I'm able to defeat foes that are "significantly more powerful" than I am

[Bragan]

Is this normal? How is the power evaluation determined? Does it have anything to do with the fact that I'm wielding hand-crafted weapons?

[sizey]

Yes, i've found that happens to me too, though i'm not complaining
I think it must have something to do with crafted weapons

[Lanarel]

The strength calculation at the moment is only based on stats, not skills, and certainly not weapon quality. So you may be less strong, but much better in handling your weapon. There may be some changes to this soon (TM) though.

[LigH]

Unfortunately, the opposite is true as well: You look at an animal and decide that it is obviously weaker, you start a fight -- and get killed in 2-3 hits. Because that animal was e.g. an expert in Melee? Some randomized NPCs seem to be unnaturally random.

[Bragan]

Unnatural is right. I had a rogue do 600 damage to me, and with only a dagger. Anyway, thanks for the info Lanarel. It makes me much more comfortable about seeking out some Ulbers now   

[Lanarel]

There are too things:
- some NPCs are too strong. This is a settings problem. In another thread, you can see that Xillix did make some changes.
- as I mentioned, evaluation of strength is not correct. A better way will be implemented (might already be in svn, waiting for a new release), but it would still not be perfect for several reasons. You evaluate a person by looking at him. So there will always be things you cannot see. Can you judge someones sword skill just by looking at him when he is sitting below a tree eating an apple? Further, an evaluation should not be on a single figure. Someone having high sword skill is one thing, but if he has a bad quality weapon (which you might or might not see), or you have good armor (which you may know), that does not mean anything.

To be short, some improvements will be done, but it still will not be perfect, and even when it is perfect, it will not prevent you from being killed by someone who APPEARS weaker, or mean that you cannot easily kill someone/thing that seems much stronger.

[Caarrie]

- as I mentioned, evaluation of strength is not correct. A better way will be implemented (might already be in svn, waiting for a new release), but it would still not be perfect for several reasons.

It was considered and rejected as not all agreed on the new way, it might be another few releases before all agrees on how to do the new evaluation of players.

[Kaerli]

For more debate and discussion of this issue, see FS#127. (and if anyone comes up with a better system than what ThomPhoenix proposed, I'd be more than happy to implement it )

[Lanarel]

I would prefer to keep discussion in the forum for the most part, but the discussion already there is a good start

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

I don't find much point in a discussion much beyond the fixes suggested already in the bug tracker.

This will be fixed.