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+--- Thread: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp (/showthread.php?tid=998)
AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Xanatov Valerius - 05-25-2013
So, ordinarily I just hold my tongue on this sort of complaint when it comes to do with anything but short-term disappointment with being dead, but I feel like this one actually merits significant discussion.
In short: The Wizard spell, "Shocking Grasp," works on the A.I. Core, and it seems to me that this is significantly unbalanced. Ordinarily this spell is balanced by both a long cooldown time and needing to incapacitate the target before being able to use it on them.
However, the A.I. is immobile by nature, and it is extremely easy for a Wizard to reach the A.I. core with no hope for defense using only their basic abilities. As it is, a Wizard would be able to beat an A.I. to death with their staff with little to no possibility of repercussion (since the area that the A.I. Core is in is unreachable if the Wizard uses phase shift to get there), barring an uncharacteristically speedy response and quick thinking with game mechanics.
This is bad on two counts.
Firstly, it makes it far too easy for the A.I. to be killed in and of itself.
Secondly, it makes it impossible for most personnel to take timely action against a Wizard. Security is heavily reliant on the A.I. granting them access to areas in particular, and without an A.I., their options are narrowed significantly. They can either get new IDs (which takes time and might not be viable), break in everywhere (takes time and usually isn't viable for counteracting Wizard action), or get help from telescience or the teleporter room which still requires significant external assistance that often will not be provided.
I'm all for antagonists having a hefty edge, but in this particular case, it seems significantly too easy for an antagonist to remove a major obstacle from the board, and hinder the entire station in the process.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - PlainInsane - 05-25-2013
Does it really matter that it does? The wizard would just beat you to death with a toolbox inside a wall if it can't just use shocking grasp.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - APARTHEID - 05-25-2013
If the Wizard is smart enough, they'll broadcast EI NATH over ALL of the intercoms!
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Xanatov Valerius - 05-25-2013
PlainInsane Wrote:Does it really matter that it does? The wizard would just beat you to death with a toolbox inside a wall if it can't just use shocking grasp.
Yes. Being beaten to death with a toolbox does give people the opportunity to respond through a variety of measures. Although how balanced it is in the end versus Shocking Grasp is certainly arguable.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Marquesas - 05-25-2013
The wizard can already upload a one-human law without being noticed. I'm going to say "who gives two flying fucks" on this one.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - BlackPhoenix - 05-25-2013
Aside from nobody giving two flying fucks, it makes perfect sense. You fry the thing's circuits and kill it dead. Leave it in.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Dauntasa - 05-26-2013
so what you are saying is that the wizard taking a particular spell gives him a few second advantage while doing something that many wizards don't bother doing and which can only be done once per round anyway?
remove shocking grasp from the game forever
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Xanatov Valerius - 05-26-2013
Dauntasa Wrote:so what you are saying is that the wizard taking a particular spell gives him a few second advantage while doing something that many wizards don't bother doing and which can only be done once per round anyway?
remove shocking grasp from the game forever
Naw. It's a perfectly balanced spell against all the people who aren't totally immobile all the time. This just seemed like a pretty powerful interaction to me. I wasn't totally sure whether or not to post on this to begin with, though, so I'm not too fussed that nobody thinks it's a problem.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - icarus - 05-26-2013
make it so you can't teleport straight into the ai core/upload because the ai doesn't believe in magic enough for your spells to work
ai's already pretty much useless in a wizard round unless it's subverted, at least give it a chance to not die until the wizard gets a good id (aka until the wizard is 10 minutes into the round)
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - VictorMAngoStein - 05-27-2013
make it so teleporting straight into the AI chamber puts you in range of the turrets. Not because of any balance issues but just to be lol.
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Captain_Bravo - 05-27-2013
If the AI turns the turrets to lethal, it does. Aren't wizards, according to the wiki, not technically human?
Re: AI and Wizard's Shocking Grasp - Captain_Bravo - 05-27-2013
Ahh, nope, nevermind. I was thinking of changelings. IGNORE ME!