Necodemus123
02-18-2009, 11:42 PM
I have worked long and hard on this so i hope you find it useful, and the developers consider my suggestions. It is by no means complete and i will update it as information becomes available.
If you find any errors please lets me know.
All spell testing was done with both players Alfar, and wearing no armor. A special thanks to Xorv Spidershroud for letting me test on him.
Neco Demus
Strength: 19.1
Vitality: 17.5
Dexterity: 20.0
Quickness: 29.4
Intelligence: 35.7
Wisdom: 20.0
Xorv Spidershroud
Strength: 16.9 Constitution: 1.4
Vitality: 16.1 Defense: 15.7
Dexterity: 21.0 Fortitude: 2.8
Quickness: 22.3 Reflexes: 1.6
Intelligence: 26.2 Willpower: 1.0
Wisdom: 20.0 Rigor: 14.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tested with:
Dawnstaff, Rank 0 Starter Staff
Darkheart, Rank 20, Damage 0.45, Slower Casting Time, Improved Effects
Blackbolt, Rank 40, Damage 0.08, Faster Casting Time, Lowered Effects
Deerstick, Rank 40, Damage 0.28, Improved Effects
Lightstealer, Rank 60, Damage 0.36, Improved Effects
Unlike weapons and armor staff rank only influences durability loss, not the effects the staff provides. For example if you cast a spell that is level 28 with a rank 60 staff more durability is lost than if the spell was above skill level 60.
The damage number reflects the power level of the staff, 0.28 is a 28% increase, 0.75 is a 75% increase. They do not effect Mana Missile.
Lesser Magic: 84.3 Skill level
Durable Spells: 55.6
Mana Efficiency: 52.7
Quicken Spells: 35.3
Mana Missile: 85.0 Skill Level (8 Mana)
Dawnstaff: Front 12-14, Back 15.4-18.1
Darkheart: Front 13, Back 16.8-21.0
Blackbolt: Front 11-15, Back 16.8
Deerstick: Front 12-13, Back 16.8
Lightstealer: Front 10-14, Back 16.8-21.0
Eldrich Sphere: 1.7 Skill Level (24 Mana and 1 Sulfur)
Dawnstaff: Front 15.0, Back 15.4
Darkheart:Front 14.1, Back 23.8
Blackbolt: Front 15.0, Back 18.1
Deerstick: Front 15.0, Back 16.8
Lightstealer: Front 14.0, Back 19.0
Lay on Hands: 1.5 Skill Level (28 Mana, 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 5.3
Darkheart: 7.3
Blackbolt: 5.0
Deerstick: 4.6
Lightstealer: 7.0
Heal Self: 44.6 Skill Level (4 ticks, Uses 24 Mana)
Dawnstaff: 3.25
Darkheart: 5.25
Blackbolt: 4.25
Deerstick: 4.0
Lightstealer: 4.75
Man to Stamina: 1.4 Skill Level (Every Staff 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 6.3
Darkheart: 7.6
Blackbolt: 7.0
Deerstick: 5.3
Lightstealer: 7.3
Health to Mana: 18.9 Skill Level (Every Staff 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Sulfur)
Dawnstaff: 6.6
Darkheart: 6.6
Blackbolt: 7.0
Deerstick: 7.0
Lightstealer: 6.3
-----------------------------------------------------------
Greater Magic: 50.0 Skill Level
Durable Spells: 32.6
Rend: 62.7 Skill Level (24 Mana and 1 Bone) (Every Staff 8 Ticks)
Dawnstaff: Front 2.37, 0.95 Stamina Drain, 1.3 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.32, 0.98 Stamina Drain, 1.3 Piercing Debuff
Darkheart: 2.87, 1.15 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.85, 1.15 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Blackbolt: 2.62, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 0.9 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.32, 0.95 Stamina Drain, 0.9 Piercing Debuff
Deerstick: 2.62, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 1.2 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.5, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 1.2 Piercing Debuff
Lightstealer: 2.12, 0.85 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Back 2.80, 0.85 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Heal Other: 1.5 Skill Level (24 Mana, 2 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 5.0
Darkheart: 6.5
Blackbolt: 5.5
Deerstick: 6.5
Lightstealer: 5.5
-----------------------------------------------------------
Witchcraft: 1.0 Skill Level
Needles: 1.1 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Bone)
Dawnstaff: Front 1.25, 0.5 Stamina Drain
Back 1.5, 0.4 Stamina Drain
Blackbolt: 1.5, 0.6 Stamina Drain
Back 1.9, 0.5 Stamina Drain
-----------------------------------------------------------
Water Magic: 1.5 Skill Level
Icicle: 2.0 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Nacre)
Dawnstaff: Front 23, Back 28, Stamina Drain 9.0
Darkheart: Front 31, Back 12, Stamina Drain 10.8
Blackbolt: Front 24, Back 35, Stamina Drain 10.0
Deerstick: Front 27, Back 37, Stamina Drain 10.8
Lightstealer: Front 26, Back 37.8, Stamina Drain 10.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Air Magic 1.5 Skill Level
Ball Lightning: 1.9 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Mandrake)
Dawnstaff: Front 23, Back 28, Stamina Drain 9.0
Darkheart: Front 31, Back 12, Stamina Drain 10.8
Blackbolt: Front 24, Back 35, Stamina Drain 10.0
Deerstick: Front 27, Back 37, Stamina Drain 10.8
Lightstealer: Front 26, Back 37.8, Stamina Drain 10.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Impressions
Lesser Magic:
Mana Missile: The bread and butter spell for what seems to be far too long. At skill level 25 its damage slightly increases, again at 50 plus it becomes a double ring with a larger AoE, at 75 the only change appears to be graphical, at 99 im told the AoE increases slightly.
