Odd.

Hmm, link? I'd be interested in reading it. The most recent thread I could find in which Geb posted (late january, I think) he said that he could think of a few uses for it. Also, when I searched for posts he made with "maelstrom" in it, I got 5 hits. I'm not thinking that qualifies as him saying "over and over again" that the skill has potential. I truthfully can't think of anyone but you who talks about what a great skill those maelstrom etc skills make. I agree in that what Stangmar proposed is a little over the top, but I certain wouldn't mind seeing it replaced or changed into something that would be worth losing, and not a nearly guaranteed death.

Maelstrom

Subject: Soll
Subject max health: 3396
Subject race: Mugwump
Subject disadvantages: -3 fire, -3 electricity
Subject advantages: +1 asphyciation
Subject Defences: Nightsight, Insomnia, Kafe, Deathsense, Thirdeye.
Subject Proofings: None

Caster: Shamarah
Caster Race: Imperial Merian
Caster Intellect: 20
Maelstrom damage type: 25% Electric, 25% Heat, 25% Asphyxiation, 25% Unblockable.
Accessible Defences: Electric Proofing, Fire Proofing, Frost elixir, Hold Breath.
Hailstorm damage type: 50% Blunt, 50% Cold.
Accessible Defences: Fire Elixir, Armour.

No defences.
4075h, 5430m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/20:38:33.031/
Dark lightning crackles through the water, which boils your flesh, and the
pressure in the water increases to the point where your bones snap. Your cries
of pain cannot be heard above the howling winds.
1111h, 5430m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/20:38:33.343/ (H: -2964)

Damage: 2964
Percentage: 87.3%

HOLD BREATH, frost elixir, electric proofing.
2862h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:15:19.031/
Dark lightning crackles through the water, which boils your flesh, and the
pressure in the water increases to the point where your bones snap. Your cries
of pain cannot be heard above the howling winds.
Fortunately, from holding your breath you find that you are unhurt.
656h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:15:27.046/ (H: -2206)

Damage: 2206
Percentage: 65.0%

---
Hailstorm

No defences.
2950h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:18:39.625/
Shamarah raises his hands and dark blue clouds form overhead. Lightning crackles
above and the clouds release an onslaught of cold, icy hail stones that are the
size of your fist.
The hailstones pound into your body.
1764h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:18:41.000/ (H: -1186)

Damage: 1186
Percentage: 34.9%

Fire, Greatrobes 56% blunt
3396h, 4630m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22940w xk---/21:19:03.515/
Shamarah raises his hands and dark blue clouds form overhead. Lightning crackles
above and the clouds release an onslaught of cold, icy hail stones that are the
size of your fist.
The hailstones pound into your body.
2410h, 4630m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22940w xk---/21:19:03.765/ (H: -986)

Damage: 986
Percentage: 29.0%

Pollute

Subject: Soll
Subject max health: 3396
Subject race: Mugwump
Subject disadvantages: -3 fire, -3 electricity
Subject advantages: +1 asphyciation
Subject Defences: Nightsight, Insomnia, Kafe, Deathsense, Thirdeye.
Subject Proofings: None

Caster: Kaervas
Caster Race: Demigod
Caster Intellect: 20
Pollute damage type: 100% Poison.
Accessible Defences: None.
Boulderblast damage type: 25% Blunt, 25% Cutting, 50% Poison.
Accessible Defences: Armour.

3396h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/20:57:08.500/
The ground convulses and you are no longer able to see through the pitch black
clouds that contaminate the air. The stinking pollution coats your skin,
dissolving your flesh like acid, and you choke upon the foul fumes that eat away
at your lungs.
554h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/20:57:12.312/ (H: -2842)

Damage: 2842 = 100% of Pollute's effectiveness.
Percentage: 83.7%

---
Boulderblast

No defences.
2797h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:02:33.453/
Kaervas points at the ground until his finger trembles.
The earth rumbles and pushes up a large tainted boulder that vibrates
momentarily before exploding into thousands of sharp shards of rock, which cut
into your body.
1399h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:02:34.921/ (H: -1398)

Damage: 1398
Percentage: 41.2%

Armour, 48 Cutting, 56 Blunt.
2826h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:02:01.796/
Kaervas points at the ground until his finger trembles.
The earth rumbles and pushes up a large tainted boulder that vibrates
momentarily before exploding into thousands of sharp shards of rock, which cut
into your body.
1549h, 4710m, 4000e, 10p, 14340en, 22950w exk---/21:02:04.843/ (H: -1277)

Damage: 1277
Percentage: 37.6%


===


Maelstrom top: 87.3% Max health. (Extrapolated to remove weakness - 68.7% Max health. This result is less reliable.)
Maelstrom bottom: 65% Max health. (Extrapolated to remove weakness - 51.18% Max health. This result is less reliable.)

