nice old HCI, FC 1 shield.

I can see their point of view. They want artifacts to be valuable and sought after. Why get, say, the Leggings of Bane if HCI shields are plentiful?

But eh.

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Then why have magical properties on rings at all?

Rings don't help you cast faster, they would, in theory. slow spell casters down who had to make their guestures iwth their fingers.

Rings can't give you a boost to stealing or intelligence (Trust me, no ring out there could ever help some players, I promise you that) or strength. Nor can they make your beating on things with a mace better or stabbing things with your fencing weapon any better.

You didn't -really- want to open that can of worms did you?

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Relevant FoF

Short version is, there were balance concerns that we haven't revisited yet.

E. Jeremy Dalberg
UO Community Coordinator
EA Mythic

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Honestly I never saw HCI as being all that overpowering....I still miss an awful lot in PvP. Some of those samurai I need to throw on Divine Fury to so much as land a hit, or I need to spam Holy Light in order to get the "streakiness" of the random number generator working in my favor.

Still though, cool that you replied. And for my part I'm not lobbying to have HCI put back on shields....I kinda like having my shield be relatively rare-ish and valuable. But if you do ever put it back, I promise, no whining from me.

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I don't see how this can possibley be a balance issue when you can be a samurai and have NOT ONLY better DCI, but better HCI (50) then anyone else AND the ability to dodge spells.

So what if mages get an extra slot to actually fit some HCI into their suits, so what if the paladins get it, it doesnt change the balance of power, ESPECIALLY when the richer players (like myself) already have shields like this. Wanna know what? I DONT USE EM. Why? Because I'm slow on my chugs, and having to disarm makes me slower and I don't need that.

Either way its a trade.

The only people who don't have to deal with this problem are the archers, and they have bows that go up to 25 HCI (maybe more, I'm not sure).

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i also beleive shields should only if any have dci because a shield is a defenseive piece of equimpement

Actually, if you want to get technical, shields have been used throughout the ages as a semi-offensive weapon. Using a shield to shove someone backward, then clubbing or slashing them while they were off-balance was one of a footman's most effective tactics. Also, using the shield as the club was not unheard of either.

However, I know where you are coming from with wanting to remove HCI from them, and I agree. Too many ways to get HCI anyway, and if shields should be used in this manner as a weapon, maybe it should be added as a primary or secondary fighting ability, instead of adding HCI... Just my two cents...

Oh, and btw, Kingtony, that avatar is... creepy... I like it... lol

good point about the shields didnt think of it so i guess you can have reflect physical on shields and dci but leave of hci which would work

sounds good to me

Of course, they should ALSo change the defense formula, so parry is calculated first, then defense chance from weapon skill.

As with the footman example above, you ALWAYS try to block with the shield first, so you can retaliate.

This would adress skill gain issues with Parry (having to equip a weapon you are not skilled in to gain).

AND it would make counterstrike more effective.

Yes, Adam, when you get the donation from me you'll get some HCI shields.

Price them wisely.

great gift for adam

The problem with HCI on shields is, yes they turned it off, but there are still HCI shields in existence (and technically available, see the Vesper Museum Order Shield). This is highly unfair to players without HCI shields because the values of these shields have gotten higher and higher. Either they need to bring back HCI on shields or wipe HCI from all shields in the game. All I'm asking for is a little consistency.