Anathema, has the definitive addition fixed this item? <Spoilers i guess>

[Isisius]

Probably the thing that annoyed me the most about the base game. You spend ages putting together this legendary sword, following quest lines, finding cool secrets about the sword and about the person who gives you the quest.
This is meant to be this big bad dude killing sword (specifically Braccus Rex). And you get one swing with it ever and it breaks?
I think if your going to get once swing, it should be a swing that really counts. Even if you maximise a character to be the best 2 handed character in the game, the fact that you swing once and then you have to equip another weapon (costing action points) makes it fairly ineffective.
Was wondering if anyone had read the patch notes (or if a dev was cruising the forums) and if they know if this cool quest line/weapon is actually relevant in the defninitve edition? I mean i get that maybe they are concerened that maybe it could make the last fight too easy, but if youve put in all the hard work to get the item, you should get the benefit. I dont really think in a game like this the last fight should even HAVE to be the most difficult one mechanically (and it probably isnt to be honest). It should just be the one with the biggest stakes thematically.
Heck id even be ok if it ONLY damaged Braccus.
But the magic Braccus Slaying sword should not be the most ineffecitent way to kill Braccus.

[Leoscar]

It does less damage than a tentacle slap lol.

[Isisius]

Yeah that's kinda my point lol

[[N63] chrisragnar]

You have a higher chance to miss now to :p

[PK_Ultra]

The thing most people miss about Anathema is that its not meant as an autokill. Its there to give you a huge advantage against the final boss, but it wont outright kill him. For comparison it took me 2 turns after landing Anathema with full the maximum possible damage i could on a two-handed specced character to kill Braccus. Without it, it took me several to the point that I lost count. Thats how much of a swing this weapon makes. Anathema is already good. Its extremely efficient for what its trying to do. Which is obliterate a single high-value target during a single turn.

[Leoscar]

Originally posted by PK Ultra:

The thing most people miss about Anathema is that its not meant as an autokill. Its there to give you a huge advantage against the final boss, but it wont outright kill him. For comparison it took me 2 turns after landing Anathema with full the maximum possible damage i could on a two-handed specced character to kill Braccus. Without it, it took me several to the point that I lost count. Thats how much of a swing this weapon makes. Anathema is already good. Its extremely efficient for what its trying to do. Which is obliterate a single high-value target during a single turn.

Exept it doesn't work like that. My 2 Handed Fane could hit for over 5000 with a single hit with his usual weapon and did very little with Anathema, it did not give any "huge advantage", just wasted one AP equiping it at best. No it's not "extremely efficient", my archer did more damage with a regular attack. If you know how to make build somewhat properly Anathema isn't of any use, which is a real shame, I was exited to finally get to use the supposed all mighty weapon, and it did pathetic damage to Braccus (probably bacause it did not crit despite my more than descent crit chance).

[Stabbey]

Originally posted by PK Ultra:

The thing most people miss about Anathema is that its not meant as an autokill. Its there to give you a huge advantage against the final boss, but it wont outright kill him.

No, what you are missing is that it feels unsatisfying for a weapon which takes a long time and quite a bit of effort to acquire, both through combat and puzzle-solving to feel so terribly weak. A grand, epic weapon you struggled through two maps and waited for most of a third to acquire is less useful than something you can pick up at the corner store.

The reward is not proportional to the amount of build-up it gets.

It is just plain bad design.

EDIT: Now, if the sword was a mandatory plot point, if acquiring it and using it was the ONLY possible way to kill the boss, and all associated quests were mandatory, then it would be perfectly fine.

Well, except for the sticking point that it would need to not break in one hit, which is actually the biggest problem with it. In fact, just get rid of that property and it would probably be fine.

[Isisius]

Originally posted by Stabbey:

Originally posted by PK Ultra:

The thing most people miss about Anathema is that its not meant as an autokill. Its there to give you a huge advantage against the final boss, but it wont outright kill him.

