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We have recently finished design for the Tier 2 Spellcaster classes. One of the major changes for these classes involves the complete overhaul of the spell combat system, which has its own thread at Spell Combat System Leak Thread
The main challenge we faced when designing these classes was that unlike the combat classes the spell-casting classes have two methods of dealing damage - weapons and spells, which need to be balanced with each-other as well as with the tier 2 combat classes. As such there are more skills for these classes, including more core skills (in bold), with some skills only being useful for spell combat or for weapon combat.
Similarly to the tier 2 combat classes, the overall damage output of a Tier 2 Spellcaster in Breath 4 should be higher than it was in 3.5. Additionally, as stated above using weapons as a main damage source as a Tier 2 Spellcaster should be much more viable than in previous breaths.
Shepherd Skills
Spellcraft (Class Feature)
* Character now gains the ability to utilize Spellgems. This includes learning spells found exclusively in gems as well as using augments found in gems.
* Character gains 2 extra spell slots.
* Character's max MP is straight up multiplied by 4. And they gain +4 MP every level. This should include MP bonuses from other sources, like from lore.
* Character gains 3 MP per tick.
ENERGY ATTUNEMENT (20 CP)
* +1 damage to all attacks (spells included)
>> General power bonus
NAMM'S PRAYER (40 CP Child of Energy Attunement)
* Costs 1 AP and 2 MP
* Prayer results include supplemental holy damage (to both weapon and spell attacks) and invigoration - a status effect that causes the next few attacks/spells/prayers to cost 0 AP
>> General damage bonus, with a chance of what is essentially free actions to help make up for the AP cost of the prayer.
AUGMENT SPELL (20 CP)
* Character can apply augments to spells using Augmentation Gems.
>> Power bonus for combat spells. See spell thread for more details. Not recommended for anyone without the spell combat tree
Shape Spell (20 CP Child of Augment Spell)
* Shape Spell allows you to use Augment Gems on Augmented Spells to create Double Augmented Spells.
BARAAS' PRAYER (20 CP)
* Similar to how praying for mana works in 3.5
* Costs 2 MP and 1 AP
* Gives at least 15 MP per prayer
>> Mana restoration ability. There is a chance of extra mana, or a positive effect in addition to the mana, but it will always grant at least 15 mana.
Mala Beads (20 CP Child of Baraas' Prayer)
*Adds an additional option to prayer results when using Baraas' Prayer that gives you Mala Beads
* Mala Beads restore mana and cost 0 AP to use
* Mala Beads have a use in alchemy
* Item can not be found, but can be given to other characters, although it is significantly less effective in the hands of anyone other than the original owner.
Propitiation (20 CP)
* Character gains the option to respawn for 1/3 their level AP, will spawn in Elysium when spawning this way.
* Regular spawn option remains.
Heal Other (20 CP)
Restore up to 30HP for 1AP and a variable amount of MP
*Every point of HP restored costs 5MP
*Can cure poison, curses, and other things, but during a curse reduces the amount of HP healed by 5
*Fails if you try to remove a curse but don't reach the 5HP threshold
*Can only be used on others (As per the name)
HOLY GUIDANCE (20 CP)
* On a hit with a weapon attack, the Shepherd has a 5% chance to gain the Holy Guidance status effect. Their next attack- whenever it is made -Is 100% guaranteed to hit. This supersedes anything that would otherwise make it miss, such as the target's Defense value, inability to target them due to flight or similar effects, etc.
* Character may spend 75 MP to automatically gain the Holy Guidance status effect.
* This does not trigger on spell attacks
>> Improves weapon damage, and also allows the Shepherd to use weapons they might not otherwise use.
Hand of Zealotry (20 CP)
* Character no longer loses morality for attacking/killing characters of Neutral morality.
* This skill may not be bought if the character already has Alonai's Aegis.
Holier Than Thou (40 CP Child of Hand of Zealotry)
* Character no longer loses morality for attacking/killing non-angels with less morality than they have.
* Morality loss for attacking/killing angels with less morality is reduced by half.
* Once you have attacked someone (hit or miss), they may retaliate without MO penalty for the next hour.
Alonai's Aegis (20 CP)
* This skill may not be bought if the character already has Hand of Zealotry
* For 1 AP, the character may apply the Alonai's Aegis effect onto the target non-demon/angel. May not be used on any character with Tattoo of Balance.
* May only protect 1 character in this way.
