Spell-page Thoughts

[Ambermonk]

One of the most engaging aspects of TCE is that the game requires you to make many many choices, which affect future actions during the expedition. This tends to make each game played pretty interesting & absorbing.

There is one area, however, where the Devs could enhance this aspect even more. In a game with many interesting game elements, one discordant note is with Spell-pages. Most of the pages are for destroying the map areas, but this seems diametrically opposed to what would be most useful & needed by the players. Spell-pages take up an inventory slot but are not especially useful. Usually they end up being taken home, traded away, or even abandoned for more important cargo.

IMHO these spells need to be reworked into something much more useful. Here are some ideas:
1. Create grass-plains - an area spell that could be used on Mtns, jungle, water, fire, dust, etc.
2. Spell-pages - that reverse a specific type of spell disaster (fire, water, chasm, etc.).
3. Magic Carpet - that returns the party & their inventory back home

The advantages of these revised spell-pages are many...
1. Players would have to choose between using them or taking them back as a trophy.
2. Players might choose to loot a temple if they have a spell to undo the effects of the looting.
3. Players could create grass plains to open a pathway - or eliminate a magnetic mountain.
4. Acquiring these spells would create new combinations of strategic choices & opportunities.
5. These spells would add new depth & additional content to an already engaging game.
6. The magic carpet spell would make it easier to end a difficult mission.
7. Players might choose different strategies in hopes of acquiring one of these useful spells.

What do the rest of you think?

[Honking Capabilities]

I like it but they're quite strong and should be harder to find.

[Tiggurix]

There's one particular spell page that already is very strong and that players should keep for later use if they get ahold of it- the Teleportation page. Other than that, I also like to use the Drain Water page when it can be useful, but I generally trade in any pages other than Teleportation back at London.

I definitely think that spell pages could need a rebalancing in regards to their powers, though. For instance, the Hill Creation spell creates a single hill where the party is standing. While this can be useful to get an overview of the map, it seems to me that it would be better to make it an area of effect spell like many others.

Though, again, I think some spells are meant to have a very niche use, such as the tome page of Abomination. Unless you want an abomination in your party, I'd reckon that it's best to trade such spells in.

I do like the Magic Carpet idea, though! I think we need more strange and rare items, with useful powers, in general.

[Ambermonk]

My goal for these spells was to make them usefull enought that players would be forced to choose between using them or taking them back for fame & money.

[Caulder]

how about a scroll of taming that when used to kill off a creature in battle recruites said creature as a party member?

[ByteRiot]

+1 for more interesting and powerfull spells. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Ambermonk]

Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned, the more choices a player makes in a game, the more interesting (and personal) the experience becomes.