Eldrich Sphere: It has a tiny AoE, uses a reagent, costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Even though it has higher damage for those reasons it is not worth using over Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Lay on hands: A solid spell that is very useful in a group. Does not share a cool down timer with Heal Other.
Heal Self: Ineffective in combat. Useful to lessen downtime or when running/chasing in PvP.
Mana to Stamina: A fantastic spell. Extremely useful when running/chasing in PvP or even for faster travel by foot.
Health to Mana: Another fantastic spell. Using this and Mana Missile I am able to permanently kill trolls without ever resting or pulling a melee weapon.
Mana Drain: It recovers around 1/3 the mana of Health to Mana but does not remove health. Because it also uses 1 sulfur I find Health to Mana far more useful. However it remains to be seen how much each will improve with skill level.
Launch: Extremely useful for escaping a losing PvP situation or waiting in an elevated ambush position.
Greater Magic:
Rend: Like Eldrich Sphere It has a tiny AoE, uses a reagent, costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Even though it has slightly higher damage, minor stamina drain, and an inconsequential piercing de buff it is not worth using over Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Frailty: This is supposed to de buff all types of damage resistance but I have used it multiple times on the same player and monster and there has been no change to magic, melee, or archery damage. Either damage resistance is not working or this spell is not working.
Heal Other: It seems to be far less effective since it only has 2 ticks compared to Lay on Hands 3 ticks. However since they do not share a cool down timer a combination of the two is substantial.
Telekinesis: Moves you up and down as if on an invisible elevator. Since you can use it with Launch it becomes even better.
Witchcraft:
Needles: It uses 2 reagent, and like Rend and Eldrich Sphere costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Except the damage on this spell is actually lower than Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Sluggish: A quickness de buff. I've tested this on both players and monsters and it seems to have absolutely no effect. It is possible that the effects from stats (or the lack of a stat) has not yet been turned on.
Water Magic:
Icicle: It has virtually no AoE, uses 2 reagents, and costs 24 mana...but it has no cool down, a significant damage increase, a substantial stamina drain, and a fast projectile speed. It is much harder to hit with but still useful for stamina drain and fast damage in PvP situations. However because of the increased mana cost and using 2 reagents it does not replace Mana Missile in PvE and only partially replaces it in PvP.
Gills: Adds an additional 30 seconds of breath by slowing the rate you lose the oxygen bar.
Air Magic:
Ball Lightning: Exactly the same spell as Icicle. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
Fire Magic:
Firebolt: I'm told it is exactly the same spell as Icicle and Ball lightning. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
Earth Magic:
Acid Arrow: I'm told it is exactly the same spell as Icicle, Ball lightning, and Firebolt. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Suggestions:
Spells should start off weak but show more of an improvement when the benchmarks of 25, 50, 75, and 99 skill levels are reached. As it is now reaching those benchmarks does not feel very rewarding.
When you work hard and reach a new damage spell it should be better than your old damage spells and worth using in combat. I'm all for the concept of spells starting off weak then improving but they should start off weak relative to themselves, not previous spells. As it is now when you get Eldrich Sphere, Rend, Needles, and Venom they are never (or rarely) used because they are not an improvement over Mana Missile, no matter what skill level they reach. Something doesn't seem right when you have been playing the game for 3 weeks and have taken the elemental schools but you are still using the starting damage spell 90% of the time.