* For all purposes (morality shifts in combat from either side, HoZ, glyphs, etc.), the target character is considered to have the same morality score as the angel who placed this effect on them.
* This effect persists even beyond death until the angel revokes it.
* Anytime the target would lose morality by performing an action, the angel who placed this effect on them loses twice that amount.
* This effect is automatically canceled if the angel's morality ever drops below 20.
* When the target character does a good deed (i.e. their morality score increases), you get a message about it, saying what wonderful thing they have done. This has exactly 0 mechanical impact.
* Also you should get feedback on who is making your morality drop, too.
Heart of Mercy (40 CP Child of Alonai's Aegis)
* You may apply Alonai's Aegis to level/6 characters.
Shield of Baraas (20 CP)
* Costs 50 MP and 1 AP
* Prevents the next 10 damage the shielded target would take
* While active the shielded person gets +1 to damage and +5% to hit
* Cannot shield self
* Cannot be placed on someone already under its effects.
Extra Spell Slot (20 CP)
* Character gains 1 extra spell slot
* Can be learned multiple times
Glyph of Warding (20 CP)
* Allows the casting and dispelling of non-stronghold wards (formerly called Glyphs).
* See the post under this one - warding and Non-Combat Spells for more detail
Alchemy (20 CP)
* Allows for the crafting of potions
Alchemical Expertise (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Decreases impurity score by 10 when making potions
* In practical terms this results in better quality potions
* Yes, there's going to be a new alchemy system. Specifics to be announced soon.
Alchemical Transmutation (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Allows for alchemical components to be transmuted down in rarity
Sorcerer Skills
Spellcraft (Class Feature)
* Character now gains the ability to utilize Spellgems. This includes learning spells found exclusively in gems as well as using augments found in gems.
* Character gains 2 extra spell slots.
* Character's max MP is straight up multiplied by 4. And they gain +4 MP every level. This should include MP bonuses from other sources, like from lore.
* Character gains 3 MP per tick.
ENERGY ATTUNEMENT (20 CP)
* +1 damage to all attacks (spells included)
>> General power bonus
MANIFEST ARCANE (40 CP Child of Energy Attunement)
* Toggle effect. Costs 0 AP and 50 MP to activate. Remains active until deactivated or until death.
* All attacks now deal 2 supplemental Arcane damage.
* This applies to spells as well
>> General damage bonus. Generally not a good idea to deactivate it.
AUGMENT SPELL (20 CP)
* Character can apply augments to spells using Augmentation Gems.
>> Power bonus for combat spells. See spell thread for more details. Not recommended for anyone without the spell combat tree
Shape Spell (20 CP Child of Augment Spell)
* Shape Spell allows you to use Augment Gems on Augmented Spells to create Double Augmented Spells.
SORCERER'S MIGHT (20 CP)
- For 1 AP and 6 HP, Sorcerer may gain 20 MP.
- Character may not be healed for 5 minutes. Additional uses of this skill reset the duration. Attempted heals now fail (does not consume anything or cost any AP), but inform the would-be healer how long before the effect expires.
>> The most AP efficient of the tier 2 skills that convert AP to mana, but it costs HP.
Mana Shard (40CP Child of Sorcerer's Might):
* For the cost of a 5 AP and 50 MP, the Sorcerer can create a Partially Charged Mana Shard.
* When first created, it comes in with 1 charge out of 50
* Gains 1 point to its charge every 30 minutes, meaning it takes a little over 1 day to fully charge.
* Once the Stone reaches 50 charges it becomes a Charged Mana Shard, and can be used in all Alchemy uses that require it.
* The Sorcerer who created it may use the item to gain 1 MP per charge contained in the stone.
* A charged Mana Shard is assumed to have 50 charges.
* Item can not be found, but can be given to other characters, although it is significantly less effective in the hands of anyone other than the original owner.
Out of the Ash (20 CP):
* Character gains the option to respawn for 1/3 their level AP, will spawn in a Hashaa section of Purgatorio when spawning this way.
* Regular spawn option remains.
Heal Self (20 CP):
* For 1AP and 25MP, the sorcerer restores 10HP. Cures everything that a first aid kit would
* If used when Sorcerer's Might is active, no HP is gained and Sorcerer's Might ends.
MAGIC WEAPON (20 CP)
* Weapon attacks have a 5% chance of outright ignoring all soak and resistances.
