Sword Art Online - Q & A

[styr]

Originally Posted by Clarste

...just watch episode 4. Answer: yes.

They can only attack each other outside of town though, so it's not like everyone's in constant danger. And if you want to have a non-lethal fight you can challenge someone to a duel which under game mechanics lets you win without killing. This is what happened in episode 3, although they didn't show that for some reason.

The most common type of duel is called

Spoiler for duel spoilers from Vol 1/ME1:

First Strike Mode

This was a duel that could be won either by landing the first clean hit or by reducing the opponent’s HP to half.

[FateAnomaly]

What if it is a 1HKO?

[styr]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

What if it is a 1HKO?

Damage is not reduced in 'chunks' but instead reduces at a quick pace upon taking damage, so a 1HKO would simply give you the win after the victory condition is met, which I posted in my spoiler. This is hard to describe but I can give you an example that occurs in the SAO anime. Every episode so far has shown this occur although episode 1 has the fewest examples.

For instance, in episode 4, if you go to 2:38 and watch you will see Silica's HP quickly reduce from slightly more than 50% to under 20% after being hit.

[shinobu-chan]

Originally Posted by maelstormCaT

SOA don't have classes. Your chosen skills determine your combat ability

Naming Skills from the top of my head:

1 Handed Straight Sword
Curved Sword
Maces
Lances
Dagger
Bow
Shield
Polearms
Axes
Throwing Weapon
Katana
Rapier
2 Hander Blade
Unarmed Fighting
Battle Continuation (Basically a hp regen. it's slow, but better than nothing. Super high lvl skill. Acquire by taking a LOT of damage throughout your gameplay)
Hiding
Detection
Trap Removal
Blacksmithing
Sewing
Fishing
Cooking
Appraisal

and that's the one I can remember without thinking too hard.

You level up these skill by doing them. Using a sword skill or generally attacking an enemy with a weapon will lvl up that weapon skill level.

Some of the skills have hidden parameters to be unlocked. For example, Katana is an offset from curved sword. But the thing is, it's a bit random(?) as not everyone who leveled their Curved Sword will unlock Katana. That is called an extra skill.
Kirito mentioned only about 10 people unlocked Katana for their skill set.

There's also something called an unique skill... but that's a bit too early to discuss atm.

So by levelling these skills, and putting stats points in the right status, you build your own character. Either as Dps or Tank or in between. Kirito is a full blown DPS by the way. I think his build is mostly str and a generous dex also and enough in const.

But isn't the game a bit unbalanced in that way..? Only a few players can unlock a certain skill putting a lot of other players at a disadvantage.

Also how are you supposed to catch up when the whole floor is cleared, and the monsters are completely wiped up? I'm pretty sure you'll get your butt handed to you at the next few floors since AFAIK the monsters get stronger each floor. Isn't the game a bit snowbally that way?

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by shinobu-chan

But isn't the game a bit unbalanced in that way..? Only a few players can unlock a certain skill putting a lot of other players at a disadvantage.

that is how Kayaba wanted it.

Also how are you supposed to catch up when the whole floor is cleared, and the monsters are completely wiped up? I'm pretty sure you'll get your butt handed to you at the next few floors since AFAIK the monsters get stronger each floor. Isn't the game a bit snowbally that way?

the boss does not regen but the regular monster do.

Originally Posted by maelstormCaT

skill list

1. lance and polearm are the same
2. you are missing -
tracking
light metal armor
heavy metal armor
And Shield is divided into Large and Small Shields.

[styr]

Dagger is not a skill at all but is simply filed under 1 handed short sword skills. Strange, but that's how it is. For proof you can look at ME2 and under Silica's equipped skills she has "1h short sword" skill.

Although I'm not sure about polearms, lances/spears are divided into 1h and 2h types called "assault spears." Most weapons are also divided into 1h/2h as well, like axes, hammers, straight swords, curved swords and assault spears.

As for shield skills, it is hard to even get a straight answer from looking at ME2 info that the author provided. Klein has "light shield" skill, but Heathcliff doesn't have any shield skills yet still uses huge shields. Unless Holy Sword automatically grants the user all shield skills? Idk. There's also "hate" skills that draw aggro in battle (I believe) like Klein's Fighting Spirit or Heathcliff's Spiritual Light.

I'm not even going to mention the various blacksmithing skills that Lizbeth has or all the merchant stuff Agil has.

The entire skill system of SAO... it's a mess. Plain and simple.

