I am so very disappointed with this client

uhhh distracted and awestruck is not worthless?

 

@Baskitkase What about this?


It's also ampable, even moreso than grimlic's (amp and flame charge exist). Has 1 less damage base but comes with Charred 2 (which can become Charred 6) and can also hit more than 1 target.

 

On a direct dmg spell. The damage is used for a kill. You don't include that spell so that you can awestruck stuff. So, as far as this spell is concerned the additional effect is worthless. Yes, we can theorycraft a situation where it's usefull, but thats not why you'd use the spell.

It can and often does hit your own units in a melee centered faction. But I'd say its initial effect is too strong by 2 dmg.

35 nora should be 12dmg + effect, if any, max but mostly closer to 10 direct dmg.

 

If the point is to finish off only one champ, 35 nora seems like a waste, unless the situation is "extremely" critical. I would gladly use 20 nora to finish off one champ, like these:



If I use 35+ nora, I need it to affect a minimum of 2 targets. Or, it must do serious damage + stun/awestruck/etc.
If I use 40-45 nora, I need it to affect a minimum of 3 targets or its waste.
All spells are inefficient and cost too much compared to champs (that was the point of Pit Dragon, even though they were obviously jokes).
Spells are useful in key points of the game and in special situations, but relying on them too much is inefficient (I'm saying this to new players who might reading. Its almost always better to summon a champ).
I'm not saying these spells are bad, on the contrary. But I'm saying they are not even nearly OP and don't need a nerf. (Grimlic's Bane is still crazy good in some campaigns, but those campaigns are crazy to begin with)

 

Do you play any FW or FS? When you play FW, would you include Depths of Despair over Essence Drain? When you play FS, would you include Lost Echoes over Pygmy Hippo Stampede?

Not trying to be facetious, but asking for you to expand regarding potential counter examples to your claim

 

There are many times when the inefficiency of a spell is worth it to secure a kill. Yeah, you're paying half a champion in Nora to do 1/3 or 1/4 of its hp but you are rewarded in both map position and momentum.

I do think it's important for new players to understand that spells are inefficient compared to champions - pox fundamentals really. But knowing when the other advantages you get make up for it is the next step to being good.

 

The big difference between spells and champs is how far the spell presence goes. imo its just a bit to large, same with so many ranged units, it should be very rare with range 5+ imo. using spells early requires a kill, later its not so important if you got enough nora in champs in map, you can easy use spells to do just dmg.
Grimlic's bane is very good, but i really dont see a problem with it, more a problem with magic, frost, psy, fire amp in general can get to powerful with +50% dmg with spells and ranged units.

would like if they had mechanics for season/ladders with different settings, would really shake up the game if the stormseason did come along and all spellpresence was reduced by 2, and all ranged over 2 did lose 1dmg per maxrange or just reduce maxrange, all flying units get -1spd. But this game is so complex already so think that would just be annoying for most players.

 

It might be sometimes hard to justify putting in Depths of Despair/Lost Echoes in a deck for so little effect. But if there is room, I add 1 of them (2o nora means it has very short cooldown) (but not before Essence Drain/Pygmy). Both Essence Drain and Pygmy Hippo are very expensive, so I would use them only to secure an important font, to win the fight in a key moment, and only if really necessary. They have one thing which makes them better than regular damage spells. They go through IS spell resistance, SP spell resistance gained from fonts for a few turns, and general spell resistance. Additionally Essence Drain is Loss of Life, and Pygmy can bypass Warding, Combat Awareness etc. Pygmy cannot be used in a hurry, but it has cool effect going for it.