Arcane Nexus

[jutetrea]

I can see that to a certain extent if you're playing severely limited in paths, but for multi-path nations its HUGE. Tien Chi is a good example, lots of low level paths (1,2,3's to 2,3,4's) Couple boosters and you have capability of pretty much any item in the game at half cost.

I doubt its worth casting when limited to 1 or 2 paths, but 3 or 4 or a rainbow pretender and it definitely is... if you survive the repercussions

[Velusion]

Meglobob said:
I would really, really hate to lose such great spells as the forge of ancients and arcane nexus.

I think if globals are changed to give the effect the turn after being put up instead of the same turn. This gives a extra turn to dispel or replace arcane nexus.

It still doesn't change the fact that AN is a "game over" spell if it stays up - not a fun mechanic.

Oh I don't think it should be removed... but either reducing the effect to say %25 or upping the pearl cost to 300 would help a lot.

[mivayan]

Velusion said:
It still doesn't change the fact that AN is a "game over" spell if it stays up - not a fun mechanic.

Oh I don't think it should be removed... but either reducing the effect to say %25 or upping the pearl cost to 300 would help a lot.

Or set a roof for the income it can give. It costs 150 to cast, cap it at 100+2d6oe each turn? Then it's no stronger than... utterdark.

[Baalz]

Well, granted I haven't played a huge number of MP games, but I've yet to see it cast by someone who wasn't already very likely going to win anyway. I agree it's a critical bug that you get gems the first turn, but if it were changed so that there was a chance to dispel it before it payed out it then its fine. If you can keep it up despite the fact that you've basically declared war on everybody else in the game you deserve to win.

[Ygorl]

I'm in the "it's okay" camp, I think. It's obviously incredibly powerful, but if you can maintain it for a long time against the rest of the world's combined gem income (and remember, it costs 150 to cast and 30 to dispel) either you've got them way out-powered or they're not very smart, and in either case you're probably going to win. Or, they've got better things to spend their gems on, in which case maybe you won't win...

[Velusion]

Ygorl said:
...or they're not very smart...

You're confusing self-interest with common interest. Often players who are already getting beat up or who don't stand a chance at winning won't bother to help out. Why should they care? So in reality only a very select few nations who have a shot at winning care. Their combined pearl income is often less than the pearl income of the AN caster.

I dunno, seems like in the games I've lasted until the end AN always is the clincher that seals it. I'm just tired of participating in AN-dispel pacts that never seem to work. It just gets old and lame after awhile.

Id rather the game be decided by a climatic battle(s) then just see everyone's hands go up in the air and leave once the first dispel for AN fails. Feels cheesy.

[Velusion]

Baalz said:
Well, granted I haven't played a huge number of MP games, but I've yet to see it cast by someone who wasn't already very likely going to win anyway. I agree it's a critical bug that you get gems the first turn, but if it were changed so that there was a chance to dispel it before it payed out it then its fine. If you can keep it up despite the fact that you've basically declared war on everybody else in the game you deserve to win.

True the fix would help, but I don't think it would stop AN from still being the "Game Ender" for lots of games. I do agree the leader usually casts it - but I'd rather at least give the second and third place players a shot at beating the leader rather than just have them give up because hope is lost....

[vfb]

How about the caster of the Arcane Nexus gets a horror mark plus chance of horror attack every time gems roll in, the strength of which depends on the number of incoming gems? Like a private little AC just for the caster. It's not even totally unthematic, maybe the horrors are attracted by the spawning of the gems or something.

[Sir_Dr_D]

Arcane Nexus should cost at least 300 gems or higher in order to cast. And it is unfair that only astral gems can dispel it. What is a nation like Abysia to do?

[PvK]

Hmm, but the pacts I've participated in stressed not using magic that contributes to the nexus. So if there was a one-turn delay, and people mostly obeyed that pact, then the caster would just be gaining a delay in enemy mage/gem use. No?