Posted by Joshu on January 01:09:18, at 0PST:0:0:
In Reply to: Nothing but an opinion and a self-character critique.. (probably step on some toes) posted by Vonusmere on January 9, 2000 at 23:46:001:
> > Originally, I created Vonusmere in an attempt to see what the new conjurer class could do. I also created him with a couple of other newbies, who I still have floating around waiting to be used. I decided to make him a Master, so that I could train all mana (hence bigger servitors) and use transform to compensate for the lack of health. > Never, in your entire life, should you do this. This is stupid. Never, ever, ever roll a gnome anything, train mana, and rely on the orb. > Chances are, you won't have the orb. That seems to be the case as of late. Too many times, I've logged on and been the ONLY one there or with another and the orb is gone. Now, being determined not to be any of those people I like to bitch about, I normally stick around and play regardless of the orb. I really can't say much for anyone else except maybe Gourni (who spends his/her time practicing) and Wilberg (who I spent half of my time ranking with). > The ragers/sylvans/entropy vs non-existant master/non-existant empire is a fucking joke. They're all bloodthirsty whores who crave nothing but to make the kill regardless of the circumstances. I've witnessed Sylvan raid just to kill the golem, and attack a Master trying to sleep in the tower. Not even bothering to take the orb, they're just there to make a kill and loot. > Today, I died several times and my constitution dropped down to 14. I've got three trains, but I don't even know if I'll rank again. When I died to Koriliyith in the Market Square (via nothing but bashing and being caught off-guard), I was impressed when he dropped what remained of my corpse at the Golem. That's a good fuckin' rager, in my opinion. Needless to say, I mentioned my death over the cabal channel.. > Well, my complaint/comment seemed to draw the attention of that elusive "An Immortal." He reasoned to me that there are "other solutions to killing multiple battleragers at once" and that "numbers aren't everything." Well, I've come to my own fucking conclusion, and it's this: Numbers are everything. Presence is everything. Equipment is everything. > When you're a [shitty created] gnome conjurer with a mana three times the size of your hit points, a rough set of serpent rings and platinum gear, no orb, the convinction not to just logoff so the young ones can get Tomes of Knowledge, and have 3 (usually more) villagers in your range... You're going to die, regardless of archon, regardless of shield wands, regardless of anything short of numbers, better equipment, and help. > Right now, the Masters have zero presence in Thera. There will be a rare moment when Kudzurian is on (I've seen him twice in over 40 hours of playing my Master), there will be a rare moment when another high-ranking Master will be on.. I hate to say it, but the Master's are the bitches of Thera and no amount of elusive Immortal "other solutions" is going to change that. Nothing but a solid amount of inducting and presence is going to change that. > So anyways, I attack Laedikei in the Battlefield, he flees (I had an archon and water elemental, the water which left soon afterward, which makes me near useless [healer] with no damaging capabilties) and we have some skirmishes. I made some comment to him, and he replied with "Yea, attack me when I'm at half-health" or something to that effect. I replied with "Now you know what its like fighting without the orb." He replied with "You use the orb as a crutch?" > What-the-fuck-ever. First off, yes, I do use the orb as a crutch. I use transform to last longer than a round or a good-ass flurry. If we got something like, transform for 33% of mana when the orb was elsewhere, that would be a fucking miracle. Second, the villagers are fucking sick in all regards of their powers. How can anyone sit there and tell me every goddamn mage in the realm is a fool for not joining Master when the villagers have powers like that? Shit, it should almost be a requirement. When you create your character, you should have the option of sending a standard-issue application to the Tower. > Other things I've witnessed while being a Master: A single svirf warrior raiding the orb while everyone else stands around with their dicks in their hands, hoping to get transformed before the orb is put down. At least when the Sylvans raid with their invokers, we can leave unbound archons/angels/devils/elementals/etc there for a possible area attack. > So after I died today (with five ragers in range, trying to hopelessly recover the orb) I wrote a note and took a leave of absence. I really felt like deleting, but then I stared at 250k experience and decided not to go through that again. What might I do now? Why, roll a bard rager-wannabe of course. [sarcasm]
> As I reach something of a midpoint, or even a quarter-point in my character's life, I reflected on what I had done to build him the way he is and the things that go on around him.