remove blindness immunity from skeletons

[marvalis]

Although there are probably thematic reasons why skeletons are blind immune, it might be a good idea to remove it to improve game balance. There are not many skills in the game that blind, and when they do then it usually lasts 3 turns. In other words, talents that cause blind are not overpowered at the moment.

It can also be seen as thematic that the 'creatures of the dark' like skeletons are not immune to light and the blindness caused by a sun infusion (sun versus dark).
The current code:

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	define_as = "BASE_NPC_SKELETON",
	cut_immune = 1,
	blind_immune = 1,
	fear_immune = 1,
	poison_immune = 1,
	see_invisible = 2,
	undead = 1,

Simply remove blind_immune from the list.

Also, keep in mind that skeleton warrior, mage, archer and degenerative warrior are all amongst the top 9 killers in the game!

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Top 25 killers

    6811 kills: Bill the Stone Troll
    6321 kills: skeleton warrior
    5159 kills: skeleton mage
    3408 kills: rattlesnake
    2873 kills: copperhead snake
    2828 kills: skeleton archer
    2487 kills: forest troll
    2414 kills: The Shade
    2191 kills: degenerated skeleton warrior

One of the reasons is probably that most of the early game dungeons have a lot of undead. If the skeletons are no longer immune to blind, and the player finds an early sun infusion, then his chances of survival improve dramatically.

Hopefully, this change will improve balance a bit (it is really only a minor change, really, hardly game-changing).

[edge2054]

Skeletons are blind immune because they have no eyes or at least not flesh and blood eyes that would reasonably be susceptible to bright light.

Something to consider with the top 25 killers list is it hasn't been wiped ever. Korpul used to be the starting dungeon and part of the reason for the change to the trollmire was because skeleton mages are dangerous, especially in dark dungeons. This biases the top 25 killers table much as Bill is biased because he was the first boss you'd fight for awhile and was very dangerous, especially pre-nerf.

Skeleton mages also where nerfed a bit when talent scaling went in six months ago. So again we're looking at a case of the top 25 killers table not reflecting the current state of the game.

Skeleton Archers I agree could use a nerf but I believe this mostly has to do with the archery mechanics badly needing to be updated.

[marvalis]

If they have no eyes, why aren't they already blind? How do they see? To see, you need some form of light-sensitivity (magical eyes or natural ones). This sensitivity can be damaged by bright light (sun infusion) that leads to temporary blindness.

[bricks]

Skeletons are one enemy that I would definitely expect to be immune to blind; that notion is pretty consistent throughout the fantasy genre. They see through magical means. Suffering from "lite" effects was brought up elsewhere and is an interesting idea, perhaps something that could be better done once the mechanics for Edge's Ithiltir are implemented.

If anything on the top-25 killer list shows a need for a change, it's the fact that there are so many gatdum snakes. High health, increased speed, and poison? Count me in for rattlesnake unlockable race. Everyone I recommend this game to knows Old Forest as "that place with the damn snakes."

[lukep]

There are not many skills in the game that blind, and when they do then it usually lasts 3 turns. In other words, talents that cause blind are not overpowered at the moment.

If everything (Freeze, stun, daze, paralysis, blind, silence, assault, rush, hurricane, thunderstorm) is overpowered, than nothing is. I don't think that skeletons need to be vulnerable to blinding, from either a thematic or a game balance perspective.

[Aquillion]

Skeletons are blind immune because they have no eyes or at least not flesh and blood eyes that would reasonably be susceptible to bright light.

Something to consider with the top 25 killers list is it hasn't been wiped ever. Korpul used to be the starting dungeon and part of the reason for the change to the trollmire was because skeleton mages are dangerous, especially in dark dungeons. This biases the top 25 killers table much as Bill is biased because he was the first boss you'd fight for awhile and was very dangerous, especially pre-nerf.

Skeleton mages also where nerfed a bit when talent scaling went in six months ago. So again we're looking at a case of the top 25 killers table not reflecting the current state of the game.

Skeleton Archers I agree could use a nerf but I believe this mostly has to do with the archery mechanics badly needing to be updated.

Perhaps we should start generating per-version top killer lists, in addition to the historical overall one?

[Grey]

If you want to go with the realistic route then consider the impact of rotting diseases and so on on skeletons. Though a certain amount of realism should be in the game (bleeding immunity for instance) it's not necessary and really should come second to gameplay priorities.

I don't think it's a big issue removing blind immunity from skeletons. It would certainly add some extra tactics against enemy undead.