Yes, it really is that powerful. It's a broken variant added on the somewhat flawed basis that it was easy to add.
There's a thread on it here:
slarty.proboards56.com/index.cgi?board=warlocks&action=display&thread=1180045404And here's the text of a couple of messages on the RB group from myself and Slarty:
***
> After playing one (alright, part of one so far) I think the FDF(D)
> paralysis makes for a good alternate set of realities in game.
> The DSFDFc Paralysis is a null change, but when there are DFFDD
> possibliities around I find it harder to judge which way to defend.
> Also, monsters feel more powerful, though I don't know why.
> -Dubber
It's a more powerful variant. Let's compare vs ParaFC and ParaFF.
Offensively:
ParaFF is weakest, as paralysing an F lets the opponent mount an FFF
counterattack.
ParaFC is strongest, as paralysing an F traps the opponent in a CCC chain.
ParaFDF is marginally weaker than ParaFC, as the FFF chain becomes
nearly as useless as a CCC chain.
Defensively:
ParaFF is strongest, as self-paralysis allows the para to continue
next round.
ParaFC is weakest, as self-paralysis will either force a C on the
paralysing hand or paralyse the other hand.
ParaFDF is inbetween. 50% of the time, paralysing the paralysing hand
will result in DFF - a lead-in to Lightning Bolt. The other 50% of the
time it leads to double DD - still better than C.
In power terms I'd say that it rates higher than ParaFC, maybe even
above ParaFF just from the effects above. However, there's more.
It's much, much easier to exit ParaFDF. Shadowcasting into other
disruptions like Maladroit and Amnesia becomes viable, and then
there's both healing spells and Lightning Bolt. Lightning Bolt is a
particular danger if there are monsters present, as every DF from the
paralyser forces a W to counterspell from his opponent on the
unparalysed hand, and if the paralysed hand isn't shielding, that's
free monster damage. Once you get to DFFD, too, you can switch back to
para if they look like blocking the bolt. It's much more powerful than
ParaFF IMO, though less ugly as it integrates better with normal
spellflow.
It's also a lot easier to get into: WPFD, DFFD, SPPFD, DFWFd all now
provide next-turn para threats.
On the other hand, DPP is now more powerful than before as it breaks
paralysis and double F will be in most circumstances useless.
I'm tempted to suggest trialling the variant Dubber suggested, where
FDF is para but FDFD is not. I don't think this would be particularly
underpowered, given its improved integration with the rest of the
spellflow. It would still allow a disruption to be cranked out every
two turns (which no other disruption does) and shadow-casting on the
FDx turn would allow spellflow to be kept flexible. The position of
Lightning Bolt will be enhanced by any form of this variant of course,
(it's already much more popular than Fireball), but apart from that I
think its changes would be mostly beneficial.
Taliesin
***
Hiya folks,
I read about ParaFDF during my absence, and having now played a few
games with it I wanted to put my two cents in.
My first recation to FDF was one of horror. I have long argued that
paralysis was somewhat balanced in both FF and FC, but the only thing
making it balanced was its awful, awful ending, from which it was
impossible to segue into anything elegantly. As Taliesin explained,
in FDF it's easier to get into paralysis, and it's ten times easier to
get out of it in a useful way.
As far as I'm concerned, ParaFDF is broken. It is an interesting
variant, definitely one that's fun to play for a few games, but it's a
real joke for serious play.
I'm curious to hear what others think of it now that there has been
more time to try it out.
-- Slartucker
