More Control Over Stance Switching
Stances should only change when the player actively swaps between them, takes a full hit during an attack's startup, or when certain attacks (and their feints) change the stance.
Currently your stance changes based on your position relative to the enemy, and what direction the attack is coming from when it hits your guard. These two factors combined make the combat feel a lot less controllable and stiff whenever fighting aggressive opponents. It's not that it makes counterplay impossible, but it takes away player agency during key moments in combat when the game decides to swap stances shortly before the player initiates an attack. It also makes fighting multiple enemies rather annoying, if they are in different positions relative to the player, as your prospect will switch which moves are executed if they decide to move even slightly. Often this issue leads to many instances where I did a move I had no intention of doing, and failing/winning by doing something unintentional just feels aggravating/hollow whenever it happens.
Currently your stance changes based on your position relative to the enemy, and what direction the attack is coming from when it hits your guard. These two factors combined make the combat feel a lot less controllable and stiff whenever fighting aggressive opponents. It's not that it makes counterplay impossible, but it takes away player agency during key moments in combat when the game decides to swap stances shortly before the player initiates an attack. It also makes fighting multiple enemies rather annoying, if they are in different positions relative to the player, as your prospect will switch which moves are executed if they decide to move even slightly. Often this issue leads to many instances where I did a move I had no intention of doing, and failing/winning by doing something unintentional just feels aggravating/hollow whenever it happens.
Comments
The more variables (reasonable) in the game, the more fun it is.
More often than not a player will have a counter measure vs. aggressive combos built into their deck, but they'll be unable to use it due to the rapid hits their guard causing the stance to switch away over and over even if they hold it in the desired direction while blocking. If the offending player knows that the only counter measure available to their victim is their style specific defensive move, all they have to do is mix-up their attacks slightly and the defending player is significantly more likely to be hit than not. Even if they attempt to evade/parry/absorb. Hence why this is an issue in the first place.
Otherwise, I'm fine with the current system.
https://www.reddit.com/r/absolver/comments/6z0k9x/stance_changing_while_blocking/