Time attacks vs Rings of sustaining

[Malak Darkhunter]

All right one thing I found I don't agree with is, breath attacks from time hounds, or time vortexes. I have both rings of sustaining,(of soulkeeping and bodykeeping) yet breath attacks from time hounds and time vortexes still reduce my stats. I understand that time is a different attack by itself, and the reason for it, but if you are wearing rings, or have equipment that sustains your ability's it should keep the time attack's from from draining your abilities. Otherwise sustain is just a waste of time and practically worthless. Rings of bodykeeping and soulkeeping should keep time attacks from affecting the character. Any equipment that sustains your abilities should keep time attacks from reducing your stats. It works for everything else, it should work for this too.

[Sirridan]

I think the logic of this works two ways:

1. Time attacks actually clock back to where you weren't as strong/smart/whatever as you were, so in essence you don't get "drained". Restore stat potions work probably because they are either magic, or just so time attacks don't become even more infuriating than they are now.

2. Time breathers aren't actually meant to be killed, just avoided.

Speculation on my part for number 2. Getting breathed on when you didn't see it is just part of the risk of playing I guess. It does suck but thankfully time breath isn't on many things and those things can usually be avoided.

[Derakon]

I could go for time attacks having reduced effect or being fallibly resistable if you have stat sustain, but, much like Hold Life and drain experience attacks, I don't think there should be a 100% defense against stat drain. I can't articulate why I feel this way, but Time attacks are basically pointless otherwise (they do crap damage), so they need to have something going for them.

[Djabanete]

In Angband, there are some ill effects that can be prevented or mitigated, and some that can't. The game is designed this way. You can resist fire; you can't resist mana storms. You can prevent Morgoth's melee stat draining; you can't prevent a time vortex's stat draining. I don't see anything wrong with this --- it keeps the player on his toes throughout the whole game and prevents players from having utterly untouchable characters.

[ThunderToads]

I like scary monsters. Time attacks are annoying, but they add flavour to the mid and late game.