Ixchilgal2005-02-19 09:02:14
I would like to say, I -like- the fact that it doesn't hit people I don't declare, and I shall tell you why.
About the only time I ever use it is in mass combat. I'm either attacking a large group of people, or I'm defending from a large group of people. Almost always, I'm fighting with other people, Ur'Guard and Nihilists on my side. I know (For the most part) who I'm fighting anyways, and if I don't, I know who is assisting me.
So, I can either declare most, if not all of my opposition, or simply defend my buddies. While they're in the front lines, knocking people stupid in melee, I can Boulderblast, hit every last one of my enemies for 500 - 700 damage, and not so much as scratch my buddies. Suddenly, I find this skill -vastly- useful more useful than it was before, because as soon as any of my buddies went into melee, I had to switch to my staff, which, while doing a bit more damage, hit only a single target.
For the same reason, Poison is now a useful skill. Before, it was useless, because it lasted forever, so you either had to stand there twenty minutes gusting away poison clouds to make sure hapless novices didn't wander in and stand there looking at the pretty cloud until they died, or, well, you took the risk of accidentally killing people you didn't intend to and getting into a pile of trouble.
About the only time I ever use it is in mass combat. I'm either attacking a large group of people, or I'm defending from a large group of people. Almost always, I'm fighting with other people, Ur'Guard and Nihilists on my side. I know (For the most part) who I'm fighting anyways, and if I don't, I know who is assisting me.
So, I can either declare most, if not all of my opposition, or simply defend my buddies. While they're in the front lines, knocking people stupid in melee, I can Boulderblast, hit every last one of my enemies for 500 - 700 damage, and not so much as scratch my buddies. Suddenly, I find this skill -vastly- useful more useful than it was before, because as soon as any of my buddies went into melee, I had to switch to my staff, which, while doing a bit more damage, hit only a single target.
For the same reason, Poison is now a useful skill. Before, it was useless, because it lasted forever, so you either had to stand there twenty minutes gusting away poison clouds to make sure hapless novices didn't wander in and stand there looking at the pretty cloud until they died, or, well, you took the risk of accidentally killing people you didn't intend to and getting into a pile of trouble.
Narsrim2005-02-19 09:12:18
QUOTE(Ixchilgal @ Feb 19 2005, 05:02 AM)
I would like to say, I -like- the fact that it doesn't hit people I don't declare, and I shall tell you why.
About the only time I ever use it is in mass combat. I'm either attacking a large group of people, or I'm defending from a large group of people. Almost always, I'm fighting with other people, Ur'Guard and Nihilists on my side. I know (For the most part) who I'm fighting anyways, and if I don't, I know who is assisting me.
So, I can either declare most, if not all of my opposition, or simply defend my buddies. While they're in the front lines, knocking people stupid in melee, I can Boulderblast, hit every last one of my enemies for 500 - 700 damage, and not so much as scratch my buddies. Suddenly, I find this skill -vastly- useful more useful than it was before, because as soon as any of my buddies went into melee, I had to switch to my staff, which, while doing a bit more damage, hit only a single target.
For the same reason, Poison is now a useful skill. Before, it was useless, because it lasted forever, so you either had to stand there twenty minutes gusting away poison clouds to make sure hapless novices didn't wander in and stand there looking at the pretty cloud until they died, or, well, you took the risk of accidentally killing people you didn't intend to and getting into a pile of trouble.
About the only time I ever use it is in mass combat. I'm either attacking a large group of people, or I'm defending from a large group of people. Almost always, I'm fighting with other people, Ur'Guard and Nihilists on my side. I know (For the most part) who I'm fighting anyways, and if I don't, I know who is assisting me.
So, I can either declare most, if not all of my opposition, or simply defend my buddies. While they're in the front lines, knocking people stupid in melee, I can Boulderblast, hit every last one of my enemies for 500 - 700 damage, and not so much as scratch my buddies. Suddenly, I find this skill -vastly- useful more useful than it was before, because as soon as any of my buddies went into melee, I had to switch to my staff, which, while doing a bit more damage, hit only a single target.
For the same reason, Poison is now a useful skill. Before, it was useless, because it lasted forever, so you either had to stand there twenty minutes gusting away poison clouds to make sure hapless novices didn't wander in and stand there looking at the pretty cloud until they died, or, well, you took the risk of accidentally killing people you didn't intend to and getting into a pile of trouble.
54375
A man with a plan and some creativity! *gasp* Teach your fellow Geomancers and so shall they prosper.
Murphy2005-02-19 09:39:28
Agree there with Narsrim, Ixchigal.
Now you can have 3 or 4 geomancers standing there in the room behind us, raining down the hurt while us frontline troops bring on the smackdown.
Damn effective if you ask me, you guys just need to figure out a way to lead it effectively, and I love the affects of poison gas (I'm a dracnari) being changed. i've always said about the teamwork, and now especially with ranged attacks. do it like they did on Nil that time with the killing of gorgulu, and It'll just be like artillery aiding frontline troops. Bring on the deathsight spammers.
