[ywl]

Originally posted by Windreaper:

quote:

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Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
Mikko: Just curious, in what ways do you feel astral magic is more important.

1) Dispel becoming astral-only.
2) It has the only dome that can actually Last through a barrage of province-crippling spells (not including dome of corruption but it is partly astral, too). Every other dome either dissolves from successful hits or doesn't stop spells.
3) The transportation spells, even if nerfed, are still damn useful.
4) Acashic Record. Good luck finding enough astral sites with astral lvl 1 mages without this spell.
5) Astral just got plenty o' more power spells, Strands of Arcane Power, anyone? (ok I admit games are usually too short to get one off but there's always the danger as research is faster nowadays).
6) I hate seeing my expensive sacred units going down to massed Soul Slays. +1mr for astral lvl 4 actually seems like a rather good deal (can't recall the actual opposition number for magic resistance tests anymore [12?] but I recall every point above 10 helps a bunch).
7) The items, 'nuff said.

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1) Agree.
2) Not really. The "Dome of Arcane Warding" has time limit. Other domes are good enough. You can stack one dome over another - can we still do it in Dom2?
3) Yes. But it's not so overpowerful anymore. "Farey Trod" seems to be better than "Gateway" now. Also, Death gets the "Stygina Paths" for travelling (Thaumatury 8). The level 9 "Astral Travel" is good but well, it's level 9.
4) Why? How about "Astral Probing" - only Evocation 2? "Acashic Record" has a very high gem cost. It is only useful when you know there are more than one uncovered sites (not the case in Dom2?).
5) I think "Strands of Arcane Power" is the reason to avoid Astral? It seems to be just a massive "Mind Duel" and only one Astral mage will survive without a feeble mind. So, only an Astral King or Queen could afford casting it.
6) Useful. But give them Lesser Fear (Death 4), Regeneration (Nature 9), Protection +4 (Earth 4) are not bad deal neither.
7) What items? I find the most useful items in Earth and Nature paths - "Boot of the Behemoth", "Ring of Regeneration".

I find both Nature and Death are also hugely upgraded. I haven't had enough time check on Blood yet. Astral is good but I don't really find it overwhemingly so.