With the recent complaints about scent, I think it is fair we address the other "mass scry" ability. Farscout is a novice cosmic ability that allows one to locate all enemies or allies at once. With Planar sight, it can extend up to three planes away.

More or less, it allows one person the ability to check almost everywhere at once. It has no power cost and uses an insignificant amount of mana. It also has a relatively short equilibrium cost.

Difference between scent and this, is that you can tell when your being farscouted.

that being said, I think farscout should be nerfed too, window is enough, perhaps give them demon and angel track or something in consolation

I'm 100% ok with Farscout. It costs mana, it uses eq, and above all other considerations...there is a defense. Aethersight, a Common skill. I now know I have been spotted, and have the option of reacting to that information.

Farscout is a powerful ability, and in my opinion the strongest scry in the game. It is also well-balanced.

The problem with Scent isn't that it is the strongest ability in the game, but that it is too strong not to have an accesible balance.

Difference, scout has a counterbalance: Aethersight.

Next topic.

What?

First and foremost, who cares if it costs 50 mana and uses 2 seconds of equilibrium. I mean seriously, does that make a difference?

Furthermore, aethersight lets you know when someone farscouts you. However, it destroys any chance to raid something when someone can locate you at whim anywhere (I don't count Astral - there is nothing there). It doesn't matter if I see that Tsakar just scried me on Nil from Prime... it just gives me a heads up. That's -far- from a defense.

I think the whole 3 planes away thing and all your enemies is a bit rough.

Farscout I don't like, but honestly how many people have it? only 2 guilds compared to 6 guilds. Also celestines and nihilists don't have nearly as many people as the other guilds, and serenwilde is much lager numbers wise than any other

There is a defense for scent too, and it isn't a Trans skill in a Skillset outside guild skillsets.

And Aethersight isn't a defense it is a oh that person is looking for me. Yippee! If you happen to be in an area with a forestal you have a defense too.. It may be lacking in many people but it is called "Common sense". You don't even have to spend any lessons to learn that one. You just know "Hey that forestal knows I am here. I can react to that information."

So you'd be perfectly fine if you knew when someone scented you? I can't believe that. Why no threads bitching about it before Aethersight existed? Really, I don't see how much of a difference it makes. If I'm somewhere I shouldn't be, I fully expect that my enemies know that, and don't piss around sightseeing, I get in and do what I need to do. How does knowing for sure change anything?

the defence for scent takes balance and has to be put up in every room AND is only accesible by forestals.

The defense for Farscout/Window/Scry DOESN'T EXIST.

So argue that there should be a more universal defense against it. I said it way back in the tracking threads, that maybe alchemists should be able to make a Musk vial to defend against scent and Trackers seeking with their ents. Saying Scent should be changed but other skills are fine is called bias.

Aethersight is a defense. Being notified that you are being tracked is life-saving information. And yes, there is a defense against Totem Wolfbond Scent...it's Totem Skunkbond Spray. It's a low skill in the same guild skillset, meaning cities have no defense.

i'm not saying other skills are fine. I'm saying both should be killed off.

Sylphas trans dfiscernment lets you know when your spotted, i wish I had it so i could know if i've been seen insinde this village yet or i'm still good to keep setting up.

If you are inside a village and a forestal is there, guess what you have your free aethersight. You have been spotted. Amazing how little people apply common sense to things.

Scent is local area, if you are in the village alone, you are safe. If you are in the village and someone from a Commune is there, you are not safe.

Yes, I know. That's not a defense against it, that's just a polite hint to you. It would be a defense if it stopped it (as skunk does). This is like saying that getting a bright red message whenever you hit me with a hammer is a defense against hammers.

A plush Lacostian doll squeaks, "Everything is fine, Leave it alone! Stupid Mortals......."

My, oh my.

These forums would be dead if it weren't for quotes and the incessant whining.

Is there EVER a time y'all DON'T have something to whine about?

I have farscout on an alt, and oh goodness me, I just use it so much 100 mana, 15 willpower so I can see where my enemies are. Or my allies - obviously not all at once. Seriously, how come this has NEVER come up before?

Because they decided to whine about commune abilities again, so Narsrim decided to split off a new thread whining about them. It's all ridiculous, really.

Because now Serenwilde can use something against Magnagora. So therefore it must be nerfed. It was perfectly acceptable all along until we could do the same thing - Local Area only.

Actually, I just wanted to see if they would, as expected, defend farscout just cry foul against scent.