Never use magic duel!!

[Master Shake]

So I tried out magic duel in a PBEM game. I knew the seiging force had an Astral2 and an Astral4 mages (as the only commanders). So I Gateway'd in several commanders. I figured I could defeat the castle storm quickly by simply killing the two enemy mages with Magic Duel.

I had an Astral 5 and an Astral 7 mage (my pretender!) scripted to Magic Duel after sufficiently buffing up (they were packed with antimagic gear and buffs, as well as penetration items). Well, my Astral 5 mage died Dueling the Astral 2 mage! And my Astral 7 mage died while killing the Astral 4 mage.

My loses: Astral 5 and Astral7 mage
Enenmy loses: Astral 4 mage

[ June 07, 2004, 14:22: Message edited by: Master Shake ]

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Master Shake:
I had an Astral 5 and an Astral 7 mage (my pretender!) scripted to Magic Duel after sufficiently buffing up (they were packed with antimagic gear and buffs, as well as penetration items).

None of those items would have any effect on the outcome.

[Master Shake]

I didn't think they would, but I mentioned them in case someone thought that was why my mages bought the farm.

[Tuna-Fish]

When magic duel is cast, it is highly likely that all affiliated die. That's why I just love using banner of the norhern star and lizard shaman to duel some pythians

[Norfleet]

You need to be either at least 6 ranks above the target you are duelling, so duelling an S4 mage requires an S10 mage, or you must be both redundant and expendable. Otherwise, never duel.

Examples: Towing around 5 Mystics makes you redundant, and since they're merely national mages, they're probably expendable, particularly if your target is valuable.

Being immortal makes you expendable in your dominion, but not necessarily redundant, if you're the only commander or duellist.

Being non-immortal, not being 6+ ranks above your target, means you are NOT expendable or redundant, and should not try duelling.

[ June 07, 2004, 20:25: Message edited by: Norfleet ]