* Character gains a toggle skill. 20 MP to activate the Magic Weapon status effect for 30 minutes.
* While under the Magic Weapon status effect, the Sorcerer has an additional 5% accuracy, and the chance of ignoring soak and resistances increase by 5%
* None of these bonuses apply to spells
>> General damage bonus unless you are using spells
Fast Learner (20 CP):
* 50% chance on using a scroll/gem/augment to learn a spell that the item is not consumed
* Learning a spell costs 1 AP rather than 2 AP
Extra Spell Slot (20 CP)
* Character gains 1 extra spell slot
* Can be learned multiple times
Glyph of Warding (20 CP)
* Allows the casting and dispelling of non-stronghold wards (formerly called Glyphs).
* See the post under this one - warding and Non-Combat Spells for more detail
Alchemy (20 CP)
* Allows for the crafting of potions
Alchemical Expertise (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Decreases impurity score by 10 when making potions
* In practical terms this results in better quality potions
* Yes, there's going to be a new alchemy system. Specifics to be announced soon.
Alchemical Transmutation (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Allows for alchemical components to be transmuted down in rarity
Defiler Skills
Spellcraft (Class Feature)
* Character now gains the ability to utilize Spellgems. This includes learning spells found exclusively in gems as well as using augments found in gems.
* Character gains 2 extra spell slots.
* Character's max MP is straight up multiplied by 4. And they gain +4 MP every level. This should include MP bonuses from other sources, like from lore.
* Character gains 3 MP per tick.
ENERGY ATTUNEMENT (20 CP)
* +1 damage to all attacks (spells included)
>> General power bonus
BLOOD OATH (40 CP Child of Energy Attunement)
* Character gains "Blood Sacrifice" Charge attack. 10 MP to activate. On a hit the character deals +4 damage and also gains the Ritual Cloak status effect for a number of minutes equal to the damage they did. This charge attack is not available while Defiler is already under Ritual Cloak.
* Ritual Cloak effect deals an additional 2 Unholy supplemental damage on all attacks, including spells
* Defiler may also choose to sacrifice their own blood to activate the effect, costing 1 AP and 5 HP to gain 15 minutes of the effect.
* Using a Blood Ice will also activate the cloak for a duration of 15 minutes
>> General damage buff.
AUGMENT SPELL (20 CP)
* Character can apply augments to spells using Augmentation Gems.
>> Power bonus for combat spells. See spell thread for more details. Not recommended for anyone without the spell combat tree
Shape Spell (20 CP Child of Augment Spell)
* Shape Spell allows you to use Augment Gems on Augmented Spells to create Double Augmented Spells.
DARK HEART (20 CP)
* For 1 AP, the defiler may attempt to steal magic from a target. 80% chance to hit. On a successful hit, the target instantly loses up to 15 MP (no more than what they presently have), and the Defiler regains MP equal to whatever the target lost -5 MP. Since that 5 MP is a tribute to their dark master, and the patron who acts as the source of their powers, if the target has less than 5 MP then the defiler must pay the difference and offer that to their patron. If the defiler lacks the MP to pay this, it is taken from their HP.
>> Mana restoration skill.
Soul Vampire (40CP Child of Dark Heart)
* When using Dark Heart, there is a 10% chance that, in addition to granting mana, it will grant one Soul Ice.
* Soul Ice now cost 0 AP to use and grants 20 MP
* Item can not be found, but can be given to other characters, although it is significantly less effective in the hands of anyone other than the original owner.
* If there is a corpse in the area, the Defiler has the option to activate the Ritual of Soul Harvesting.
** For 4AP and 40 MP, the corpse is taken by the Defiler's dark patron in exchange for one Soul Ice. If the corpse belonged to an angel, the Defiler gains an extra soul ice. If the corpse was killed by the Defiler themselves, the Defiler gains an extra soul ice. This comes to a total of 3 soul ice if the Defiler killed an angel and harvested them. 2 soul ice if The defiler killed a non-angel and harvested them, 2 soul ice if the defiler just harvested an Angel corpse someone else killed, or 1 if neither of those conditions are met.
Good intentions (20 CP)
* Character gains the option to respawn for 1/3 their level AP, will spawn in Stygia when spawning this way.
* Regular spawn option remains.
BLOOD HARVEST (20 CP)
* When a corpse is on the tile, a Defiler may spend 2 AP and 40 MP to perform the Ritual of Blood on the corpse. The Defiler then gains a number of Blood Ice equal to 1 + 1/10th (rounded down) the level of the former owner of said corpse. This means a maxed character returns 4 Blood Ice.
