Does Min/Max Races Still Exist?

Calamus

Hey guys, I'm an old player trying to return to the game.

I see the racial system has been overhauled. I'm gathering that the racial overhaul now allows people to play races that you would have never seen in a particular class in the past. But are the traits where the benefits truly rest, or is there some min/maxing that still occurs with selecting a race?

For instance, can a troll magi be just as effective as a grook magi today, assuming both took the same traits?

Thanks for your help.

Kazu

Realistically? No. Each race has individual pre-defined statpacks that you are able to choose from.  While this does making playing as some races more viable, there will always be some that are simply better than others for specific classes.

Sena

There are still better and worse choices. But now the differences are much smaller, so the "worst" choice isn't that bad (as long as you don't do something like a horkval knight), and the "best" option isn't always as obvious.

In regards to your troll magi vs grook magi example, grook water regen was buffed a lot, so grook is easily the tankiest race in water, which is great when you can flood. The intelligence difference isn't a big deal though.

Xith

And not that you would use it, but I believe stonefist is affected by strength, so you'll have more damage there than most Magi would. Used to be a semi-useable troll magi strategy back in the day.

Some classes have abilities that benefit from strength and others that benefit from intelligence.

The greatest thing is that you can now play the race you choose without being forced into something to make your class better. You might have to take a different approach with 13 intelligence and do more hinder-afflict before you make your kill, but the max handicap now is 2 points, opposed to back when grook was 17, and troll was 8 or something.

Trevize

I miss Zero. Horkval magi with a sword. (with old races, before diamondskin)

Sylvance

I'll be told to shut-up-and-don't-derail but half of me wishes the races were more mechanically distinctive, although on balance I prefer the fact that you can now choose a race for purely RP reasons and still win the game.

Aepas

I always preferred the difference. sometimes shortcomings is just as much RP as having strengths. Made it understandable that a grook would be a better caster than a Raja, though both were good. Still, it became a problem with stuff like serpents being unplayable at base speed, and classes like  knights being simple overpowered at raja speed.

aah.. shit you derailed me

Aliath

Racial traits could still use some tweaking, some are useful, while others are essential worthless

Tanaar

I look at the dwarf, grook, or horkval racial traits and compare them to tsol'aa or Satyr, and laugh.

Sylvance

And Siren.  The only explanation I've ever been given for the Siren racial trait is 'date rape'. I find that odd.

Caladbolg

Tanaar said:

I look at the dwarf, grook, or horkval racial traits and compare them to tsol'aa or Satyr, and laugh.

Satyr op i'm kinda disappointed I went horkval for the 15 con instead of the 13.

Iocun

Yeah, racial traits probably need to be looked at again at some point. None of them are OP currently, but some are slightly lacklustre. I wouldn't go so far to call some "essentially worthless" though. I can't think of any race that has worthless racial traits. (They are only worthless if combined with certain classes/equipment. Tsol'aa becomes worthless for a serpent, Atavian becomes almost worthless for anyone with another means of flying.)

Xith

Mhun always rocks.

Kyrra

I'd almost consider a race change and buying a ring of flying, to be honest. I know atavians are natural flyers but the super long balance time is really lame.

Iocun

Xith said:

Mhun always rocks.

Are you referring to mining?