From: nwang@black.clarku.edu (The freak)
Subject: Re: Mages Priests -- the battle continues
Keywords: Mage kick priest
Organization: Clark University (Worcester, MA)
Date: 19 Nov 92 21:33:18 GMT

petitc@nuge109.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:

>In article <$d#@byu.edu>, ash@zapotec.math.byu.edu (ashworth nathan) writes:
>|> 
>|> 
>|> I've read several article measuring priests up to mages.   I do know that mages  
>|> can get Experience points faster than any other class.  In one day of playing  
>|> my character went from Level 29 to 33. This was accomplished by using my  
>|> polymorph spell at the town level AND by using a wand of clone monster and  
>|> sveral spells of recharging.  The results were 70 YGD, 35MBD, 2ABD and a wide  
>|> assortment of several high level monsters equaling about 180,000 exp. 

>Yeah, that's true.  But what about the good ol' AMHD you summoned up?
>It's a risk, and if you take it, and win, you deserve the rewards.
>Any class can take risks like this---just go REAL DEEP into Moria.  So,
>it's a bit easier for Mages.  So what?  If  a Priest yanks out his Orb, he
>can do around 80 points of damage PER ORB to ANY evil critter.  Just try that
>against a MMHD and see how USEFUL it is.  And, of course, there is the Glyph, and
>Heal prayers...

>|>   Now I've never played a priest, but I know he cannot cast polymorph or  
>|> Recharging and if he wanted to do what I did above he would have to hoard up  
>|> several scrolls of recharging and  a wand of polymorph and clone monster.  If I  
>|> was Priest I would still be bumming around at level 25 or so -- hacking away  
>|> monsters.

>I don't think so.  Priests advance more quickly, and they can go Dragon
>hunting VERY soon---when they get their Orb, bye bye dragons... Not to mention
>Resist Heat/Cold.

>|>   Another point is that the Indentify spell is far more useful than anti-mage  
>|> proponents give it credit for.  I just don't understand how people can really  
>|> think priests are so much better than mages.

>The Idenfity spell is VERY useful, I'll agree.  But, then again, if you're high
>level, just stock up on Scrolls of Idenfity.  Only difference there is that (1)
>the Scrolls take an inventory slot, and (2) The scrolls can be burned away.
>  
>Also, the really hardy races (Dwarves, Half-Orcs, Half-Trolls) can be Priests.
>This offsets the Priest's lack of Strength.  I mean, really, I rolled up and
>won with a Priest who had, to start, 18 Str and 18 Wis (after adjustments).
>It takes patience, but I don't think a Mage EVER gets decent Str (Potions of
>Gain Strength not withstanding).

Also, priest can cast 'dispel evil' or 'dispel undead' without having to
line up against the thing you are killing and mage have to line up, in
fact, I don't think priest even have to be able to see invisible for
these spells to work on invisible monsters.

Another thing is mage don't have any way of detecting invisible monsters
unless use a staff, but priests have the spell and it lasts a little
longer than staff.

>Don't get me wrong---I love mages.  But, this is why priests can be more powerful
>than Mages.  They just require a different playing style.

>-- 
> *HUGS*, a @>---'--,----, and a :&) to whoever needs them.
>"Whoever said that life was fair never read the rules, and found out that
>there were none."
>"Mysteries are for detectives; confusion is what the rest of us get."

Andy