Winona Feedback/Suggestions

[clickrush]

Intro

Winona is a cool, likeable character that is designed to be accessible for newer players, while still having perks that more experienced players like to enjoy when swapping to her in long term worlds.

I just wanted to share a bit of feedback and possible improvements that I think would make her more exciting and valuable outside of character swapping, while retaining and expanding a little bit on her core design.

Low Hanging Fruits

A very easy improvement for Winona would be a simple damage modifier when using tools for combat. When wielding an axe or pickaxe she would then roughly deal spear-level damage. Positives would be:

* Instantly accessible decent weapon.
* Preserving resources especially during the early game.
* Providing a convenient way of doing occasional combat (spiders, pigs, hounds, nightmares etc.) between other tasks.
* Saves an inventory slot, especially when doing non-combat specific tasks.
* Permanent, character specific perk.
* Fits her style as a strong craftswomen and engineer and would improve her character feel.

Another one that I would possibly like to see is a simple improvement on her Spotlights. As of now, they are strictly worse than a lantern both in terms of resource consumption and utility. Her Spotlight is hard to balance, since darkness is supposed to be one of the fundamental threats to the player. However anything from significantly lower fuel consumption to increased range and radius would be appreciated.

Her Downside Design is Clunky

I think most would agree that her hunger cost when crafting feels a bit off, simply because it can be safely ignored and doesn't add much to the feel of the character either.

Something Exciting but Expensive to Look Forward To

I think it would be exciting if there was a big payoff of playing Winona, like there is with other well designed characters like Warly, Wurt, Wendy, Walter and Wigfrid. Such characters have access powerful things in the later stages of the game and can significantly expand on their strengths.

I don't have a specific wish here, but I could imagine a thing that is built with Ancient technology (Thulecite et al) and provides some unique benefit to Winona. What would a crafty engineer build with these materials and forbidden knowledge? Maybe a hat that provides both light and armor or a multi purpose tool with a large durability (like a Pick/Axe, but efficient). A super tool would synergize with the idea above, providing a unique damage modifier to it.

[Cheggf]

Axes & pickaxes (not really pickaxes 'cause they break so fast) already deal roughly spear level damage & are decent weapons. They only deal 20% less damage so it's 1 more swing against things like spiders & hounds and 1 or 2 more cycles against shadows. For early game use they are perfectly usable as a weapon, and only start getting problematic in situations where a spear would be problematic.

Winona getting more things she can make other than just catapults & spotlights (which are bad) would be cool, though. Using thulecite is an interesting idea.

[clickrush]

3 hours ago, Cheggf said:

Axes & pickaxes (not really pickaxes 'cause they break so fast) already deal roughly spear level damage & are decent weapons. They only deal 20% less damage so it's 1 more swing against things like spiders & hounds and 1 or 2 more cycles against shadows. For early game use they are perfectly usable as a weapon, and only start getting problematic in situations where a spear would be problematic.

Winona getting more things she can make other than just catapults & spotlights (which are bad) would be cool, though. Using thulecite is an interesting idea.

Agree with the above. Many use axes as weapons early on and occasionally in the later stages. Winona benefiting from this uniquely would be flavorful and a nice improvement. Requiring fewer hits to kill spiders, hounds and other early game and occasional threats is useful, not to a dramatic level but a noticeable improvement and in rare situations it might make a difference.