Timestop, and how it works on PotM

[Nemesis 24]

In PvP, it all depends on who gets the jump, let's be honest. RNG and one bite kills against other players are a NWN thing that are never going away, the module would need to be designed from scratch.

In PvE, yeah, you probably won't be doing anything damagey unless you know the exact spell combo that's good for that dungeon. But the mobs do not have save gear. In fact, some of them have miserable saves, and are extremely vulnerable to certain spells that make it nigh impossible for them to fight back.

This is genuinely worth noting, with regards to saves.  *Players* have saves that stop them from being instantly immobilised and obliterated 'some' of the time.  Creatures remain extremely weak against them.  Its also worth noting these changes 'do' appear necessary because a lvl 20 wizard can essentially and rather easily bully the server as a whole outright as it currently stands - and have done so before, and will do so again.  They are possibly the most consequence resistant class on the server.

[zDark Shadowz]

Hrm.. where did my scroll of bigby's grasping hand go...?

Time Stop is the among the toppest of tier spells that players work hard for. You don't really get that high in level without either having a penchant of ignoring other people entirely and doing your own thing (in which case your power may as well not exist) or you endured and roleplayed your heart out and definitely deserve what you got sticking it out to that final end.

"A spell that affects an area and has a duration longer than the remaining duration of the time stop (such as cloudkill) have their normal effects on other creatures once the time stop ends. Most spellcasters use the additional time to improve their defenses, summon allies, or flee from combat."
     http://dnd.arkalseif.info/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/time-stop--2886/index.html

I really don't mind the change so that the 'most' section becomes what a wizard can 'only' do. It just means it's following the intent of the spell now.

Soon as you've painted a target on your own back though with whatever actions you do - you're probably going to get ganked hard. It's something one should expect could happen when it comes to PvP.

The arcanists planned their spells for it and no one else had the reaction or preparation set up to deal with a time stopping wizard casting AoE's? No scrolls of Greater Dispelling / Mordenkainen's Disjunction prepped to throw onto the ground? No stoneskin or protection from elements cast stacked in layers of four (all elemental resistance spells stack with each other and burn through in succession) with their ridiculously long durations to ward against the initial damage?

There's a myriad of tactics a wizard can employ, so please don't think this change will keep one safe if you aren't prepared for a gank, and this holds true for any class attacking any other class, from crippling, true striking assassins to instant death magic cast from a distance in hasted succession, to improved knockdown criticals out of invisibility (not everyone has true seeing up consistently after all, or their minute duration sight spells up vs the hour duration stealth spells stealthy folk have easy access to through herbalism)

There's really nothing to argue about over the change. One door is locked in a room full of fifty odd exits and entrances. The only way to see what kind of a difference this makes in future is to literally, wait and see. Hundreds of combat situations can be procured and planned for out of thin air, applying ones that'll work in game is another thing entirely.

[Chabxxu]

In PvP, it all depends on who gets the jump, let's be honest. RNG and one bite kills against other players are a NWN thing that are never going away, the module would need to be designed from scratch.

In PvE, yeah, you probably won't be doing anything damagey unless you know the exact spell combo that's good for that dungeon. But the mobs do not have save gear. In fact, some of them have miserable saves, and are extremely vulnerable to certain spells that make it nigh impossible for them to fight back.

While having the jump will definitly help, you can survive ganks when you get jumped. It requires planning ahead and having a build that allows for such: getting more hp, good saves, discipline, etc.. But it is possible if you plan accordingly.

As forthe timestop nerf, i dont really think it was needed, but i don’t mind it. Anyone here that goes super aggro and starts getting people on a daily, even with timestop, would get such a big target on their backs they wouldn’t live very long unless they remained hidden behind a locked door.

[SardineTheAncestor]

Sure, I don't mean to say people haven't escaped ganks, I was just talking about the likelihood of turning it around without resetting entirely. My post is only about how unlikely it is for the game's nature to be changed. It is not like other games, because it relies on RNG which can be mitigated through high minimums & lethality is high due to dice stacking.