* Further, when the Defiler uses a Blood Ice, in addition to the 10 HP gained, they now also gain 15 minutes of the "Blood Infused" status effect.
* While Blood Infused, the Defiler has a chance of their weapon attacks becoming altered. This chance is equal to half their level.
** If your altered attack would have otherwise been a miss, your attack now hits instead.
** If your altered attack already hits without this effect, then your attack ignores all soak and resistance.
** This does not work with spell attacks.
>> Health and combat buff skill.
Life Vampire (40CP Child of Blood Harvest)
* Blood Ice now heals the Defiler by 20 HP
* Upon dealing 10 or more damage, there is a 10% chance that one Blood Ice will be granted to the Defiler.
** This is counted across multiple attacks. Every point of damage they deal adds to a counter, so whenever they reach that 10 damage threshold, they trigger the chance to get the Blood Ice. If a character manages to, say, deal 20 damage in 1 attack, this is rolled twice.
Poison (20 CP)
* Charge attack. Costs an additional 20 MP. If the Defiler is casting a spell, the attack also costs an additional 1 AP.
* Inflicts the Defiler Poison status effect on the target on a hit.
* Has a 5% chance of automatically applying without the need for a charge attack (non-spell attacks only)
* While under the effect of Defiler poison, a character takes a 5% defense penalty until healed. This will persist after death.
* Defiler poison can be cured by anything that cures minor poison.
* Non-Demons who die while under the effects of defiler poison will still be under the effects of defiler poison after spawning, but the damage will be reduced by 1.
* Defiler poison does damage per action taken based on the level of the affected character. Damage taken is equal to the affected character's level /10 (rounded up.)
Extra Spell Slot (20 CP)
* Character gains 1 extra spell slot
* Can be learned multiple times
Glyph of Warding (20 CP)
* Allows the casting and dispelling of non-stronghold wards (formerly called Glyphs).
* See the post under this one - warding and Non-Combat Spells for more detail
Alchemy (20 CP)
* Allows for the crafting of potions
Alchemical Expertise (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Decreases impurity score by 10 when making potions
* In practical terms this results in better quality potions
* Yes, there's going to be a new alchemy system. Specifics to be announced soon.
Alchemical Transmutation (20 CP Child of Alchemy)
* Allows for alchemical components to be transmuted down in rarity
Note: Please take note that anytime you see something which says "weapon attacks", your Fist and your foot ARE considered weapons, as well as anything else which falls under the Unarmed Combat tree. On occasion we use this term interchangeably with "non-spell" attacks. Your body is considered a deadly weapon. Apologies for any confusion that may be caused by this.
Last edited by EagleWiz on Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:29 pm; edited 6 times in total
Aspect shift - 1 AP and 4 MP to cast. Randomly changes your aspect. 80% chance that it will be something appropriate for your present class. 15% chance that it will be appropriate for one of your previous (tier 1 or 2) classes. 5% chance that it will be from an entirely different class. Spell fails if your aspect is locked. Can never produce a premium aspect.
Scroll of Light - 1 AP and 4 MP to cast. Lasts 1 hour. Duration stacks. Can be cast on any tile, grants a search bonus equal to that tile being powered. Does not stack with the normal powered tile bonus. Can be cast on or in any tile regardless of whether or not there is an engineering light source there. Grants no XP. Does not count toward any grind. Power may still be flipped on the tile if it is there. Enables the "The occasional shadow" message, but does not affect the power icon on the tile. Adds flavor text to the tile; "This area has an unnatural glow about it" or something similar.
Scroll of Security - 1 AP and 20 MP to cast. Toggles the lock status on a door, and opens or closes it (i.e. A closed and locked door becomes an open, unlocked door. An open, unlocked door becomes a closed and locked door. A closed and unlocked door merely locks the door with out opening it. You can not use this spell on an open and locked door because that's a roundabout way of saying the door is destroyed, and that's just not going to work). Does not count toward "locks picked" badge. Does not provide experience. Cannot toggle locks on 'complex' doors
Gems:
Combat Clarity - 1 AP and 40 MP to cast. +15% to hit as the Potion of Combat Clarity (which means they won't stack, but will extend in duration)
Reveal - 1 AP and 25 MP to cast. Any hidden characters in the location are automatically found by the caster. Anyone with the invisible status effect has the effect removed.
