I've played Nexus in and out for about 5 years (not overly successful, mostly rageful) and here are some observations:

- no imm led quests, not a one
- the only immteraction is generally religion oriented
- you're more likely to get immteraction from another cabal's imm than nexus itself (see Thror and Iklahn)
- no one seems to care or advocate for nexus outside of a few long-lived shifters


There have been a few heroimms in nexus that helped 'keep things in line', but really they were mostly dominating the freedom of nexus with their own perspective ("roleplay"). Luckily they've moved on or graduated to other things.

Bond is still underwhelming, all things considered. It isn't that great for ranking bonded, it's kind of annoying to use with certain classes, and it mostly only shines with shifter/warrior. I know, that's probably not fair to say, but it's frustrating enough trying to find someone to bond with that the skill is underwhelming because of that rarity.

Not only that but the skills are so lame compared to the other cabals. Detect invis is good for melee, and vanguard can be ok, but it's so easy to game vanguard as a rager or if going against the grain for the dam redux, a nexun will simply be ganked. Not only that, but vanguard working less when the veil is super duper thick seems so freaking contrary to the entire premise of it all.

So really, does anyone give a crap about nexus? Or is just going to idle along full of wasted potential?

You and I have always disagreed about the quality of the Nexus powers and I'm not sure what else to say about that, other than I'm not sure how you get from "This person thinks the powers are better than I do" to what you're saying here.

it was more about nexus imm activity and lack of it.

serious question though: have you ever played a hero nexus?

Combining hide/sneak with trip/cheapshot quicksand, dispel magic, circle, shields, backstab, blackjack, and invoker damage output... scary on so so so so so so many levels.

Lone target scenario
hide/sneak walk up to them and blackjack. Make quicksand dispel flight, open with backstab follow with damage spells and trip, 3 rounds later get all corpse.

Groups target scenario
hide/sneak walk up to them and invoker starts blasting area spells, thief circle stabs to pick off the targets without high DR in a couple of rounds and revert to dispel magic, trip/cheap shot, parting block to seal the last fellow.

Group vs group combat going on scenario.
Patiently wait hidden and then nuke everyone with area damage when they are wounded, thief uses their skills to pick off straglers as they try and escape.

Before Zeke I was in the "nexus sucks" camp

After Zeke, I can't believe how foolish I was...

Vanguard makes a HUGE difference (with or without A/B/S) its almost like prot vs align, prot vs ethos (Depending on balance) combined with it always being prot vs big damage

Vanguard alone would turn archbishop acid blasts from unspeaks to devastates...and deathblows were not much different

Bond was extremely useful (with competent warrior pals, when Quas and I ran around with it...nastiness)

Now my gripe with nexus:

Give nexus some sort of balance shifting based messages, I hate hate hated calling gauge every 4 minutes out of fear of some heroimm bitching me out in regards to the balance :P

the end.

I think part of the reason that Nexus seems to be 'ignored' is that the cabal is functioning how its intended to. It is generally an auto-pilot cabal in terms of everything it does from its election of leaders and to its obscenely wide open cabal dogma.

I must be in the minority but I still think that Nexus powers are super awesome with Vanguard being one of my favorite powers in the whole game. The only thing I would like to see is that Vanguard would still function when you are bonded, but your bond is 'broken' (your other half left the room or whatever).

nt

I'm a big advocate for having less cabals seeing as we have less players to accomadate so many cabals. Of all the cabals we have the Nexuns (and Scions) contribute the least to CF as a whole due to limiting factors that dont open them up very well to the general playerbase.

1. Nexuns protect Balance.

The problem with that whole idea is that after having played a nexun and asked nexuns innumerable times about the state of balance, Thera is typically balanced. This means for large periods of time the cabal serves no real purpose except to fight Villagers.

2. Low Playerbase

The low playerbase means that (imho) instead of serving balance, the nexus cabal in actuality suddenly swerves balance in the other direction so to speak.

For example if my cabal is holding a couple items and is 'unbalancing' Thera but my cabal only has one or two protectors is it really 'balanced' for a hit squad (at times) of two or three hero nexuns along with a couple of the actual enemies of your cabal whose item you are holding to show up and it is now a five vs. two fight?

3. Scions are nearly non-existent. Why do we need them again?

Abandon the following Cabals:

- Nexus
- Tribunal
- Scion
- Empire
- Fortress

Re-introduce the following Cabals:

- Masters
- Entropy
- Shadow
- Knights
- Arbiters

(Outlander/Scarab/Ragers remain as is)

Like I say; only minor tweaks but it would bring a lot of people back out of retirement.

Going back to the old cabals would be like a farewell tour. They're fond to look back upon, but imho they're a bunch of "basic bitches".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaghIdSJKvQ

The power sharing between the individuals should continue for a few ticks maybe 3ish without their bond partner at their side. After 3 consecutive rounds without the bond partner beside them the bond breaks.

Alternatively, it could be made area wide instead of room wide for the bond to work...

I'm not sure how easy of an addition it might be.

The question is if the imms feel there is a need for the change. Additional incentive to actually use bond instead of "lone wolfing" it with vanguard. Unless things have changed since I last played Nexus, accidentally stepping out of a room from your bond-mate sucks.

Bond was nice as both an assassin and as a ranger, for both me and bond mate. I'd assume similar is true of a thief too.

And with my warrior I found vanguard really useful for dealing with outlanders at the refuge.

others pretty much suck compared to all other cabals. vanguard still sucks in the grand scheme of things, it shines in a few scenarios though (ambush, sometimes deathblow if the veil isn't too thick, damage redux if fighting against 2 or more veil swings).

but who wants to fight bonded? it's better to get the buffs, break bond, and go solo with vanguard if fighting against the grain or fighting ragers because of deathblow. that's what most hero nexuns do already outside of a few scenarios (offense shifter + sword warrior).

but cabal powers wasn't the biggest point: biggest point is nexus just being the cabal of neglect.

who just want to be left alone and play without depending on imms.

Since word on the street is that Empire no longer fulfills that role.

What exactly are you saying here?

Empire has auto-induction (bloodoath). While people are complaining that auto-induction does not let neutrals or goods get inducted, it is still automated.

Has auto-boost to the lowest echelon(shadow dweller, divine voice, etc) as long as they meet requirements.

Then relies on cabal politics to get you boosted to the next tiers above (from what I understand). Not that I play Empire much.

Even the imperial voting system is mostly automated. It is just initiation that is not (again, from what I've read).

I do not see where that equates to "depending on imms".

Empire is a player-run cabal, as is Nexus.

However, a few people recently complained that Empire is no longer player-run because Destuvius pokes his nose everywhere :)

So I suggest that, for those people, there is still Nexus.

I cannot pull the joking tone from your posts. :P

nt

That sounds a bit like that myth that was believed for years that deathblow and resistance did the same.

You're right about bond, though. My last nexun shifter was the only hero one in the cabal at the time, and the warriors passed me around so much that I felt like a whore.

fluctuate somewhat with the veil. Not as extreme as with good/evil law/chaos, iirc, but the veil does affect it.

>
>You're right about bond, though. My last nexun shifter was the
>only hero one in the cabal at the time, and the warriors
>passed me around so much that I felt like a whore.

Someone needs to put this guy's comment on facebook ASAP, could the imm that runs the facebook page please do the honors?.

This one is priceless.

I worked out yesterday and I hurt all over today, and this guy just brought tears of pain to my eyes after all the snickering.