Re: AG: misc ramblings From: ryu70@aol.com (Ryu70) Date: Fri, 24 Feb 1995 13:49:18 +0000 Subject: Re: AG: misc. ramblings From: dsaville@unm.edu (David G. Saville) Ryu70 <ryu70@aol.com> wrote: >>scrolls can be read by any race as long as they have the language >>at the right level. I'm pretty sure Hugh would not make scrolls >>specific for race as it would really mess up the balance of things. > I disagree on this point. I believe that race specific scrolls >would have prevented the abuses. The problem with some scrolls is >that they effectively eliminated higher stat multiples in some >races (elves/halflings read earthy browns). Once the higher multiples >were erased, the race's natural abilities did not have the disadvantage >of the higher multiples to balance them out. In the case of >Earthy Browns, if they would have been limited to minos, there would >not have been a problem with them. Some races, minos and HT's, could >use some sort of bonus in this regard. But then we have it where minos and any other proposed race that gets a race specific scroll will get too much for free compared to the other races. We'd be seeing those low STR mino designs instead of those 6-10 STR elf/halfling designs. :) I'd have my mino start 1 13 17 15, raise STR to 10 or so, then read my 7 earthy brown scrolls. Over 1200 EP saved just like what elves/halflings are doing now. I'd have a problem with this! :) Anyways, we're just rehashing why stat scrolls were such a HUGE goofup by Hugh. (end of reply to Dave) (now just me babbling on why slow moving races stink in AG) I don't think balancing the races through stat scrolls is the way to go. All players would end up doing is streamlining their designs to look like humans. I played a mino long enough to know that in AG they're a complete failure. The bonuses don't equal the minuses. Same for HTs. Ogres actually stand a chance to go beyond failing, but they have to basically be designed and run all the same. How would I balance the slow moving races? Their skill bonuses and other bonuses (like natural armor, thick head, etc) have to be given the equivalent of what they're giving up in stat point costs. Why do HTs pay 25ep/lvl for regen while ogres only pay 15ep/lvl for berserk? Why does head butt suck so bad? (I asked myself this over 2 years running Holland and I still haven't figured it out :) ) I could go on (I had the next paragraph on stat costs typed out but deleted it :) ), but it's pretty futile debating on giving slow moving races more bonuses right now. There always will be a 'pud' race/style/position in games, so like Aimed Blows in Duelmasters, minos and HTs get the honor in AG. > Personally, I have always been an advocate for doing away >with all scrolls that increase stats, abilities, etc. I would >rather the scrolls give hints, treasure maps and the like. I agree. There was far too much abuse (still is (grin)) of scrolls before Hugh realized it. Mike Referenced By Up