The Mystic has been a point of contention in the portion of the community that cares about balancing the game. I’m firmly on the ‘Mystic needs to change’ team, and here’s why:
- Link Minds (and Conduit to a lesser extent) serve as a means to gather information from other players. Mainly their claims. Once all players have claimed, this use becomes (mostly) null. The abilities then shift to fulfill the task listed in the following bullet-point.
- Link Minds and Conduit are the last remaining mechanical confirmation abilities left in the game(Aside from Prince’s Imprison). Such an ability goes against the spirit of the game, where everyone’s identity is supposed to be deduced. Once the abilities can no longer realistically be used for their intended purpose of gathering and sharing information, they become almost exclusively tools used to confirm yourself to the strongest BD claim (Usually Prince), choosing the same target every night.
- The Mystic’s night abilities’ last purpose is to coordinate your actions, much in the way the main evil factions have their shared night rooms. This use is very narrowly applicable, as there’s no coordination you can do at night that you can’t already do during the day. But, at least this function of the abilities are in line with what is acceptable.
To ‘fix’ the issue discussed in the second bullet point is to remove the other uses of the mystic’s night abilities, which is where I feel the most push-back against such a change is coming from. Those uses are fun and engaging.
It’s been suggested in the past to give Link Minds to different evil classes, so as to make it not an auto-confirm ability, and that’s a quick and easy solution I could get behind, but has been shot down repeatedly by opposition.
Instead, I will be exploring the possibility of completely overhauling the Mystic. Sadly, this means Link Minds and Conduit would have to be severely nerfed, or removed entirely. I’ll try to create a version for both of these possibilities.
Design Space
The concept of ‘Mysticism’ is very broad, and I’d like to reach deep into this concept for the Mystic’s new abilities. This might mean the class will change its type, but I’ll try my best to keep it a Social class, if possible.
First Draft.
The Mystic (Mind Link nerfed)
Blue dragon Social.
Busy Mind(Passive Ability): Immune to Occupy and Redirect.
• Passive kept on class change.
Divergent Fate(Passive Ability): At the end of every night, you are made aware of effects that targeted you but failed to take effect.
• Feedback example: Someone tried to attack you, but the attempt was prevented!
• Abilities such as ‘Drug’ are treated as though they were the ability they tried to mimic. (Healing, in this case)
• Can detect Attacks, Healing, Protection (Attempts redirected to you are not detected)
• Means of prevention include: Shield, Redirection, Occupation, Defend. Abilities that have special conditions that cause them to be canceled are not found if that condition occurs. (Magic Missile, Cold Steel)
Telepathy(Day Ability): Telepathically send an anonymous message to everyone. (2 uses)
Link Minds(Night Ability): Allows another player to talk to you tonight. Others will not be able to see who you target. Failed if player is reaped by the Reaper. (Infinite Uses)
• Cannot target King.
• Disabled starting from Night 4.
Scry(Night Ability): If target player is attacked tonight, reveal the attacker’s identity. (2 uses)
The Mystic (Complete Overhaul)
Blue dragon Social.
Third Eye(Passive): You will be notified whenever the Mastermind/Cult Leader successfully converts a player to their faction.
• Feedback example: A member of the court has strayed from the light!
Conduit(Passive): You can hear the conversations of players with the Linked Mind passive. Upon their death, Linked Mind is transferred to you.
• Passive kept on class change.
Telepathy(Day Ability): Telepathically send an anonymous message to everyone. (2 uses)
Detect Magic(Day Ability): Reveal status conditions that currently affect target player. (2 uses)
• Detects the following status conditions: Bleeding, Delayed Death, Reaped, Silenced, Voting Impaired/Forced, Marked(Scorned)
Link Minds(Night Ability): Establish a passive mental connection between 2 target players, allowing them to speak to each-other every night. When they die, the passive transfers to you. Others will not be able to see who you target.(1 use)
• Passive name: Linked Mind
• Passive kept on class change.
• Cannot target self or The King.
• Fails if used on a target that was reaped by the Reaper, but is then refunded to be used again another night.
Amplify(Night Ability): Allow one extra player to speak with the Linked Minds, tonight. Others will not be able to see who you target. (2 uses)
• Disabled until Link Minds is used.
• Cannot target self or The King.
• Fails if used on a target that was reaped by the Reaper.
Feedback is appreciated. (Is this still a Social class to you, or has it shifted too much towards being Investigative?) I’ll gladly answer questions related to choices I’ve made in the designing of the class.
