When to Penetrate

[RadicalTurnip]

I have an astral 2 mage equipped with the mirror that lets you mindhunt. She also has the eye of penetration, does this actually help, or is it a static penetration because the item is casting?

Are battlefield-wide spells effected by penetration (like Heat from Hell, Darkness, Bone-breaking/whatever it's called), are they effected by caster level?

What about province-targeting spells, like wolven winter, Fires from afar, flames from the sky? I assume province-targeting creature spells don't benefit from pen or caster level(like Send Horror, Earth Attack, etc).

Any other weird instances that penetration seems to work, but may not seem like it would?

[pyg]

I've always advised doing so whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally Posted by RadicalTurnip

I have an astral 2 mage equipped with the mirror that lets you mindhunt. She also has the eye of penetration, does this actually help, or is it a static penetration because the item is casting?

I'm not sure about this one.

Are battlefield-wide spells effected by penetration (like Heat from Hell, Darkness, Bone-breaking/whatever it's called), are they effected by caster level?

Unless a spell says "MR negates" or "MR negates easily", then penetration and magic resist have no effect on it. Any effect listed under the spell that has a '+' is boosted by magic skill levels that are greater than the minimum. If you have more than the minimum magic skill, then the fatigue cost is reduced to (original fatigue)/(1+(current level)-(minimum level)). So if you have one more skill level, then fatigue is halved, two more and it is one third. Spell casting encumbrance is still added onto this.

What about province-targeting spells, like wolven winter, Fires from afar, flames from the sky? I assume province-targeting creature spells don't benefit from pen or caster level(like Send Horror, Earth Attack, etc).

These follow the same rules as battlefield spells, so unless an effect is listed for greater skill levels they have no effect.

[Micah]

I *think* I tested the black mirror and penetration items help, but it has been a while so I'm a bit fuzzy on it.

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by RadicalTurnip

She also has the eye of penetration, does this actually help,

Hmmm... I suppose there are reasons she might need penetration. The in-game seduction mechanic doesn't really support that kind of seduction, however.

Also, I never thought of an eye as a suitable implement before... Its really not shaped properly, and generally embedded in the head. (If its not you have other problems!)

or is it a static penetration because the item is casting?

Static penetration sounds... painful. I imagine most people would want to ground any electric penetration devices before use. I can understand why you might think runebreakers are electric though, but wouldn't that imply there should be air gems in the construction process?

Originally Posted by Micah

I *think* I tested the black mirror and penetration items help, but it has been a while so I'm a bit fuzzy on it.

Now there is some innuendo I wasn't familiar with.

You title a thread "When to penetrate" and you expected something else? If I didn't know better, I'd suspect trolling!

[RadicalTurnip]

I assume the eye is just like the eye of aiming: it doesn't help in penetration itself, just with...aiming...for penetration.

[RadicalTurnip]

Now I mostly want to know if, when I cast "Call Horror" if I need some Penetration...

[Fantomen]

Originally Posted by RadicalTurnip

I assume the eye is just like the eye of aiming: it doesn't help in penetration itself, just with...aiming...for penetration.

Yeah, aiming is important. Misguided penetration can be very impopular.

[13lackGu4rd]

ummm, how hard is it to aim it...? you should already have plenty of experience doing it that aiming becomes natural

[Calahan]

Originally Posted by pyg

I've always advised doing so whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Every hole's a goal!

Originally Posted by 13lackGu4rd

ummm, how hard is it to aim it...? you should already have plenty of experience doing it that aiming becomes natural

Ah, but even experience doesn't help when an over indulgence of intoxicating liquids (or confusion spell) causes disorientation to a level that results in a huge loss of precision, and with it any hope of achieving a coordinated aim.