sylvynyr wrote: ↑Sun 5 Apr 2020 4:38 PM
What core mechanic are you referring to? The ability to attack through walls? Are you arguing that's fair play? Wasn't PBAOE changed to not do that?
You don't think getting a spec line ability that Archers have to spend 8 realm points on (Volley) is fair (and they have to maintain arrows to use)?
Does casting GTAOE cost money?
Can you reposition catapults after they are deployed?
Can you move your GTAOE out of the way so its not destroyed after getting targeted?
Does GTAOE take up bag space?
Can you forget to bring your GTAOE?
Do you have to make a trip back home for your GTAOE on a spur of the moment keep take?
NF keeps are already so poorly designed. Shouldn't defense have the advantage? Most of NF keep siege weapons are useless already; oil is essentially destroyed immediately. There's no protection on any Treb against climb walls classes, and most Trebs cannot reach outside the front door wall. Once the outer door is breached, there's almost no defense left except Lord room holdout, especially with offensive catapults and GTAOE, and especially when GTAOE can shoot through walls.
Is this really the argument?
I'd more likely argue that portable siege is too easy to acquire, carry, and maintain and that's where imbalance begins.
Your questions answered below:
What core mechanic are you referring to? GTAOE has always been a ground target spell with the only restrictions being range.
Does casting GTAOE cost money? No, it cost spec points which compared to the cheapness of siege is more valuable than easy to acquire gold.
Can you reposition catapults after they are deployed? No, but catapults have a far superior range. You can safely fire them well out of harms way from everything else but other siege or volley. GTAOE range is 1500 so you are well in the danger zone for siege, other gtaoe, etc..Plus that can be operated by classes with much more ability to take damage than casters. And they are not interuptable.
Can you move your GTAOE out of the way so its not destroyed after getting targeted? No, but you can move yourself and redeploy another siege for a paltry sum of gold.
Does GTAOE take up bag space? Really? Bag space?
Can you forget to bring your GTAOE? Now you are talking about the player and not the abilities/features. That is like saying "what if I don't know how to set a GT". A certain player's inability to plan or ignorance on a ability/feature is not a a variable on the balance of that ability/feature.
Do you have to make a trip back home for your GTAOE on a spur of the moment keep take? Is there a convenience factor? Sure but with teleports and the fact that most BGs are fairly organized...you know for the most part you are going to be sieging. It is not hard to stock up. Plus many time players will distribute catapults...hell you don't even have to remember, buy, or carry it yourself!
If you want to be logical, make a change to GTAOE to turn it into a catapult spell. Extend it to catapult range, make it uninterruptible, let it damage trebs, and let it do the same damage as catapults. Then the only benefit to those spec points is not to have to carry it around, spend a few gold, or be sober and not forget to buy.