Maybe its getting a second attack you dont see or its counting some second attack that isnt really there.

But what is up with the shield crackling twice?

Eldrad

No one's brave enough to tell Gauthus he's wrong. ^_^

ES was upgraded to be more of a shield type spell to everything. The Guildleader text was never changed to reflect this.

~Ambreene

Ok then forget Gauthus, here's the description of ES from the website, which was updated for the new spell changes:

Ethereal Shield
Offers some protection from elemental attacks, as well as giving you a minor defensive advantage in battle. Requirements: 2nd Circle

Almost every magic guild has a protection/shield type spell (Protection from evil, sphere of protection, psychic shield, ethereal shield, etc..) that will protect one from that type of magic. It seems unfair to me that ES transcends this and protects against other types of magic as well. I don't expect any war mages to agree with me. Afterall, who is going to come out and say, "yes please downtweak our spell." But Rigby if you're reading this I think it's a valid question and would like to hear your rationale for this.

PS. Not trying to make this a guild vs. guild thing as ES is also used by critters (swamp trolls for one). So although I don't go around webbing mages it does affect my hunting.

Ethereal shield provides minor protection against a broad range of attacks, instead of more impressive protection against one particular type of attack. SOP also gives a boost to evasion, which has essentially the same effect as reducing all incoming magic spells' effectiveness -- only SOP's evasion bonus helps you against things other than magic, as well.

So, why exactly does this spell have everyone's panties in a knot?

I mean, seriously. No fight was ever decided by whether or not a warrior mage had up Ethereal Shield. He made it an all-purpose barrier because it used to be basically useless and every WM has to have it. It was a lemon of a spell before, and if it protected against only Elemental attacks, it'd be a lemon now.

Ethereal shield provides minor protection against a broad range of attacks, instead of more impressive protection against one particular type of attack. SOP also gives a boost to evasion, which has essentially the same effect as reducing all incoming magic spells' effectiveness -- only SOP's evasion bonus helps you against things other than magic, as well.

---

Three things:

1. Ethereal Shield provides more than a minor protection. I reduces damage quite well from lunar spells I've thrown at swamp trolls. However, I don't have a problem with this. It's nice having a spell do what it is supposed to do. I am curious though, does ES still give an evasion boost?


2. I'm still waiting for a GM to hopefully answer my question about why Ethereal Shield will 'crackle' TWICE when a SLS hits it. I want to know if it is a messaging bug, or if it is actually reducing damage twice for some reason.

3. I'm curious. Does ES and SoP pretty much do the same thing now? If so, I would think that SoP is the stronger spell, since I am fairly sure that ES won't keep Hornets or Spiders off of you. (unless that changed that)

Eldrad

<<I am curious though, does ES still give an evasion boost?>>

To the best of my knowledge, it never did give a direct Evasion boost. I think any defensive benefits it gives/gave are more along the line of a reduction to the offensive power of a physical attack, much the way it reduces the effective mana of a spell. That last part is the key for anyone trying to get past with a spell, by the way. If you can MB someone with 30 mana without ES up, it might take 35-40 mana with one up, but it by no means confers immunity.

As far as spell balance goes, it also bears pointing out that ES is also no longer as effective at shielding from the effects of Elemental spells as it used to be. It used to provide Immunity to Frost Bite, and to being struck by random bolts from Chain Lightning, and provided some protection from Fire Rain, but it no longer does any of those things. It may still protect against Fire Ball and Lightning Bolt backwash/forking, but I haven't tested that.


Heironymous

Thanks for the info, hope you didn't think I'm bashing the spell. I think it's good that it defends.

Eldrad

P.S. Still waitin for an answer to the double crackle question. :)

*coughshearcough

---

Do you know that everytime Shear works, it is either lessened in strength and duration, or it is spent entirely. Whereas Ethereal Shield does not have this problem. It also keeps Moon Mages from using an entire book of spells. Whereas Ethereal Shield does not have this problem.

Just making you aware of the differences.


Eldrad

>>Do you know that everytime Shear works, it is either lessened in strength and duration, or it is spent entirely. Whereas Ethereal Shield does not have this problem. It also keeps Moon Mages from using an entire book of spells. Whereas Ethereal Shield does not have this problem.

Some spells do lots of other stuff other spells don't. Especially in the case of barrier spells, these are much more limited.

ES is the least limited in the number spells it protects against, but it doesn't protect all that well, and provides less protection than other spells.

I don't see where the problem is.

-Frogspawn

<<That is not minor protection. If my opponent could choose any one defensive spell, ES is the one I'd hope he didn't pick.>>

You figure es protects from magics better than aether cloak then?

<<<That is not minor protection. If my opponent could choose any one defensive spell, ES is the one I'd hope he didn't pick.>>

You figure es protects from magics better than aether cloak then? >

Against target spell, no, aether cloak protects better. Of course, you also can't cast spells and have an aether cloak on, so yeah, even against target spells I'd rather my opponent had aether cloak, because at least he or she would lose the protection if they decided to cast at me. In addition aether cloak doesn't protect at all against a good number of spells. If you had just aether cloak, I'd MB you first, or IP, or web you, or halt you. Besides, VOI is more annoying than aether cloak. You can get through an aether cloak.

<<I can think of at least 5 that are much more powerful and protect against more stuff than ES.>>

Then name them and give examples of their greater protection.

<<Do you die a lot?>>

No.

>>Then I have an ES put on me....

I must offer a parallel experience to yours, except I will not use PvP arguments/tests since it almost always is ignored by the GMs when presented in that fashion.

ES provides WAY too much protection, against FAR too many fronts. Case in point: Swamp Trolls. I hunt them regularly in Haven, and somewhat regularly in Lang. These guys are impervious to my LUNAR magic when ES is up. I outclass trolls by far with my magic skills, yet if they are solidly balanced or above, I find it nearly impossible to damage them with my spells.

Without ES I will almost always cause major damage, or kill with 2-3 casts of 10 mana burn. This is very typical for creatures at/around my level. With ES up, I can only cause minor abrasions or less (no damage, or completely miss them) This is just with one spell.

With DO and ES, I can still hit them usually but the noose is generally deflected by their armor, or again I cause only minor abrasions. DO is a very deadly spell, and with 10 mana at my skills, I am lopping off heads left and right at my like-leveled creatures.

When ES wears off, I will always kill them with DO on the next cast (generally because they are already quite damaged, but also because I destroy a vital area with the spell)

Alas, I really don't want ES to be 'down-tweaked' because I think it should be the best shield spell against ELEMENTAL spells. However, as it currently stands, it is the MOST powerful shield spell in the game, and can make its weared almost impervious to any kind of attack. This is obviously seriouls unbalanced for a first-tier spell. Please take a look at this spell - it shouldn't be protecting against ALL types of magic.

PM 260
HA 230
TM 170
AGI, REF 20
WIS 40, DIS 36, INT 34

-Grads

>>course, you also can't cast spells and have an aether cloak on, so yeah, even against target spells I'd rather my opponent had aether cloak, because at least he or she would lose the protection if they decided to cast at me.

>Thankfully, Dragonbreath exists.

In the Ilithi magic combat prelims, there was a rather funny bout in which both contestants were using AC, so neither could hit the other. Then one of them cast a quick Frost Scythe and used it to chop the other up. That was the end of that.


Seldaren

>>However, as it currently stands, it is the MOST powerful shield spell in the game, and can make its weared almost impervious to any kind of attack.

That's a rather broad statement.

If I knew I was going to get hit by a spell but wanted to be able to still be capable of fighting, I'd want Antistun.

If I knew I was going to grossly overpower the opponent and wanted a clear shot, I'd want shear.

If I knew I was going to be hit by a deluge of psychic attacks, I'd want psychic shield or marshal order.

If I knew I was going to be hit by TM spells, aether cloak all the way.

If I knew the person needed a long time to prep a spell, I'd go for halt or huldah's pall.

If I knew the person was going to be using curses, evil, arcane, or holy attacks, I'd want protection from evil.

If I knew it would be something like swarm or branch break, I'd want sphere of protection.

If I knew the person was going to use S vs Stamina spells, I'd want courage and heroic strength up.

