Shattered Kingdoms

I propose etherealform should not be able to be applied while the person trying to apply it is in combat. My reasons being:

Mercenaries
Barbarians
Swashbucklers
Paladins
Hellions
Shamans
Scouts

all these classes are unable to go ethereal or deal with people who are ethereal. There are some items in the game that allow non-spellcasters to go ethereal but they are extremely rare. With the abundance of ways to go ethereal whether through scrolls or the wand of spinning vortices/mottled rod this is giving spellcasters a large advantage in the risk factor associated with PVP.

If this change is unable to be made, then let me propose a "fatigue" type effect associated with it. It's being used way too much as a get out of jail free card.

I dunno.

Mercs get retreat, sanctified warriors and shamans get WoR, scouts can skirmish away... there's a lot of get out of jail cards floating around your list.

Sorcerors are too fragile not to be able to use etherealform in combat.

I could see introducing a few more sources of etherealform for warriors, though.

Nearly pissed myself laughing at that statement.

There used to be an apothecary in the game that had a list a mile long of pills that changed each tick. Among them was an ethereal form pill. However this shop was removed because EVERYONE who was a twink could kill a sorc without even needing to think about it.

Sorc's have received many buffs since then but Ethereal form is the only REAL form of defense a sorc has.

Hasted mercs / furied barbs can cut through 4-6 of a sorcs MI in 1 round leaving them exposed for a bash.

See also: ranged combat

There were etherealform pills after the apothecary was removed.

The sorcerer weakness is compensated for by group formation. I don't see it as a valid argument, especially while under the effects of something like taunt that you'd be level headed enough to go, oh, if I can zap etherealform, I can escape.

I would move for a broader spectrum look at magical devices. I don't think that it is necessarily the problem of a wand or scroll of etherealform, but a broader picture that caster classes are able to get hold of spells in another form that easily increases their capabilities beyond the norm.

I'll posit this: is it necessarily a good thing to have scrolls that respawn, if a player fails to effectively use a scroll, in other words, to land a kill with it, is it acceptable for them to wait for a scroll to respawn to take a second chance in 10-30 minutes.

It's an inherent problem with caster classes, they are so generously rewarded for having lower hps, and less effective armor (questionably) that it has become absurd. Melee classes depend on things like haste and giant strength to become more effective, yet must suffer through a penalty in the form of fatigue, while a spellcaster who can increase his potency through the use of art, and magical devices (staves/scrolls/wands) suffers no perceivable penalty when they increase their abilities.

It's just odd seeing a sorcerer use spirit horde or finger of death when it doesn't come in their skillset, while there is no way for a class such as a barbarian to somehow learn how to trip.

However, personally I do believe something needs done about the use of escape means. If, for example, someone is taunted, and are unable to use a word of recall potion to escape from combat, then why is it then acceptable for them to use a wand of etherealform to escape? This is how the code currently works.

It needs changed so that PK will not revolve around PK attempts to bag kills. As the old adage goes, a player can wreck another player 100 times, but all that matters is that one time that they die. In other words, a player can be losing by being sent packing 100 times by another player, but all they need is the 1 time they actually kill someone. Where is the risk and reward in this system? It doesn't involve people stepping up their game or devising better strategies, it just rewards the mentality of, "well, I can escape and I'll get him *eventually*".

Leave tactics to the big boys. I can think of several things that also increase the survivability of sorcerers, and many that I think far more effective than etherealform.

In fact, I don't ever really like using etherealform. It limits your options and leaves you open to classes such as rogues and bards.

So, if I understand you right, you're saying that consumables should be harder to get?



Irony aside, you raise an important question. There is no tangible reward to PVP from the system.

You cannot try to balance something on what class can do what. Some skills and spells give them advantages, etherealform for sorcs, circle backstab for Rogues, camo for scouts, BoG for paladins. The list goes on and on. Guess what some classes get things that can screw over other classes. Its a game learn to find ways around it.

The only thing I will agree on is adding fatigue after etherealform is released. Or to be completely cruel give them disorientation after using it.