Shield + Orb of Health = infinite regeneration potions -- intended?

from Demigod Forums

The Orb of Health (hope I got the name right) is the item that restores a massive amount of HP and mana over a few seconds, unless you're damaged.

 

Shield is Oak's ability that prevents you from being damaged for a few seconds.

 

So, I thought to myself: "I wonder whether the orb's check is applied before or after the shield negates the damage?"  I tried it out in-game, and sure enough, I can sit there in the middle of the enemy fortress watching my health and mana bars zip up!

 

I have mixed feelings on this.  On the one hand, giving one character the ability to get a massive HP/MP boost (around 3000 IIRC) every 30 seconds or so feels unfair.  On the other hand: the item costs 4000+ gold, you need a few skill points in Shield to use it with impunity, this makes the Shield skill (which I otherwise never took) more valuable, and using Shield this way means it's not available when you see the Torchbearer winding up with a fireball spell.  Even with this advantage, I got killed a few times when I was careless and walked too far into the enemy fortress; if they're damaging you enough to kill you quickly, this combo won't help.  It's mainly useful for holding off a slow drain from the fortifications/minions/creeps and/or low-level demigods.  Which seems just like what the item is intended for.  Also, while the warpstone isn't 100% effective, you can use it to do the same sort of trick (warp out of battle, activate the orb, run to stay out of battle until you're healed).

 

Anyway, just wanted to make sure that this was intended behavior and not an oversight.

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Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

I personally so far haven't had a problem with this thus far, but if it becomes too powerful I'd say increase the channelled time of the Orb of Health?  That way it'd still be a strategy for Oak, but he won't get the full effectiveness of it.

I don't play Oak much, but I'll have to try out that combo and see how cheesy it is :)

 

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

well shield is on a 30 sec cooldown and 4,25k gold are a major investment i think it´s cheaper to buy potions.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #5 from Demigod Forums Top

I discovered the Orb a few days ago and now is the first item upgrade I buy. It is a great item, more useful than the warpstone in my oppinion. Having both is even better.

 

I don't think shield and orb combo is too much, the game is not balanced for 1 on 1 fights as far as I can tell so if someone is going to kill you, you are only able to delay the inevitable with this combo.

Reply #6 from Demigod Forums Top

It's a good combo on 1vs1 situations, but otherwise, as a oak, the shield is far more useful to help any hard hitting teammate finish of some demigods, or break an incoming stunlocking combo. The Oak itself can heal and isn't so mana intensive. I prefer using the orb with a "rogue" Demigod who help pushing against towers and flags while the rest of the team is doing the main fight.

Reply #7 from Demigod Forums Top

Even If you have the gold and luck needed to trigger this in battle I think it's a fine item combo. There are some more imba items for a lot less in price (Wyrms/Warpstone/tele-rape).