Shattered Kingdoms

Fragile classes (sorcs and necros) can be just as effective when they go ethereal.

Warlocks have stoneskin.l

Haha, you're going to delete soon when they change it.

It's my understanding that crossbows take a considerable amount of time to load.

Why not just lower their speed?

Then the next fad will be to spec in longbows with your giant mercs. In my opinion, ranged combat as a whole needs to be looked at - preferably in a way which isn't too harmful to scouts.

Remove skirmish from every class but scouts.

Badaboom.

Actually, I agree with Grakus on this one. As much as it pains me.

Good call.

Sigh.

Why didn't I make a merc sooner?

That doesnt limit the problem with range combat just makes it even harder for newibes to compete. Also with one skirmishing scout your back to square one just wait for the first shot then do what he did.

Alright crossbows were an evolution in warfare some did pierce through the hardest of armors and their enlarged versions (balista etc) pierced through wooden walls and caused damage to heavy fortifications.
Thing is...you have some guys with crossbows in a game where the crossbow was invented and the tower shield was not... You have a game where unbreakable materials and magically enhanced armors and shields cannot lower the force of a crossbow's blow. Only chance you have is stoneskin/mi and recall.
I have heard about many things being unbalanced and out of concept but this time I have no reason but to ask for something to be done with this. If there was ony one person with a crossbow alright.. but there are hordes of them coming from everywhere.
I you don't think crossbows are too powerfull check out how much damage they can dish out in a max hp merc with enchanted adamantite/sanctuary/armor.
Now check how much damage he can take naked against the same person.