[Suggestion] Magic Node Impact Rebalance

Keeping it real...

from Elemental Forums

IMO, the way controlling magic nodes impacts tactical spells is both overpowered, simplistic, and ignoring so much that could tie in to the gameplay.

Rather than have nodes give a flat out doubling or 100% bonus or whatever it is now, how about instead having node control give a smaller, more sane bonus that is impacted by your research, buildings, sov's items, or even sov abilities (that don't exist right now).  So maybe the bonus gets more extreme as you invest more heavily.

For example, maybe nodes give a flat 25% bonus to tactical spell effectiveness (seems to only apply to dmg but could apply to duration on buffs/debuffs or whatever else too).

The game has a bazillion technologies to be researched - why not make certain magic techs (in the SHARD line perhaps) increase the effectiveness of your shard control bonus?  Or unlock buildings that you must build (shrines/temples/labs/anything) that bump up shard effectiveness?  There seems to be a bazillion buildings too, what's a few more?  :)

There could be whole lines of items in the game - rings that give 5% bonus to fire shards and whatnot.  Or that just give a 5% generic shard control bonus.  Whatever.  It adds more variety and decision making to item use.

Lastly, there could be a sovereign profession/talent/whatever they're called that gives a 5-25% bonus to shard control effects.  Variety is good.  The game is about magic - a sovereign ability that ties in to shard control seems to be a fabulous idea.  /pats self on back

I like for their to be options and making critical decisions is what makes these games compelling.  If you break it down rather than just giving a huge bonus, the player has more decisions to make.  For ex, if ALL of the above was incorporated, a player could really invest heavily in making their sovereign a magic user of note, instead of - haha we got a node or 3 and now we pwnzerize the universe by default!

4,175 views 2 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I think the most important design features are that node impact should stack with:

i) Intelligence of the caster.

ii) Should affect summoning spells

I'd like to see Magic research that specialized you in a particular spell school in a way similar to that of a node (this would be a great way to get some more magical specialization!!!), but I think these could be different.

I don't think we need buildings or items that buff shard bonuses.

But having which shards you can acquire direct your magic path down specialization paths (you get a fire node, so you research the Improved Fire Magic tech, which gives you access to more Fire spells and buffs their effectiveness).

I'd love to see more magic specialization, and this seems like a good way to achieve it.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Shard should be viewed as bonuses to spellcasting, not a requirement. At the moment, spell damage scales so poorly that without shards you simply can't compete with how fast equipment scales. Spells need a base damage, with an int modifier for the low and high roll (makes sense for weapons, as well). Shards should then give a much smaller bonus like 20 or 25%, to make up for spell damage being higher overall.

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