I actually don't think the specialized races should be clearly better than all others. If that were the case, you are choosing RP over success, which I think is a bad thing to encourage.

Remember that part of the advantage of choosing a specialized race is that you can switch guilds in your own city as much as you like without having to change your racial RP. They should be equally as viable as unspecialized races, or only slightly more suited. The advantage really comes in being more conceptually inclined to that organization (ignoring shadowfaelings) and with the advantage of being able to carry a consistent role regardless of career.

Rubbish, specialized races should be better than unspecialized races at all times, this feature is one of Lusternia's founding pillars and should never ever be changed.

edit: give up your faeling-fetish Elryn, it's getting unbecoming.

Faelings are perfect as they are now. I'm not complaining.

Yes they are, and so are shadowfaeling, though shadowcaster faeling need faster equilibrium while receiving a physical blunt penalty.

You can't help yourself, can you?

Hey, I'll take an equilibrium/blunt upgrade - since the shadowcasters already have their advantage you meant the base race, right?

Help myself?

Shadowcaster faeling suck, as they don't have enough intelligence to make up for their normal equilibrium speed.

I'm not sure why shadowcaster faeling need upgrades. They might not be as good as shadowlords, but the base faeling is awesome to begin with. Sip bonus = awesome. It's really really great. That and forest regen and I'm never getting their mana down. Shadowcaster faeling are fine as they are.

EDIT: Remember, Thorgal, that if they DID have high int it doesn't have much of an effect on nightkiss, and nothing REALLY noticeable on cudgel. It's not like staff or moonburst.

Then mugwumps need a downgrade, as mugwumps are a far better choice than shadowcasters. But they are not a better choice than high elfen.

Yeah, mugwumps need a downgrade, I don't think anyone'll bother to contest that anymore.

EDIT: Woah woah woah. Mugwumps not better than high elfen? Where are you getting this impression? High elfen aren't that great -at all.-

No arguments there.

High elfen have 11 con and not a single weakness, while holding very high intelligence. They are better than shadowcasters, master viscanti or imperial merians.

Um, the same can be said for shadowfaeling, Thorgal. With only 1 less con but a sip bonus, small size, higher dex, +3 balance...

Edit: Oops, quoted the wrong thing.

High Elfen:

L1 forest regen
L1 herb balance
L1 psychic res

DEX 12
CON 11
INT 17
SIZE 11

Shadowcaster faeling:

L2 forest regen
L2 sip bonus
L1 herb balance
L3 balance (not that that's much use except for runes)

DEX 15
CON 10
INT 16
SIZE 5

I'd say that's quite clearly in the Faelings' favour, myself.

EDIT:

Imperial Merian:

L1 equilibrium
L2 water regen
L2 asphyx resist

DEX 10
CON 10
INT 18
SIZE 12

Mmm I would say the Faeling is a bit nicer, too.

The only problem I have with the balance, is more based on how the Viscanti are basically shunned as a selection. Now I know someone is going to come on and say, "What are you talking about, all I see is Viscanti." But, if you look at the population of Magnagora, there is a minor percentage that are actually the specialized race for that group. We had 17 people on earlier in Mag, and only 2 of that group were Viscanti. I just did another check right before I left and 3 of 15 were Viscanti. This number seems a bit low when I compare it to the specialized races of other cities, and only gets worse during peak hours. Even people in the Major Magnagoran houses have switched their race from Viscanti, which to me is a major cry for help. Call me a stickler for RP, but the major houses of Magnagora should be viscanti considering all the denizens who reside in them are Viscanti. (however, that can be argued in another thread)

I don't necessarily know if it is horribly unbalanced, but looking at the numbers...something is a major deterrent to people selecting it. Being a glutton for punishment, I switched from Loboshigaru to Viscanti and the difference in bashing is brutal. (sipwise)

*******************************************
Citizen Rank Position CT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Devris On
Thorgal On
Chade City Aide On
Slyths On
Ixchilgal City Aide On
Kaplow On
Jadryga City Aide On
Alger City Aide On
Archaon On
Nerakel On
*******************************************************************************
Total Citizens: 10
esSilrx-rwho

Devris Yu'vei, Molder of Clay
esSilrx-

(EDIT: This is from right now, took out cityranks and other useless crap)

Similiar case with Merians in Celest. there isnt many of them. Meriand Lord is ok, even great if you have credits for surge, if not Igasho is better. And Imperian Merian is jsut too weak. You have to get level 80 to have 3k health. I tryied to do it, its almoust impossible.

I'm wondering if the other races on the last boost were just made far too attractive in comparison to the more specialized ones. I've seen more humans recently than I know what to do with, and there are a ton of some of the other groups who were non-existant. I don't really keep tabs on the Merian population, but I know there are a ton of Elfens, and I've seen quite a few of the Glom specialized. I also could be totally off and the 20,000 Viscanti could all be sitting on Nil and laughing at me.



I can already hear the admins screaming at the screens about if people are ever going to be happy! Answer: No! (runs from the lightning bolts)

There are very few High Elfen as well. People favour furrikin, faeling or mugwump for combat. Of the Combatants, we have 1 high elfen. 1 high elfen titan who is a basher only, and any other high elfen are rp only.

There certainly isn't a ton of Elfen other than for RP purposes. There are more Elfen Lords/Ladies, but we already established that Elfen Lord/Lady is very good so that makes sense.

Base Elfen

Strength: 11 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 11 Intelligence: 15 Charisma: 15 Size: 11
Max Stats excluding Size: 66

High Elfen

Strength: 10 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 11 Intelligence: 17 Charisma: 16 Size: 11
Max Stats excluding Size: 66

High Elfen actually get no increases, while Elfen Lord, goes up 4 points.

Even Viscanti while having less overall points, actually go up from their base.

Edit::

The only specialied race worse off is Faeling, who actually go down from their base, when you exclude size. They should just go from Eflen Lord's 70 point spread and make all Specialised races point spread at 70.