The message is meant to be positive & encouraging toward future suggestions. While we can't ask the devs to make 1d6 weapons 6d1, triple everyone's health, add in more universal DR, cut all save or die spells, and change crowd-control to break if the victim takes damage, or any of these wild things, there are still changes that can be made, like changing Time Stop, which are overall positive & focus the mechanics on enabling turn-arounds rather than instant gibs.

[Ercvadasz]

In PvP, it all depends on who gets the jump, let's be honest. RNG and one bite kills against other players are a NWN thing that are never going away, the module would need to be designed from scratch.

In PvE, yeah, you probably won't be doing anything damagey unless you know the exact spell combo that's good for that dungeon. But the mobs do not have save gear. In fact, some of them have miserable saves, and are extremely vulnerable to certain spells that make it nigh impossible for them to fight back.

While having the jump will definitly help, you can survive ganks when you get jumped. It requires planning ahead and having a build that allows for such: getting more hp, good saves, discipline, etc.. But it is possible if you plan accordingly.

As forthe timestop nerf, i dont really think it was needed, but i don’t mind it. Anyone here that goes super aggro and starts getting people on a daily, even with timestop, would get such a big target on their backs they wouldn’t live very long unless they remained hidden behind a locked door.

Well on the first half, it is sad but true. The limits of NWN are forcing nearly every class into certain win builds. Elsewise it is just invitation of ganking. I've seen, heard and experienced myself quite often how those that were mostly RP builds and did just that, quite often going for extreme lengths to solve issues via RP just merely get ganked because it is easier, than to bother or play it out. I find that such ganking usually merely ends all kinds of RP and does not really bring it, beside rare exceptions.(And since for a while now there are no real repercussions or consequences when one does so, especially if nobody learns of it. I miss the random DP checks for such, since they eventually forced players to behave to a degree, even though some of them were actually aiming for DP-s.)

For the second half of your message:
I am just throwing out the name of a certain red mage who was once ruler of Barovia. Valio.
He did a lot and thus he became for a while even the ruler or Barovia:)
And he had a huge bounty on him, many folks were after him, and no he definetly did not stay behind close doors. Also during that time, the server was also smaller since Har'Akir has not been added neither.
So actually i would say what you write is only half true. Even if the player does a lot, it does not necessarily mean that folks will go after them. Just look at all the hundred thousand and more gold bounties that certain guys have and they are being left alone and are thriving. Whereas 5000 and such bounties are turned in easily.

Regarding Timestop, i've seen the devastation it can cause. Back in 2008-10 when it had 0 nerf to it. I can definetly say it was abused. It was something that was just left to the user what to do thereafter. There was nothing you could do once it was cast. Just think about it, if Dilisnya would just cast a Timestop and instead of running away, he would just have killed or turned all the PC-s into vampires? (I've met Dilisnya and he used a Timestop scroll to escape. back in 2009 or 2010?)
Or all the previous vampire MPC-s? They were expected to behave in a certain matter, which was not enforced nor required of PC-s. I would say that this change is just many of those changes regarding this spell that is trying to eradicate these non-liked uses, and put a certain limiter on the RED IS DEAD or the WIN mentality.

But of course these are just my experiences and thoughts, you can take it or leave it.

[Chabxxu]

The main reason people dont go after people with very high bounties is that people are scared of screwing it up and ending up dead. While lower bounties usually will be for lower levels that are much easier to cash it.

People will usually go for the lower risk/reward path instead of the higher one, which is fine. But it always makes me happy to see people going for the higher bounties, since it keeps people on the their toes and force them to think. But its primordial to keep in mind that even people with bounties want rp and not just random pvp. Ganking is needed sometimes, but usually trying to understand why someone got the bounty in the first place, and their motivations, will bring more rp in the long run.