Should we disable the ability to build decoys in multiplayer, especially in arenas like Zero Sum? It’s an interesting tactic, but it just seems kind of frustrating. Is it too OP / annoying?
Related: the blue fox pet that becomes a decoy-like peasant for a bit, also seems kinda more annoying/effective than it’s worth. Thoughts on removing/nerfing?
no decoys are a big advantage but fences are op so only stone builders hammer.please?
I think that decoys are indeed irritating to deal with, but I also think that without them non-subscribers wouldn’t have a chance. In Zero Sum it would not matter as much since everyone has the same equipment, but for Cavern Survival and Dueling grounds, without decoys, I think warriors can’t really win. Also, the blue fox is kind of annoying. Maybe if we make it a decoy for fewer seconds before reverting to a blue fox? Just some thoughts.
if you didn’t disable it you should try to make seperate sections, like one for non-subsribers and one for subscribers so that it is a little different and so that others that already use decoys would have to change their code almost entierly.
I would say they should be banned specifically in Zero Sum, but for the rest of the arenas, if you’re capable of creating a good tactic with decoys while sacrificing the use of a primary weapon (see: @Alexbrand – dueling grounds) then it’s fair enough. They’re also pretty invaluable for Cavern survival. About the Blue Fox, I think it’s powers should be limited. On Dueling grounds if you don’t have it then you’re at a serious disadvantage: I think too much of a disadvantage. And if you both have it it creates a lot of waiting around shooting at peasants and no-one gets an advantage at all. So I think it’s powers should be curtailed, maybe a shorter period of changing, or less health for the peasant.
I think a larger issue with multiplayer is the ‘loop’ breaks multiplayer code issue. The blue side of Dueling grounds + multiplayer treasure is practically unplayable on a large scale because of the tens of draws you get with old players on the red side; but anyway, that’s for a different topic…
they can also use goldstorm and collect gold and summon peasants and command them like @PeterPalov does
They=subscribers (I just wanted to stress) 
Decoys should still be part of the multiplayer tactic pool, however it’s fair to say they get a little annoying considering they only cost a few gold to spawn. Nerfs could be reducing the effectiveness range, making it so it dies in 1-hit(Right now it has a high HP value), or just avoid it letting it lure Hero Placeholder thang types. Removing it would just be too obsolete, I find it interesting to adjust the code around players who utilize Decoys like @Alexbrand. However, in certain situations it seems a little strong for a decoy that only costs 20 gold. What do you think @nick?
I strongly oppose nerfing or increasing the price of the decoys. For me the problem are the new omnipotent heroes with their armor and abilities - you can almost pass half the levels without minimum coding effort.
25 )
And it’s quite OK as far as one don’t have primary weapon and should build arrow-towers with cost of 75 gold I think.
@Deadpool198 Thanks for @iming) You’re completely right - I’m deadman on Dueling Grounds and Cavern Survival without decoys.
I have nothing to say about Zero Sum - haven’t try much to participate.
As far as I remember all hammers are restricted for Harrowland, so decoys are available through peasants only.
@Alexbrand
The issue is that you can command peasant to build decoys, so you can use a primary attacking weapon along with a peasant that can build fire-traps, decoys, etc.
@Chaboi_3000
Yep I understand
, but the more issueable issue is that this trick more suits for subscribers)
I think there are a lot of people with goooood coding skills (at least much more better than mine) and free characters. But players with good skills+free character+good tactics (and + active now)… I think I can count them by fingers of one hand. And no thumb needed))
(F.e.) Besides, irony of situation is that
is written with knowing that someone 
starts battle on Dueling Ground with 100 gold that means Boss Star 5 usage)) (No problems, but it’s just really funny))
The issue is an nonsubscriber must write super effective and ingenious code to be equal in all codecombat to the brute force of the paid heroes. Subscribers can also use peasants and decoys - why they do not do it?
I wonder if it might make sense to only be able to summon decoys with a warrior? It’s a pretty radical idea, but I think currently warriors are a little weaker than the other types, so it might balance them out. Or maybe saying, people only have to attack the decoy if it is 10 units away or something. It might actually make decoys weaker if we increase the speed. Dunno, probably some bad ideas.
If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!
I think there are too many things broken to fix, but not peasants and decoys.
Well, I think by restricting it to warriors, it probably benefits non-subscribers more… since warriors are the only class they can use…
Something like:
while True:
decoys = self.findByType("decoy")
decoy = self.findNearest(decoys)
distance = hero.distanceTo(decoy)
if distance<10:
self.attack(decoy)
?))
Right now, I think if you see a decoy, you have to attack it or something. We could make it so if the decoy runs far away, then you don’t have to attack(I just realized that doesn’t work for archers…, scrap that idea) But I do think chasing a decoy across the map is sort of annoying.
Give the power to the non subscriber to fight in the multiplayer arenas with subscriber heroes, but not in the normal levels. Let they buy weapons for the arenas, they all have too much gems if they passed clever the normal levels. Maybe they will buy subscription and if not they at least will be very valuable contribution for codecombat with their coding abilities.
That sounds like a good idea(especially since I am a non-subscriber) but it might be the player versus player combat that incentives people to subscribe. If people only subscribe to use them on normal levels, that would be a great idea but if I were to get a subscription, it would probably be for the multiplayer levels. Maybe someone could create a clan for non-subscribers so people can compete among non-subs? (Again me and my bad ideas…)