Special Moves

The special move book. Click image to enlarge

Warriors have the ability to tap their magical Mana to perform devastating maneuvers with their weapons that can have a variety of unusual side-effects. Each weapon type in the game has a primary and a secondary special move. Warriors who have reached 30 Tactics and 70 weapons skill may execute a weapon's primary special move. Once he or she has reached 60 Tactics and 90 in a weapon skill, the fighter may execute the secondary special move while wielding appropriate weapons. Each different type of weapon in the game has a different combination of primary and secondary special moves, making each weapon truly unique!

An icon on your Paperdoll will open a book that details each special move available based on your skill level and equipped weapon. Much like the icons in a Spellbook, these can be dragged from the book into the game window and double-clicked to activate the special move. The special moves can also be configured in macros for one-key activation. When activated, the special move icon highlights red, indicating the character is ready to perform the move. At the next opportunity, the special move is performed, and the icon returns to its un-highlighted state.

Special move mana cost can be decreased by having multiples of certain skills. With 200 to 299 combined skill points, the cost will decrease by 5 mana. Having 300 or more it will decrease by 10 mana. The included skills are:

Swordsmanship Mace Fighting Fencing Archery

Parrying Lumberjacking Stealth Poisoning

Bushido Ninjitsu Throwing

Note - The Human's "Jack of All Trades" racial ability previously granted them at least 20 points in all these disciplines (meaning they effectively had at least 200 points regardless of how their real skills are distributed), but this was removed with Publish 64 in February 2010.

Notes

• Performing two special moves within 3 seconds will double the mana cost of the second.
• If an attack is parried, no mana will be consumed with the exception of samurai attacks (special moves requiring bushido/ninjitsu)
• The Lower Mana Cost item property will reduce special move mana cost.
• If any Magery, Necromancy or Chivalry spell is being cast or is ready to target, you can not activate a special move and any activated special is turned off.
• Some Bushido and Ninjitsu abilities can not be activated at the same time as a special move, for example Lightning Strike.

List of Special Moves

Traditional

Moves available to basic weapon classes at the time of the Age of Shadows expansion.

Armor Ignore Bleed Attack Crushing Blow Concussion Blow

Disarm Dismount Double Strike Infectious Strike

Mortal Strike Paralyzing Blow Shadow Strike Whirlwind Attack

Samurai Empire

Moves introduced by the Samurai Empire expansion. Were available only to weapons introduced by SE, but later weapons introduced by the Mondain's Legacy expansion took advantage of them too.

These abilities are all based around the Ninjitsu and Bushido skills; you require a minimum level in one or the other to perform them. Which skill is required varies (some moves work with either).

Armor Pierce Block Defense Mastery Dual Wield

Double Shot Feint Frenzied Whirlwind

Nerve Strike Riding Swipe Talon Strike

Mondain's Legacy

Moves available only to weapons introduced with the Mondain's Legacy expansion. Unlike Samurai Empire abilities, they do not require ML-specific skills to use.

Bladeweave Force Arrow Force of Nature

Lightning Arrow Moving Shot

Psychic Attack Serpent Arrow

Stygian Abyss

Moves available only to the new weapons associated with the new Throwing skill introduced with the Stygian Abyss expansion.

Infused Throw Mystic Arc

History

Special moves were first introduced with the Renaissance expansion. Every two handed weapon of the three fighting skills was given a special ability that had a 20% chance of executing on each blow. The chance of success was increased with more Intelligence. These special moves only worked in player versus player combat.

• Macing weapons did Crushing Blow.
• Fencing weapons did Paralyzing Blow.
• Swordsmanship weapons did Concussion Blow.

During the Age of Shadows expansion, the entire system was revamped. Special moves were now a macro that could be used any time a player wanted. They could also be used on both players and monsters. To balance the powerful new attacks, mana was made a requirement. Instead of just 3 moves, 9 more were added to bring the total up to 12. Later on the Samurai Empire expansion added another 10, Mondain's Legacy added 7.

• The Tactics skill requirement was added on August 29, 2007 in Publish 46.
• The Human's "Jack of All Trades" racial ability previously granted them at least 20 points in all these disciplines (meaning they effectively had at least 200 points regardless of how their real skills are distributed), but this was removed with Publish 64 in February 2010.
• The Tactics skill required to do a special move was changed in Publish 96. from 70 to 30 for primary and from 90 to 60 for secondary.

See also:

Special Attacks