[MUD-Dev] Character skill distribution and trade-offs

[Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com]

Ron Gabbard [mailto:rgabbard at swbell.net]

> The ramifications of 'mesmerization' actually went even deeper as
> the DPS I had planned for 'magic' in relation to 'melee' damage
> had to be reduced to maintain the challenge of the encounter and
> offset the ability to recover during battle.  In addition, those
> characters with lower health and/or defense became paperdolls in
> the option where mobs are 'beefed up' to offset the effect of
> 'mesmerization'.

Heh, you've nearly designed yourself Everquest! A few ideas :

  - I suggest you either don't have mesmerisation in the game unless
  you want to balance every encounter around it.

  - If you do have it, don't just give it to one class unless you
  want to give them a monopoly.

  - Consider attaching a running mana cost to keeping mobs mezzed
  (i.e. not a one off cost when you cast it) and make it pretty
  significant.

  - Consider using a system similar to AO or DAoC whereby you can
  only maintain a certain number of spells at once. In fact you
  could prevent them from doing anything else at all whilst keeping
  a single mob mezzed. Part of the problem in EQ is that mez is used
  to keep upto 5 mobs at a time on ice, if you limit this number to
  1 its impact is significantly tamed.

Frankly, I think mesmerization is a bad idea. If you let it dictate
the whole balance of the game, you end up with mobs that do huge dmg
and a combat system thats hard to predict+maintain. Furthermore it
overpowers charm, as certain players can then control overpowered
npcs.

Of course all this makes me wonder if the importance of
mesmerisation in EQ is a result of overpowered monsters, or vice
versa.

Dan
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