Casting Spells without Reagents = GOOD

Regarding Naked Mages:

This would happen regardless of whether casters can cast with reagents or not. So being able to semi-cast without reagents is not the issue for naked mages.

The issue is how to balance the game when someone wears no armor. The answer to that seems simple. Make damage mitigation for being naked be a negative number (so that there is actually a downside more than not wearing armor), not zero. In other words, now, a cloth wearer may mitigate damage and take 80% of incoming damage because they are mitigating with the armor. A naked player, without armor, doesn't mitigate at all so is taking 100% damage. Instead, make that 200% (so they take double damage if not wearing anything). Lead players to *need* to wear clothing and armor.

 

Ooooo I like it! Backstab vs, naked mage! muhahaha

 

I don't like fizzle as a balancing mechanism. Random chance doesn't seem very balanced when you're on the receiving end of a successful spell, just because the other guy got lucky. Additionally, failing to cast a spell due to random chance is, for me, VERY not fun. I think weakened spells and/or increased focus cost are the ways to go.

 

I must say discovering MOBAs kinda changed my mind about random mechanics in PvP (the only remaining % chance in LoL is critical hit chance).

But then, it's an "mmo" and mostly an RPG ! So i'm unsure this is the type of mechanics I would expect from this game (MOBAs aim at being a sport, not SotA).

 

I'm not really caught up with the mmo or PvP world, you'll have to tell me what MOBA means before I can understand your reply.

 

How about the ability to chop down trees across the land, and make lots of arrows really fast? I would imagine a single tree would be able to create shafts for many arrows. Then you need arrow heads and feathers. This sounds a lot easier to gather than some of the reagents. At least one reagent is going to only be gathered in certain placed during a certain phase of the moon.

 

Eh eh, sure, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. The genre was widely spread by the very famous DotA (Defence of the Ancients), a mod for Warcraft 3. It's a team game, 5v5, each player controlling one character. You begin every game at level 1 with no items and the goal is to develop your character (level up to level 18 and buy up to 6 items) in order to destroy the enemy base.

Those games are very skill based and competitive. They also rely heavily on teamwork.

The most played MOBA is League of Legends, the second most played is DotA 2.

Hope that gives you an idea, but I'm afraid if you've never played it or seen a game of it, you're gonna have a hard time imagining what it looks like (and watching a video of it for the first time is mostly confusing ).

 

The point I was not doing a very good job of making is that in some games, I am forced to become a swordswoman because the magic is so weak and difficult to be effective. This no fun for someone who wants to play a 100% mage character. Maybe I'm in the minority and if that's the case, then the game will be unbalanced FOR ME. If the majority agree with you, I'll probably end up being one heck of a tailor.

 

Without being 100% balanced for mages yet, the mage character is already kicking butt. Although I would have to agree with Owain, about mages being more difficult. Some people can handle more difficult however, and those are the people that will be the mages.

If you really like mages play one in PvE mode, don't take him out into PvP if you think it is too difficult. In PvE mode you should be fine regardless of the character type you choose.

 

I think there's a pretty even split on this, so I wouldn't worry too much just yet.

When we're passionate about something, I've noticed we all have a tendency (myself included) to start using "realism" logic when it reinforces our side, but ignore it when it doesn't (after all it's a fantasy game). So, you're gonna get the "it's as it should be: magic is supposed to be harder," vs. "I want to have fun my way."

I don't think that kind of argument is what influences the devs very much; but it can be gratifying for us as something to do between releases.

 

This is pretty common in RPGs of all kinds, computerized or pen and paper. Warriors spin up quickly and images spin up slowly.