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== Spell ideas == | == Spell ideas == | ||
=== | === Attack spells === | ||
These spells should all exist in multiple versions with different strength for each element. The names needn't be exactly as written here, when we can come up with better names. | These spells should all exist in multiple versions with different strength for each element. The names needn't be exactly as written here, when we can come up with better names. | ||
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| high | | high | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
|} | |||
=== Buffs/Debuffs === | |||
{|border="1" | |||
! Spell | |||
! Element | |||
! Effect | |||
! Target | |||
! cast time | |||
! cooldown time | |||
! Further description | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Hearth of [element] | | Hearth of [element] | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases willpower | | Increases willpower | ||
|- | |||
| Freeze | |||
| Ice | |||
| attribute decrease | |||
| single | |||
| medium | |||
| medium | |||
| Encloses the target in a block of ice making it unable to do anything but also immune to damage. The block has a hit points rating that decreases over time. The ice block can be attacked by others to make it disappear faster. When its hit points reach 0 the target is free. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Swiftness of Wind | | Swiftness of Wind | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases agility | | Increases agility | ||
|- | |||
| Tornado shield | |||
| Air | |||
| attribute increase | |||
| single | |||
| high | |||
| low | |||
| Protects the target with a shiled that makes it almost immune against physical ranged attacks. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Lightning speed | | Lightning speed | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases wisdom | | Increases wisdom | ||
|- | |||
| Stone skin | |||
| Earth | |||
| attribute increase | |||
| single | |||
| high | |||
| low | |||
| Increases armor defence | |||
|- | |||
| Petrify | |||
| Earth | |||
| attribute decrease | |||
| single | |||
| medium | |||
| medium | |||
| Earth version of "Freeze". Encloses the target in a block of stone making it unable to do anything but also immune to damage. The block has a hit points rating that decreases over time. The stone block can be attacked by others to make it disappear faster. When its hit points reach 0 the target is free. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Muscles of steel | | Muscles of steel | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases strength | | Increases strength | ||
|- | |||
| Sharp blade | |||
| Metal | |||
| attribute increase | |||
| single | |||
| high | |||
| low | |||
| Increases weapon penetration | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Instinct of fire | | Instinct of fire | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases dexterity | | Increases dexterity | ||
|- | |||
| Burning shield | |||
| Fire | |||
| attribute increase | |||
| single | |||
| high | |||
| low | |||
| Surrounds the target with a burning shield that deals damage to close enemies. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Life force | | Life force | ||
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| low | | low | ||
| Increases vitality | | Increases vitality | ||
|- | |||
| Entangle | |||
| Wood | |||
| attribute decrease | |||
| single | |||
| medium | |||
| low | |||
| Makes the target unable to move but it can still attack, cast spells, etc. | |||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 15:16, 16 March 2007
These are just some ideas i have regarding the magic system.
Casting spells
- Player selects a spell to cast, casting time begins. The player can not move while casting.
- Keyboard and mouse: Hotkey or selecting from spell menu
- Gamepad: Open ring menu with available spells with "spell button", use cursor keys to select spell, press "attack button" to cast spell
- During the casting time the player selects the target
- Keyboard and mouse: Player clicks on target
- Gamepad: Cursor keys to cycle through available targets for target-based skills, ground cursor that is controlled by cursor keys for ground-based skills, "attack button" to log in target
- When the casting time is over and the target has been logged in the spell is cast (that means spellcasters can delay a spell by not selecting a target)
- Cooldown time begins. During this time the player can move and attack physical but not cast new spells.
Available spells
Every spell has a minimum skill level required for using it. To use a spell the character has to carry a spellbook describing the spell in its inventory. Common spellbooks can be bought from NPCs, rare spells are obtained through quests or dropped by magic-related enemies.
The number of spellbooks the character can carry with it at the same time is limited by its wisdom. Books for more powerful spells require more wisdom.
IDEA: Spellbooks can be copied by a crafting skill. More powerful spells require more expensive components (paper and ink) and have a higher chance of failing when the skill level is low. Failing destroys both the material and the original spellbook so attempting to copy rare spells will be a tough decision.
IDEA: Special "Batch Spellbooks" that carry multiple spells and require less wisdom than all individual spells together.
IDEA: Spellbooks can be enchanted to change the attributes of the spell (damage, casstime, range, required wisdom...). This makes the choice of spells even bigger. Enchanting a spellbook can fail and cause it to be destroyed.
Casting cost
I would like to avoid any casting cost in form of magic points. That system is just too overused. I would like to try out if it is possible to limit spellcasting just by the casting time.
