Dear Funcom:

It's not the combos that make your melee combat so fun. It's easy to think that, but it's not.

It's the fact that I can swing a weapon and everything that it hits, it hits. It's running up to mobs and just going at it. That's visceral joy.

Don't nerf that. You'll be watering down the best part of your game.

Funcom's stealth changes have been decreasing the damage dealt on multiple mobs. I don't know all of the details, but it's a noticeable difference as I play. In the next patch, they're taking this even further:

So now we'll have to pay more attention to our targets.

Weeks ago I could handle 5 mobs my level with ease and even push it to 7 mobs (although my death rate would go up considerably). I'm playing a Polearm "Frenzy" Guardian, a class and spec that's specifically aimed toward holding and dealing with crowds of mobs.

Lately however, I cannot handle the same mobs in groups of 3 and even 2 can cut it awfully close. I could previously clear a Villa without any deaths as long as I paid attention, but now I'm dying repeatedly. I realize this is in part to leveling up higher, but even scaling back like that feels odd, shouldn't I be more powerful at Endgame?

I understand getting nerfed, I could accept that, but that's not what this is about.

The number one joy of this game has been the combat. I love not having to target, I love running in and grabbing mobs like some kind of berzerker warrior. I love that my polearm hits what it swings through, that it's NOT target-based combat. Or at least that it's less-emphasized on the target, there should only be a marginal difference. I should sweep my weapon through mobs again with the thrill of watching them all take noticeable damage.

Funcom, please, don't reduce the best parts of this game to appease players who are demanding what they're accustomed to in other games. I understand you want to balance, but don't water down your game in the process.

Let the balance-obsessed players decide to play the classed they perceive to be overpowered, they'll do that anyway. Don't nerf away the biggest thing this game has going for it. This is 100% about the fun factor.

I know that a lot of my readers are more PvE-oriented, so to offset the PvP footage I just posted, here's an excellent interview and gameplay video of PvE team combat in Age of Conan, which highlights combos well.

The video was taken at E3 last month and is split into two parts. I love the polearm action that does look like something right out of a fighting game ala Soul Calibur. The Necromancer's small personal army of pets is pretty damn cool too.

Once again though, Funcom overdoes their god-mode cheats during demonstrations, in this case they 3man and Solo a raid dungeon designed for 24 players (standard team size in Age of Conan is 6), although that does let them show off a couple bosses.

I'm trying to be patient... March.. heh.