[Clarste]

Well, didn't they say in the first episode that there were tons of skills? There are tons of skills. One for each weapon type, one for each armor type, one for crafting each weapon and armor type ("craft 1H sword" is different from "craft 2H sword", for example), and some miscellaneous stuff like tracking and hiding and haggling.

Each skill has a level from 1 to 1000, and I believe you can only have so many skills at once, up to 10 or something like that. Once you have 10, you can only learn more by deleting them.

[Divini]

Originally Posted by styr

As for shield skills, it is hard to even get a straight answer from looking at ME2 info that the author provided. Klein has "light shield" skill, but Heathcliff doesn't have any shield skills yet still uses huge shields. Unless Holy Sword automatically grants the user all shield skills? Idk.

<Holy Sword> IS the shield. It's the sheath for the sword after all.

It is pretty logical to think that he should have a high level shield skill, considering how he wields <Holy Sword>. As for an explanation...

He IS Heathcliff after all.

Originally Posted by Clarste

Each skill has a level from 1 to 1000, and I believe you can only have so many skills at once, up to 10 or something like that. Once you have 10, you can only learn more by deleting them.

12 skills at once actually. (Unless "Unique skills" doesn't count, Asuna and Klein has 11 but I don't remember them saying they were at the skill limit)

[styr]

Originally Posted by Divini

<Holy Sword> IS the shield. It's the sheath for the sword after all.

It is pretty logical to think that he should have a high level shield skill, considering how he wields <Holy Sword>. As for an explanation...

Ya, that's what I figured. But it is still confusing to name a shield skill with 'sword' in it's name. "Holy Shield" would have made a lot more sense, but oh well.

@Clarste - according to Lizbeth's forging skills, weapon crafting is classified based on damage type not weapon type. The only weapon forging skills she had were 'Slash Weapon Forging', 'Thrust Weapon Forging' and 'Blunt Weapon Forging' along with Light/Heavy Armor forging, Metal Repairing and Metal Refining.

[ZGMF-X10A]

Originally Posted by Clarste

Normally speaking, you can't be killed in town at all so you might think sleeping in the street is safe, but apparently they can drag you outside of town and stuff (there's an anti-harassment feature where you can prevent people from touching you, but you have to turn it on yourself, so it's useless while you're asleep).

you serious? this is so funny.

Can they steal from you? or strip you from your armor?

[Anh_Minh]

They can use your hand to operate your menu, so yes.

[vansonbee]

Can players conceive a child? :O or XXX

[Ray]

Originally Posted by vansonbee

Can players conceive a child? :O or XXX

Nope. They can have sexual intercourse, however.

[vansonbee]

Originally Posted by Aphrah

Nope. They can have sexual intercourse, however.

What volume, was this confirm in?

Can anyone spoil me, when the protagonist finally ends the game at what age and did he get to reunite with his sister?

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by vansonbee

Can anyone spoil me, when the protagonist finally ends the game at what age and did he get to reunite with his sister?

Spoiler for ending:

It ends when he's 16 years old and yes, he reunites with his sister.

[Netto Azure]

Originally Posted by vansonbee

What volume, was this confirm in?

Spoiler for Source:

It's the infamous and controversial fanfic the the author wrote, Chapter 16.5. Look it up on Google if you'd like. It's divisive to the fandom anyways due to the moral implications.

[Vocah]

Originally Posted by Netto Azure

Spoiler for Source:

It's the infamous and controversial fanfic the the author wrote, Chapter 16.5. Look it up on Google if you'd like. It's divisive to the fandom anyways due to the moral implications.

Spoiler for chapter 16.5? why?:

Honestly, do you need it spelled out? I found chapter 16 to be more than clear enough for it to be 100% confirmed on the possibility of sex

[Netto Azure]

Originally Posted by Vocah

Spoiler:

Honestly, do you need it spelled out? I found chapter 16 to be more than clear enough for it to be 100% confirmed on the possibility of sex

You'd be surprised at how dense people could be.

[styr]

Originally Posted by Netto Azure

You'd be surprised at how dense people could be.

Spoiler for Vol 1 Ch 16:

Maybe Asuna/Kirito just slept in the same bed together because it was cold?

I agree with Vocah that Ch 16 was very obvious about what went down.

[shinobu-chan]

Can anyone elaborate living areas [towns] to me? Is there one in each of the floating castle's floor or are there just specific floors with towns on it. I recall them using a teleport stone calling out an area name so I was just wondering..