Despair acts like a multi-target version of Drain Life. Unlike Drain Life, however, it has no casting time. This is my biggest problem with the spell. If it had a casting time of 1 or 2 turns, it wouldn't be so bad. At least we would have time to counter the spell or try to kill the wizard before he finishes the casting. Instead, it is an instant-nuke.

Don't get me wrong. I like powerful magic, but it should be internally consistent. If a spell has a casting time, then so too should the more powerful version of the spell.

umm yea.

little overpowered...

just got my 300 HP army wiped out by a Despair spell on the first turn...

Personally I prefer the objective difficulty classifications in FE more than the relative ones found in other games.

I guess different quests seem of different difficulty to different people.  The alchemy quests is one I usually leave until my sovereign has at least 35 hps, or until I can attempt it with at least three units. (I play without restores, and three bad rolls on the air shrills' shocks have taken my sovereign out in .952)

On the other hand, I have taken and breezed through the "strong" Slavers quest with a level 4 sovereign and a lever 3 archer. (I think it was Neressa)

t  doesn't need a mega-nerf, but a slight nerf so I  can actually play against it ... without auto-resolving, since somehow despair doesn't work in auto-resolve >)

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

expect a minor nerf to despair in the coming days  it is meant to be terrifying, but right now it doesn't provide much in the way of options for the player to combat it (aside from lots of hp/resist)

So I take it this means the final beta release has been delayed by a few days?

See?  I was wrong.  I hoped I was too.

I've play tested this for a bit now because I was becoming quite frustrated with the insta-gib spell. The problem is in two aspects.

1. First, the quantity. 3hp per level from all opponents is craziness. 
2. Second, the quality. That hp is a drain spell, which means ANY effort you have imbued agains the caster has just been undone. He is full life again.

How to combat the spell?

1. Have lot's of HP. Case in point, take it ... and move past it. You'll have a few rounds to take the wizard out before he casts again.
2. Counterspell. There are several variations and types...especially if you play with mods. The wizard has a high spell resistance though, so chances are slim that the spell gets through.
3. Kill the wizard...FAST. Being able to knock out the wizard within the first round dispates the encounter rather quickly.

However. There is a complication. Number 2 and 3 are specialized strategies that, if you have not gradually preparred for, you will not and cannot be able to employ if the need arise. Therefore, the only reasonable answer for the average player is number 1.

The first thing I have done (and only thing to date as it seems to have done the trick) is reduce the amount of life drain from 3hp/level to 2.5hp/level. Wasn't sure about rounding errors...but it seems that LH is able to handle it. Also, if resisted, I've reduced that damage from 2hp/level down to 1.5hp/level.

The result? My troops are able to survive...usually within a hair's breath from death. BUT they survived. Now I can wrecklessly throw my forces against the wizard in the hopes of dispatching him, and then worry about how to salvage the battle to deal with the remaining forces.

Still one of the harder battles I go up against in the game, but I've removed the ...despair from the conflict. Now it's just anxiety and ulcers.