If I knew the person was going to use A vs Agility spells, I'd want any of the many evasion or agility boosting spells out there, like Swirling Winds, Seer's Sense, Benediction, and Cheetah Swiftness.

If I knew the person was going to use W vs Will spells, I'd want marshal order.

If I had no clue what I was going for, but just wanted a general protection but no specilization spell, then I'd go for ethereal shield.

> I also don't know exactly how well ES protects against a spell like MB by itself, but I know it took me roughly 50 mana to stun someone with MB who was my level who just had ES on, and my friend who was 10 levels lower couldn't stun him no matter how high he cast.



Just out of curiousity - what did it take the two of you to stun him without ES up? That would put things in better perspective, I believe. If it only takes 12 mana to stun him without ES and 50 with ES, there may be an issue. If it takes 49 without ES, and 50 with ES, I'd say folks are overreacting a tad bit.

Dash & the gang

Curious about DragonRealms Platinum? Find out more at http://members.tripod.com/cervanntes/DragonRealms/index.htm

>>I don't count these as defense spells in the same way that ES, SOP, VOI, etc. are defense spells, as I'm sure most people don't, but if you have to count them to try to sound right, go ahead.

>>I was under the impression we were discussing protection from spells.

>>AC also offers no protection against other spells.

If you disregard all the spells that make you invincible, do other stuff to the target, add evasion or stats, and protect from EVERY spell, then yes, ES is the best spell in the game.

However, if you disregard all the spells that make you invincible, do other stuff to the target, add evasion or stats, and protect from EVERY spell, then yes, ES is the ONLY spell in the game.

>>I've killed people in one burn through AC.

Then you found someone who isn't using AC right.

All of your tests are either missing one side of the equation or performed on, or by, someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

Half your data (see long paragraph with little punctuation, I can go through sentence by sentence and point out everything if you wish) is wrong.

You think ES is overpowered. Hooray for you.

-Frogspawn

>>RF, Blend, FoI: make you invincible

can not move while in blend or it fades, so you cannot fight while you use blend, with ES you can without hinderances, so lets scratch that out the list because its not a continual defense spell. RF better version of blend but does not make you invincible just invisible, area affect spells still hit them and hit them with 100% force no decrease what so ever and some area affect spells will pull them out of RF. FOI sets you apart in your own room taking you out of combat and danger so its not a combat defense spell, and if you do fight and use it you pull them with you with offers no protection, none of these spells should count unless you want to count BOT which are not defense spells in the least

>>AC: drops any TM or hybrid spell
AC protects against all hybrid and TM spells, ES protects against all TM, hybrid, and a few others so AC doesn't belong on the list either

>>SW, SS: decreases damage from all mundane weapons, spells, and special attacks that check evasion

your confusing reducing damage with making you avoid it better. If you count only spells and not mundane weapons then ES beats those.

uhh....okay that leaves us with uhh? only shear beats it in the category of covering most spells

weakest from strongest the list of spell prevention and usefullness is SOP, Psychic shield, PFE, AC, ES, and Shear(only if on a non-moon mage)

AC would normally be above ES but because it is held mana it goes down in the list because if you want to keep a continual AC going without breaking it, it would involve that you yourself go without casting spells


Should it be downtweaked? in my opinion no, it doesn't make a difference in most cases except in burn not sure if its a thing with hybrid spells, does it murder MB, no not really that spell has the least difference. Is it a lemon that offers minimal protection and is one of the wort spells? not by far if anything it is one of the best as it covers the widest range, reduces damage equally to pfe against holy mana and SOP against life mana, but instead it covers more then just elemental mana and it is the least in restrictions.

Alright, on behalf of the ENTIRE war mage guild, I'll admit it. ES is freakishly overpowered. Your only hope is to never engage in PVP with a warrior mage. If one attacks you, I suggest you immediately drop your weapon, fall to your knees and begin begging for mercy. The mage may, in a magnanimous gesture, allow you to walk out of the situation with your life.

Fear the shield!!

Gizella

Quit yer whinning and do what the barbs do on TF......Get a longbow. lol