Replace Demonic Guardian with Shadow Clone

[bcadren]

There were a lot of complaints awhile back about how Demonic Guardian works (autotargeting, getting in the way, etc.) I thought this would be a much better DEFENSIVE ability that strips all offensiveness from Demonic Guardian.

Shadow Clones You create virtual copies of yourself (like Rakshaka); which blink around randomly, but don't attack. They have your EV x 2 and your AC; but only 1 HP. As a special ability; enemies can't tell which is you and which is the clone, so they prioritize attacking it as highly as you. Extra ranks increase the number of clones made and their respawn rate after they are destroyed.

[jejorda2]

Can you imagine "butterflyitis" being a mutation? It seems like this would be similar. Suddenly, you can't case fireball or mephitic cloud because there are allies in the way. It might be helpful sometimes, but it's fiddly if you can activate it and frustrating if it's passive.

If you are fighting things that you can handle easily, the unbidden allies are just annoying.

If you are fighting things you can not handle easily, you can't count on the allies so you need to escape whether they come or not, and whether they distract or not.

[Hirsch I]

Can you imagine "butterflyitis" being a mutation? It seems like this would be similar. Suddenly, you can't case fireball or mephitic cloud because there are allies in the way. It might be helpful sometimes, but it's fiddly if you can activate it and frustrating if it's passive.

If you are fighting things that you can handle easily, the unbidden allies are just annoying.

If you are fighting things you can not handle easily, you can't count on the allies so you need to escape whether they come or not, and whether they distract or not.

so, mostly like Demonic Guardian?

[jejorda2]

so, mostly like Demonic Guardian?

Yes, you are correct that I do not believe the proposal changes any of the problems.

The last time this was discussed, several posters proposed letting the player fire through guardians. This would help whether then unreliable allies were demons, butterflies, or mirages.

[Hirsch I]

they should be illusions, untouchable by the player, who can pass though or fire at them at will. and should trigger at damage instead of tension.

[XuaXua]

they should be illusions, untouchable by the player, who can pass though or fire at them at will. and should trigger at damage instead of tension.

This was exactly what I was about to suggest. If they are 100% ignorable by the player and therefore never turn against the player (as an attacked ally might), then it solves all issues except dependency / reliability.