Shiningfantasia on Nov 8, 2012 wrote:

I have read a good number of current posts from all three different threads, and I actually have not found anything regarding my issue that I have discovered.

Whenever I use a power that lasts an X number of turns, a turn is used up immediately after you have cast that power. Since you spent a turn just casting that power, I don't think it should count towards a turn duration.

For example, I cast Hide in the Shadows. The turn right after casting Hide in the Shadows, I notice I only have 2 turns remaining, instead of 3. I mean, I am unable to do anything after casting Hide in the Shadows, so I don't think casting the spell should actually count as a turn.

Same goes for anything that has a duration. Casting Walk in the Shadows will only allow me to stay hidden for 4 turns, and Shadowdance will only increase my criticals for 2 turns. I believe the bleed effects and poison attacks have the correct duration, but now that I am actually writing a post about it, I will double check when I get back into the game. I am also not sure about Defense and Will increase from Privateer school, but will again double check when I get back in the game also.

Since I have not seen a single post about this issue, I am not entirely sure if that is how durations are supposed to work. But, in my opinion, that is cheating us out of a turn's duration. I would want full three turns of increased criticals, hidden, or full five turns of hidden, etc etc.

I would really appreciate any feedback from my fellow pirates or KI. Thank you as always.

Durations are working as designed-- although admittedly, the exact duration can be a little tricky to understand. It all has to do with when we "tick down" the duration-- depending on the power, they can tick down at the start or end of your turn, or at the start or end of the enemy turn (if the power affects enemies).

Remember that LOTS of things happen even when it's not your turn. In the case of Hide, for example, on the turn that you cast it, you will get the benefit of not being attacked by the enemy when his turn comes up. Similarly, in the case of Shadowdance, you'll get bonus crits from any First Strike attack you make on the enemy's turn, and so on.

It's a little easier to understand in the context of a buff that you cast on your own team. In this case, you cast the power (as the #1 actor at the start of your team turn), all your allies get buffed, and then they run off and do their thing, enjoying the benefits of the buff.

When your next turn starts, the duration ticks down-- as it should. The power has been active from the moment that you used it, through the rest of your first turn (including all your allies' actions), and the entire enemy turn.

It's just a little harder to understand in the context of a power that you are hoping to use on yourself. My advice is simply to take that into account when you use the power.

Changing the durations on the powers (for example, adding +1) isn't going to change that conceptual problem. For example, the Hide card would say 4 but you'll notice that now it "feels like" just 3.

Does that explanation help at all?

Ratbeard, I really want to thank you for this explanation, that was awesome of you to make time to explain this.

Almost immediately after writing the post and entering the game, I realized that exact same thing. I had wished there was a way to retract that post.

Thank you again, Ratbeard.

P.S.: I am naturally scatterbrained, so, I tend to be slow. Sometimes. :P