Trading commanders, exploit or not?

[Gandalf Parker]

Ive often suggested that there should be a list of standardized rules for MP games. Too many arguments break out where the gist of it is something along the lines of "everyone knows" when obviously everyone doesnt know or agree.

However I have also added that there will never, and should never, be just one. There should be a number of them. One single collection point for such rules would really help. Threads could refer to "and everything on Rule Set #4" and link to that site or thread. It would also help people who are starting games to remember items that they did want to ban from their game. Or at least cut way down on some of the pre-game conversations by being able to say "I browsed the rules list and considered everything some people ban".

To answer the initial question: No I dont think its an exploit. In fact its one of my favorite things to do. But I can see where it might be considered unfair in duels and such where the winner is expected to win based just on their own strategies without help from others.

Oh and added note: it IS possible to enforce such rules. If the game has logging switch turned on then the log file makes it fairly obvious. All the game admin has to do is setup an automated search for the things they have banned and check the hosting log each turn.

[Psycho]

I wouldn't consider it an exploit. It is merely a different kind of trading after all.

The ankh thing, now when I have some experience with it, I would definitively consider an exploit. Maerlande and Ink, the ankh trick is not about saving your commanders, but about cheaply raising tons of undead. OTOH, Lanka, for example, once the research is done, can do the same with regular commanders, so against them maybe it's justified. I would like to see the ability removed from demons.

The sickle farming was not such a big deal with gem gens. Without them I think it should be banned from games.

[rdonj]

@Ink - It would be pretty damn hard to argue that properly using a spell is considered an exploit :P

@Gandalf - I don't think I'd trade mages with someone in a duel. Actually I don't think anyone would, what's the gain in trading with the only other player on the map? Your definition of duel is a bit odd . I'm sure that in a RAND game that would be considered cheating, but I don't think there's any other game type where that would be considered an exploit.