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Comments
There's definitely a disparity in range and movement abilities and I think anyone that doesn't recognize that is either blinding themselves to the facts of the matter, is trolling, or simply doesn't get it. That said, I'm honestly not certain what solutions can be offered without creating copies of various abilities on both sides.
Also, if we're going to say that 'telepathy is king of ranged combat and both classes are on the life side', ignoring the fact that monk is a very popular class on -both- sides of the game, then we have to ignore artifact bows and syssin on the life side. That said, I'm not willing to do so because assessing balance requires assessing the whole picture.
If we drop Convocation in your room, a Cabalist can just kill the Rite. I'm unsure if other classes now have the ability to kill Rites. Cabalist might be the only one now.
Xavin pretty much hit the nail on the head and summed up all that needs to be said. He has played on both sides of the game for an extended period of time with the same character so his accountability is pretty strong compared to me that has only alted on shadow or the time I played Seir on shadow for a brief stint. Still, the skill disparity is still not hard to notice.
Once upon a time (a few years back) golgotha was the source of much controversy. The skill functioned much as it does now, but with a few differences. For one, it only hit people on the necromancer's enemy list. On top of that, I believe, it did not go away with the death of the necromancer (though I may be remembering incorrectly there). What this meant was that only one side of the game had to deal with the team-breaker that was pit. And the side that could wield it could do so to great effect, what with abilities that stripped levitation en-mass.
The first thing that was done to try and fix the disparity was a complete change to the skill. It was made to summon golgotha himself if he was not currently on-plane. Alternatively it would summon a random pit demon. Golgotha himself was vastly overpowered, dealing rapid high-ish damage and limb breaks, facilitating the use of vivisect to great effect. The other pit demons, while not as powerful as golgotha, were still very strong. Naturally, this did not last and pit was reverted to its former use.
Eventually, though, a change was made. Pit was made to hit everyone in the room equally. What happened the first few times it was used, you might ask? It completely tore apart the undeath-side team that tried to use it. It seems that 'just sip levitation' wasn't exactly as easy as it sounds. However, pit has existed in that form since and really isn't the subject of much controversy anymore.
What's the point of this diatribe? I'm getting there. You see, sometimes abilities need to be changed because they have too great an effect on one side of the game's ability to compete and/or artificially boost the capabilities of one side of the game more than it needs to be. In the interest of balance changes often need to be made to skills so that both sides of the game have as even a starting point as possible to make conflict fun and engaging for all players. That's what happened with golgotha. And the controversy over the ability died off very, very quickly.
I'm of the opinion that the skill 'lure' in mentis may well need to be evaluated for the same reasons. It is, in essence, a ranged hinder ability in its current state, regardless of the intention behind it. In addition, I feel that lust may warrant an evaluation as well. Not because I have it out for those classes, because I really don't, but because it seems to me that hindering on that level shouldn't be possible across a whole area outside of telepathy which has its own very specific requirements.
Edit: I accidentally a whole sentence.
There are very few to almost no monks on Shadow side. Aside from the Daru which would be thematically impossible, the Sentaari have been very heavy-handed to whom they give apprenticeship upon the Shadow side, requirements including not being enemied to Duiran for example. The only way these days a monk will be on the Shadow side is if they left lifer. Syssin does not have this issue.
Cabalist deflection cannot target Convocation. Nor can Steady for Teradrim.
Anything else?
EDIT: Additionally, neckdrag does the same thing as drag (lycanthropy) and Carnifex's hammer swat bypasses mass, is only stopped by walls/blockers/focus aura. Neckdrag, like drag (I think?) is stopped by flooding/icewalls/etc. If you get axegrabbed it's your own fault for not having mass up. Lure is far stronger than shaman's thing, because it can be used from x rooms away, and I believe it even bypasses area boundaries - it requires writhing to cure, and can be stacked repeatedly to lock someone down. And let's not forget direcall, lust, mind wrench (you guys have at least three monks that I can think of), plus adduction vibe. Anything else?
Basically, two skills that bypass mass do not make up for the disparity.
Edit: And if the major requirement is not being an enemy of Duiran...well, the vast bulk of the shadow side is eligible! It's not like we enemy every shadow-side character, no exceptions.
While a Sentinel who charges in can go for an impale, there is very little reason to. Most people will immediately writhe out of this, and you can't drag while impaling. Furthermore, there is a balance cost associated with each of the abilities mentioned. Charge balance for a Dexterous Sentinel is 1.00 seconds. Drag balance is 1.72 seconds. Dhuriv Impale balance is 3.44 seconds.
Mass counters Woodlore Grab and flood counters a Charge unless (I'm not sure on this one) the Sentinel has an artifact that allows them to run on water. Zepher?
As for apprenticing. Yup, we are heavy-handed about it. Because it goes against the guilds beliefs to help the undead. Being enemied to Duiran has -nothing- to do with it. Despite all this, there is still the occasional apprenticeship that happens under the table. Neutral class does not equal neutral guild.
This last battle, convocation was mildly useful for the first time ever.
Warding now hits everyone, not just enemies, thanks to a nerf, so other than 1 on Many situations, it's not nearly as useful as piety. Now, if you wanna let me piety + warding... :P
Message #17059 Sent By: Oleis Received On: 1/03/2014/17:24
"If it makes you feel better, just checking your artifact list threatens to crash my mudlet."
Message #17059 Sent By: Oleis Received On: 1/03/2014/17:24
"If it makes you feel better, just checking your artifact list threatens to crash my mudlet."
Should be possible, theoretically. And yea, so using this tactic. Don't stand in my rite!
Message #17059 Sent By: Oleis Received On: 1/03/2014/17:24
"If it makes you feel better, just checking your artifact list threatens to crash my mudlet."
It works once in a blue moon and more as a function of it coming as a surprise to the enemy. You start using it often, people will stop walking through firewalls.
Message #17059 Sent By: Oleis Received On: 1/03/2014/17:24
"If it makes you feel better, just checking your artifact list threatens to crash my mudlet."