Conversation with Chris on skills

For you maybe, for a lot of us (most I would say but definitely more than 50%) PVP is irrelevant or an annoyance because of all the pandering to it, we want good single player and coop game play and it could be argued this is FAR more important

 

Good pvp Balance makes for good single player balance. But good single player balance doesn't equate to good pvp balance. That's why it's more important, it creates a better over all game.

 

In regards to the card system vs preparation. Have to disagree.

Look at this way.. premixing spells is a lot like stacking your deck. Loading your deck up with fireball spells is a lot like premixing more fireballs than anything else. Your deck reflects your preparation. If you think about it (and they've described it this way also).. if you prepare for desert warfare.. then the options relevant to desert warfare is what's going to pop into your mind the most during combat.

The deck system basically simulates what's going on in the character's mind at the time. You don't always have the time to think about every single option. You can only do what comes to mind at any given moment. Even though you may know a great spell or maneuver it doesn't always occur to you in the heat of the moment. That is what the deck system basically is. When you swap decks you're essentially preparing for a new scenario and as such adjusting how your character thinks. How you stack your deck reflects your mental/physical pre-prep for a given scenario.

At least this is how this RPer thinks about it.

 

Baron Drocis Fondorlatos, good points for sure!

With a very balanced system of PvP/RP online, then the offline player gets a very good bonus which they need because you will have far less help in engaging the offline world.
I think the offline world may have some tweaked mechanics to deal with it, that the online world will not need and thus also be tweaked for it. there is no travel between the two worlds. If there was, then there would have to be more checks tweaks and balances that would make the offline world too tough to deal effectively with.
But I could be wrong about everything I just said, and we could all be allot dumber for having read my post.
But that's the way most all posts are now, because we have no finished product to talk about.
Just saying that we don't like this, or we don't like that, makes one wonder what some that post do like about SotA and why they came here looking for another UO or another game's sequel.
~Time Lord~

 

I really hope that Staves and Wands will be able to enhance our spells. I plan to use a Staff with my character one way or another. Look at Gandalph, he uses a staff to enhance his spells. He uses it to bonk them on the head when they get too close.

Look at Dumbledore, he uses a wand for some spells and his hands for others.

Regents are important to have as well, so you can enhance spells.

I like a variety in ways to cost. Shouldn't your character have the ability to move around in whatever ways needs to cast spells properly? It's no different than a ranger putting away his bow and getting out his sword for close combat.

 

I'm definitely in favor of staves and wands, but not reagents. They take up space and may not be readily available (i.e. very rare - You mean I have to climb up that mountain over there to find the rare Hecamum plant?) or you may simply not have enough on hand (not something you want to discover in the heat of battle - Damn, I forgot to pack enough pixie dust and sulfur! So much for that fire shield spell...said the wizard right before the fireball engulfed him!) That's why none of the characters in my stories actually use reagents when casting spells

 

You just listed most of the reasons I LOVE reagents. That's the whole point.

Why is it that the inconvenience of PLANNING ahead is always trumping great story and situational awareness? Oh that's right, because everyone wants to be Elminster Drizzt and have no weaknesses.

 

The problem being if you are studying several different schools of magic (I plan on mastering at least two or three.), you will be forced to carry a ton of reagents. Lots of luck trying to find all the right reagents in the heat of battle...I might as well pull out my sword or bow instead before my foe actually kills me...

Of course you plan ahead and carry as many reagents as you think you will need, but more often than not, you'll probably be caught short. Hmm, I didn't anticipate running into another horde of kobolds in this elf-controlled area...

 

Im very very lazy, but I dont have problem with reagents. If I feel enough lazy I can try to find some items with "lower reagent cost". They will be less powerful but I dont care. This is jsut a taste, so we dont need to agree.

 

Basic Plan:

1) Don't travel alone. Mages shouldn't travel alone. Mages should have friends or hired help that give them an extra chance to do things like get the right reagents and run away.
2) Have many ways to escape. Go back and form a new plan, then show up back up ready to rock.
3) Don't take on more than you can chew. You have expensive and rare reagents that you don't want to lose.

 

Definitely a sound plan if your friends also happen to be online or you have enough gold to hire NPCs. That's why I support developing both your mage and combat skills. (As you are well aware, pure mages traveling alone tend to have a very short life span.) If you can't run or teleport out of a very bad situation (i.e., you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a dozen foes), you will have to fight your way out.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist...

 

Yup, that's what I've always done

 

If I go out by myself, I get what I deserve for going out by myself. It's not complicated.

I think fighter mages are very cool...I just want them to be very balanced too. Risk vs. Reward. You're good with a blade? You're also good with magic? Well hello there, I'm great with magic...let's see how that turns out for you. (not you personally)

 

My mage travels alone alot. Mages are powerful, not weak. They have devastating spells and abilities. My mage will have healing power and fire power. Some days my mage will travel in a group and enhance the groups power.

 

First let me state that I have no intention of telling people how to player their character, especially in a game that isn't even one tenth of the way baked yet.

That said, it's my belief that Mages are most powerful when they've had time to plan. I don't think there's anything weak about that. I just believe that unlike guys who attempt to solve every problem with a sword or an arrow, the mage is someone that requires thoughtful preparation to be successful.

Thieves are opportunists. Fighters are determined. Mages are mindful. At least, that's how I would make the game.

 

I liked the magic system of Pagan, where some schools of magic had reagents, other focus... and each school had their own style .But that is s a little bit complex for this game.

 

... you strongly disagree with me? So, you think that the appearance of the game should dominate whether or not it's playable? I... guess I'll just have to accept that we disagree.

Um, as long as I'm trying to respond to your post... PvP balance and Roleplaying, and crafting, yay. If the game itself is imbalanced, then PvP will suck, Roleplaying will consist of people talking about how broken the combat system is, and crafting will be centered on whichever items go into the perfect master build, because nothing else will be worth buying, thus worth making...

I still think balancing the combat system is kinda important.

 

If magic has more constraints, its not going to unbalance the game, its just going to influence how people play the game. Whether a stricter set of constraints is worse than a looser one is a matter of argument and preference.

 

Yes, you...will.