Shattered Kingdoms

Warlocks do really well in the cabals with room-affecting spells.

Firstly, I'd count MC as a tribunal due to obvious reasons. Secondly, given the concentration needed to hold up undeads, I'd value a beefy, non dispellable, non-cancellationable tank plus more or less any conceivable buff over the cabal abilities in question.

:edit: And to fluffster, third row warlocks ftw.

Thats exactly what I was saying. Are you saying the buffs have nothing to do with it? Or do you think having a meatshield guard NPC in front of you is what makes them more powerful?

I'm saying that the meat shield is the primary reason for most classes to be in a tribunal. I can actually only think of a swash who benefits more from buffs than from a NPC.

Buffs are nice, don't get me wrong - but the meat shield is a way bigger portion.

Maybe thats why my opinion differs then, because I play a swash

Hehe, then I understand completely - but every other class utilizes the possibility of being behind a beefy NPC perfectly. Swashies are the only class who cannot be efficient behind a NPC. The buffs make them hellraisers, though.

I cannot say that I would prioritize tribunals over cabals as a swash, apart from RP reasons, though. On that account, you are right.

I dunno. Mercs, depending on race/spec, advancement on necessary skills, and level can be quite nasty with buffs and still in the front row w/o the meat shield.

Sure they can, it's an additional incentive, but a merc with a spear behind a beefy law NPC (which dishes quite some damage out itself) will always have an advantage against a caballed one - not to mention that he will have buffs on top of that.

Of course there are situations when the odds are shifted, namely when the tribunal NPC is unavailable or in clinch situations. Do not get me wrong, I think tribunals and cabals are perfectly balanced as it is (some law NPCs could use a wimp, though) - and I'm a little lost as to how the debate got skewed to this.

You're not the only one.

I think that with the exception of bard/priest/sorc, there is a cabal/race combo that is better than any tribunal combo for all classes.

And if 'merc' is your best example..I consider 3/5 cabals (MC not included) to be better for merc than any tribunal would be. Tribunals were massively wimped when religious spells became unorderable.