[Rygar]

So... just want to add to some discussion on the 6+ level rule. It is actually only a half truth, it is really 1.3x your level OR +6 levels (whichever is higher) where mobs get near perfect immunity. I personally think original devs shit the bed on this and had a real hard on for gimping casters with weak justification for not limiting melee.

http://web.archive.org/web/200210141...ML/000511.html

7) Why is there a 6 level limit for what a caster can land spells on, but no apparent cap exists for melee? –Eandori

A) There isn't really a six level limit. Here's how it works: There is a level limit for spell effects that has a minimum of six levels. A spell will not affect an NPC that is more than 1.3 times your level, or 6 levels higher, which ever is greater. So at 15th level it's 6 levels. At 40th it's 12 levels. Now, how often is a 40th level warrior going to actually hit while attacking a 53rd level NPC?

Well dude, most would argue that level 40 warrior can hit the 53rd mob for a hell of a lot more damage than a level 40 wizard. But I digress...

Here are some dated mentions of this rule in place:
8/23/00:

Are they red to you? It's possible that they are above the
5 (or is it 6) level span that you can affect with spells.

In oasis, at 15 my shaman couldn't land *any* spells on
a level 20-21 'A' orc warrior. At 16, suddenly, my slow
and poison spells were working (and T'ing them off
royally too [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

5/8/01

Mobs that are higher in level will incrementally have higher resistances.
Mobs more than 6 levels higher than you will resist about 100% of your
spells. If in doubt, cast Lifetap first. If it resists Lifetap, it will
resist just about any other attack spell you cast on it.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/eqdr...t=5342&p=50886

11/18/2002
If you really want some excitement, kill the named Giant, with the last name Bluehammer. (I would wait until 31 though...according to Allakhazam's, he can be up to 37, and you don't want to be caught by the 6-level rule)

6/21/00

I've always wondered; is Harmony restricted by the 6 level rule? In
other words, can you harmony mobs that are more than 6 levels higher
than you?

Harmony is considered a non-offensive spell, therefore the 6 level
rule doesn't apply.

>Harmony can fail. The difference is that the mob doesn't aggro when
>it does.

I've never seen it fail on a mob less than 5 - 6 levels above you.

You are incorrect. Harmony never fails. In fact, it works on 100% resistant
critters (Black Reavers in City of Mist). I also suspect that the 6 level
restiction doesn't apply.

http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/npc.html?id=3501&p=2

Mar 22 2000
Vangor, time to buy a clue. The level casting cap does exist. Make a level one, go cast on a guard or young kodiak. Notice that you get resisted every time. If a mob is either 6+ levels above you, or 120%+ of your level, his resist rate to you is approximately 99.999%. I play a level 50 enchanter, I know this for a fact.

At level 50, I can affect mobs up to level 60. And you want to know something? Dojorn sheds spells from mere level 50's like a duck does water. The way he is killed is that a group throws a bunch of tanks at him while the healers try to keep up with the damage he's causing.

Mar 03 2000
It is not a hard six level limit but a percentage of your current level that you may cast above. GZ has stated this several times. So yes at level one you will not even be able to go up 6 levels pobly, but at 50 since that percentage is much higher you could potentially go up the 13 levels nessasary to get a few spells off on him. ShowEQ is right, and there is no use argueing about it since it is pretty much proof.

http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/n...1&p=3#comments

Feb 28 2000
Hey Anon, um... the lvl 6 thing you said was wrong because I started helping my guild hunt Allizewsaur at lvl 42 and he is lvl 50. I could lifedraw without Tash on him and when tashed I could sometimes get fear, darkness, scourge, and VOS off on him. So your little thing about lvl 6 is wrong.

Feb 26 2000
I happen to know for a fact that the game is set up so that any mob exactly 6 levels higher than you will resist every spell you cast on them. Not CT, not Innoruk, not Nagafin, noone is higher than level 55. I also have inside GM information on this. Try it once, make a level 1 character and try to cast on a skeliton, it wont work, I dont care if its tashened to have -500magic sv u CANT CAST ON IT lol.

So there I have at the very earliest found a February 26, 2000 mention of this rule in place. So that level 56 necro that Daldaen linked about not being able to land on CT is either bogus (some guy talking smack about raiding CT), thought CT was too high and that he could only land at level 57 and really didn't try at 56, CT is level 73, or the formula given is wrong.

There's mention of GZ giving interviews on a percentage, comments of a level 42 landing on a level 50 mob (possible), and lower level mentions of 6 level limit (so def feel that necro post is inaccurate). There was a mention of 120% instead of 130%, so maybe it is possible GZ tuned this over time behind the scenes, but who knows the truth... lost to the sands of time.

But back on topic... I think the Hoop nerf is indeed a bit dated. I think an accurate solution would be to simply add a 3-5 second casting time while also preventing recharge. This would prevent zerging and not affect the spell when cast by players in any way.

Or, go further down the rabbit hole. Nerf mallets to race/class usable only, remove vendor buyback from Bladestopper, Puppet Strings, Prayers, and Spider Silk Nets (and any other agro management clickie). That would certainly make the experience more classic in nature, those tactics were not known by the widespread masses and only serve to bastardize and trivialize end game encounters further.