Two questions

[Oiseau]

Two unrelated questions.

First, out of curiosity, has the unfair battle against Zakhan Kimah at the end of Book 9 been fixed or tweaked in the re-releases ?

Second, how much time does it take, on the average, to ship to Canada ?

 

[SnowShadow]

{SPOILERS}



Got book today. Assuming you are talking about using Sommerswerd (I always used to "forget" I was carrying it and throw Dagger of Vashna for instant kill).
Red Fox "128" Kimah CS 44 EP 50
Mongoose "128" Kimah CS 39 EP 46 - still immune to Mindblast & Psi-Surge. Challenging but not as impossible. Thanks Mongoose.

 

[Oiseau]

So they fix Kimah but insert a killer boss in Book 1 which almost guarantees that Lone Wolf will have maximum stats if he ever survives to Book 2. Strange logic. ^_^

And I can answer my second question myself now. Apparently, it takes a bit less than 2 weeks.

 

[SnowShadow]

SPOLIERS


Forgot the other two...

Psychic Ring
Mongoose "188" CS 29 EP38, Red Fox "188" CS 34 EP 40.

Dagger of Vashna
Mongoose "10" CS 30 EP 38, Red Fox "10" CS 34 EP 40.

Looks like using the ring is more advantageous now.
:wink:
Let's see what they do with the Chaos Master! :twisted:

 

[longhairyuppiescum]

Err.. just something that confused me slightly:
some of the talk in this thread sounds like Mongoose Publishing is responsible for the content of the books.. :?:
I take it that Joe Dever being the author is the only one responsibly for all the textual contents... Am I wrong???

 

[WritingWolf]

I always thought it was JD who has the final say.

I suppose the hard Flight from the Dark book was to make the invasion of Sommerlund more realistic and dangerous. After all, as much as I love the originals (which I still read), LW does win a bit too easily - this way it is hard, but once you win and get the Sommerswerd, hey presto!

Though I must admit if the battle goes against me, I tend to assume a dice roll of 0 each time if I need it. Cheating I know, but then again, it's only a bit of fun and I enjoy the story a lot.

 

[SnowShadow]

Didn't mean to cause confusion. I just assumed Joe tweaked a bit. Of the other books I'm hoping fights are adjusted in 11 and 17.

Flight from the Dark, I do like the new version too - it is nice that you can now meet Banedon even if you don't have Sixth Sense. The Helghast fight gives the story a climax and added tension and also adds depth to the line in Bk 8 "202" 'It is always their strategy (Darklords) to infiltrate the lands with agents before invading'. I think it is mentioned in Legends of Lone Wolf that one of the sergeants/soldiers at Holmguard is a Helghast when Lone Wolf arrives to warn Ulnar. It is hard though.

 

[WritingWolf]

It sure is hard!

Though thinking about it, once you have the Sommerswerd, the only hard fights in the original book were against Kimah and then pretty much all of Book 11 from the Chaos-Master onwards.

Book 17 was very hard too in pretty much its entirety.

Personally I would like to see the Masters of Darkness made a little tougher - this is meant to be the climax of the Magnakai series, but even playing totally honest and remembering not to use the Sommerswerd, it is still a pretty easy book. Perhaps Kraagenskul could be made stronger, or perhaps force the user to fight Gnaag?

Slighty off-topic, but how does the Sommerswerd blow Gnaag to bits? There is no sun from where it can draw its power. After all, you cannot blow Kraagenskul to bits with it, so why Gnaag?

 

[SnowShadow]

Spoiler-ish.

Maybe it isn't ready when you meet Kraagenskul.
I always assumed Sommerswerd was charging/supercharged after you have all the Lorestones. I never really use it book 12, except to fight the Xagash. Perhaps time comes full circle - in book 2 it is the Sword of the Sun that defeats Zagarna and Lone Wolf is just the lowly Kai Lord holding it whereas in 12 he is on the brink of Grand Mastership and already in possession of all the Lorestone's lore so it is his doing. Lone Wolf unlocks more powers as the books continue - in 13 there is that cool part where not only does SS absorb magic lightening from a Cener's wand but reflects it back. In 16 there is a break in the clouds and SS restores EP in sunlight. I'm sure there is a bit of text somewhere that says something along the lines of you are no longer using it but working in concert with it, may also be bk 13 or 16. It would appear that the Sword is powerful but in a powerful user's hands it becomes even more powerful, nicely fits with the idea of losing power in a non-Kai's hands. Either that or perhaps Kai himself gives LW a hand against Gnaag, or Alyss, or Serocca from beyond Aon (is she free now Chaos Master is dead - will she re-appear bks 29-32 or was she really Alyss - Godlike and doesn't appear until GM series {I know Legends but they don't follow the story exactly}?) or someone/thing else.
Just remembered "321" book 6. Looks like you can reflect lightning back. The point is that LW needs the sun every other time he uses the "sunray" power I agree so he must be getting a little extra help.

 

[SnowShadow]

Spoiler.

Been thinking.
Book 11. "100"Lone Wolf is spoken to by Kai in the Neverness on the way to Hagaadar. Kai says "inside there burns a flame that can light the hopes of future men for all time" so perhaps He bestows a one shot blessing that superpowers the Sommerswerd vs Gnaag.
It is either that or Rimoah slips a Sun Crystal in the Korlinium Scabbard. Hey maybe the Scabbard charges Sommerswerd but that doesn't explain how it doesn't happen without sunlight any other time.

Bk 12 easy - it must get harder for Joe to write a story which is both challenging and playable whether you have played all the others or none, as a series continues. The more skills equipment, etc. make it easier so it is a delicate balance between (e.g.) an Archmaster stylishly showboating through a still challenging story as opposed to the Archmaster not even suffering 1 EP damage and finding no equipment equal to what they already have.

Bk 11 totally different point. "265" Shadow Reavers - your eyes are reflected in theirs... are they Undead Shianti (!) I only just picked this up. Also in Bk 22 "2"/"107" the Isle of Lorn is surrounded by those same darkness balls, so are the Reavers/Undead Shianti going to attack Lorn bks 31/32? I believe Grey Star is involved in the latter books.

Bk 11 fights (bringing it back to the original is Bk 9 easier point!). As well as making the Chaos Master fight easier I hope something is done about the Shadow Reavers fight "270". Maybe I'm a pedant but I don't like using any Weapons or Armour CS bonuses so this fight darn near finishes me if done using purely Psychic skills. I assume they are not immune to Mindblast - I normally run out of EP to maintain Psi-Surge.

 

[WritingWolf]

Oh and spoliers for all my posts here! So I forgot before.


Hmm those are some interesting points. I like the one with LW and the Sommerswerd merging - I think you could well be correct with that logic.

Even so, I would like to see a fight with Gnaag - it would make the Darklords more powerful as even the fight with Kimah is harder!

Shadow Reavers ... Undead Shanti. I tell you something, if that isn't what the remaining books are about you need to write some fan-fiction about that! Brilliant idea!

 

[SnowShadow]

Well... I've written in a few stories for the LWERPG. You are very kind. I would like a decent fight with Gnaag too, I use Helshezag with EP drain for more challenge but it is still easy. Let us hope the final books are challenging and rewarding.