TRUE effectiveness of VQ/castling/clam-hoarding

[Kel]

Originally posted by Chazar:

The answer I'd appreciate would be something like: yeah you must give her other magic paths in order to make her the super VQ everyone is complaining about - so that I can use her the same way I did without having a bad remorse...

I won't go into any imbalance issues but to answer your question and make the VQ effective requires low level path magic to give her access to combat magic. This is true of many SC pretenders, not just the VQ. The advantage of the VQ (whether she is balanced or not) is her immortality plus the fact that she doesn't really need items at all to be effective (until the late game), she has numerous traits, built in, that you would normally use equipment for (ethereal, flying, regen).

You can build her a lot of different ways but one example would be 2 air, 1 water, 2 earth, scripting her to quickness/mistform/mirror image/Summon earth power/invulnerability (or ironskin for earlier game). Or 2 air, 2 water, 1 earth and swap in breath of winter and ironskin for invulnerability.

You can do a lot of other things with her, like giving her fire for phoenix pyre or more death for soul vortex or what not but the above should be a good start for you to play around with, I think.

- Kel

[ May 27, 2004, 15:01: Message edited by: Kel ]

Originally posted by Stormbinder:
Thank you Johan, that's a very good news. It's great to know that developers are dedicated to continuous balancing and enchancing their game long after the release, not to mention being so active and in touch in the players community. It is very rare sign these days.

I am very tempted to ask what else will be in the patch (especailly if there will be, by any chance, something about 2 other hot topics being discussed here and elsewhere - "mad castling" and "clam hoarding", in the next), but I guess I should better cultivate my patience and wait for it.

Anyway, thanks for sharing it with us Johan.

You might not want to hurray as much as you are. It's not a drastic change and the VQ is still virtually the same. Only in line with the appropriate cost to the Liches. There are other more significant changes that might make you hurray more that impact the same 'problem' with VQ's.

[Reverend Zombie]

Originally posted by Zen:
There are other more significant changes that might make you hurray more that impact the same 'problem' with VQ's.

Are these other changes of which you speak included in the next patch, or not included in the next patch?

[Cohen]

In fact a raise of the cost of the VQ would be not so nerfing ... especially if you play Ermor non default theme.

[NTJedi]

In case no one has noticed...
Cohen is the president of the Norfleet fan club.

website is still in production.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Zen:
You might not want to hurray as much as you are. It's not a drastic change and the VQ is still virtually the same. Only in line with the appropriate cost to the Liches. There are other more significant changes that might make you hurray more that impact the same 'problem' with VQ's.

Is this tested for reverse-compatibility with existing games, or will all existing games be broken by this?

Just for you Norfleet I'm sure there will be some sort of incompatibility where you'll have to spend hours fighting and reinstalling and doing any number things that we will hear self-righteous complaints about them.

Baring that, I can assure you that both IW and the Beta Testers are looking for any 'Utgard'-like issues for the next patch.

[ May 27, 2004, 16:50: Message edited by: Zen ]