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Posted: **Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:17 pm**

I saw in the changes where the length of the debuff spells ie weaken and curse for npc creatures had been changed. However today a snake magi hit me with a -26 weaken spell. If I had gotten an equivelent curse spell cast on me and a flame strike I would have probably died from the one flame strike. I wasn't buffed because I was just mining with regular shovels. It was already touch and go solo fighting tough npc spell caster like bloodlich and such. With the decreased effectiveness of player buffs and this increased effectiveness of npc spells I think its reached the undoable point. Ok no undoable but you better be real tuned to runningn away a lot until the npc debuff spells wearr off. You cant keep magic reflection up all the time. Especially not with a hybrid character where you mana is limited in first place. I mean I thought magic resist was supposed to be improved? With 80 MR -26 weaken is pretty rugged and this wasnt even what I considered to be a top level npc spell caster???

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:41 am**

I was hunting in lower Deceit when a Bloodliche did the same thing to me. With my poor attempt at buffing myself, the curse was more than all the buffs put together (strength+bless, agility+bless)...

I love it.

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:50 am**

It makes Cursing a threat, as it should be.

-M

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 5:33 am**

Ok, on this same topic, sorta.... if arch protect effects only friendlies in the target area, I am wondering if mass curse effects only hostiles? I haven't tried it because I am so used to it just cursing EVERYTHING around me, and didn't want my dragon taking a bite outta me for a mis-cast... I have also noticed the increase in NPC cast curses and think it makes battling ANY caster that much more interesting... except, of course, those that cast without power words... hehe, those have become a real pain, but I like it either way.

Cel

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 5:39 am**

I curse all the time.

Oh you mean the spell :twisted:

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 5:44 am**

Myr wrote:I curse all the time.

Oh you mean the spell

You'd think someone who curses would know how to spell the words, wouldn't you.

My lame joke for the day.

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:00 pm**

Marius the Black wrote:It makes Cursing a threat, as it should be.

-M

A threat? A bit more than that when its more than 2 times as effective as my bless spell when I have 108% magery. Npcs already had massive mana pools. I really would like a chance to survive here. I mean yeah 1 on 1 I have a decent chance if I know when to run. The real problem here is its rarely 1 on 1. In Deciet you usually have 2 mages at a time. Hell sometimes 5 or more at a time. I had to run away to heal a lot before. Now I will just die a lot. The only 3 things you had to protect you from mages were magic resist, magic reflection and a lot of hitpoints.
Magic resist is less effective (hence -26 weaken)
Magic reflection only works for 1 spell and I have NEVER seen it reflected on the creature casting at you here. Ie they cast flame strike and their life bar doesn't go red. Maybe they are always casting something else first. Either way it doesn't really help. If magic reflect worked for a short time vice one spell it might actually help. Even 1 or 2 minutes would give you a chance to close and do some damage to the mage.
With buffs being degraded you don't have as many hitpoints to soak up damage.

I like a challenge as much as the next person. It was a challenge before now its just beyond that.

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:21 pm**

Hmmm, if you're having that much trouble with those casters I suggest investing in a few more skills: Music and Provoke for one set. Even at 60 skill in each, you will find, especially with a mage, their services invaluable against many creatures that seek to do you harm. Heck, you even have a chance, albeit, a slim chance, of "dazzling" even an anceint dragon! And the ability the make 2 of those casters start slinging spells at each OTHER, instead of at you I should think you would find most interesting. Another set of skills you might want to invest in would be hiding and sneaking, although these are all but useless at less than a minimum of 80 skill, they are just as effective on the "keeping me safe from danger" front. Leadership used a screen away when you can only see a single name of one of those casters will bring them out to you one at a time, where you may deal with them in a more head-to-head enviroment (60 skill in provoke works the same way). Perhaps archery? To fling your own damage causing projectiles back their way? Alchemy? To mix up some of MY favorite brews: gr. explosions? And don't forget that LOS plays the single most important role in the life of any caster... use it to your advantage, and to their DISadvantage at all times. A well placed wall of stone can mean the difference between life and death in some of these dungeons... especially with 3-4 bloodliches, 3-4 bone warlocks, and various other little nasty buggers all trying to flamestrike you out of existance.

Cel

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:01 pm**

This whole deal with debuffs is a double-bladed sword, you know. Enemy spellcasters are getting fond of the spell, but their increased effectiveness is good for PC casters. Don't forget that game balance includes balancing the power of npc's vs pc's as well as balancing magery vs fencing.
:wink:

Besides, if the spellcasting monsters aren't dangerous anymore, Drocket and company will have to reduce their value - ie reduce how much loot they drop and how often they drop magic items. I'm not sure how many really want to see that happen.
:twisted:

And another thing that will keep you alive when the Bloodliches and other baddies gang up on you is a friend. Tanks may not be good for much, but can distract the heck out of enemy spellcasters.

