Why I wont use magic duel , ever, never again, I swear

[IKerensky]

I just lost my Astral 5, Banner of the Northed to Astral 6, Prince of Death Ermor pretender to a ....

Jotunheim , goblin mage with a puny astral 1 !!!!

I think this guy could just got the award for the best gold/kill ratio, except if you consider a pretender is free...

Anyway, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by IKerensky:
I just lost my Astral 5, Banner of the Northed to Astral 6, Prince of Death Ermor pretender to a ....
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You're only 5 astral ranks above your target: If you're not at least 6 Astral ranks better than your magic duel target, you will probably die.

[SurvivalistMerc]

Actually, I would love to see the same open-ended d6's used with astral duel that are used elsewhere. That would make astral risky for everyone, but there is, I'm sure, a reason why the devs decided not to use open ended dice here.

From what I've heard, it's your astral plus 1d6.

You: 6
Them: 1

If you roll 1 and they roll 6. (1/36 chance), then you both die. This isn't even a less than 1% chance regarding what occurred.

I find that the computer rarely forces an astral duel. So I try to avoid them unless I'm attacking something a lot more valuable than what I'm risking or have a great chance of success.

I've found those astral-2 merc magi quite useful against AIs that put astral 1 or 2 on their pretenders. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Raz 24]

Also the banner lower resistance to magic http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Raz 24:
Also the banner lower resistance to magic http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Magic resist doesn't have anything to do with magic duel, and the banner only lowers the carriers magic resistance.

[Blofeld]

I once saw my assault force including 2 Archdevils break their teeth on Astral-9 AI Sphinx pretender.
Until he cast Magic Duel on turn ~25 vs my astral-1 mage.
Puff! Goodbye mr. Sphinx! Better luck next time.

[SurvivalistMerc]

Blofeld,

I must confess that I am puzzled as to exactly what happened in that magic duel. This does not fit the description of magic duel given by the devs to Saber Cherry and me in another post.

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by SurvivalistMerc:
Blofeld,

I must confess that I am puzzled as to exactly what happened in that magic duel. This does not fit the description of magic duel given by the devs to Saber Cherry and me in another post. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Could you give a link to that post please? thank you.

[SurvivalistMerc]

I couldn't easily find it. But it's entitled something like "Saber Cherry...an astral favor if you please."

[Saber Cherry]

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=74;t=000772#000000

It's one post down.

[tinkthank]

Thank you

[Blofeld]

Gee, I was puzzled too.
It happened a while ago, so my memory is a bit hazy (bad habits), but I remember remnants of my army paralyzed due to sphinx' Astral Shield. After 20-some rounds sphinx regained fatigue to cast a spell, cast MD and bam! he's gone. He cast it against my Astral-1, astral-2 at most mage.

[Saber Cherry]

What level astral was the sphinx?

[Torvak]

Maybe went over 200 fatique with that spell. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[PvK]

Does magic duel not use open-ended dice, like everything else?

If it does, then anyone could lose to anyone else, given enough luck, which is what I would expect. Another gamble where the stronger one usually wins, but sometimes dies to something much weaker.

PvK

[Saber Cherry]

Originally posted by PvK:
Does magic duel not use open-ended dice, like everything else?<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Officially, closed dice are used.

[Blofeld]

Astral-9 1500 HP mean bastard of a sphinx. At first I though my puny mage cast MD and somehow got lucky. So I watched again ...yawn... twenty rounds later "[sphinx name here] cast Magic Duel". He's dead. I win.
It seems to contradict rules, indeed.
Memoria fragilia est so don't rely too much on my opinion.

Cheers

Originally posted by PvK:
If it does, then anyone could lose to anyone else, given enough luck, which is what I would expect. Another gamble where the stronger one usually wins, but sometimes dies to something much weaker.

PvK <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Even if it's closed die, an Astral 4 can win against a Astral 9 (if Defending). Or an Astral 5 can win against an Astral 9 (if initiating).

Though if you go from the odds (I do live in Vegas) the money is on the longshot since the investment of a Astral 9 far outweigh Astral 4. Especially since it's usually the Astral 9 that initiates so if you tie he loses his Astral Beast (and loses a rank in Astral if a Pretender).

[IKerensky]

Well, wouldn't it be better if tying the score only feeblemind the two duellist and not outright kill them ? of just a temporary ( battle lenght )feeblemind ?

Mutual slaughter seems a bit too much...