Mystic Shield - 1 AP and 40 MP to cast. Gain the Mystic Shield status effect for 1 hour. Effect provides a 30% chance to reduce incoming damage by 25%, rounded up.
Mirror Images - 1 AP and 50 MP to cast. Provides 2 separate instances of the Mirror Image status effect for 10 minutes. Anytime you would be hit by an attack, there is a chance equal to 1 / (NUMBER OF MIRROR IMAGE EFFECTS+1) that the attack actually hits you. If the attack fails this roll, 1 instance of Mirror Image is removed. Casting this spell while already under the Mirror Images effect simply refreshes the character to 2 mirror images, and extends the duration by 10 minutes.
Shadow Wrap - 1 AP and 40 MP to cast. Your character is now hidden.
Ward Spells
Anyone with the Glyph of Warding skill can cast a ward. These can have a variety of functions and can be selective about their targets. Also of note is that your stronghold has its own ward. A stronghold ward is a special ward that resists attempts to dispel it, has a limitless duration, and will regenerate HP over time. The wards you cast used to be called glyphs prior to 4.0, but NW vets may remember them originally just being wards you could cast. Teksura is officially required to explain this to anyone who gets confused due to the name changing back. Go yell at him.
You start by selecting what type of ward you want to cast. Pain (30 MP), Sapping (20 MP), Slowing (40 MP) or Protection (50 MP). Note that Slowing in this re-design will drain more AP than before, but only on the action where the character enters the tile.
Next you choose who it can affect. You can choose by alignment (eg demon) (x2), morality (eg neutral) (x3), or factional status (hostile, non-faction, non-ally) (x4)
Wards last 3 hours and have 200 HP. Creating a Ward costs 5 AP.
Wards have a sort of hierarchy that determines what sort of wards of the same type can appear together.
When a new ward is cast, it will consume any and all wards of the same type which are lower than itself on the list, and gain their remaining durations. You may not cast a new ward of a given type if its target is lower than the ward already in place. Note that in a stronghold tile, it is assumed that any ward against Hostiles, non-faction or non-ally is always owned by the faction which owns the stronghold, regardless of who casts it.
Here are some examples of how this behavior works:
There is a Ward of Protection vs Evil on a stronghold tile, and it has 2 hours remaining in its duration.
You MAY NOT cast a Ward of Protection vs Demons on the same tile, since the Ward of Protection vs Evil is already more powerful.
You may cast a Ward of Protection vs Angels, however.
You may also cast a Ward of Slowing vs Demons, since this is a ward of a different type.
If you cast a ward of protection vs non-allies, the ward will be set to block anyone who is not an ally of the faction which owns the stronghold. The Ward of Protection vs Evil would be destroyed, and the new Ward of Protection vs Non-Allies would gain its duration, and last for 5 hours.
There is a Ward of Slowing vs Good set up on a demonic Stronghold tile.
An attacking good faction casts a new Ward of Slowing vs Non-faction. The Ward is in a stronghold tile, and this is automatically owned by the faction which the stronghold belongs to. Those silly angels just made a ward that applies to anyone and everyone who isn't a member of the faction they are trying to raid.
After realizing their mistake, those silly angels cast a Ward of Slowing vs All. This works much better, since it now will affect the Demons they are raiding, although it will still also affect any raiders.
An unaligned faction has a Ward of Sapping vs Angels (4 hour duration remaining), and a Ward of Sapping Vs Demons (3 hour duration remaining) set up in their stronghold.
Someone casts a Ward of Sapping vs Hostiles in the tile, the Ward of Sapping vs angels and demons are both consumed, and the new Ward of Sapping vs Hostiles has a duration of 10 hours (3 from the casting, 3 from vs demons, 4 from vs angels)
You can also Dispel Ward - This costs 3 AP and 50 MP and deals 100 damage to the Ward. When a ward is destroyed, the energy remains visibly hanging in the area, and this can be used to assist in the casting of a new ward of the same type. A new ward will gain the remaining duration of the previous ward. This energy will naturally dissipate after 2 hours, and be lost to the aether.
Conclusion
By now you should be rolling your eyes and saying, "..so that's why they haven't released any major development or updates to the Alpha!" We got the the Spellcaster classes and realized we had a lot of decisions to make. Those decisions took a fair bit of time, but they have been made for now. We're moving on to Tanks, now the real fun begins.
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