So, I felt the need to bring up the new monk skills again. I'm sure quite a few people know why (particularly in reference to masquerading). Am I the only one who feels that those ninjakari-made masks are a little overpowered? They do mimic those 800 credit marauder's masks awfully close. From what I've seen, they function very very similarly to them (masking the person's movements, actions, voice, and more (they also trick WHO with thirdeye (though, enemies still show up red even if they're masked as someone else), but I'm not sure about QW.. if they do, there's a gem of cloaking feature- making them better than that artifact)). Also, is that skill destroying the corpse the mask is taken from too? I'd hope not, or else certain other skills will have been nerfed. But sadly, that seems to be the hot trend with skill development- adding opposing skills to "balance" things and make the original skill useless.

So anyway, how does everyone (particularly those who don't play Magnagoran or Ninjakari characters) view these skills? Overpowered? Unreasonable? Horrible bandaides to current skill issues?

I personally see the new skills as absolutely ridiculous. No longer can you sit in a public area like the aetherplex and whatnot without having to worry about all your channels being listened to (unless you're graced or have suspect on them, thank goodness). I can't wait to see the next game wide event and how that'll turn out with monks capable of listening to every org's guild and city/commune channels. And then add in those masks.. If such an incident did happen, I guess you're crap out of luck, unless you know exactly who the person is (I'm going to have to make a macro/alias to LOOK of all the Ninjakari now just to make sure they're not in the room). That's just the info I know so far on those two skills.. Do they bypass SCENT and other forms of location too? Can those masks only be worn by the person who made them? If not, I think it would be a great balance to the skill for the makers to be the only ones able to wear the masks. Also, something needs to be done about the voice part. They're not glamours, so why do they also mask the voice? That seems a little overboard. Could we please have some of those stealth skills viewable like illusions are now? Seems only fair. Afterall, why shouldn't others have kean eyes too?

Question about ghostwalk: is it blocked by anything- monoliths, shields, eye sigils? If not, what stops someone from sneaking into a stockroom?

My main issue is with the skill that mimics the 800 credit artifact. Could every guild get their own equivalent now? *hint* Paradox milestones! *hint*

Back to working on my ninjakari novice now. Oh, and thanks to the admin for even more grief-tastic skills!

I don't think Stealth is overpowered. I think it's about time that a support and utility skillset got some real power. Think of how much real combat use is sacrificed in comparison to Harmony. (It's also a good precedent for Crow upgrades--we can get all sorts of utility if we don't boost the combat application to be on par with Stag. Yay! )

Ninjakari? That's different.

1. Masks are fine.
2. Destroying corpses is already really easy, so I don't see what point you were trying to make there.
3. I agree Infiltrate is a pointless (lame -and- useless) skill. It really should be replaced with something completely different.
4. Ghostwalk only works if the 'way is clear'; so if the door is closed, they cannot get in. That said, there should probably be a safety put in to ensure it cannot be used to enter stockrooms.

Eh, I was going to mention a certain skill or two in their specialization, but I haven't really had too much trouble with that (save for those chaindrags as soon as I enter a room).

It's not that much worse actually, things like truss are pretty sick.

Ah, so ghostwalk is as I thought it was. That's great to know. If only orgs had gates..

Masks are fine until you're being griefed (shouts, etc. I'd like to see if news posts and tells are affected by it too) or in the middle of combat and can't figure out who that person is now without taking guessing at names. Could we at least have them fall off if the mask's subject is in the room too, like glamour? My whole issue with the masks are that they mimic an expensive artifact with unreasonable similarity but with a few perks too (being able to mask as someone else and not just a masked ) and they're incredibly easy to obtain.

What would ghostwalking into an org do for you though?

The idea behind Mask is that it hides your identity; as in, it forces you to guess/use other measures to determine who they are in order to attack them. Also, glamour is meant to be a little side-ability for flavour. Can't really compare it to Mask.

Fairly sure mask drops on aggresive actions.

Considering you can tipheret/summer out of truss, not so much.

And mask drops 2 seconds after an aggressive action. You don't really have to worry about anything there.

Just stop whining.

Unless statues and guards are hitting, it allows easy entry into an org to slay important org mobs (like Jethri and supplicants- fae, crows, and whatever else too) or attack players in their own territory without harm of defenses and then being able to easily sneak right back out. And yet, not every org will have this ability or anything similar to grief others, so it's pretty much giving one the key to the city and telling them to come in anytime and attack anyone afk or whatnot. Once again, orgs should have closable entrances (like Kinsarmar in Imperian). If you can get in, sure, ghostwalk all you want, but there shouldn't be a reason for someone to be able to freely enter on a whim.

Even if it does drop, it's still too similar to a 800 credit artifact. How is that justified? Why should one class be allowed to have access to the equivalent of an artifact? I'd like my paradox milestone now, thanks.

I like people getting into the city, Yrael was always fun. I like the look of the stealth skillset honestly, and thats as a Celestian.

I think it looks decent so far. Just a few skills need to be addressed and tweaked to balance out. Ghostwalk isn't all that much trouble, as long as there is a defense against it.

First of all, those things you listed there are not important and someone would have to be standing by them inorder for someone to ghostwalk to them. Also, under fifteen rooms away. How would you not be harmed by defenses? People could fly into Orgs before, did that mean they were never defended agaisnt? Glomdoring will be getting also, so it's not Magnagora-wins or anything. Really, has anyone been griefed by ghostwalk yet?

Trans Moon/Night = 800 credits.

If you keep adding defences it will become a a near useless skill like three quarters of most skillsets tend to be, its good to see skills that have potential. Its up to the players not to abuse those skills and grief people

...as if that'll happen.

Im trying to be hopeful, its christmas..

Um.. excuse me? You do realize that the Paradox Pyramid is pretty much a copy of Hermit in Tarot, right? Tarot Users already have that artifact. Not to mention artifacts that give Shroud, Burrow, Gust, Web, and Regens. Or there's the torc or magi crown which are similar to some of the new artifacts.

Really, your argument is kinda unfounded.

As for Infiltrate, all they can do is listen to guild/city, I think that's a good ability. They can't listen to clans or tells, which is where most important stuff goes on anyway. I don't see the issue, really, its not like its not pretty easy to get spys inside an org anyway.. or just use an alt to read news posts. :shrug: