[0.913 Suggestion] How to better pace magical strength and growth

from Elemental Forums

Implement a system where higher level disciplines require a min number of shards to cast. Shards must be of that element. For example:

1. Fire element

level 1 = 0 shards (burning hands)

level 2 = 1 shard (flame dart)

level 3 = 2 shards (fireball)

level 4 = 3 shards (whatever comes next, is it firestorm?)

If you are a fire Archmage with only one fire shard, you can only cast level2 spells (Fire Disciple, I think its called), even though you could be casting level 4 spells if you had three fire shards.

This also allows you to remove the 'casting time' requirements from tactical battles (https://forums.elementalgame.com/424177). Instead of trying to balance magic using a casting time mechanic, you'd use the same shard system outlined above for both overland and tactical spells.

Edit: Tech and/or spells could turn shards from one type to another. 

8,032 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

The problem with this is starting position. If you don't start with the right shards (for your picks), you end up pretty screwed. So you end up Ctrl+N even more than ever.

 

Besides, the whole point of having cast time on spells is because they want people to be able to counterspell it. It just isn't quite there yet atm.

 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Aye. I control + N almost a dozen times every new game just to make sure I'm next to a fire shard. It's too much of a handicap not too if you're going for a sorcerer character (which who isn't?)

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

There needs to be a better counterespell system then,  cause casting times are yuck and timing is everything in tactical.  Fireball is too damn slow.  Even spells with 1 turn cast time seem like they aren't worth it, cause the damage that spell would do is not going to equal two rounds of pounding on something as a warrior or assassin. Magic is weak, and you're not likely to get shards of what you want..  It's really disappointing to pick spellbooks at Sov creation time and when the game starts you get opposite type shards in your starting area/environment.

 

 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Supreme, reply 3
It's really disappointing to pick spellbooks at Sov creation time and when the game starts you get opposite type shards in your starting area/environment.
End of Supreme's quote

Agree completely. I'm honestly a little surprised that they haven't gone with FFH-style shards by now. That would fix this (significant) problem entirely.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

You mean ones that you pay to convert them to a certain type?  That might work.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting StevenAus, reply 5
You mean ones that you pay to convert them to a certain type?  That might work.
End of StevenAus's quote

Yeah, where they start as uncolored, and a mage tunes them to the type you want. Either that, or you simply choose what shrine gets built on top of it. Or whatever you want, really.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

There would have to be some more requirements than just Shard Harvesting and 10 gold though, I would think.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

As has already been noted, tech and/or spells could turn shards from one type to another. 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting momosa, reply 8
As has already been noted, tech and/or spells could turn shards from one type to another. 
End of momosa's quote

Seems like a band-aid to me.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

I like spells to have a number of shards as a requirement. And again (as said in other threads) I'm a fan of "take the world as it is and adapt". Restarting again and again is lame ;) use the level editor instead :D

What concerns me more is that spell damage scales with shards not with intelligence. Weapon damage does why not spell damage? This would solve problems of "weak" magic. So we would have analogys between mondane weapons and magic. Both need resources to work well. If you specialize and work for your required resources (during game) you should gain an edge.

Changing shards is fine also, but i would like to have an upkeep for that because nothings free :D

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top


Implement a system where higher level disciplines require a min number of shards to cast. Shards must be of that element. For example:
End of quote

I must say this is a poor system in my eyes, since I will have to have 1 water and 1 air shard even for my starting sovereign to have magical abilities beyond haste and slow, it makes for even more dependency on the whacky map generator.

I do not think magic should be tied to which towers you have build, but mere make them cost extraordinary amounts of mana, so you will NEED to have 2-4 shards to cast them.

I still think damage scales way too much on spells, especially compared to how many shards you have, if you want to be a fire mage you better hope that the map is filled with fire shards. Also I dislike the way warlock, and the other traits boost by a %...

Sincerely
~ Kongdej