So far what nations look strong... and weak?

Jasper · #1 November 24th, 2003, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
Any other opinions? Does anyone out there ENJOY what magic duel brings to the game? This is perhaps the question that needs to be asked.

I like Magic Duel, despite the limitations on Pretender design it induces. It's a decent limitation on Astral magic, which IMHO is brutally powerfull without it -- it's strong enough as it currently stands. I also like it's flavor, and the way it differentiates Astral from other paths.

Astral magic has some of the most powerfull Evocations, Alterations, and Thaumaturgy.
Star Fires, Stellar Cascades, Ethereal, Luck, Astral Weapon, Astral Shield, Teleport, Gateway, Soul Slay, Mind Hunt. It's got a bunch of good spells that also require other paths too. It's argueably the most powerfull path, despite Gateway and Star Fires being weakened.

My only problem with Magic Duel is that I think it should do 200 fatigue damage rather than kill the loser(s).

#2 November 24th, 2003, 01:38 AM

I have never seen the AI initiate a Magic Duel and yes you do have to script it. Or cast a Mind Hunt.

Kaljamaha · #3 November 24th, 2003, 01:45 AM

I've had the AI use Magic Duel against me, quite successfully even. For the whole story, check my post in the "Dominions 2. AI. Suggestions, that how to fix it." thread, currently on page two.

K.

Keir Maxwell · #4 November 24th, 2003, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jasper:

quote:
Originally posted by apoger:
Any other opinions? Does anyone out there ENJOY what magic duel brings to the game?

I like Magic Duel,
. . .
My only problem with Magic Duel is that I think it should do 200 fatigue damage rather than kill the loser(s).

Thats a big difference Jasper. If that was what Mind Duel did my objections would decline.

As another poster put - all those discussions on dom1 races that ended with "I would play it except for the vunerability to mind duel." That sentence summerises Marignon race discussions in Dom1.

I love designing and honing races. Doing so for me is closely tied with questions like - does it work in MP? Though I play only a fraction of my designs in MP that is what they exist in relation to. Mind Duel is a killer on Multi-player options. MP needs lots of options or it becomes a bit stale over time what with all the analysis and play that goes on.

And that is why I dislike Mind Duel so much in its current form.

The good news is that banning Mind Duel from use seems to work fine.

Does banning Mind Duel make Astral too powerful - dunno.

Cheers

Keir

ps. I tend to agree with Jasper that Astral remains one of the most powerful branches of magic.

apoger · #5 November 24th, 2003, 02:43 AM

>That sentence summerises Marignon race discussions in Dom1.

Heh, check out Tein Chi. They are the new poster child for magic duel smack down. Makes Marignon look strong (from an astral standpoint).

I like the fatigue idea, but would suggest 100 rather than 200. If it's 200 and the mage has cast a singe spell, it'll be instant death. Perhaps the new "paralyzed" flag would be better than fatigue?

#6 November 24th, 2003, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Astral magic has some of the most powerfull Evocations, Alterations, and Thaumaturgy.
Star Fires, Stellar Cascades, Ethereal, Luck, Astral Weapon, Astral Shield, Teleport, Gateway, Soul Slay, Mind Hunt. It's got a bunch of good spells that also require other paths too. It's argueably the most powerfull path, despite Gateway and Star Fires being weakened.

Yes, all those spells that are very good and help to build very strong individuals, they are also mostly low path requirements.
Star Fires 1 Astral
Stellar Cascades 2 Astral
Body Ethereal 1 Astral
Luck 1 Astral
Astral Weapon 1 Astral
Astral Shield 1 Astral

... etc.

All you need is 4 Astral, or even 3 or 2 if you want to try to empower.

I think that Mind Duel is to make the very powerful effects of Astral have a reprecussion and lower the chance of the Supercombatant armies that they have been fighting since Dom1.

Edit: I didn't mean that Astral was not powerful; but with the inclusion of Mind Duel it's power is not overt. You take a chance having Astral as opposed to any other school which has no countermeasure. I had way too many conversations and Posts going on at the time ;/

[ November 24, 2003, 01:14: Message edited by: Zen ]

Graeme Dice · #7 November 24th, 2003, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
I like the fatigue idea, but would suggest 100 rather than 200. If it's 200 and the mage has cast a singe spell, it'll be instant death. Perhaps the new "paralyzed" flag would be better than fatigue?

That sounds more in tune with my image of a duel on the astral plane. Have them paralyzed for the rest of the battle (60+ turns) with an easily negated MR check to avoid feebleminding.