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:35 pm**

I can't belive I forgot that! Thank you Dell! Yes, by all means, take a tank with you! I cannot tell you the value of having someone up front absorbing those spells while you sit behind and sling your own is... Also, there's one more I might add as well: try your hand at taming. I know that as a mage you don't have room for taming in a primary slot, which puts greats out of your repertoir, but a well buffed drake can be quite effective, especially vs. some of the weaker bodied casters like liches, etc.

Cel

Posted: **Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:55 pm**

all that casting is gone to our poor mages heads. the primo mage aggravator is the archer.
another rotten thing to do to a poor npc mage is drop a blade spirit right beside him. this is just about guaranteed to take his mind off you at least briefly. this can bear most spectacular fruit if there are any tanky sorts about as they will rush over to support the npc mage. who if you are a little bit lucky do something area effect on the poor little bs thereby causing his own support crew to aggro on him. this works so well agin pretorians it ought to be outlawed.

Posted: **Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:05 pm**

Remember that NPC:s donÂ´t meditate or make campfires => they use all their mana in matter of seconds and after it theyre just as hard to kill as my horse.

btw Drocket, why donÂ´t they meditate ? :twisted:

Posted: **Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:20 pm**

Maddox wrote:Remember that NPC:s donÂ´t meditate or make campfires => they use all their mana in matter of seconds and after it theyre just as hard to kill as my horse.

btw Drocket, why donÂ´t they meditate ?

They don't need to meditate they already have huge mana pools.

Posted: **Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:32 pm**

Celeste Kendreyl wrote:Hmmm, if you're having that much trouble with those casters I suggest investing in a few more skills: Music and Provoke for one set. Even at 60 skill in each, you will find, especially with a mage, their services invaluable against many creatures that seek to do you harm.

I do have 60/60 music/provoke. I use it. It was very helpful for a hybrid character. Of course if you cant survive the intial round of flame strikes from the multiple casters provoke is a moot point. Also its on the to do list of changes to make provoke even weaker than it is now.

Heck, you even have a chance, albeit, a slim chance, of "dazzling" even an anceint dragon! And the ability the make 2 of those casters start slinging spells at each OTHER, instead of at you I should think you would find most interesting. Another set of skills you might want to invest in would be hiding and sneaking, although these are all but useless at less than a minimum of 80 skill, they are just as effective on the "keeping me safe from danger" front.

Dont have any secondary skill slots open. ) And again my intent is not to hide from them but to kill them. )

Leadership used a screen away when you can only see a single name of one of those casters will bring them out to you one at a time, where you may deal with them in a more head-to-head enviroment (60 skill in provoke works the same way).

Leadership perhaps if you mean taunting them. Henchies at 60% just mean a lot of rezzing.

Perhaps archery? To fling your own damage causing projectiles back their way?

I have 60% archery. Still doesnt address how to survive against multiple spellcasters. You can only target one npc at a time. They can ALL target you.

Alchemy? To mix up some of MY favorite brews: gr. explosions?

I use these some but unless your 5 casters are nice enough to stand in a cluster not much help.

And don't forget that LOS plays the single most important role in the life of any caster... use it to your advantage, and to their DISadvantage at all times. A well placed wall of stone can mean the difference between life and death in some of these dungeons... especially with 3-4 bloodliches, 3-4 bone warlocks, and various other little nasty buggers all trying to flamestrike you out of existance.

Wall of stone is fine as a block but it does block you too. If all I want to do is not get killed I can just not go in dungeon. )

None of this addresses the heart of the matter.

Cel

Posted: **Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:35 pm**

Dell-Leafsong wrote:This whole deal with debuffs is a double-bladed sword, you know. Enemy spellcasters are getting fond of the spell, but their increased effectiveness is good for PC casters. Don't forget that game balance includes balancing the power of npc's vs pc's as well as balancing magery vs fencing.

Besides, if the spellcasting monsters aren't dangerous anymore, Drocket and company will have to reduce their value - ie reduce how much loot they drop and how often they drop magic items. I'm not sure how many really want to see that happen.

And another thing that will keep you alive when the Bloodliches and other baddies gang up on you is a friend. Tanks may not be good for much, but can distract the heck out of enemy spellcasters.

They were dangerous before. They are more dangerous now. Didnt see loot levels increase?

If you agree to be on everytime I need a hunting buddy sure. Otherwise it kinda limits your huinting time.