Arcane Nexus

Velusion · #1 May 28th, 2007, 03:29 AM

I only play in big games - an personally I think AN is overpowered. It simply doesn't scale well and overshadows everything else. It's biggest problem is that in big games all you need to do is get it up for a couple turns and you have enough pearls to cast it again if it is dispelled. When the game devolves into simply keeping one specific spell up or bringing it down it isn't much fun.

Forge of the Ancients is also overpowered IMHO, but not to the game crippling extent that AN is.

P.S. The spell is also bugged in that you get pearls for everything forged/cast on the first turn you cast it.

Meglobob · #2 May 28th, 2007, 05:20 AM

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.

Velusion · #3 May 28th, 2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

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 · #4 May 28th, 2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

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 · #5 May 28th, 2007, 07:39 PM

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 · #6 May 28th, 2007, 08:50 PM

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 · #7 May 28th, 2007, 11:48 PM

Quote:

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 · #8 May 28th, 2007, 11:51 PM

Quote:

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 · #9 May 29th, 2007, 12:23 AM

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.