Paralysis is overpowered.

[K]

Originally Posted by NTJedi

Well first let me say I've been here a long long time and I seriously doubt the developers will make any changes to the current paralyze spell in DOM_3... so you can sleep safely.

Second the reduced duration I mentioned is for addressing two issues, none which have been discussed. The first is because current battle turns have an auto-retreat and an auto-kill too early which conflicts with the duration of battles in history. The auto-kill and auto-retreat were done to prevent a game turn from taking too long, unfortunately despite computers advancing and becoming more powerful the gamers currently have no options for increasing these auto-kill and auto-retreat settings. The paralyze spell basically makes a unit, mage or SC completely worthless for the usually the rest of the battle and if the target is struck with paralyze twice then the unit, mage or SC can be killed not by units but because of a game mechanic due to the auto-kill game turn limit... illogical. The second reason for the suggested reduced duration is because the game links magic resistance and the minds mental strength... hence spells like iron will. The second reason is because it seems only logical a creature of a strong mind(magic_resistance) should be able to break free much more quickly from a mind spell like paralysis compared to say an average militia unit. It's actually baffling to me why size even plays any part for reducing paralysis considering the huge size and seriously low intellect of most dinosaurs.

Logic vs. magic or abstraction means that magic/abstraction always wins. I could seriously come up with ten different reasons why the turn limit for battles exists based or why Paralyze works the way it does based on real-world examples OR magical reasons based on Dominion's system of magic, so any argument based on "but it doesn't make sense to me" doesn't survive.

This is fantasy, so even bad reasons can be logical.

[Adept]

[quote=K;634346][quote=NTJedi;634337]

Originally Posted by konming

Considering that the pro-SC crowd won't accept more than a few turns of paralysis for a fully buffed and kitted out SC

Burn strawman burn. Nobody has said that. Who is this mysterious lobby anyway?

[AreaOfEffect]

I've said this before, but since we're taking about perception I'll say it again.

The real problem with people's perception in this regard is that many have concluded that paralysis equals death. This is not true in the same way that paralysis equals removed from battle. Though the spell is intended to remove the unit, it still has a presence on the field and can be attacked. If paralyzed the unit is also not dead and can even be more harmful to the enemy by being unable to retreat.

If paralysis is as bad as you claim then, by all means, counter it with combatants that don't care. Use fire shields, poison clouds, or items that auto-cast spells. Then stack on protection and now it matters less that you can't move, attack, or defend yourself. If your really sick of your SCs dying all together then learn to always play with death magic and use immortal units with a strong dominion strategy.

[zzcat]

S2 & S3 make a big difference. Because of the extreme duration, paralyze is almost as powerful as soul slay and disintegrate. We know disintegrate need Alt 8, and there is no way to empower death path other than item & communion. But with a mere astral gem(light of the northern star), all S1 mage in the battlefield can spam paralyze like crazy. I think it's overpowered for a Thau 4 spell. Either increasing the prerequisite to S3 or increasing the research level to 6(same as frozen heart) or 7 looks fine to me. Or give it a reasobable duration like 3-5 rounds.

[konming]

Originally Posted by zzcat

S2 & S3 make a big difference. Because of the extreme duration, paralyze is almost as powerful as soul slay and disintegrate. We know disintegrate need Alt 8, and there is no way to empower death path other than item & communion. But with a mere astral gem(light of the northern star), all S1 mage in the battlefield can spam paralyze like crazy. I think it's overpowered for a Thau 4 spell. Either increasing the prerequisite to S3 or increasing the research level to 6(same as frozen heart) or 7 looks fine to me. Or give it a reasobable duration like 3-5 rounds.

A simple reverse communion and power of the sphere plus that banner of the northern star is all you need for S3. If you can go S2, you have all the research done for S3. And all that are required are just a bunch of S1 mages.

[zzcat]

Originally Posted by konming

A simple reverse communion and power of the sphere plus that banner of the northern star is all you need for S3. If you can go S2, you have all the research done for S3. And all that are required are just a bunch of S1 mages.

LoNS is virtually free for boosting 10+ mages in one round, but reverse communion is dangerous, I think it should be acceptable if one can take the risk.

[Micah]

Paralyze damage is (damage-size)/2 so on short duration things like mind blasts and a failed petrification size has a major effect, but paralyze does 60+ damage, so knocking off 6 isn't gonna make much of a dent. Seems like it actually works like it's supposed to as well. =)

[IndyPendant]

Finally, a debate that I have something to add to! ; )

Once you look at all the factors (100 Prec, long-ish range, low research, easy paths, low fatigue, paralysis duration, etc etc), it is very hard to consider Paralyze balanced in comparison to other SC killers. In that respect, Paralyze is overpowered.

However, it is also hard to consider SCs and thugs *themselves* as balanced, compared to regular armies. It is a common (although perhaps not universal) belief--one that I happen to share--that Dom3 late game in particular is all about the gems. Once the SCs and battlefield spells arrive, armies of 'regular' units become so much disposable chaff. In that respect, SCs are far more overpowered than Paralyze.

Anything that weakens SCs and thugs--balanced or not!--is a *very very good thing* in my book! ; )

--IndyPendant.

[Foodstamp]

The only thing annoying about paralyze is when your playing a nation where mages have more HP than your units. Since paralyze targets the units with the highest hp your units are virtually ignored while your mages are paralyzed. Can be a pita.

[ano]

LoNS is virtually free for boosting 10+ mages in one round, but reverse communion is dangerous, I think it should be acceptable if one can take the risk.

It is dangerous in no way. Just set your master to retreat or fire once he buffs the slaves with PoS and possibly Earthpower.