Team Domination, Immortal Mages

[Crow]

This week we are trying a 2 vs. 2 variant of Domination.

1. All standard Team rules in effect.
2. All standard Domination rules in effect.
3. Undying Mages in effect (variant version).
4. A team that "kills" a Mage receives one of their team's V'tarr in transfer.  If they have zero, take one from the box instead.

Why do this?

When playing Teams & Domination, we often have 1 Mage killed, which leaves that player sitting idle for the remainder of the game (which is less fun than playing for us).  Further, it is not uncommon for the team losing a Mage to eventually win anyway.  This variant both keeps all the players involved for the entire game, and discourages using one Mage as a "sacrifice"/ rewards the team for defeating a Mage.

I'll post any notes or observations after a couple plays.  Feel free to let me know if you have tried this or something very similar.

[Crow]

Our first 2 vs. 2 featured:

Team One - a Lighting Wizard & a Druid.
Team Two - a Warlock & a Warlord.
11 V'tarr to win.

Team Two got out to a 8-0 V'tarr lead (!), as Team One spent it's time building-up early. Team One then pushed forward and took all 3 claimed V'tarr Orbs. 

The Warlock then managed to kill the Wizard, bringing them up to 9.    The Wizard lost 16 mana worth of equipment (along with a Teleport that was Spellbound), and a whole turn (both Quickcast & Full Action).  This wasn't quite as bad as it sounds as some of the Equipment wasn't really needed at that point in the game (like the Arcane Ring).  He spent his next turn summoning new Equipment, so he effectively lost two turns.  Still, Team 2 was unable to reclaim an orb and lost.

Some debate about the first try, because Team One won even with a Mage killed, 11-9.  Still, losing 2 turns along with all your Equipment and the two-point-V'tarr-swing seem like a pretty good benefit/penalty, but the severity depends on the Mage who dies.

We debated briefly about whether the killed Mage should come back in the same Zone, or return to their starting Zone.  We decided to leave it as-is until we played a few more games, because the Wizard would have actually been better off if he was returned to his Starting position, but it is easy to imagine circumstance where the opposite would be true.  Maybe we will let the "killer" decide in the future?

I'll post again next weekend.
   

[Crow]

Posting in another thread reminded me of something worth mentioning, this variant makes a few Mages more viable in Domination (Forcemage, Warlock, & Wizard).  I'm not trying to say it makes them as strong as the "swarm" types, but it helps a little.

[exid]

I'll try this 2vs2 version "soon":
when a mage dies, his team can choose to give the other team 5 V'Tar points (possible to go under 0 V'Tar) and the dead mage comes back immediatly with 0 damages, his mana and all his stuff.

i'll give you a feedback.

[Crow]

5 V'tarr?   How many points are you playing to?

Of the 4-player maps provided, two have victory thresholds of just 7 V'tarr with the other 11.  At 5, I don't think you'll ever see the option taken.  It's way too large of a gap to overcome.

Try it a few times, see how it works.

[exid]

we will play the rulle's map but to 14 V'Tar.
5 is still a lot, but i want that the mage can keep his stuff... it has a price.

if both team play for V'Tar and a mage is accidently killed, the dilemna will be hard
if both team play for kill, a team wins after killing 3 mages (or 2 + a little V'Tar income)
if a team plays for V'Tar and the other plays kill, it should be interessant for the V'Tar team to save the first killed (dangerous for the second)

... i'm really not sure, but it's worth testing!