Now you can have 3 or 4 geomancers standing there in the room behind us, raining down the hurt while us frontline troops bring on the smackdown.
Damn effective if you ask me, you guys just need to figure out a way to lead it effectively, and I love the affects of poison gas (I'm a dracnari) being changed. i've always said about the teamwork, and now especially with ranged attacks. do it like they did on Nil that time with the killing of gorgulu, and It'll just be like artillery aiding frontline troops. Bring on the deathsight spammers.
Revan2005-02-19 09:59:12
We'll have to work out some trigger or alias to make declaring fast and easy for this type of thing, but yes, Ixchilgal does make a very good point. Mages now have more use in group combat, for which I'm very glad for.
Unknown2005-02-19 10:05:34
Aye, my first reaction was, upon seeing the change, that Boulderblast suddenly became IMMENSELY more powerful, since you can safely fire it into allies as well as enemies, and only hit your enemies. You just have them call out targets, and bam, you can mass slaughter a room, while keeping all your allies who are individually targetting people alive and well.
Shamarah2005-02-19 11:34:25
Yes... I don't really understand how you can complain. Hailstorm/Boulderblast are awesome now, because we can just hit everyone who we're fighting rather than just one person, as before, we had to worry about it hitting your allies. Just find out locations and declare people beforehand, or if you have absolutely no idea who's in there but you're sure none of your victims are, turn PK CAREFUL off.
Shiri2005-02-19 11:47:07
Dang, next time we have to fight Geos, we're going to get MAULED. If they can just stand one room away and annihilate an entire team if there's like...four of them...(which isn't pushing it TOO much I think, even for geos), we're doomed. :/
Amaru2005-02-19 12:45:05
QUOTE(Quidgyboo @ Feb 19 2005, 08:36 AM)
I don't like the idea simply for the shoddy RP-ness of it.
54318
Totally agreed. All of this.. complexity.. ruins the flexibility/spontaneity of combat as it was pre-Karma (perfect).
Murphy2005-02-19 13:10:41
Not to mention they wont be able to shield with a couple of knights in there razing and fighting....
for themost part they wont notice it in the combat spam till its too late and you see deathsight spammed with "%1 have been slain by random geo %2" And therefore robbing me of my glory kills.
I dont like it
for themost part they wont notice it in the combat spam till its too late and you see deathsight spammed with "%1 have been slain by random geo %2" And therefore robbing me of my glory kills.
I dont like it
Roark2005-02-19 13:22:36
It is slated to be changed to target your personal enemies only. I'm somewhat amused because I recall another geomancer telling me personally that he thought this skill would become godly if we implemented this scheme because now you can target the people you want it to kill while not hurting your allies. Though my point was that it is how hailstorm works in other realms and they don't have much of a problem with it, so I don't see it being a problem to change it.
Unknown2005-02-19 13:28:13
It's been a while since I was a member of the Magi class, but don't you have to at least be in the same room to hailstorm? Boulderblast is done from a neighboring room, and I feel that makes it more powerful, especially when you get a half dozen Geomancers all hitting their macros.
Shamarah2005-02-19 13:29:24
QUOTE(Zarquan @ Feb 19 2005, 08:28 AM)
It's been a while since I was a member of the Magi class, but don't you have to at least be in the same room to hailstorm?
54456
Nope.
Unknown2005-02-19 13:31:03
Well, hailstorm still did neglible damage compared to boulderblast, in my opinion. Magical boulders, meh.
Unknown2005-02-19 13:51:36
Yea, Hailstorm didn't do any damage. Boulderblast does like thrice the damage or more, maybe four times. It will be a Godly skill, heh.
Silvanus2005-02-19 18:32:36
I didn't even think of that, Ixchilgal.
Revan2005-02-19 21:33:29
Problem is, I tested boulderblasting with PK careful off, and it hit everyone. Yes, even allies. Ceres tested her Hailstorm on me with PK careful off, and it did not hit me. So... fix boulderblast to be like hailstorm, please, as I'm -sure- it was intended to be.
Niara2005-02-19 22:02:38
As I have thirdeye I wonder if your demesne watch doesn't tell you when shrouded people move through your demesne when you don't have thirdeye.
Narsrim2005-02-19 23:13:46
QUOTE(Niara @ Feb 19 2005, 06:02 PM)
As I have thirdeye I wonder if your demesne watch doesn't tell you when shrouded people move through your demesne when you don't have thirdeye.
54671
It does. Demesne watch pierces any illusion/shrouding ability. It even tracks ghosts.
Roark2005-02-20 00:56:14
QUOTE(Revan @ Feb 19 2005, 05:33 PM)
Problem is, I tested boulderblasting with PK careful off, and it hit everyone. Yes, even allies. Ceres tested her Hailstorm on me with PK careful off, and it did not hit me. So... fix boulderblast to be like hailstorm, please, as I'm -sure- it was intended to be.
54658
This is because I have not gotten to updating that skill yet. Expect that in a day or two.
