Report 1872

Report #1872
Skillset: Stealth Skill: Ghostwalk
 Org: Gaudiguch Status: Finalised
Problem: Ghostwalk is an expensive version of Scent and pathfind, which most mid
- top level players have coded to work with their noses or maps. It does the
same thing, in a slower manner, for the cost of 3 power. Since it costs power to
use it should be quicker and more reliable for the cost of the power to use it.
- Put up on behalf of Avurekhos
[A: 4 R: 1] Solution #1: Reduce the time to sense a target by half
[A: 3 R: 2] Solution #2: As well as solution 1 have ghostwalk bypass traps,
 rubble, walls, cows... effectively making it ignore
 anything that would hinder a regular walking person,
 barring Greater Pentagram
Player Comments:
---[Danquik on 3/11 @ 04:06 sets as pending]
---[Moi on 3/11 @ 07:24 writes]:
For reference, Ghostwalk is presently a 3s channelled ability for 3p with a
range of 10 rooms. The target receives a message when you start ghostwalk and
then after the 3s channel is over. It is otherwise identical to Scent+Path Go
and in fact uses the exact same code. It continuously updates the path on each
movement, so that if they move your path will change to track them - provided
they don't move more than 10 rooms at any point in the process. When you move
into the same room, you will automatically use Stealth Waylay (ie. prone +
carcer) and throw down Caltrops (ie rubble-like effect) if possible.
---[Moi on 3/11 @ 07:51 writes]:
I don't feel that either existing solution addresses the actual problem that
speedwalk is strictly inferior to scent+speedwalk, in that it costs power, takes
longer, has a range limit and alerts the target - all unlike the non-skill
option. This is particularly true given the existence of STEALTH AGILITY, which
already offers Stealth an activated ability to ignore rubble/gravity for 30s
with no power cost. Furthermore, Stealth users basically never want to use
caltrops with Ghostwalk, and any Ghostwalk report that doesn't include a request
for an optional [CALTROPS] argument to specify when caltrops should be deployed
(instead of the current behavior of using PUT 50 CALTROPS IN PACK to disable
caltrops usage) is, in my opinion, totally incomplete.
---[Moi on 3/11 @ 07:51 writes]:
Above comment should have read "that ghostwalk is strictly inferior to
scent+speedwalk"
---[Yarith on 3/12 @ 01:56 writes]:
I agree with the problem premise, however, half of me wants to say: Just make it
similar to bond unite and bring you into the room of your target on balance,
increase the power cost to 5 if necessary imo. The other half wants to say: I
don't feel that I can justify upward changes to stealth, even for skills such as
these, when it contains such impactful abilities as veil/deepcover on demand.
---[Danquik on 3/12 @ 01:59 writes]:
The solutions proposed would in fact address multiple things, making it faster,
so the alerted target has less time to leave, and make it avoid all room
hinderance effects, making it faster to get to the target, something Agility
does not do. As for the Waylay and Caltrops, I am told this is not working at
all, so the most recent bug fixes on Ghostwalk may have broke that.
---[Maligorn on 3/19 @ 23:49 writes]:
I am opposed to any Stealth changes until Veil is addressed. For years, Veil has
unfairly impacted large events with very little counterplay. It's time to make a
report and have a set of real solutions.
---[Aeldra on 3/21 @ 09:32 writes]:
I agree that Veil likely needs to be looked at, especially for the impact in big
events. However, am kind of feeling that this whole 'can't change skillset till
skill X is addressed' hurts all envoys as a whole, so I'll not vote against
reports because a part of a skillset needs looking at. Still agree with Maligorn
that veil needs a look in regards to big events, though.
---[Deichtine on 3/21 @ 14:22 writes]:
Making it work like bond unite would be too strong a buff. Solution 2 makes
sense in making the skill have some use.
---[Deichtine on 3/21 @ 14:23 writes]:
I don't think it needs to be much quicker than it is though. Support for 2,
reject 1.