Vanguard is good when fighting against strong ethos or align, but it often doesn't do much, or anything, against Villagers.

Is it true that vanguard is weaker when magic is weak (veil thick)? That seems counter-intuitive to the entire premise of vanguard - righting the balance. Why not make vanguard provide both protection when magic is weak if fighting a Villager and better mitigate big damage (deathblow)? But make it do less when the veil is thin (magic strong).

Vanguard could also use some flare.

It'd be cool if every hit from a Villager when vanguard is in effect thinned the veil, like it was drawing power from combat and making magic better.

Honestly, the default veil for magic is always 'The Veil is mostly normal and Magic flows at a stable, if slightly weakened, rate.' One Villager is enough to tip that further into a stronger veil. And worse, one battle leader is enough to make it 'The Veil is thick and the land seems listless as Magic is very faint.' They don't even have to do anything other than be logged on.

You guys throw a lot of bones but Nexus never seems to be on the receiving end. Playerbase is too low for an opportunity to fight via bond and vanguard is mostly crummy for fighting Battle.

I will respectfully disagree with your assessment of the OP nature of Vanguard of Balance. I would argue it is easily in the top 5 powers on the mud.

i could list 20 cabal powers better than vanguard. and just to prove a point -

transform
beckon
resistance
spell evasion
discern spell
chameleon
insects
ancient instincts
eyes
mantle
spellbane
lieutenants
bloody shackles
nightwalker
piercing gaze
healing curse
imperial tactics
centurions
black channel
field dressing
bloodthirst

there's 21 for you

I often wonder that when I see some comments from players. Vanguard offers something that only 2 other things in your list do: dmg redux. To me, that alone makes it vastly superior to everything else presented since I am lazy and do not prep.

Many of your other things presented are either random abilities (which I hate) or active abilities that are used in place of other skills that I am more likely to kill you with.

I suppose the biggest difference is play style and all that jazz.

the problem I have with vanguard is it isn't enough for the type that needs it. If you're fighting against the grain, probably gonna get ganked anyway. At least that's my experience.

And it doesn't do nearly enough for combating Villagers, especially the ones who roll n/n to specifically minimize vanguard's effect.

Protection vs evil give 10% redux against neutrals, and protection v good give 10% redux v neutrals. This reflects the fact that neutrals have good and evil aspects, and stops neutral being the default align for villagers so their enemies have less dam redux.

With a 10% buff to damage against people with protection up, right?

I really think there should be a protection from neutral spell.
Just like the other prot spells it could not work with prot good or prot evil.
That would be the way to fix it so the player has to choose if they want prot neutral or prot good up as an evil.
Not just adding the percentage to prot good or prot evil.

Anyway, it's mainly a buff against people who take neutrality to circumvent the protection.

It might be a cool prep to add that is limited and hard to get.

that neutrals who use protection get 10% of both instead of 25% of one chosen at random.

>Vanguard is good when fighting against strong ethos or align,
>but it often doesn't do much, or anything, against Villagers.

Are you kidding? Deathblow is Vanguard's time to shine.

Sometimes, yes. Log -


<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Erighan has arrived.

<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
A wooden adder's poisonous bite maims one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A silver-backed jackal's bite *** DEMOLISHES *** one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
One of the Sultan's patrolmen is DEAD!!

<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
You yell 'Help! I am being attacked by Erighan!'
You parry Erighan's black light.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Rynir has arrived.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized weaponbreaker
You attempt to shatter a hooked sword, but it holds firm.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<987/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Hughli's chaotic blast MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's wrath MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's chaotic blast MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A wooden adder screams and attacks one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A wooden adder's poisonous bite devastates one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A wooden adder's poisonous bite MUTILATES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
The Treant screams and attacks one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
The Treant's beating DISMEMBERS one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A silver-backed jackal screams and attacks one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A silver-backed jackal's bite *** DEMOLISHES *** one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A silver-backed jackal's bite misses one of the Sultan's patrolmen.
A silver-backed jackal's bite MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
You dodge Erighan's black light.
Erighan's black light *** DEMOLISHES *** you!
You dodge Erighan's black light.
Erighan's black light *** DEMOLISHES *** you!
Erighan dodges your slash.
Erighan parries your slash.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<781/987hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Erighan knocks a silver shield with a red dragon crest out of your hand!
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<781/982hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Hughli's chaotic blast MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's wrath MASSACRES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's chaotic blast MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's wrath MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
You dodge Erighan's black light.
Erighan delivers a blow of deadly force!
You dodge Erighan's slice.
Erighan's black light *** DEMOLISHES *** you!
Erighan parries your slash.
Erighan dodges your punch.
Erighan parries your slash.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<670/982hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized fle

Rynir looks at you.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<670/982hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized
Phen looks at Erighan.
Erighan has some small but disgusting cuts.

<670/982hp 409/429m 931/931mv> 3 AM civilized PANIC! You couldn't escape!
A wooden adder's poisonous bite maims one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A wooden adder's poisonous bite MUTILATES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
A silver-backed jackal's bite MANGLES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
The Treant's beating MASSACRES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
The Treant's beating MASSACRES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
Hughli's chaotic blast MASSACRES one of the Sultan's patrolmen!
One of the Sultan's patrolmen is DEAD!!
One of the Sultan's patrolmen's head is shattered, and his brains splash all over you.
Hughli sacrifices the burnt corpse of one of the Sultan's patrolmen to the gods.
Erighan delivers a blow of deadly force!
Erighan's black light <<< ERADICATES >>> you!
That really did HURT!
Erighan's slice MASSACRES you!
Erighan gets in one more shot as you flee.
Erighan's parting blow *** DEMOLISHES *** you!
You sure are BLEEDING!
A Field of Rocks and Brush


You flee from combat!

<145/982hp 409/429m 927/931mv> 3 AM wilderness e
e
Rocky Riverside Slope



<145/982hp 409/429m 922/931mv> 3 AM wilderness
The sky is getting cloudy.

Autosaving.

<161/982hp 418/429m 931/931mv> 4 AM wilderness Khalid River, Beneath the West Bridge



<161/982hp 418/429m 927/931mv> 4 AM water s
Khalid River



<161/982hp 418/429m 923/931mv> 4 AM water affect
You are affected by:
Skill: 'warcry' modifies save vs spell by -13 for 39 hours.
Skill: 'warcry' modifies hit roll by 7 for 39 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Skill: 'eye of equilibrium' for 27 hours.
Power: 'vanguard of balance' for 7 hours.

The Light has a strong influence in the land, while fiends and shadows plot silently.
Neither Order nor Chaos have a strong influence in the land. In this, the Balance is maintained.
The Veil is thick and the land seems listless as Magic is very faint.
You sense that the Fortress of Light holds the Cult of the Scarab's item of power.
You sense that the BattleRagers, Haters of Magic holds the Scions of Eternal Night's item of power.

and not near as much damage mitigation from db. seems very counter to the purpose of vanguard, of fighting against the balance, no?

My estimation is that absent Vanguard, you wouldn't see anything under *** DEV in this log.

I don't think it gives too much away to say that Erighan's damroll is usually crazy high.

scaling damage down one level is nothing. who cares. and the damage mitigation was still crummy.