They've mentioned cocoa trees...if that isn't what the poster is talking about, I'm not sure
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As an aside, Yew Gate is mostly Nox-Dexxing fencers, and Necro Mages. These two templates have dominated the fight for awhile now, and these are suitable characters, each one with the most difficulty and cost in the suit that allows them to perform the way they do.
Necro mages are easy to grind, and the poison skill is difficult to grind, but the final output usually depends on the items a template can use rather than the skill training difficulty ;P. The new gauntlet system made mages easier to suit up. On my shard, Staff of the Magi goes for as low as 1 mil gold now (1-3 mil average). However, staff necro mages cannot use potions. Because of this weakness, a lot of people run Wand necro mages instead. Wand mages can balance any wand with a crystalline ring (~17 mil), which guarantees at least 111 magery from 120 real skill, enough to cast 7th circle 100% of the time. To make this item-template work, they also need the ornament of the magician (~7-12 mil), and the inquisitor's resolution (~30-40 mil???), which is kept expensive due to its slow spawn and the insider's knowledge of when it will spawn, which keeps the price artificially high. Wands are easy to obtain, of course, but the rest of the items mount up to 60 mil or more, unless you are on the inside. Then you have to consider the cost of scrolls, which are much more expensive than the ones dexxers will need, and then the rest of the suit, which, might require an AOF for DCI, a Hat of the Magi and Pendant of the Magi set for SDI, and a great many runic kits for the pieces in between.
The recent changes to kits have helped both mages and dexxers out, as the 100% intensities have made well made armor and weapons easily obtainable. The change to weapons helps dexxers out more than it does mages, as the ability to make "perfect" PvP weapons out of Gold Runics allows many more dexxers the ability to make a Nox-Fencer kryss, which needs, at the least, HCI, LWR D, and a Hit Spell: three mods, capable from as low as a Copper Runic hammer, with a damage bonus of 35-40 always present. Copper Runic hammers go for ~100-200k on my shard, while barbed kits go for ~2-4 mil. Jackal's Collar goes for around ~5-7 mil, and the Spirit of the Totem is around the same price tag.
The cost to make a dexxer's item-template is much cheaper than the cost to make a mage's item-template; that fact is obvious. But what is the final outcome? In the case of the Wand mage, you have an uniquely overpowered character; for the cost of most likely 80-100 mil, you get the ability to run a 6x120 necro mage with no weapon skill and a free hand. Even so, a Nox-Dexxer has the ability to insure poisoned weapons and use a special which poisons and damages in one hit for the cost of 5 mana, and as low as 3 mana with 40 LMC. Of course, the 40 LMC price tag will sky-rocket the cost of that dexxer's suit. I'm interested in monetary cost, but what's more interesting is what would be at least a 15 damage hit (assume 10 from normal hit, and 10 from the 50% hit lightning, applied once every 2 swings) which also inflicts a poison not easily cured for the cost of 3 mana. Then, of course, consider armor ignore, which applies 35-45 damage (if hit spell is considered) for the cost of 12-20 mana. Let's assume an elf, with 10 INT, is a Nox-Dexxer. That's 30 mana, or up to ten infectious strikes in a row (net damage 150), without considering regen rates, or perhaps 6 infectious strikes and, at last, an armor ignore (net damage 130).
But how much damage would a necro mage do? Ah; that's a tricky question, and the main reason the cost of a suit is interesting; the damage a necro mage does is dependent on how much money, or time, which, by all accounts, equals money, is invested in her opposition's suits, and, also, whether or not the opposing skill-templates include magic resist (hopefully, for the sake of PvP). And thus, from afar, the potting, 80 million gold piece one-hander necro mage, fighting a 70 cap and real fire resist opponent, might easily do 60 or more damage with an Explosion + Flamestrike combo, after the application of Corpse Skin. Following this damage logic, it could be assumed an Explosion + Flame Strike, Flame Strike, Pain Spike could net around 107 damage for the cost of 69 mana (assuming the dexxer runs, which is protocol).
As you can see, and as intended, I would believe, by standard gaming conventions, the dexxer is devastating in melee, and the mage from far away. Where lies the problem? ;P (other than our economy ;/). Well, most of the time, the problem lies in the individual's choice to prefer one skill-template over another. Do not be fooled: both mages and dexxers require "human skill." Counters exist in the game, as current; if you are a mage, and you get hit too often, consider DCI, or, gasp, wrestling, for disarm. Yes, you take a hit in the damage you can do, but it's the best skill-template to tackle a dexxer. If you are a dexxer, and become damaged too fast from afar, consider boosting your Fire and Poison resists to 85, for starters. Then, consider a mage is only as good as the DCI which makes her item-template; be aggressive. But most importantly, consider most mages rely on blue healers ;/. Kill them first ;D!
