They could be in "let's pretend it's worse than it is until they buff us" mode. Antioch in Imperian did this for a good six months before finally realizing they weren't getting upgrades and improving their setup to make the city hard to raid. And I don't mean to brag as it might not have been this, but I think it took me (one of the major raiders) making an Antioch alt and posting a number of things they could do that they surely came up with themselves but chose not to acknowledge before.

Hold on a moment here. For the record, I agree with you that the totem thing is a reasonable change, and Serenwilde can learn to work with it.

What I don't really like is your example, since you're insinuating that as a community we should be encouraging lots and lots of newbies to join hartstone over whatever they might otherwise choose themselves. It only requires an individual to learn high in statues to serve the city, whereas improved totem defence requires quantitative growth as a commune. I think a more equivalent example would be:
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Complaining when you're not using your full resources, is like magnagora saying "Wahh, we can't own influencing as well because none of us chose to be charismatic races.".
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Note that Antioch DID improve guard layouts, and use of gates - But they're still a stomping ground largely, because you can run past guards, or just blackwind past and empress/portal a raid team to an unguarded room.

I think they tried putting a guard in every room... but ya know.. I think even cander could kill single guards... Juganothion? He could probably kill half a dozen at a time without caring...


EDIT: That's not what I said. My argument was that you have serenguard, most of whom have probably chosen moon. They could choose stag, and bond totems, correct?

Aye, they could. Just as anyone who chose to be a Moondancer could instead choose Hartstone. I would like to think that it was the rp flavour of the skills that prompts their choice, not a sense of duty and obligation. Learn, fight, grow, whatever for your commune, sure. But I'd rather not encourage people to choose -this- skillset just so everyone else benefits. If there are 70% Moon totem and 30% Stag totem in the Serenguard, should we ban anyone choosing Moon until they're equal again? (Note I have no idea what actual proportion choose which)

Where have you been? There's been two bloody huge topics about it already. Guido's point is that the Serenwilders need to get off their arses and start bonding.

Just to clarify. We can only bond to ONE totem and there aren't that many Stag users yet. No, I'm not whining. I'm letting the people know who don't know.

Well duh... the rp being that you need better defense. You don't get code change to accomodate RP. As long as serenwilde CAN increase it's number of bonders by doing something, I highly doubt the one-totem-per person thing will change.

Game balance\\physics > roleplay

I'm not arguing the code should be changed. I'm not even arguing the one-totem-per-person should change. I'm responding to your comments that as a commune we aren't putting 'effort' in by forcing more people to choose stag:

Banning people from taking a specific skills is a fairly ridiculous step to take. I suppose that's why I'm a Seren and not a Mag; if someone told me to change my skills I'd likely defect and tell them to F off.

This is why Magnagora is a succesful political enterprise within the system as it currently stands. They powergame. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, it just makes it so they can be succesful relatively easily. Ideologically, it's pretty weak, but they don't HAVE to be very ideological when all they are trying to do is conquer the world, which, hey, EVERYONE has to try to do if they are going to survive. The rest of us just happen to have these odd "morals" to take into account.

My character has always believed 'morals' and 'honor' are things the weak make up to feel better about themselves .

It's funny hearing Rhysus talking about "morals" knowing who his past characters are.

*chin* Well, only one of my past characters was really immoral. And yes, he was extremely immoral. But that was in an entirely separate context.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing an immoral character. They are by far my favorite kind. Playing someone like Rhysus is a lot more work with a lot less reward. That's just how it is. But I have a pattern to keep up, and that's just how it worked out this time around. My only concern with how it works in Lusternia is that so much of the game is directly favored towards immoral behavior that it is even harder for people that can't take that stance than in other places.

As Ethelon I've always upheld an honour code, you can ask anyone that. For some reason, I highly doubt after facing me you would think I'm weak or trying to make myself feel better. Ohhh, and personally, I give Ethelon his morals and Honour because I feel bad about killing other players, unless it's required.

Rhysus, don't get me wrong. I've always respected and liked your roles. I'm just giving you a rough time. I'm quite impressed with what you'd one with Celest and I wish nothing but the best for you. Keep up the good work.

So far the charachter that I played that held to his morals no matter what has been the most fun to play. He also happens to be the one that got me the furthest of any charachters. I wonder if I'll ever be able to play him again.

Might i add, that the reason most people aren't very high in Stag, is because, before this change, Druidry was the better skill to invest your lessons in. Not everyone can afford to learn very high in both skills.

Also, with Serenguard, I dunno, maybe the other two skills are more important to learn in as well.

Gwynn said the skill to bond is low in stag.... make up your collective minds.