Magic Duel is a very real threat in the hands of certain players. If you want to see it abused, try playing T'ien Ch'i and relying on Celestial Masters in a MP game with Pythium, Arco, or R'leyh in the game as well and you will see it's effectiveness.

While I admit the other nations with at least 2 in Astral have a minor thought of Mind Duel, any nation with 1 Astral on their primary -expensive- mage has to worry about such things.

And Quickness and Mind Duel on the Astral King will wipe out huge masses of small end Mind Duelers. In my Experience Astral 7+ on an Astral King can typically nullify anything with 3 and Below Astral and kill them all with very little actual threat to him (weird luck aside).

Also Mind Hunt is a very real threat if you go into their Dominion with your Astral Mages.

[ March 18, 2004, 22:30: Message edited by: Zen ]