Re: Re-re-rehashing spellcaster balance, or the thread formerly known as the cone debate

[Peter Mardahl <peterm@tesla.EECS.Berkeley.EDU>]

> In my opinion, there is sort of a dual problem with mages.  What they 
> are strong against, they dominate completely; what they are weak 
> against, they are virtually helpless to deal with.  The problem seems to 
> lie both in spells of mass destruction, and the proliferation of magic 
> immunity among tough (exp > 50000) monsters.

Some people would say that this situation is great.  "Why should
magery work in every situation?"  I like to use mages myself, because
I think spells are great fun, but my chars are usually pretty facile
with the sword after a reshuffling of equipment....

> orcs and goblins with holy word, then switch.  Valriel used to be nigh 
> impossible to start a cleric on (ever tried to pound a demon to death 
> with holy word at wisdom level 1?  how often do you find a lone 
> demon?), until undead became a general target of holy power, at which 

Actually, I put in some maps which should make it unnecessary for
Valriel's spells to work on Undead anymore.  Valriel's followers can
go beat up on imps.  There are two or three maps now with imps in
them.

PeterM