Gate / Heavens Gate

[theobserver]

I have a pet hate against these spells because depending on the class you play, attempting to kill a healer or an illusionist is an exercise in futility.

Unless you have dispel magic and some form of lagging, fighting a uncabaled healer is largely a waste of time because the guy is going to gate away if the fight isnt going his way and there’s not a thing you can do about it.

Illusionists are even worse. Those guys are little death machines with their armies. They attack you until things start going against them, gate away, rest up and repeat the process with a new army until they get the inevitable roll of dice they need to kill you. Even a death and full loot doesn’t slow them down. I know gate is an offensive spell and don’t really mind ills gating to me. Its the ease that it allows them to escape that I object to.

Personally, I think both these gate spells should be harder to use, requiring more skill on the healer/ill part to escape and giving their opponents more chance to block that escape. So for an illusionists gate how about leaving the gate open for anyone to pass through (one way) for several ticks after the ill has gated? It would show up on a 'where portal' command allowing an opponent to follow if he is fast enough. It wouldn’t hamper gates offensive use (which is what it was designed for I think) while making the ill put in a little more thought and a area or two between himself and his opponents before gating.

Heavens Gate is a defensive spell but annoying when you’re trying to kill a healer with flight and protective shield up. Chances are the guy has his beacon set in some pain-in-the-ass-place-to-get-to like past the kaedire faeires or galaxy past those force fields (which were favored by Jijit back in her day). Instead of having the gate open beside the healer and him automatically stepping through, have the gate open in a random location in the current area. A 'where portal' command could be used for both parties to try and find the thing. If the healer is attacked in front of his gateway, it collapses. Only the healer may enter and it closes behind him.

[Clifton]

These are interesting ideas... but wouldn't ca 'word of recall' and moving a few steps and then ca 'gate' samad bypass the said measures?

[Kablamo]

How bout making it adrenaline based like if you were just in a fight you cant gate till your adrenaline is gone.

[TheOneAndOnly]

I would object to either method. Magicians are built like cracker houses, a quick escape is necessary for them to remain effective. Having played a few and seen quite a few attempt to play them it is not as easy as you would think. First and foremost, a healer would be near impossible to slay even if "Heaven's Gate" was removed completely. Illusionists are intended to be quick and painful, the counterpart to necromancers who are slow and incredibly powerful over a period of time. Healers are defensive and a player must be quite familiar with the realms to be successful, as for an Illusionist the same applies, you must have a great knowledge of the MOB's the level's, the skills, and the areas to be successful. If you want proof of this take low level mobs against a level 50 warrior class...for those of you who have played Illusionist you know that you end up a stain on the Main Street. Healers well..they are bastards with whom it is nearly impossible to pk with, they deserve any quick get away they can muster because God knows it will take them a million tries before he gets you in the end. My point --learn to stalk---use the murder command, or charge for that matter--use trip instead of bash if you can--if he is avian use his weakness--like I said he is a cracker house, he can't take much. If he is flying or has illusions wait him out an illusionist is only as powerful as his illusions, his flight falls or his illusions fade go for a trip. One lag on any mage class tends to equal a dead mage. Patience is a virtue, learn to use it.

[TheOneAndOnly]

Sorry double posted.....remove this if you may.

[Green Elephant]

Yup, removing gate or heavens gate is totally unnecesary. Heavens gate is a more powerfull form of gate because a healer can use it blinded. If you're having trouble with killing ills, just dirt them. They won't be able to gate. They can still word, but if they attacked you in town, they are probably dead. If you are a mage class without dirt, then you most likely have sanctuary and dispel magic. No illusions = no illusionist. Believe me.

Healers? They are supposed to be tough to kill. Unless you're a shaman it's gonna be a huge waste of time, and that's the way it should be.

[Brains]

I REALLY don't think you want to allow Gates to remain open for any amount of time for anyone except the caster. Have you ever used Group Gate (somewhat cheesy, but I have found it to be an extraordinary timesaver)? The exit lag from this thing is just insane. Catch an ill coming out of one of those and you can probably kill him before he gets out of the casting lag.

Oh, why don't you want gates to remain open? You're ranking, then the Gangbang Group of Doom stops by for a spot of tea via portal from the other side of Thera. No warning, no thanks.

[Flumm]

You could make a monk and lag the healer if you're that mad about it.

[Burzuk]

We've had a new system for gate/heaven's gate coded in for testing for some time now--it just needs some finishing touches and a final approval by yours truly before implementation. I'm still not 100% sure I like the solution yet, but in any case the issue had already been receiving attention.