Dead pretender poll

[licker]

Easy solution...

A tie results in the death of both (all) mages involved.

Or a tie results in some amount of fatigue for both mages, say 150+

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by Jasper:

quote:

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Regarding the initiator winning ties. Do you believe the opposite would lessen the impact of magic duels in pretender design and in marignon-arco/pythium balance?

Well, it would lessen the impact of Magic Duel, but I still like the Attacker winning ties. The attacker is taking a great risk, and the oppurtunity cost of the time to cast a spell is significant.[/QB]

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I second this, so for now (and if I count well) there's 2 votes pro, and 2 votes con - hem, who will win the tie? ;-)

[LordArioch]

I'd have to say the defender should win ties. It seems now that mages with mainly astral should be scripted to magic duel always. Odds are if he has equal or worse astral mages you kill all his mages and laugh, and if he has better mages he probably wants to magic duel you himself and beating him to it increases your odds.
Astral duel should be a fairly risky venture under almost any circumstances (unless you have an astral-10 mage or something ) Keep in mind this is a direct attack on enemy mages. Although I honestly think it might be better if the attacker wins on ties BUT the defender gets to use FULL magic skill or +1/2 other magics or something. It makes sense to me, and it would make some of the astral 1/mage/priest units a good deal more useful against astral nations with cheap mages that get a greater than 50% chance to kill them. But that's just my opinion and I freely admit I'm not too experienced.

[Humer]

I say let the attacker win ties. If player deems that the mage has enough skill in astral and is willing to risk the die (d6) roll then let her have the edge, however small. That 'small' edge might seem bigger for all you number crunchers, but the dice never do as expected, right?

And IMO the number cruching really has no meaning since the sample group of Magic Duels remains small in any game.

- Humer

edit: It's Magic Duel, not Mind! Bad spelling! Bad!

[ October 07, 2003, 05:32: Message edited by: Humer ]

[Nerfix]

I have a new contribution to this "heated" conversation!

What if nobody wins ties?

[Pocus]

Originally posted by Jasper:
If defenders win ties, then casting Magic Duel would be spending time to risk a mage in order to maybe a _cheaper_ mage. You'd want to know you had at least +2 and probably +3 more Astral than your target before considering Mage Duel.[/QB]

the problem I see is that you have already very big chances to win a duel even with an edge of +2, and with the tie for you. And +2 is so simple to have when you are Arco or Pythium versus (Marignon, Ctis, Jotun) that they will practically win more than 90% of the duels they initiate. The supremacy IMO is then so great that in a war between an astral 3/4 nation versus an astral 1/2, you are preventing the weaker astral to field any of their mages, thus crippling them enormously before even starting the fight.

I dont have the figures, but I would like to know what is the probability to win a duel, as the defender, when you are at -2 and when you loose tie. Thats must be pretty low.

Would you risk your grand masters at 270 gp apiece, or Witch Hunter (less costly, but even more loosy in an astral duel), knowing that you are facing Arco or Pythium? I dont think so. A single mystic with skull cap and medaillion (to counter the ones Marignon would field) would fries them all.

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by Pocus:
I dont have the figures, but I would like to know what is the probability to win a duel, as the defender, when you are at -2 and when you loose tie. Thats must be pretty low.

1/6 (17%) if the higher skilled mage initiates the duel, and 10/36 (28%) otherwise. But If the defender has 2 mages who take the risk to magic duel a single mage who's +2 in astral skill, the odds climb to 48%. With 3 mages, that's 61%. So even with winning ties, the risk for the attacker is real.

Would you risk your grand masters at 270 gp apiece, or Witch Hunter (less costly, but even more loosy in an astral duel), knowing that you are facing Arco or Pythium? I dont think so. A single mystic with skull cap and medaillion (to counter the ones Marignon would field) would fries them all.

The greatest threat comes from TPers/gaters, because you can't see them coming. But when that happens the defender has the benefit of the first shot. Look at the numbers above - 2 Witch Hunters cost only 300 gp, and have 48% chance to fry an Arch-Theurg which costs way more if they duel first. Things are not as desperate as you think.