You should not be put in the position of either use the new spells that are not worth using in combat for weeks (gimping yourself the entire time), or grinding reagents for weeks and firing the spell into a wall in order to reach the next benchmark. For example you reach 50 Lesser Magic and take Greater Magic you can only level Greater Magic to 25 using two spells Rend, which is worse than Mana Missile, or Beacon, which is not practical because of its 2 reagent cost. The same applies to Frailty, Needles, Venom, Sluggish, and the elemental schools starting projectiles.
In a sandbox game where you can do what you want and play how you want you should be able to PvE as mainly an archer or caster and be cost effective. Meaning that the npc's you kill should provide a net gain in loot over the cost of killing it. A caster or archer must either use Mana Missile or melee for that to be the case. This is one of the main reasons Mana Missile must still be used so late in the progression of spells.
In a sandbox MMO where you can do what you want and play how you want you should be able to play as mainly a caster and be effective in PvP early in the game. Casters need to wear cloth armor at best to avoid damage and casting time penalties. Which means extremely low survivability, but there is no off set to this disadvantage early on that makes it possible to PvP effectively. In other words a caster wearing cloth armor needs to have some means of preventing melee from coming into melee range, and if they do casters need some skillful way of creating distance. Later in the game a caster will be able to knock back, blind, stamina drain, or possibly encumber, wall of force, and whirlwind to create distance but there is nothing like that early in the game.
If you find any errors please lets me know.
All spell testing was done with both players Alfar, and wearing no armor. A special thanks to Xorv Spidershroud for letting me test on him.
Neco Demus
Strength: 19.1
Vitality: 17.5
Dexterity: 20.0
Quickness: 29.4
Intelligence: 35.7
Wisdom: 20.0
Xorv Spidershroud
Strength: 16.9 Constitution: 1.4
Vitality: 16.1 Defense: 15.7
Dexterity: 21.0 Fortitude: 2.8
Quickness: 22.3 Reflexes: 1.6
Intelligence: 26.2 Willpower: 1.0
Wisdom: 20.0 Rigor: 14.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tested with:
Dawnstaff, Rank 0 Starter Staff
Darkheart, Rank 20, Damage 0.45, Slower Casting Time, Improved Effects
Blackbolt, Rank 40, Damage 0.08, Faster Casting Time, Lowered Effects
Deerstick, Rank 40, Damage 0.28, Improved Effects
Lightstealer, Rank 60, Damage 0.36, Improved Effects
Unlike weapons and armor staff rank only influences durability loss, not the effects the staff provides. For example if you cast a spell that is level 28 with a rank 60 staff more durability is lost than if the spell was above skill level 60.
The damage number reflects the power level of the staff, 0.28 is a 28% increase, 0.75 is a 75% increase. They do not effect Mana Missile.
Lesser Magic: 84.3 Skill level
Durable Spells: 55.6
Mana Efficiency: 52.7
Quicken Spells: 35.3
Mana Missile: 85.0 Skill Level (8 Mana)
Dawnstaff: Front 12-14, Back 15.4-18.1
Darkheart: Front 13, Back 16.8-21.0
Blackbolt: Front 11-15, Back 16.8
Deerstick: Front 12-13, Back 16.8
Lightstealer: Front 10-14, Back 16.8-21.0
Eldrich Sphere: 1.7 Skill Level (24 Mana and 1 Sulfur)
Dawnstaff: Front 15.0, Back 15.4
Darkheart:Front 14.1, Back 23.8
Blackbolt: Front 15.0, Back 18.1
Deerstick: Front 15.0, Back 16.8
Lightstealer: Front 14.0, Back 19.0
Lay on Hands: 1.5 Skill Level (28 Mana, 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 5.3
Darkheart: 7.3
Blackbolt: 5.0
Deerstick: 4.6
Lightstealer: 7.0
Heal Self: 44.6 Skill Level (4 ticks, Uses 24 Mana)
Dawnstaff: 3.25
Darkheart: 5.25
Blackbolt: 4.25
Deerstick: 4.0
Lightstealer: 4.75
Man to Stamina: 1.4 Skill Level (Every Staff 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 6.3
Darkheart: 7.6
Blackbolt: 7.0
Deerstick: 5.3
Lightstealer: 7.3
Health to Mana: 18.9 Skill Level (Every Staff 3 Ticks, Uses 1 Sulfur)
Dawnstaff: 6.6
Darkheart: 6.6
Blackbolt: 7.0
Deerstick: 7.0
Lightstealer: 6.3
-----------------------------------------------------------
Greater Magic: 50.0 Skill Level
Durable Spells: 32.6
Rend: 62.7 Skill Level (24 Mana and 1 Bone) (Every Staff 8 Ticks)
Dawnstaff: Front 2.37, 0.95 Stamina Drain, 1.3 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.32, 0.98 Stamina Drain, 1.3 Piercing Debuff
