Hiya folks,

So I wrote up a new spell for Rangers to fill the lower end of the range for debilitation. It's called Devolve (DE), costs two spell slots, and falls into the 'Basic' range (a bit on the higher side of basic). It is a single target debuff that affects the top two stats of the target. Because it is nifty at figuring out which stats to affect it tends to be weaker than other stat debuff spells. This will stick around Test for a few days before wandering over to Plat.

AGM Ricinus
Dev Systems
Cleric Advocate

Weird messaging on a miss:

You gesture at a misshapen germish'din.
You contribute your harnessed streams to increase the pattern's potential.
You focus on the misshapen germish'din's life essence as you swipe your hand downward in its direction!
A bluish green aura leaches out from the misshapen germish'din, which pulses brightly for a moment before fading away.
fading away.
fading away.

Roundtime: 2 sec.

Stop trying to be poetic.
poetic..
poetic.

Also, this spell needs to be tested on other characters! Victims?

GENT

Fixed! And the contest is Magic vs Fortitute.

AGM Ricinus
Dev Systems
Cleric Advocate

Welcome!

As far as any more new spells, probably not for X3. Rangers needed a few to round out teachable ranges so I made a mad dash to get those two new ones out. The need right now is to continue with smoothing out X3 stuff.

AGM Ricinus
Dev Systems
Cleric Advocate

Before you move away from Devolve completely, can the spell give some kind of messaging as to what stats it affected and maybe consider messaging as to how much they were decreased(even roughly would be nice). It would really, really, really make the spell useful. I like the spell but its hard to use when you don't know what effect your causing or how effective your being.

>>what is the spell contest for GRIZ?

Spirit vs Fortitude

AGM Ricinus
Dev Systems
Cleric Advocate

I realize that may have been your intention but it really limits how useful the spell is. Take for example my foray in warcats/orc scouts near Rossmans. I have issues with the spells cast by the warcats. I tried casting devolve at them but all I know is that the spell was successful. I didn't know how successful or if it hit their mentals(helping me against their spells), or one of their physicals(helping me attack them/defend). I couldn't make use of what the spell did because I didn't know what or how well it did.

The fact that we don't know creatures and other players stats(which change over time) coupled with the fact that it always hits the top two stats should be sufficient in limiting the spell.

Hmm yeah, I'm not really sure I want people to know what my highest stats are in a fight :P

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg

>Hmm yeah, I'm not really sure I want people to know what my highest stats are in a fight :P

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsOp3akxj5w

Always reminds me of that clip. It's a silly argument at best, and that's being nice.

---

Adding nothing to the conversation since 1834.

"The {critter} appears less able to perform differential equations!
The {critter} seems less insightful!"

::eyeroll::

In PvE this is an easy debuff to work out, as Tev pointed out. In PvP it's a bit more of a wild card, but a no less useful one.

>>How does a person knowing what your top 2 stats are matter?

It's more of just a privacy thing.

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg

It comes more into play with stats as there are only 8 stats in total, and a fewer number still of those which may be specifically targeted in Vs Contests.

Just my own personal opinion, but I understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few :P

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg

>> If someone fighting Leilond casts Devolve, and finds the top two stats are Agility and Wisdom, you know not to use spells that contest those two for the remainder of the fight. It's a minor thing, sure, but it does seem to be a bit of information that no other spell has a way of sussing out.

You actually don't know that!

Let's say Leilond's top 2 stats are Wisdom and Agility. The next two stats behind those are Reflex and Stamina
I cast devolve on him and nerf his wisdom and agility.

How do I know that my spell didn't lower his wisdom and agility below his reflex and stamina and therefore, I should attack those two stats?

If I wasn't going to devolve him, and now I know this piece of information, it might mean I should attack Reflex and Stamina first, but just a few times of testing the wrong skill, I'm probably not going to cast the same spell on him again... I'll try something new.

I think you should be able to appraise players like critters, and I agree with the other person that all the stats should be available.

Is it realistic? Not really, you can't tell some of that stuff by looking at people, but for playability it makes sense.

It would also open up some neat cantrips, and devices... glasses that make you look smarter than your, a shirt that made you look stronger. Disguises could be implemented to open up a whole new world of PvP and Artistry. Sorry, got carried away.

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Player of Diggan, Ranger & Halfing of Aesry

<<You focus on the {target}'s life essence as you swipe your hand downward in its direction!>>

Hey wait. How do you focus on something that's altogether imperceptible to you? That message could probably stand a slight revision, as it only makes sense if the caster is an Empath (whose Empathy is intact). And it's not even an Empath spell.

Thanks,
-Life Sustainer Karthor

<<Rangers use life magic, this spell lets us see it in others and throw the beat down.>>

Using Life magic has nothing to do with being able to perceive Life Essences. Only Empaths and Necromancers can interact with Life essence, and the latter can only do so indirectly through rituals (they still can't "see" the stuff, so even they wouldn't be able to focus on it).

By all means, keep the arm motions though.

Thanks,
-Life Sustainer Karthor

>>Good point, I stand corrected. I'm not sure then why reporting what is debuffed at all is useful.

It's funny, as everyone (including me) was making the point that it's not a big deal to show what it debuffs, we were also making the same point that it's not very useful. They go hand in hand, I guess.

I could see something like this:

Diggan casts a Charm vs. Reflex spell at Leilond - it fails
Diggan casts devolve @ Leilond - succeeds and sees that it effects Reflex and Agility
I could then cast the first spell again hoping it works now, and I know a better order for later
or
It doesn't work and I know that I better do something completely different next time if I don't want him to serve me my lunch.

Besides, it's fun to know what stuff does. If you sling a spell at someone at they just glow but you don't know why, it's kind of - eh - boring.

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Player of Diggan, Ranger & Halfing of Aesry