I'm not convinced that the dispel strength thing is really classic. I suspect it was added in that PvP patch they implemented in like 2003 or something. I'm as sure as I can be from memory that dispels would always remove the number of buffs inherent to each dispel spell, and always the first from the right. None of that skipping stuff if the buff resisted the dispel. The source you posted is from long, long after classic.
A few points:
- It was a widely known fact that two insta-clickies essentially made you immune to the common dispel from pumice because it would always dispel the first two slots. A third clicky would allow you to keep the first buff slot open as well so that you could dispel stuff from yourself without compromising your buffs.
- Various NPC dispel effects such as dragon AoE were certainly not avoidable and would always target the first buff. Anyone who doesn't remember this themselves can just look up any old Naggy/Vox guide. These abilities also have the "Cancel Magic (9)" tag on Zam/Lucy, however. Even the Guide Cancel Magic from GM items has two applications of Cancel Magic (9).
- I'm pretty sure any classic PvP veteran will tell you that dispel effects were guaranteed to work and always took the first buff(s) from the right. That's not concrete proof, but hundreds of people aren't magically remembering stuff wrong.
Since Al'Kabor is a PoP server, I'm not sure you can use it as evidence for classic mechanics when said evidence contrasts so much with what everyone knows to be true. I'm inclined to believe Taper Enchantment merely reduced the duration of the first buff/debuff (the name even indicates this) but that normal dispels were guaranteed.
If anything, maybe the (9) thing means a guaranteed dispel, like if a "buff strength" value can't be more than 9 and thus a dispel spell will always remove one buff/debuff per application of Cancel Magic (9), and will always hit the first from right since that's the order of checks. That would explain the nomenclature. After all, no dispel effect has a "strength" higher than 9.
|