As a musket main I understand that the weapon isnt in the healthiest spot and it takes a lot of skill to play at a high level consistently.
With over 2.5kh on musket I can tell you that changing the damage fall off from 50 meters will RUIN the weapon just like how rapier was ruined this weapon will be unplayed.
The easiest way to fix the musket is decrease the max render shoot distance as it is currently at 130m there is no reason for muskets to be able to shoot that far.
Lowering the max render shoot distance from 130 → 100 and CHANGING the new damage fall off from 50m → 75m
I think that the absurdity of muskets (but also of bows) is not their striking from a distance, but the disproportionate damage they do to those with heavy armor. Heavy armor is useless now, it is totally useless, especially in opr.
Long ago, in heavy armor, you could totally ignore archers and musketeers.
Taking away the distance to the musket instead of better balancing the damage it does to certain targets, is totally ruining its playability.
I if I enter opr ​​with heavy armor GS625, and 13k of life, 3 shots of musket or bow and I die.
And I think I’m not the only one, as you hardly see anyone with heavy armor in OPR. With the slightest truth that you get shot, however, you have a mobility that allows you to avoid many of their shots. With heavy armor you are an easy target, too easy.
It took 9 shots to kill him (4 body shots and 5 head shots). If he healed (pots and food) it would have taken nearly twice as many shots.
I was using 300 dex, 150 intel, a 625 musket with attunement + vorpal + penetrating headshot and runeglass gems in all of my gear.
I cannot kill a defensive heavy armor S&S player in a 1v1 unless they mess up big time. Their healing (food, pots, defiant stance) is greater than my damage per second.
My idea would be to shrink the hit box the farther you are away from a target making it harder to hit the target. Then rework the perk “accuracy” which no one uses on a musket, to increase the hit box at long range to allow people to play a “sniper” long range play. In doing so the player will have to sacrifice a current BIS perk, thus reducing the dmg for such a build. As a result you now have a choice to play long range at reduce dmg or play at mid range doing more dmg but allowing players the ability to engage you. Short range really doesn’t apply to a musket because that’s what a blunderbuss is for.
I really feel like an armor value squish would of removed a lot of the qq around this weapon. Mainly light armor users complain about it. buffing light and medium so it takes less damage would of helped a lot (and still will with other things).
That being said you should not be able to sit 120m away. Its insanity. Shooter stance needs its CD reduction removed. Way to much time is spent on that ability.