I really dislike the influencing change. I see it as allowing one stat alone to dominate a whole aspect of the game. Charisma now boosts endurance, power, and speed in the realm of influencing. There is really no other stat that has that much power alone. Imagine a warrior with 25 strength, 1 everything else, do you think he would dominate anything? Imagine a mage with 25 intelligence, 1 everything else, do you think he would dominate in any area? Then imagine someone with 25 charisma, 1 everything else, do you think he would dominate influencing?

The answer the last question is of course yes, and with sanctuary and peaced villages his other weaknesses are insignificant to influencing.

There is also the simple fact that right now, charisma is tilted against Magnagora. With our specialized race having one of the lowest base charisma, we've always dealt with it, but now the penalty has been further increased. I can see nothing in our stats actually gives a reason for this vast weakness in this one critical area.

Humans should get more charisma. I should look more pretty than a frog face any day!

Merians have low constitution, viscanti have low charisma... I'd say the constitution is more of a problem.

So you think someone with 25 con, and no other stats, would be able to dominate in a specific competitive aspect of the game that was dependant on stats?

Edit: Merian Lords only have 1 less con than Brood Viscanti, though admittedly Imperial Merians have 4 less than Master Viscanti. Their advantage though, is better offensive stats, namely higher int, and the eq bonus. As well as a large number of defensive skills in both the Celestines as well as the Aquamancers.

It looks like that a person with 9 charsima will be at most 1.6 seconds slower than someone with the most charisma. (except demigods)

No, I'm saying that merians have a hard time staying alive and viscanti have a hard time influencing... we both get different disadvantages in different parts of the game.

EDIT: Plus, there's numerous ways to boost your charisma, such as netzach and populus, whereas city dwellers get no skill to boost constitution.

City dwellers have access to con food, herofetes, as well as yellow if they are warriors.

Edit: There are also health blessings like Tosha's that are accessible as well as health artifacts. So it is not that hard at all to get tanky in Lusternia with the large number of defensive buffs that are available.

There are also netzach and populus

Isnt Torak Aslaran so with the equilibrum boost he has trouble getting someone low on mana, as a human im not gonna be using that skill much anymore. Can amissio users get our mana recovery back?

I think it'd be better if influencing speed was based on Influence skillset rank.

But then I couldn't kick your butt as a novice faeling

Yeah, well you've got +1 cha from highmagic, +2 from a throne, and +2 from a blessing, I'm assuming. Maybe throw in some truefavours and such.

All Kaervas has to do is ask for those! (TF's, of course)

I love the influencing change. It makes sense and it balances things out. It means that my lightning stripes wont help out anymore, but that's fine. I'm pretty charismatic when I want to be.

Amissio needed to be lowered. Ecto needed a powercost. Great stuff.

That's exactly the point.

ANNOUNCE NEWS #404
Date: 9/18/2005 at 23:54
From: Estarra, the Eternal
To : Everyone
Subj: Libraries and Culture

After years of hard work and many unforseen setbacks, construction
workers have finished building the Great Libraries of the Basin! After
some, small finishing touches, they should be open to the public soon.

What this means is that city and communes need to appoint a Librarian.
The Librarian is new ministry position, which is more important than
might appear at first glance. As well as taking care of administrative
duties, such as issuing library cards, the Librarian publishes books
among the Great Library system, increasing the cultural power of your
city or commune. Further, they may critique the works of rival cities
and communes, which could either decrease their power or backfire and
decrease the power of your own city or commune. Thus, the success of the
culture of your city or commune often rests upon the shoulders of the
Librarian.

Culture is a new system which generates power for cities and communes.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, ALL POWER GENERATED BY VILLAGES IS HALVED. Cultural
power rests on two factors:

1) Great Libraries--There are several categories where Great Libraries
may generate power which you can look up in the help files. As of right
now, no libraries produce power and probably won't until next year when
libraries begin to publish books.

2) Cultural Activity--This score is calculated by the aggregate of the
novice and member scores of guilds within a particular commune or city.
Novice scores count for TWICE the weight of member scores. This should
underscore the importance of recruiting novices and making them feel
welcome within cities and communes. Guild Administers, Secretaries and
Undersecretaries should take note, as well as Ambassadors.

Although you may see mention in the help files of contests for published
books (Prestige Books), that is not implemented at this time.

Regarding publishing books, there are two categories how libraries
maintain books:

Archived Books: Anyone with access to that library can checkout this
book. The book's author or editor will always be able to checkout the
original copy of the book. Archived books have no impact upon the
cultural standing of the library.

Published Books: The Librarian may publish an archived book within his
or her library. For the next year, rival Librarians can critique the
published book. If the critique is found valid by a group of divine
scholars, the library's credibility will drop. If the critqiue is found
invalid, the crediblity of those libraries who criticised the book will
be penalized. Publishing books will create copies within all Great
Libraries (Librarians who don't like a published work or don't think it
suitable for the public can restrict it).

Published books are permanent unless the author (or editor) revises the
book (in which case it goes through the critique process again). In any
event, before books are published, it would be wise to make sure you and
the author complete understands this process.

As of right now, only Great Libraries are available for storing books.
Until we get this system ironed out, we won't be implementing manse
libraries or libraries for other organizations (i.e., guilds and
orders).

See HELP CULTURE, GREATLIBARIES, LIBRARIAN, PUBLISHING

Penned by my hand on the 10th of Dvarsh, in the year 127 CE.

Does this mean we shouldn't advance novices any more?

EDIT. Xenthos the

Hehe, so there -will- be manse libraries. Shell out the cash, Richter!

I agree that it would be better if influencing speed was determined by skill rank instead of charisma. Since I think charisma gives enough of a bonus by boosting ego(influencing endurance) as well as ego damage output(influencing power).

Edit: Didn't notice his comment at first, must have either passed it or forgot about it. But I support his idea for the reasons stated above charisma already having a large enough effect in influencing before the change.

I like the change too.

Lightning will help in influencing though, if I'm reading this right. It's just racial bonuses that won't anymore.

Hartstone Faeling just got a big boost, so thankyou. I seem to be influencing at the same speed I was before, so I'm happy.