Hailstorm top: 34.9% Max health.
Hailstorm bottom: 29% Max health.


Pollute top: 83.7% Max health
Pollute bottom: 83.7% Max health.

Boulderblast top: 41.2% Max health.
Boulderblast bottom: 37.6% Max health.




I'll add Fury when I get a Druid.

Just wanted to comment that Soll has a level 3 weakness to half of maelstrom.

To those saying Mages need a counter to Ecology... Ecology seems more like a counter to Psionics.

And yes, down with forms.

Posted at request:

Syntax: BREAK CUDGEL
Power: 10 (Commune Nexus)
Damage Type: 100% Cutting
Damage Source: None
Unleash the wrath of nature in her full and glorious fury. She shall seek out
your personal enemies that still stand within your demesne and leave them
battered and bloodied! You must sacrifice your cudgel and be at full mana to
invoke such a spectacle.

No bonus from intelligence and one of the most resisted damage types around. Woo, druids!

EDIT: Why someone would ask me to post something, then say "No, don't say it was me!" is beyond my comprehension. Meh.

I'd just like to comment that pollute, which Soll has NO weaknesses to did a mere 4% less than Maelstrom (also bear in mind that Kaervas and Shamarah have the same int so that's ruled out too).

It is worth noting that the AB files are likely wrong in these cases. I imagine the source is in fact magic.

Fury

Subject: Soll
Subject max health: 3396
Subject race: Mugwump
Subject disadvantages: -3 fire, -3 electricity
Subject advantages: +1 asphyciation
Subject Defences: Nightsight, Insomnia, Kafe, Deathsense, Thirdeye.
Subject Proofings: None

Caster: Bakulao
Caster Race: Igasho
Caster Intellect: 11
Fury damage type: 100% Cutting.
Accessible Defences: Resilience, Armour:48 Cutting, Barkskin, Drawdown.

Resilience.
3938h, 4318m, 3334e, 9p, 14420en, 20465w exk---/09:41:14.125/
Like the hand of an angry god, nature turns against you as trees come alive and
pound you with heavy branches. Rocks and debris fly through the air, slicing
into your skin, while the fury of the wind mixes with the angry howl of beasts.
746h, 4318m, 3334e, 10p, 14440en, 20489w exk---/09:41:22.093/ (H: -3192)

Damage: 3192
Percentage: 81.1%

Drawdown, Barkskin, Armour:48 Cutting, Resilience.
3938h, 4564m, 3334e, 1p, 15320en, 20490w ex---/09:47:01.375/
Like the hand of an angry god, nature turns against you as trees come alive and
pound you with heavy branches. Rocks and debris fly through the air, slicing
into your skin, while the fury of the wind mixes with the angry howl of beasts.
1960h, 4564m, 3334e, 1p, 15340en, 20502w ex---/09:47:08.250/ (H: -1978)

Damage: 1978
Percentage: 50.2%


===

Maelstrom top: 87.3% Max health. (Extrapolated to remove weakness - 68.7% Max health. This result is less reliable.)
Maelstrom bottom: 65% Max health. (Extrapolated to remove weakness - 51.18% Max health. This result is less reliable.)

Hailstorm top: 34.9% Max health.
Hailstorm bottom: 29% Max health.

---
Pollute top: 83.7% Max health
Pollute bottom: 83.7% Max health.

Boulderblast top: 41.2% Max health.
Boulderblast bottom: 37.6% Max health.

---
Fury top: 81.1% Max health.
Fury bottom: 50.2% Max health.


===

In sum, we can see Fury sucks when compared to Maelstrom or Pollute.

I'm not sure that's true. I know pollute did less damage to me than fury, I'll see if I can find the log.

Edit: Ok, not less... but almost the same.



Remembering that the magic tome blocks a tiny amount, its possible pollute comes out equivalent or worse than fury.