Panlords Need Buffs

[FakerFangirl]

Give panlords still winds and blink close and constrict. Make them like liches so that looking at them reveals multiple possible spell sets until they cast a spell. And add a new spell: blink stairs. Some panlords blink to an 'up' staircase and have a trample attack. Also I'm not sure how, but I think that sticks to snakes and butterflies are overpowered during ascension. And let seal doors interrupt climbing just as it displaces you from doorways. Anything to make ascension force more interaction with enemies. Distortion brand, even. If orb guardians had distortion brand or constrict, with slightly lower... Maybe a monster called "orb overlord" which is a red orb guardian with constriction and haste. Or better yet, a panlord spell... OOH!

Orb guardians have a steal brand which allows them to carry the orb of zot, transforming them into a red orb overlord with constrict and haste and recall. Recall summons all enemies that you've aggro'd on the previous floor. Haste is an ability. And their unarmed skill rises so that they can reliably constrict. Oh and it grows three additional eyeballs when it transforms.

[delarado]

Sounds complicated.

Your suggestions re: Pan Lords sound hellish, but I like them. The trample and blink stairs thing particularly I think could really spice up ascension.

I'm not too sure on the orb guardian ideas though I'm afraid!

[petercordia]

Pan Lords do tend to be a bit tame... though zigurat divers might disagree

[Shtopit]

I like the idea of a spell that blinks the stairs around.

[chequers]

Give panlords still winds and blink close and constrict. Make them like liches so that looking at them reveals multiple possible spell sets until they cast a spell. And add a new spell: blink stairs. Some panlords blink to an 'up' staircase and have a trample attack. Also I'm not sure how, but I think that sticks to snakes and butterflies are overpowered during ascension. And let seal doors interrupt climbing just as it displaces you from doorways. Anything to make ascension force more interaction with enemies. Distortion brand, even. If orb guardians had distortion brand or constrict, with slightly lower... Maybe a monster called "orb overlord" which is a red orb guardian with constriction and haste. Or better yet, a panlord spell... OOH!

Orb guardians have a steal brand which allows them to carry the orb of zot, transforming them into a red orb overlord with constrict and haste and recall. Recall summons all enemies that you've aggro'd on the previous floor. Haste is an ability. And their unarmed skill rises so that they can reliably constrict. Oh and it grows three additional eyeballs when it transforms.

I made a pull request inspired by some of these ideas: https://github.com/crawl/crawl/pull/1456

Among other changes, it adds these things to (some) pan lords:
* Blink close
* Seal doors
* Trample

[partial]

Needlessly punishing.

[damerell]

Give panlords still winds and blink close and constrict. Make them like liches so that looking at them reveals multiple possible spell sets until they cast a spell.

Their spells used to be a mystery until cast; this was explicitly changed to show them immediately. It's hard to imagine it changing back.

[FakerFangirl]

Among other changes, it adds these things to (some) pan lords:
* Blink close
* Seal doors
* Trample

Very nice. I look forward to fighting a seal doors panlord, and enjoyed getting trampled. Removing summon butterflies also makes the orb runs non-trivial

Their spells used to be a mystery until cast;

That's why ancient liches are terrifying. You never know if you're gonna get paralyzed+OoD, or LCS'd, or surrounded by wraiths. There is a popular cardgame where you have to assess multiple threats and optimize with incomplete information. Knowing everyone else's cards would make Poker as boring as Blackjack.