Casting time
The skill level in the magic discipline determines how often the spellcaster can cast spells:
Casttime = spell_casttime * (min_skill_level / current_skill_level) Cooldown = spell_cooldowntime * (min_skill_level / current_skill_level)
Effectivity
spell_damage * intelligence / (enemy willpower)
Types of spells
Effects
Negative:
- Damage
- Just plain old damage to a single target.
- Splash damage
- Hurts the target and targets around it with reduced power.
- Damage over time
- Hurts the target at regular intervals
- Attribute reduction
- Reduction of an attribute by percentual or absolute value. Might or might not stack.
Positive:
- Healing
- self-explaining.
- Healing over time
- Heals the target at regular intervals.
- Attribute increase
- Reduction of an attribute by percentual or absolute value.
- Restore
- Removes negative effects.
Targeting modes
- Single-targeted spells
- Targeted spells are spells that hit exactly one target.
- Area-targeted spells
- Area spells can be cast on any position the caster has a sightline to.
- Area-persisten spells
- Like area spells but stay active for a while and do their effect every game tick.
- Untargeted spells
- Spells that have a fixed damage zone based on the position and heading of the caster
- Untargeted persistent spells
- Like untargeted spells but stay active for a while and do their effect every game tick. When the caster moves the effect area moves with him/her.
- Projectile spells
- Spells that are cast like single-targeted spells but fly towards the target and hit the first enemy they collide with.
Spell ideas
Attack spells
These spells should all exist in multiple versions with different strength for each element. The names needn't be exactly as written here, when we can come up with better names.
Spell | Element | Effect | Target | cast time | cooldown time | Further description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[element] Bolt | (one for each) | damage | projectile | low | medium | |
Call [element] | (one for each) | damage | single | medium | low | |
[element] Nova | (one for each) | splash damage | single | medium | medium | |
[element] Ball | (one for each) | splash damage | projectile | medium | medium | |
[element] Explosion | (one for each) | damage | area | medium | high | |
[element] Storm | (one for each) | damage | area, persistent | high | high |
Buffs/Debuffs
Spell | Element | Effect | Target | cast time | cooldown time | Further description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hearth of [element] | (one for each) | attribute reduction/increase | single | high | low | Changes the elemental modifier of the target making it more like one element and less than another. Depending on the situation this can be seen as a buff or debuff. |
Beauty of the nymph | Water | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases charisma |
Cold blood | Ice | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases willpower |
Freeze | Ice | attribute decrease | single | medium | medium | Encloses the target in a block of ice making it unable to do anything but also immune to damage. The block has a hit points rating that decreases over time. The ice block can be attacked by others to make it disappear faster. When its hit points reach 0 the target is free. |
Swiftness of Wind | Air | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases agility |
Tornado shield | Air | attribute increase | single | high | low | Protects the target with a shiled that makes it almost immune against physical ranged attacks. |
Lightning speed | Lightning | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases movement speed |
Buried knowledge | Earth | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases wisdom |
Stone skin | Earth | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases armor defence |
Petrify | Earth | attribute decrease | single | medium | medium | Earth version of "Freeze". Encloses the target in a block of stone making it unable to do anything but also immune to damage. The block has a hit points rating that decreases over time. The stone block can be attacked by others to make it disappear faster. When its hit points reach 0 the target is free. |
Muscles of steel | Metal | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases strength |
Sharp blade | Metal | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases weapon penetration |
Instinct of fire | Fire | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases dexterity |
Burning shield | Fire | attribute increase | single | high | low | Surrounds the target with a burning shield that deals damage to close enemies. |
Life force | Wood | attribute increase | single | high | low | Increases vitality |
Entangle | Wood | attribute decrease | single | medium | low | Makes the target unable to move but it can still attack, cast spells, etc. |
Healing spells
I would like to take the healing spells out of the elemental scheme und use a separate skill for them. Putting all healing spells in one elemental discipline would make this extremely overused because I believe almost every spellcaster would attempt to accquire healing spells. Spreading all healing spells over the whole elemental spectrum would be difficult to balance and would be a disadvantage for dedicated healers.
Spell | Element | Effect | Target | cast time | cooldown time | Further description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lay hands | neutral | heal | untargeted | low | low | Basic healing spell. Heals the character standing right in front of the caster. The low range makes it impractical in combat. |
Heal | neutral | heal | single | medium | medium | Less efficient than lay hands but because it can be used at distance it is more practical in combat and it can be cast on oneself. |
Regeneration | neutral | heal over time | single | medium | medium | Heals more than heal but takes more time. |
Aura | neutral | heal | untargeted, persistent | long | long | Creates a healing aura around the caster that slowly heals everyone around. Doesn't affect the caster. |