Game balance and character-system
Horizons has a very interesting and diverse character-system with many different and well-balanced classes to choose from. Even multi-classing is possible to create unique characters with interesting options. This is a point that makes a distinction between Horizons and most other games and is very much appreciated by the players. While you can have different opinions about multi-classing I believe that it is much appreciated by most players. The advantage of a system like that being that even players with precious little time to play (like myself) can develop a capable character that makes fun playing. On the other hand hardore-players also have their share of fun, since they do not reach 100th level andbe done with it. They can invest their time in their beloved character and start multi-classing being able to further enhance it. But currently there is a development taking place that concerns many players.
The reason being, that the current character-system hassome kind of"flaw" that breaks apart former character-balanceand allows for the creation of a kind of super-powerful character. Those characters are on one hand almost invulnerable to even vastnumbers of the most dangerous foes and on the other hand defy any common reason ofa fantasy game. So great is the advantage, that few players can deny the benefitsand develop their characters the same way.
One reason being, that due to the bonus for multiple enemies it has become possible to reach 100th level in 5-10 classes virtually overnight. This has been somewhat fixed already, by limiting the bonus. The damage has already been done, though.
The other reason being, that it is possible to combine the powers of life/nature with spirit/blight. The result being a cleric, with full-plate armor, all healing spells and abilities, allnature spells and allspirit and blight spellsat their disposal. Such characters have the best protection in the game, can stun and root and cast dark cyclone and have the powers to drain life and throw spells that ignore an enemy?s armor. A deadly battle-tank that is much superior to any other class or combination of classes. The other variant being a druid with the cloak of thorns ability, that normally could not stand in the middle of a horde of dangerous mobs, since he wears only leather armor and his life and nature spells alone would not be enough to survive. With spirit magic he simply uses ethereal leech or paroxysm while waiting for the mobs to die around him or deal out additional devastating damage at will.
Such characters are having all advantages, making up foralldisadvantages, being most versatile of them all, having all augmentations, being almost invulnerable for the time when ethereal paroxysm works, healing himself while dealing out considerable damage at the same time. If that isn't enough healing himself with his life spells he has full access to. Of course he can also stun androot with nature spells and weaken his enemies with blight spellsbut rarely has to use either one or the other since he simply gets through rather well without them. Even when stunned,a situationmost deadly for any other class, they may still live and see another day and even kill their foes while beinghelpless- their paroxysm still working and perhapscloak of thorns and regrowth as well. Being able to heal, debuff and cast the next draining spell the instant they can act again.
Beside the detrimental effects on game-balance this isn't logical in any way from the view of common sense. The character system knows some interesting classes that are chosen for their healing abilities likehealer,cleric,druid,paladin,ranger andguardian. These classes tend to study healing spells at the cost of only moderate or even outright reduced offensive abilities. These classes make sense in a fantasy game and still can be somewhat improved with multi-classing in a fashion every character could. It seems logical that characters that dedicate their life to healing and protection would NEVER annihilate the soul of another living being an instant later like bloodmages, spiritists orreavers do. But currently almost ALL healers, clerics, paladins, druids, rangers and guardians use the powers of spirit/blight as well, which is ridiculous to say the least.
It is urgent to think about the current development, because otherwise I fear that many players will stop playing Horizons all together due to that practice, their characters simply not making sense any longer. Currently even berserkers, knights of creation and other battle-oriented classes run about using healing spells and throwing spirit bolts.
I would suggest a strict division of life/nature and sprit/blight magic like it already exists between these and the domains of flame/ice/energy/mind.Further healing spells and class-specific healing abilities should be restricted to healers,clerics and druids ONLY. To a lesser degree -as it currently is the case - paladins, rangers and guardiansshould have access to healing spells. Shamans as a cross-over-class should be limitedto the domains of nature and blight with no access to either true life and true spirit magic. All other classes should have no access to healing spells, to once again improve the role of a cleric or healer in a group.
Since player numbers are at an all-time low this might bethe most opportune moment to make such changes without annoying too many players and create a solid game balance and basis for the future.
The levels of multi-classing:
- Some combination of classes add this or that ability or spell to the chosen base class, strengthening it. i.e. a warrior taking cleric for dispirit and the 2 healing spells or monk to 10th level for the foresight ability. A spellcaster adding mage to 36th level for gaining multicast. Nothing too powerful, but a nice boon indeed. The base class canonly benefit from very certain abilities and/or spells of the chosen multi-class however.
- Some combinations complement each other most often having been the prerequisite.i.e. a ranger/gurardian who also raises druid. A paladin raising cleric/healer. A Reaver raising spiritist/bloodmage.A KnoC, BTLM, ChsW raising mage/sorcerer/conjurer. This complements the class allowing it full access to a field it is already proficient with. The same is true for a druid raising healer/cleric for example to strenghten his grip on augmentation and to access the missing 4 health spells. All this makes the character considerably stronger but also is quite in tune with the chosen base class.
- The last possibility is what I consider a break in balance. Choosing a class and fully ADDING all of its powers to yours, giving you full benefitof a completely NEW classwith spells and abilities you did completely miss before. That is the case when you take a cleric/healer/paladin/druid/guardian/rangerand ADD spiritist/bloodmage/reaver to it and vice versa. This makes for a multi-class much more versatile and powerful than any other combination. To allow the mage- or fighter-classes full access to life/nature would have the same detrimental results on character balance.
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Narkano
Please note: The discussion is meant about character balance - not ethics, not moralsand notfinding an individual explanation, why a charcater might still have developed such a combination of classes from the point of roleplaying.
Originally Posted by Narkano