No, what you are missing is that it feels unsatisfying for a weapon which takes a long time and quite a bit of effort to acquire, both through combat and puzzle-solving to feel so terribly weak. A grand, epic weapon you struggled through two maps and waited for most of a third to acquire is less useful than something you can pick up at the corner store.

The reward is not proportional to the amount of build-up it gets.

It is just plain bad design.

Yeah agreed.
The quest was actually pretty cool, i liked how in depth it was, but the whole quest makes you feel like you are building up to something big.... and then its just not.

As i said, id even be happy if the weapon had its exact same stats, but normal durability and it could only damage Braccus. it would fit thematically, and would feel rewarding.

As it is, my experience was the weapin did more damage than one weapon swing, but it felt more useful to just use another powerful weapon twice than it did to use this weapon and then have it unequip.

Not to mention that attacks of oppertunity break it as well, so you have to unlearn that skill or risk some minion chump taking the damage.

All in all, they just shouldnt have put that quest in the game if they didnt intend to make the weapon any good.

[PK_Ultra]

idk what to tell u guys, i thought anathema was fine.

[Leoscar]

The weapon should have like ~5 durability at least and be non repairable imo, just so you don't spend an entire swing just equiping Anathema and reequiping your usual weapon for a single potentially above average hit when 2 hits of your normal weapon ultimatly does more damage.

Something that could also work is make Anathema an item that, when in the inventory, gives the character who has it a spell that can only be used once, a spell that would do fix damage and hit 100% of the time (no crit, no miss, ignore resistance).
You wouldn't need to equip it like equipement pieces or weapons, any character would be able to have that spell and use it for 2 AP just by having Anathema in its inventory.
It also shouldn't take a memory slot (would behave like capacities native to the character). When used Anathema and the spell would be consumed and disapear from the character's inventory.

[Morgian]

For an epic quest item the sword sucks, effect and design. If it was at least a glass sword from old Ultima V, which shatters upon a hit, but unfailingly kills on this one.

[Isisius]

Originally posted by Leoscar:

The weapon should have like ~5 durability at least and be non repairable imo, just so you don't spend an entire swing just equiping Anathema and reequiping your usual weapon for a single potentially above average hit when 2 hits of your normal weapon ultimatly does more damage.

Something that could also work is make Anathema an item that, when in the inventory, gives the character who has it a spell that can only be used once, a spell that would do fix damage and hit 100% of the time (no crit, no miss, ignore resistance).
You wouldn't need to equip it like equipement pieces or weapons, any character would be able to have that spell and use it for 2 AP just by having Anathema in its inventory.
It also shouldn't take a memory slot (would behave like capacities native to the character). When used Anathema and the spell would be consumed and disapear from the character's inventory.

This is actually not a bad idea. Means you dont get the annoying problem with opportunity attacks breaking the sword, and you can then use this sword attack and still use the other weapon you have on your turn. I think the sword might still feel a little underwhelming, but it would then be actually useful to use it.

[Daryl]

Anathema was the name of the warp sword super weapon that mortally wounded Horus and corrupted him to the point of the Horus Heresy.

and Anathema was also used to kill another Primarch.

surely such a weapon is too overpowered to wield!

[Fallaner, the Writer Eternal]

Originally posted by Daryl:

Anathema was the name of the warp sword super weapon that mortally wounded Horus and corrupted him to the point of the Horus Heresy.

and Anathema was also used to kill another Primarch.

surely such a weapon is too overpowered to wield!

Edit: You're thinking Anathame.

[Isisius]

Originally posted by Morgian:

For an epic quest item the sword sucks, effect and design. If it was at least a glass sword from old Ultima V, which shatters upon a hit, but unfailingly kills on this one.

I guess the question becomes if this uber braccus killing sword is in the game, should it be allowed to one hit braccus. I honestly think yes. Dont put it in if you aren't willing to make it worth it. Does it make the last fight easier, sure. But as I said the last fight doesnt have to be the biggest difficulty wise. More the biggest stakes wise. Preparing for said fight with a tough quest should make it easier.

[Pat the Magicrat]

I really thought they fixed this in Definitive Edition but no, still useless.