Game Mechanics: Are caster mobs OP here?

[Rais]

Should have seen it when the wizards in seb could cast ice comet in 2 seconds. That was a fun time period.

[Potus]

NPC monsters shouldn't be casting the highest possible spells for their level, with a few exceptions (boss mobs, named mobs).

[Wizardling]

*sigh* Just had a green con druid bandit in WK take me down to 40% HPs before even closing to melee range. Luckily it didn't root me, so I was able to strafe run away to zone. Unless I can close to melee and open with a backstab, I just don't stand a chance. Which I cannot do if it's a group I need to split.

Just insanity. What do people do to get around this? Aside from twinking - I've only been here for a month.

[gildor]

LOL how about the slowing lifetapping harmtouching shaman/sk hybrid from hell in kurns..those badgers are bad ass

[Wizardling]

SK mobs with death touch have always been dicey fights :-) I always piss off the corrupt guards in Qeynos on my good toons, and Lieutenant Dagarok blasts me into a fine cloud of ash, if I'm not careful around the rogue's tavern and monk guild house *grins* But that was the case on Fippy Darkpaw progression, live and here too. Goodness knows what earlier level SK mobs are like for me solo. I've been lucky and only run across one so far, and was in a group that defeated him. I'm scared of Kurns now you've brought that up. Was thinking of an Iksar for my next alt...

[Lojik]

Howcome player HT against NPC is resisted regularly, however I don't think I've ever resisted a HT against any NPC (even the baby SK in befallen's HT lands on me at 60 with 150ish MR)...seems like an inconsistency there.

[Whirled]

Originally Posted by gildor [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

LOL how about the slowing lifetapping harmtouching shaman/sk hybrid from hell in kurns..those badgers are bad ass

iirc, most start dubious to the burynai legion.

[baalzy]

Originally Posted by Whirled [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

iirc, most start dubious to the burynai legion.

Burynai in FoB/FM ect.. will be dubious to an iksar necro (can't imagine it's different for monk, war or sk)

I think the kurns Burynai will always be KoS (and lower faction against the others, so you then become KoS to FoB/FM).

[Byrjun]

Burynai inside and outside of Kurns are dubious to my Iksar Monk. Used to run around the basement fighting skeletons and the Burynai left me alone.

[Zliz]

Here is some relevant info. I remember when playing back in 2002 that with a patch, all of a sudden caster mobs went from being a joke to being something to be careful of. I do however rememeber that at lower levels, caster mobs were nasty, everyone knew that.

Patch on June 5th 2002 - http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20020605a.html

NPC casters should be a little bit smarter now. They will choose their spells a little more carefully.

Safehouse discussion - http://www.thesafehouse.org/forums/s...ead.php?t=6188

Yep, some wizard npcs that used to cast Force Strike were casting stuff like Tishans Discord, Ice Comet, Draught of Jiva, and Thunderbold.

I also clearly remember going to Sebilis and have frogs near the entrance cast Ice Comet all of a sudden.

However, I also read that there was a follow-up patch on June 12th:
http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20020612.html

NPCs are now bound by spell casting distance rules, meaning that an NPC's spell will no longer connect from halfway across the zone.
NPCs now have a chance to be interrupted by normal combat when casting newer spells.
NPCs that are much lower level than their target have had their potential casting damage reduced using a similar mechanic to the one that player characters' level differences use.
NPC Wizards no longer have an inherent bonus to their fire and cold based spells.
Most NPCs that had previously had their spellcasting level inflated to make up for poor spell selection have been brought back into line with their actual level.
NPCs no longer automatically get free access to rarely dropped spells, such as Garrison's Superior Sundering and Funeral Pyre of Kelador.

Since this was all patched in 2002 (Luclin era), maybe it can give some info on how things should and should not be on P99, if something is amiss?