I'm making this poll mainly because pretty much all the people I know from Imperian, Achaea, and Aetolia that play here (people from both cities and the commune) agree that archetypes are being "balanced" by looking at individuals who know how to use them as opposed to game mechanics and skill design.

Basically, a fighter with unbalanced skills v. People that have shown excellence in every other IRE game by figuring out how best to use the skills they are given.

I think there is always room for improvement, but no matter how you look at it, Lusternia is designed with an emphasis on integrating group combat (i.e. warrior, magi, and guardian combining together to form a perfect balance of offense, defense, healing, and afflicting.)

We don't need Glomdoring. We just need 1 stand alone tainted guild with alchemy to triage the ridiculous situation with Serenwilde.

Eh, its not overly balanced, but they're working on it. I'm of the opinion that it'll end up like other IRE realms, take Imperian. I have vague memories of Luthyr smacking me around, repeatedly, (Probably me tossing something random in his direction like 'I dislike the colour of your eyebrows' as a reason for my death, which always sent me into gales of laughter as his ents had their way with me, but Noctusari ents were toned down slightly, given a longer attack time, if I remember. I'm a little vague on the memories, but thats the core of it. They'll fix it eventually, just got to give them a little time.

From my experience of working as a classlead for a few guilds in Imperian and helping balance a few others, I know how balancing works. You can't judge a skill on how one person uses them. There are so many variables it's insane.

I fought as 5(?) different guild types in Imperian, 3 in Aetolia, and 1 in Achaea.

There is a fine line between good skill strategy and unbalanced abilities. As a Noctusari, I could pull off enlightenment on 90% of Imperian in about 12 seconds with the use of an artifact sabre. Yet again, a sabre is not intended for an Occultist in game design, yet it can be utilized.

My point is you cannot balance skillsets or archetypes on one person who excels in them and allowing that balancings making another group overpowered to compensate for lack of fighting ability.

We don't need "balanced." Until one guild starts beating the tar out of the others, we're fine, right? And you all -did- choose your own class/race/equipment/skills/ and somewhat your skillsets and stats.

1000 posts! I have no life!

I always viewed things more as a rock, paper, scissors scenario rather then completely balanced. Some guilds will always be better against certain others.

Since you used Imperian as an example, take a look at Malignists getting worked by Clerics, Clerics getting worked by Bards, and such.

I like Lusternia, it has its downsides, and then again it does have ups. I've been killed in more then one way where I said "OMGWTF IMBAL!" then when I re-looked at the log and thought about it, there was things I could of done to improve. IE getting armour and stancing to protect legs. I come from Achaea, as an un-creditted snake and did quite well at it, mind you I got kicked around ALOT before I could actually learn to fight. Its really a matter of time before we can say "This is imbalenced because:"..because not all skill combinations are thought of! Just wait till one person/archtype guild thing completely dominates everyone without a counter THEN claim Imbal.

Say this on the Imperian boards and you get slaughtered, but I always considered part of the balance issue to be ease of use.

Noctusari are rather easy to use - order ents attack, doublefling aeon, fling hangedman lust, and you've won the battle against 80% of combatants.

Bards on the other hand required (pretty much) a quadruple trans fighter (you NEED behead), lullaby+bedazzlement+revelation+purple inked drelith+ rubait/shaite/maimra voice combo for damage or the double word affliction combo, and behead when they were toast, which could take five minutes of them hacking and slashing at you.

Or Idras... (although I haven't checked them since the upgrade) - against a decent fighter, you could use everything in an Idra's arsenal, and not faze them, even with the new toxins, pretty much due to the huge inaccuracy issues.

Basically, everything in Lusternia is balanced enough that I don't notice any problems. Except hexes, of course.

The more I come to know the various skillsets, guilds and archetypes, the more balanced it seems. Except some buggy skills left and right, I think the big picture of the skills is MUCH more balanced than in any other MUD I've ever seen.

Lusternia doesn't exist even for a year, and yet it's more balanced than Achaea ever was or ever will be. If you take a look at the current situation between magi, jesters, shamans, knights and monks...after all these years.

Achaea is horrible, I will quit Lusternia instantly if they ever make anything like puppet/dolls

Yes, but there's always room for improvement.