Should The Shaman's Spirit Companion "Snuff Out" Formula Be Fixed?

[Jools]

Shaman is one of my favourite classes. Its quite a difficult class, tactically deep and very rewarding when mastered. For those that don't know, when you hit a Shaman's spirit companion it either does nothing or if the level of damage reaches a certain threshold the spirit companion is "snuffed out" and will need to be re-summoned later (the shaman himself also takes some damage). It used to be quite difficult for monsters to achieve this but after MM3 the monsters damage formula has been upped to the point where this is much easier to pull off. So my question is, should the Shamans SC formula be changed to match this?

 

[dvvega]

I have a Shaman in my game right now (non-MM3 updated). None of the monsters can achieve a "Spirit Kill" unless VERY lucky.

Although I'm not a DM who likes to deprive players of their "character skills", the Spirit is slowly becoming a non-target in combats since there is no point to attacking it. It places the Shaman completely out of harms way so that means the Shaman is a non-target for the monsters as well.

So updated damage means there is a chance, I just haven't sat down and converted all of the monsters from MM1 and MM2. This would make the Shaman a little more conscious of the feedback damage (although it is quite low).

D

 

[Aegeri]

So my question is, should the Shamans SC formula be changed to match this?

Nope, it's already immune to close and area attacks and so it doesn't need to be practically immune to melee and ranged attacks either (which it was before). The spirits utility and abilities make it well worth attacking for a monster, but it's also losing a lot of total damage output dissipating the spirit (but they can do this pretty easily if they feel like it now).

This now means monsters actually have a practical option against the shaman. If you want it to have more HP and be harder to dissipate with melee/ranged attacks, then it should be included by are and close attacks to compensate. I personally am much happier with the balance of the spirit companion now than I was before.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

I don't think it's needed. Don't waste attacks against the spirit. Use ranged attacks against the Shaman. I just treat them like I do Wizards who keep using spells from long range, or Rangers. Assume their spirit companion isn't there.

 

[Aegeri]

I don't think it's needed. Don't waste attacks against the spirit. Use ranged attacks against the Shaman. I just treat them like I do Wizards who keep using spells from long range, or Rangers. Assume their spirit companion isn't there.

Actually it can be quite beneficial to attack a spirit. A melee brute next to it can wipe the shaman out halfway across the map by dissipating the spirit companion if the shaman has been mauled by artillery or other monsters ranged attacks. This threat actually makes shamans - even hiding in the back - on low HP under immense pressure from frontline brutes/soldiers if they forgot to move their companion away. It makes things tactically interesting and melee attacks against a spirit something other than the dumbest idea possible.