Is the RoS overpowered? (in General)

Obviously I don't think its overpowered, due to the fact that I use one so I am biased. However, I was thinking about numbers.

Familiars use 100% of the tattoo level for the DD and 25% for HP. So on a 1 million level tattoo, 1,250,000 levels are used on the tattoo.

For the RoS, 50% of the tattoo is used to boost the ED and only 40% is used to block DM. So on a 1 million level tattoo, 500,000 levels on the ED + (up to) 500,000 levels of DM blocked (500k DM is an effect of 400k, which is the most DM this RoS can block).

From this information it seems that RoS gives less "bang for the buck" than familiars, with a maximum total usefulness of 1 million levels. Against non-DM users, this is only 500k levels of usefulness.

If you have 4 EDs, blocking a DM of 400,000 can save up to 1,600,000 levels.

Indeed, the RoS is most effective on a spread-out strategy.

Of course, the spread makes it hard to beat a massive DM, sort of foiling the RoS, anyway.

Interesting discussion...

Remember the RoS's protection is only good vs DM using characters. Which is about 1/2 or just more than half of characters. Vs AMF characters it give no help.

So if you try to quantify the RoS into xp, it is 50% to the ED and up to 160% of its level into DM protection. But then it is only useful to 1/2 the characters so one can state for a tattoo it is 50 + 1/2 of 160 useful. or 130% on a 4 minion character. Comparable to the DD familiar's 125%. Yes, this may be a very weak argument, but I gave it a shot :)

It is best on a 4 minion character due to the protection it gives, but this protection can currently be overwhelmed. A great feature, which is hard to quantify into xp, is the ability to use both AMF and DM. Most use a lower level AMF to help vs base decays and a largish DM. But that lower AMF is certainly extremely useful.

The RoS right now is a great foil for all those "overpowered" ELB and HF users.

I personally think the DM protection of the RoS is too low and would like to see it raised to 50% of the tattoo's level.

So to answer your question: No, the RoS is not overpowered, but a great addition to CB.

I love my RoS. I can still fight with a good bonus with barely any NW invested into my minions. Huge DM and ROBF hurt..as well as other RoS teams or teams with GA..Stalemates do pose a problem since most RoS teams generally have just 1 minion doing the damage to mop up the enchanters. Only way it could be viewed as overpowered is the lack of NW invested to still have an effective strat. On the other end...you can invest alot of NW and your overall effectiveness wouldn't increase as much as strategies that use the other types of tats. If you tossed an RoS on Novice's AS..would he be more powerfull than if he used the SF? I doubt it..of course he doesnt have GA either =0