Area spells: They are a killer

[Tyr]

As the numbers have increased (in some realms) larger wars have become battles of area spells and not much fun at all. It is the same tired terror, the 3 areas from warriors, topped off by one or two areas from marksmen and a few more terrors for good measure.

Area spells in their current form are causing far too much damage and have too large an area. I know few will actually agree but as the population increases it is just going to get worse.

It has become apparent that Realm balance is never going to happen so can we at least try to tone down area attacks so larger battles are not mindless push button area spell wars and require some strategy.

[magnet]

Imho, the problem isn't the area spells, it is the aura spells. The area spells can allow a small party to defeat a larger one, but the auras (deflective & protection) prevent it (and the other resisting/evading individual spells). Areas can be canceled easily -- dizzy, cannot attack or brain piercing. Auras can only be mindsquashed and it's hardly possible (because Deflective is on a Knight likely to block it, and Protection dome is affecting the Mage who uses it).

[padreigh]

spread out, use DI, use areas yourself, ...

I dont like em, but they are what make wars at forts more "tactical" then using numbers.

[Znurre]

The auras, not the areas, are the problem.
They should perhaps not be disabled, but the auras which provides random protection, like blocks and resists, should be changed into a less random mechanism.

One idea I had was to turn Deflecting Barrier into Resist ranged damage +50% instead of blocking 50% of them.
Something similar could be done to protection dome.

[Mikan]

As the numbers have increased (in some realms) larger wars have become battles of area spells and not much fun at all. It is the same tired terror, the 3 areas from warriors, topped off by one or two areas from marksmen and a few more terrors for good measure.

Area spells in their current form are causing far too much damage and have too large an area. I know few will actually agree but as the population increases it is just going to get worse.

It has become apparent that Realm balance is never going to happen so can we at least try to tone down area attacks so larger battles are not mindless push button area spell wars and require some strategy.
The auras prevent almost everything except warrior areas from working at a fort war. In your average battle 9 out of 10 targets resist, evade, or block a Marksman's Lightning arrow even out in the open.

The whole problem is these auras prevent the enemy from killing you one by one using normal hits and single-target spells, so they ultimately have no choice but to rush you with melee areas. For example, Ignus scorch is one of the best areas in the game, even though Fire rain does similar damage, because unlike Fire rain it is not a ranged area and thus is not subject to the 90% block rate in wars.

Of course, these areas are also short-ranged and hard to get close enough to use, so they have high damage. They can easily be canceled by effects like Knock Down, Cannot Attack, and Dizzy (especially MoD).

It's not that hard of a concept to understand. :)

Regards.

[-Edge-]

Areas are usually evaded, resisted, blocked. They are crucial for fighting the hordes of Syrtis for example

[Ironfoot]

Areas are usually evaded, resisted, blocked. They are crucial for fighting the hordes of Syrtis for example


This is so true.

[UmarilsStillHere]

Areas are not to bad (apart from a few killers) Auras are far more powerfull, down with auras?!

(but then what will knights and mages do with almost the whole vanguard tree and a load of conju spells greater healing etc warlocks spells mod etc and a load of other skills mana com, made useless?)

I think auras need a rework, some defensive ones are far to powerfull (deflecting should be 30-40% block at 5)

[Narodon]

The problem is that only three auras may active at the same time.

In the most cases these are cover, mana com. and greater healing.

For meleeareas the dome is very usefull, but mostly it isn´t activ in the rights moment.

[impp]

My conjo (Imppy lvl38) experience with areas is:

Terror, Terror, dead, resurrect. But on the bright side sometimes I last three terrors.

With my knight (Impper lvl39) I rely on blocks and resist knock downs because I know the barbs and south cross are right behind the terrors. But maybe the knight should only be able to protect him/herself, and less so groups.

Reducing the mass protection auras could be a plus as it would cause those without blocks to back away and support the barbs and knights more when it kicks off. :swordfight: I guess it would be more like the battles "as seen on TV". Infantry soldiers engaging on the front line and getting bloodied, medics/support healing and buffing at the rear and the artilliary on the flanks protecting the healers and picking off the enemy with their range.

Also without the knight protection/mass auras, the warlocks might think twice about getting too close when casting terror.

Then again what do I know?

Impp (Hunter lvl 41)

[ncvr]

Without the knight blocking aura, nothing stands in the way of terror being one of the most devastating spells.

[-Edge-]

My conjo (Imppy lvl38) experience with areas is:

Terror, Terror, dead, resurrect. But on the bright side sometimes I last three terrors.

With my knight (Impper lvl39) I rely on blocks and resist knock downs because I know the barbs and south cross are right behind the terrors. But maybe the knight should only be able to protect him/herself, and less so groups.

Reducing the mass protection auras could be a plus as it would cause those without blocks to back away and support the barbs and knights more when it kicks off. :swordfight: I guess it would be more like the battles "as seen on TV". Infantry soldiers engaging on the front line and getting bloodied, medics/support healing and buffing at the rear and the artilliary on the flanks protecting the healers and picking off the enemy with their range.

Also without the knight protection/mass auras, the warlocks might think twice about getting too close when casting terror.

Then again what do I know?

Impp (Hunter lvl 41)
No you know alot already, all very good points.

One of them reminds me how before the Knight update there was a spell called Protecter that was disabled. Now it works, but before the update it was suppossed to have a promising effect, reflecting some magic damage back at the target.

It would be nice if Protecter actually worked the way it was originally intended in the original design, it would've been a promising spell.

[e30G]

So areas aren't too powerful but the auras that protect you from them. I think the logic of blaming the overuse of areas to auras is a bit flawed. If you are forced to use areas now don't you think that a lack of aura protection would make the areas too overpowered?

I think the evade/resist/blocks are the major root of the problem. Fix that and the gameplay will improve a lot.

[ByteMe]

Guys, you are blaming the knights auras for being to powerful but a knight cann't have lvl 5 auras and good defense/evades themself. Remember that the auras do not protect the knight only others. Target him/her, kill them, and the buffs are gone (yeah, easier said than done, I know).

Lately it's become a race to see who gets the first terror off and then the fights are over. Terror, lighting strike, lightning strike, ignus scorch, dead...

[Mikan]

Remember that the auras do not protect the knight only others. Target him/her, kill them, and the buffs are gone (yeah, easier said than done, I know).
I prefer Mind squasher, but often there are so many Knights you can't tell which one is emitting auras.
This is actually a problem of lack of suitable graphical effects, if you ask me.

Regards,

[-Edge-]

you can't tell which one is emitting auras.
This is actually a problem of lack of suitable graphical effects, if you ask me.

Regards,
thats a reason why I suggested to show active enemy spells when clicking their name, they would appear ticking down with a red line, (and our spells duration ticks down with a green line)

Ofc you could also see things like if a target is DSed and how much longer he will be DSed.

It was really a matter for people who have particles disabled, But the idea was shot down :p

[DkySven]

Heroic Presence is great defense and better than Army of One when you're fighting people/pets with medium/fast weapons. But the auras are needed to keep areas from reducing every fight to their casting time.


It was really a matter for people who have particles disabled, But the idea was shot down :p
Muhahahahaha

[Tyr]

Lately it's become a race to see who gets the first terror off and then the fights are over. Terror, lighting strike, lightning strike, ignus scorch, dead...

This is far from a lately problem. Area spells have always had too large an area, cause too much damage, and cost too little mana. Until this is addressed the problem will only get worse.