Time Stop

Celorn · Post by **Celorn** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:38 pm

I have to disagree.... the whole point of crystals is to not allow mages to be continuously 100% undefeatable (if played to their fullest). 1on1 they were pretty unstoppable BEFORE timestop with 140 magical damage balls and bigby (if they actually focused properly AND know which BB to use on which toon) -- now with TS they have a balance-toppler, last-resort spell they can cast up to 6 times with even a poorly built mage, and their entire party can benefit from the stop, there HAS to be something to limit it's usage, even if crystals drop constantly, you still have to worry about running out.

And how is your plan any less complex? You need checks for pure class? And what about 30/5/5 ~ 30/10 builds? I think if you left it the way it is, but take crystals away from party members benefiting from the TS (or freezing them if they don't have any) could be just as simple to script, and more interesting overall.

JesterOI · Post by **JesterOI** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:33 pm

JesterOI wrote:+6sec with Pure Class Wiz/Sorc @ lvl 30+

Missed the part where only Pure Class gets the top bonus?

Besides, this is a team game.

Once again, there are ways to deal with the situation.

Just because you can't see a solution at the moment doesn't mean there is something wrong.

The script checks are simplistic anyway you look at it.
When I said "keep it simple", I meant as far as playing the game goes.

My suggestion, overall, simplifies how to play the situation for the mage, but does weaken Time Stop overall at the same time...
Shorter Duration for multiclassed.
Extra feat required for one of the bonuses.
Spell freezes EVERYONE but caster.

P. Fricebottle · Post by **P. Fricebottle** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:23 pm

I'll have to side Jester here. His suggestion just makes more sense. You don't have to use components for any other spells, altough Time Crystals are a nice restriction they drop so much it hardly matters. Caster-only benefits would keep it powerful, but not overly powerful as in "can't fight back while three people pound you into dust for several rounds."

Also, your suggestion Celorn made no sense RP-wise. Thats like to say a barbarian has a Time Crystal on him, a mage accompanying casts time stop. He isn't affected because he picked up a shiny rock that he doesn't even about. Now, theres many problems with that RP-wise. It just makes no sense.

Also, it would solve nothing. I probably average a minimum of 3 crystals on a planar run, thats a minimum. Nearly all my characters have Time Crystals on them, so basically it would just mean that everybody will have crack on them instead of giving it over the the magician.

mgrjebbo · Post by **mgrjebbo** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:25 pm

yes the solution is for everyone to build a hipsing monk, hips right before the spell goes off, kd when its duration ends

now that sounds like a fun server with lost of variety!

MLoki · Post by **MLoki** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:23 am

Honestly, I agree with limiting Timestop to only allow the mage to move freely. I don't see this as overly complicated and would even let you use the spell the way it was intended. If you have to use Time Crystals or not isn't that big of a deal since they are so plentifull. Although realistically the Brethren have already been using the best counter to Timestop and that is to just log out. I don't know how many Time Crystals I've wasted on trying to finish off the last couple of toons in a raiding party only to have them log out while timestopped.

MLoki

P. Fricebottle · Post by **P. Fricebottle** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:51 am

This crashed the server yesterday.

disastro · Post by **disastro** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:05 pm

MLoki wrote:Honestly, I agree with limiting Timestop to only allow the mage to move freely. ...
MLoki

it's a good start but in my experience it's not enough. even a 1 minute cooldown before casting the next time stop would help a great deal.

Dynmi · Post by **Dynmi** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:01 pm

This is getting repititious, just wait from some Dev feedback otherwise we're gonna have a huge thread that nobady wants to read.

Post by **Metis** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:43 pm

Its being looked at, just the lack of time at the moment. Expect some feedback after the New Year.

Post by **Zing** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:37 pm

Yup and lack of internet! Not to mention all the work we've been putting in over the holiday.

Lots of new exciting stuff coming pretty soon and I don't mean "soon"

P. Fricebottle · Post by **P. Fricebottle** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:46 pm

Yeah, those two factors gave me the impression we're going to have to wait a bit for the time being. Darn, inconsiderate, Mother Nature. We need Zing to babysit us in case something goes wrong!

mgrjebbo · Post by **mgrjebbo** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:02 am

that would actualy be funny..... if it werent so true lol

Celorn · Post by **Celorn** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:23 am

JesterOI wrote:
JesterOI wrote:+6sec with Pure Class Wiz/Sorc @ lvl 30+
Missed the part where only Pure Class gets the top bonus?

no i didn't miss that, i brushed it off ;P, but i suppose it -could- be a nice idea, and hey, go one step further and add an extra round for a Transmute-school based wiz even.

JesterOI wrote:Besides, this is a team game.

Right.... so take AWAY the team advantage of the spell??? (and an implementation unique among possibly all nwn servers).

JesterOI wrote:Once again, there are ways to deal with the situation.

Just because you can't see a solution at the moment doesn't mean there is something wrong.

Well, we're discussing it here...so we are dealing with some alternate ideas, it's the whole point of this thread heeh..

JesterOI wrote:The script checks are simplistic anyway you look at it.
When I said "keep it simple", I meant as far as playing the game goes.

My suggestion, overall, simplifies how to play the situation for the mage, but does weaken Time Stop overall at the same time...
Shorter Duration for multiclassed.
Extra feat required for one of the bonuses.
Spell freezes EVERYONE but caster.

You left out the yay/nay for Time Crystals in your summary, are you for or against gay marra--i mean crystals? I think they should be left in since it makes mages have to micromanage on yet another level... o O ( giving my toons more time to stab them in the eye)!

MLoki wrote: Honestly, I agree with limiting Timestop to only allow the mage to move freely. I don't see this as overly complicated and would even let you use the spell the way it was intended. If you have to use Time Crystals or not isn't that big of a deal since they are so plentifull. Although realistically the Brethren have already been using the best counter to Timestop and that is to just log out. I don't know how many Time Crystals I've wasted on trying to finish off the last couple of toons in a raiding party only to have them log out while timestopped.

Yeah, for overall balance, having the caster of TS being the only one who can move makes the most sense.... I was just thinking of all the possibilities of having a whole party using TS to clear out the hardest bosses and planes with ease, among many other PvM ideas that could approach exploting.

As for the logging out, I didn't see that happen since i've been gone a week, but i guess you could chalk it up as a protest for change...

LunarSquirrel · Post by **LunarSquirrel** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:30 pm

I see TS changes were implemented today...since I can't find an update on exactly how, anyone tested yet and care to share?

JesterOI · Post by **JesterOI** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:35 pm

So entertaining how they conveniently left that part out

Edit: Just checked. Looks like nothing has changed, but since there was a change I assume the only change was making it caster only. Still stuck with having to use TC's.

Howmany devs/dms actually play mages I wonder?

I'd hazard to guess very few, if any.