Stonehold

[Daltian]

Since it looks like a complaining about nerfs is expected from all clases that get involved, I will take liberty to represent druids in the case:

"Druids vs. Developers Case nr.13543, about stonehold"

Did it really need nerf? Its one of rare druid only spells that are really useful in both PvP and PvE! It was the spell that made people invite druids in party and spell that made the difference in PvP defense when playing druids. Now it seams to be better to just make a cleric. You can get storm of vengence and creeping doom by simply selecting the right domain and have best that druid has to offer.

Did I say that earlier I was all excited and happy to see the new post in "NS4 News and Announcements". Now when I see the new post I get scared, because it usually nerfs an aspect of a char I have, or strengthens something my faction can't have!

[Daltian]

When I think about it, it isn't the nerf that I don't like but the way spell was changed. Stonehold is quite original and a bit of trademark for druid. And it has been changed to something very unoriginal and way less useful.

While stonehold AoE efect was covering area over many rounds and paralyzing/reparayzing mobs. Now it has quite short duration, a lot shorter then wizard version (dominate person/dominate monster) which also has benefit of not being affected by Freedom of Movement.

[Alkapwn]

I totally agree. Almost everything a Druid was good for has gone limp. Maybe if the Devs could explain How this will bring balance to the class we wouldnt be so outraged. Druids weren't a power class to begin with, although very useful in a mixed party but 1v1 a Druid would more often than not be eating the dirt. Arent we supposed to be making Warriors and Champions to defend our realms? Maybe DM's should start handing out XP for RP'ing.........

[Malik]

I actully do throw out xp if I catch people rping.

[Amoenotep]

so going from a persistant AoE to a burst/instant AoE nerfed the spell?

[Blystos Re]

I actully do throw out xp if I catch people rping.

You're still here?

Shouldn't it be more like: "...if rping players catch me as a dm."?

[Daltian]

so going from a persistant AoE to a burst/instant AoE nerfed the spell?

It isn't so much about nerfing it as much as changing its nature. You could cast stonehold and then fight/continue casting in it while it does its work. Now its totally different spell.

[Amoenotep]

still teh same premise...the only thing thats changed is its persistancy.

you gather, cast, then nuke till their dead...the only thing that has changed is the gathering up of the remainders after you've done with the first.

[Tsavong]

Humm

befor the wipe I had a lvl 30 pure druid and I could take him to epic dwarfs fling down a stone hold and providing I had a tank or 2 I could then cast away in relative safety. I would also fling down a vine mine to slow down ones that were free but they were never free for long my lvl 30 druid could hold a lot of dwarfs and if they passed there save there was a very high chance they would be held again. And in my opinion this maid my druid combind that he could become a dragon much easer then my pure wizerd in PVE.

So ide have to say that stone hold as a persistent AOE could well have been too powerful.



*hides*

[Daltian]

So you were stoneholding dwarves effectively? I must say I have never seen a druid that was effective with stonehold on dwarves. Were you dreaming?

[Tsavong]

Were you dreaming?

hummm, well was there any need for that last comment I could not have maid that post unless it was true and I don't like what you are insinuating.

My caster druid little Zeratul Shadoweir was only lvl 30 but he was all wisdom he had 30 base so 42 buffed and he had all 3 spell focus in conjuration and I could find that he was very good as using his stonehold so he could bombard them. I could beat there spell resistance and there saves most of the time and the ones that passed would be hit with vinemine and greese so they were very slow and fell over a lot so with a tank or 2 to bash them and all the druids AOE spells he was good.

This was be for the wipe and patch and the change to stonehold and there why I think it was a bit too good

[Daltian]

Hmm. I have been in party with conjuration druid but he never held them effectively. Maybe 10% of chance. On the other hand, vine mine was always very effective there, storm of vengence too but only on non elite ones.

[Tsavong]

Oh well guess I had/have a higher opinion of stonehold than you

[DOGsoldier]

npc's after lvl 25 you could nuke was zons after that good luck, but zons escaped and you had to run for your life. Someone mentioned before that a bard would use curse song and cast would cast mind fog and then druid would cast stonehold. I dont care what you think but you couldnt successfully even w/ epic spell rest. and epic conjur spell focus could successfully nuke dwarfs by yourself as a druid.

[DOGsoldier]

Also pure druids atm are not good due to the fact of changes in dragon shape, why build one?