Caltrops are thrown to slow down enemies. Comparable spell: Ice Field Just like Ice Field they have a Range at which they can be thrown out. Problem 1) However while Ice Field has a RADIUS (e.g. 7,5 metres), Caltrops lack that in their description and ought to have it, as they show a radius when an avatar targets where to throw them. Problem 2) While I understand that a spell like Ice Field has a Duration(e.g. at skill 88 16,8 seconds) and then ends, why would Caltrops (22,7 seconds)? They are a physical item that can be crafted and theoretically should stay where it had been thrown until picked up again like arrows (have Ammo Scavenger return Caltrops in the same rate as arrows) or they rust from years of rain like the barbed wire fence from WW1 that can still be found at some places. Of course I would not expect Caltrops to lie around for years in the midsts of the forest after a fight but why not until either the end of the combat or until enough enemies have stepped on them to push them into the earth? Problem 3) Ice Field does not only slow down enemies but does water damage (2-4 damage at skill 88) while Caltrops description displays "physical damage 0" in grey. All the descriptive text is normally in green (or red if opposing school is mentioned) and only prerequisite skills are listed in grey... But physical damage 0 can´t be a prerequisite skill to throw Caltrops. If Caltrops do not do damage - then the line "physical damage 0" has no use and should go. Because if there is that line it leads to the thought that somehow, by some skill that 0 could go up. If Caltrops should do a fixed damage perhaps change to "physical damage 1 in green insted of grey letters. If Caltrops should do 0 physical damage to the untrained throwing them, perhaps add something like "Every 20 levels of Subterfuge Specializaiton add +1 point of damage to Caltrops".
ice field states a radius because that radius is calculated off a possible multiplier, not a set amount. nothing changes caltrops' radius so there's no need to specify it. griefing. for instance, covering town entrances in them and then holding the scene open. the game cannot track how many targets/victims step on them so they'd be there until the instance closes. also, they are meant to be consumeable. setting up a field of them in an adventure zone wave battle and staying there for hours would make them way too effective for their cost. not only prerequisites are gray. neutral stats are as well. for instance, sun eater during the night. caltrops' slow comes from the targets' trying to carefully get past them. the damage only hits if they fail to do that. it's rare, but it does hit. however, the possible damage if it triggers is a range, and since it has a good chance to do none, the range would have to show three parts. the display cannot show 0-20-30 and it would just cause more confusion if it did. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing no damage from Caltrops Effects. Allium attacks Vigilante and hits, dealing 33 points of damage from Caltrops Effects. Vigilante has been slain by Allium's Caltrops Effects!
Are there not several instances where a radius exists and does not change and yet still is listed? Ice Field shows to me radius 7,5 (at least from skill 88 to 108 as I can see), the fireballs radius stays 3, yet it is in it´s description. Immolations radius stays 1,6 (at least between skill 75 and 95 that I can see. Death Field has a radius of 5 that seems not to change (at least between skill 67 and 87 as I can see). Elysian Illumination stays at radius 3 (at least from skill 67 to 87). Yes. just like arrows. o.k. I understand that - realistic life caltrops/caltrops until the zone closes/caltrops that last hours are out of the question, how many have stepped on can´t be checked and "until end of combat" does not work well in wave battles or control point fights that last forever. Setting up a field of them, however is not likely as they have the cooldown of 30 seconds before they can be used again - why not use that for duration, too? Then the first caltrops stay until the next handful could be thrown. More confusion than me thinking that Caltrops NEVER do any damage as it´s a 0? When the mechanics don´t allow to display it in 3 parts then a short sentence in the caltrops description would be great. "When enemies fail to avoid the caltrops in their path they have a 20% chance to take 33 damage."? 33 point of damage from caltrops? Wow. Never seen that before.
