Posted by A coder on July 8, 2000 at 13:26:01:

In Reply to: Manacles posted by Jagaub on July 8, 2000 at 11:53:51:

Well, to be 100% honest.. for it to be realistic most spells would NOT be able to be cast if your hands are manacles. Some would. In books, movies, etc etc.. Spells are not cast only by words being said, they are also aided by the 'spellcaster making arcane gestures with his hands/fingers'... Manacled together most spells would not be able to be performed.. However, for this to be made realistic then every spell would need to have a 'set way of casting it', be flagged as such, and then when manacled the mage would not be able to cast certain spells. I happen to think that the Immortals cut it out completely 1) because it would be ridiculous to go through every spell and decide which could be cast and which could not while manacled. 2) People would complain and argue WHY a particular spell SHOULD (or shouldn't) be able to be cast. 3) This is the penalty that Mages will most feel when Wanted... Not being able to cast spells is sucky for a mage.

I totally agree with your points, and it would get wayyy too complicated if they sat down and tried to figure out what spells only needed words to be cast and what spells also needed hand gestures...

> I still don't see the realism in this. As far as
> mechanics go, mages cast spells in the game by
> saying some magic words, not by stretching their
> arms as far apart from each other as they can and
> waving them about. And even if it did require some
> hand motions, why can't they cast the spell if
> their hands are tied together? They can still move
> their arms about, and probably have a bit of
> slack with which they can move their hands about.
> I can think of several mobs in the game that don't
> even have hands that can cast.
> Also, if manacles were really that restricting, warriors
> shouldn't be able to dual wield or use a shield
> while manacled.

> All in all, my point is that the argument on manacles
> should not be based on realism, but rather on game
> balance. Hastur is arguing that they are not balanced,
> while you are arguing that they are realistic.
> Until CF becomes about 100* more realistic, an argument
> over balance should always override an argument over
> realism.

> >
> > man·a·cle - noun

> > 1) A device for confining the hands, usually consisting of a set of two metal rings that are fastened about the wrists and joined by a metal chain.
> > 2) Something that confines or restrains.
> >

> > Off the top of my head, the only spell a mage should be able to cast while his hands are restrained is ventriloquate.

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