B13 Combat Design - Spells

[LordYabo]

We're doing something new: we're sharing our internal design document with all of you to read, question, and comment.

http://defiancegamestudio.com/public/Build%2013%20Combat%20Design.pdf

We hope inviting you into the process, as early as possible, will lead to great things for all of us.

[Dhuran]

I'm just going to put notes here as I read through this part (my favorite part!).

Types:
Any chance of a third 'ritual' type that might need to be cast from a special room in the tower or something? I know it's not really combat related, but I figured I would just put that out there. Or maybe it could just take the global effect and supercharge its range (after looking at some of the global effects).

Casting & Knowledge:
I love this. Is there a plan to increase the chance of gaining knowledge with more difficult spells or with pushing your limits? It would add to the sense of progression (something that was once difficult and you would learn a lot from, you now do easily with barely a second thought, but don't learn much).

Tornado/Fly/Push/Pull:
It would be cool if these could also target/manipulate props as well. Having the option of either moving the assailants or the props. Also throwing an aggressor into a boulder vs. throwing a boulder into an aggressor could have different tactical implications. ALSO Casting an earth wall, then casting fly/float on the earth wall or boulder to impede flying creatures.

Air Pocket:
Imagine the amount of pain/damage you could cause by screwing with the air pressure around someone else's head. You could even try to suffocate them.

Thunderclap:
This should also scare them. Or at least startle them! Hey, new status effect. Startle -> they start their turn with less AP.

How do you feel about either modifying the effect vs. power that you put into the spell by how skilled the caster is with that school. What I'm thinking is that a more skilled caster would be able to cast the spell more efficiently at low power levels and/or put more power into the spell on the high end. For instance a novice caster might only be able to reach 50% effectiveness on a spell but it would also cost them more stamina. They could also try to overextend at the risk of catastrophic backfire.

[szaki2]

I really miss the summoner play style from the game. No, summon spells at all. Elementals can be in elemental magic (fire, ice, earth, etc.), and some monsters can be maybe arcane.
I hope it will be far more spell long term because it needs far more variety. This is a magician RPG, so this the most crucial aspect, I think. If it is 25/realm, I don't believe that too much at all. Oh, and cone 1/2/3. For a breath attack.

[drow28]

Originally posted by Dhuran:

Any chance of a third 'ritual' type that might need to be cast from a special room in the tower or something? I know it's not really combat related, but I figured I would just put that out there. Or maybe it could just take the global effect and supercharge its range (after looking at some of the global effects).

This is great! Some kind of preparation spell that can be cast outside of combat, danger and most importantly dungeons. These spells can be part of any school and have a long lasting boon on the player (+10 attack for 1 day). They can be another point in preparing to go in a dungeon: check torches, antidotes, 10 foot poles and cast preparation spells. So in a way they can be combat related.

Also, summoning is always cool.

[LordYabo]

Originally posted by Dhuran:

Any chance of a third 'ritual' type that might need to be cast from a special room in the tower or something? I know it's not really combat related, but I figured I would just put that out there. Or maybe it could just take the global effect and supercharge its range (after looking at some of the global effects).

I really liked those rules in D&D 4th edition. Short answer yes, but we aren't spending any time on it until B14.

Casting & Knowledge:
I love this. Is there a plan to increase the chance of gaining knowledge with more difficult spells or with pushing your limits?

Honestly the idea got in just days before we published, so I don't really know how it will work. Something about it feels right and I think it solves problems. So let us know what you think of it when you get to test it yourself.

Tornado/Fly/Push/Pull:
It would be cool if these could also target/manipulate props as well. Having the option of either moving the assailants or the props. Also throwing an aggressor into a boulder vs. throwing a boulder into an aggressor could have different tactical implications. ALSO Casting an earth wall, then casting fly/float on the earth wall or boulder to impede flying creatures.

Great ideas, added the ability to make props float.

Air Pocket:
Imagine the amount of pain/damage you could cause by screwing with the air pressure around someone else's head. You could even try to suffocate them.

Added this as a status effect caused by airpocket: non-lethal damage until they are unconcious.

Thunderclap:
This should also scare them. Or at least startle them! Hey, new status effect. Startle -> they start their turn with less AP.

OK, added small chance of scaring them.

How do you feel about either modifying the effect vs. power that you put into the spell by how skilled the caster is with that school. What I'm thinking is that a more skilled caster would be able to cast the spell more efficiently at low power levels and/or put more power into the spell on the high end. For instance a novice caster might only be able to reach 50% effectiveness on a spell but it would also cost them more stamina. They could also try to overextend at the risk of catastrophic backfire.

The general idea is as the power goes up, the effect lasts longer or is more likely to happen. Monsters have resistance to being blinded. So blinding cast at 10 power has a low chance of success, but cast at 25 power it has a good chance. 25 power may be really hard for an early mage, but super easy for a late mage to accomplish.

They are all designed to scale. I'm sure there are mistakes, but generally that is the idea.

[LordYabo]

Hello szaki2! Thanks for jumping in.

Originally posted by szaki2:

I really miss the summoner play style from the game. No, summon spells at all. Elementals can be in elemental magic (fire, ice, earth, etc.), and some monsters can be maybe arcane.
I hope it will be far more spell long term because it needs far more variety. This is a magician RPG, so this the most crucial aspect, I think. If it is 25/realm, I don't believe that too much at all. Oh, and cone 1/2/3. For a breath attack.

The final fantasy series has long had summoning magic. And D&D has druid magic of shape shifting. I think WoW did a good job of implementing, i know i enjoyed playing my druid.

I don't think we can get summoning or shape shifting into the base game. We're already at 50+ spells and still haven't put in all the world only spells, and Dhuran's rituals.

[Dhuran]

25 power may be really hard for an early mage, but super easy for a late mage to accomplish.

This is basically exactly what I was hoping that you would be able to capture in the game. I think we're on the same page!