Darkheart: 2.87, 1.15 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.85, 1.15 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Blackbolt: 2.62, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 0.9 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.32, 0.95 Stamina Drain, 0.9 Piercing Debuff
Deerstick: 2.62, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 1.2 Piercing Debuff
Back 3.5, 1.05 Stamina Drain, 1.2 Piercing Debuff
Lightstealer: 2.12, 0.85 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Back 2.80, 0.85 Stamina Drain, 1.1 Piercing Debuff
Heal Other: 1.5 Skill Level (24 Mana, 2 Ticks, Uses 1 Resin)
Dawnstaff: 5.0
Darkheart: 6.5
Blackbolt: 5.5
Deerstick: 6.5
Lightstealer: 5.5
-----------------------------------------------------------
Witchcraft: 1.0 Skill Level
Needles: 1.1 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Bone)
Dawnstaff: Front 1.25, 0.5 Stamina Drain
Back 1.5, 0.4 Stamina Drain
Blackbolt: 1.5, 0.6 Stamina Drain
Back 1.9, 0.5 Stamina Drain
-----------------------------------------------------------
Water Magic: 1.5 Skill Level
Icicle: 2.0 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Nacre)
Dawnstaff: Front 23, Back 28, Stamina Drain 9.0
Darkheart: Front 31, Back 12, Stamina Drain 10.8
Blackbolt: Front 24, Back 35, Stamina Drain 10.0
Deerstick: Front 27, Back 37, Stamina Drain 10.8
Lightstealer: Front 26, Back 37.8, Stamina Drain 10.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Air Magic 1.5 Skill Level
Ball Lightning: 1.9 Skill Level (24 Mana and 2 Mandrake)
Dawnstaff: Front 23, Back 28, Stamina Drain 9.0
Darkheart: Front 31, Back 12, Stamina Drain 10.8
Blackbolt: Front 24, Back 35, Stamina Drain 10.0
Deerstick: Front 27, Back 37, Stamina Drain 10.8
Lightstealer: Front 26, Back 37.8, Stamina Drain 10.8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Impressions
Lesser Magic:
Mana Missile: The bread and butter spell for what seems to be far too long. At skill level 25 its damage slightly increases, again at 50 plus it becomes a double ring with a larger AoE, at 75 the only change appears to be graphical, at 99 im told the AoE increases slightly.
Eldrich Sphere: It has a tiny AoE, uses a reagent, costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Even though it has higher damage for those reasons it is not worth using over Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Lay on hands: A solid spell that is very useful in a group. Does not share a cool down timer with Heal Other.
Heal Self: Ineffective in combat. Useful to lessen downtime or when running/chasing in PvP.
Mana to Stamina: A fantastic spell. Extremely useful when running/chasing in PvP or even for faster travel by foot.
Health to Mana: Another fantastic spell. Using this and Mana Missile I am able to permanently kill trolls without ever resting or pulling a melee weapon.
Mana Drain: It recovers around 1/3 the mana of Health to Mana but does not remove health. Because it also uses 1 sulfur I find Health to Mana far more useful. However it remains to be seen how much each will improve with skill level.
Launch: Extremely useful for escaping a losing PvP situation or waiting in an elevated ambush position.
Greater Magic:
Rend: Like Eldrich Sphere It has a tiny AoE, uses a reagent, costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Even though it has slightly higher damage, minor stamina drain, and an inconsequential piercing de buff it is not worth using over Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Frailty: This is supposed to de buff all types of damage resistance but I have used it multiple times on the same player and monster and there has been no change to magic, melee, or archery damage. Either damage resistance is not working or this spell is not working.
Heal Other: It seems to be far less effective since it only has 2 ticks compared to Lay on Hands 3 ticks. However since they do not share a cool down timer a combination of the two is substantial.
Telekinesis: Moves you up and down as if on an invisible elevator. Since you can use it with Launch it becomes even better.
Witchcraft:
Needles: It uses 2 reagent, and like Rend and Eldrich Sphere costs 3x the mana of Mana Missile, and has a cool down. Except the damage on this spell is actually lower than Mana Missile. I realize higher levels of this spell and an effective staff increase the damage but from my experience skill based damage improvements are somewhat minor. It would need to do 3x the damage of Mana Missile before I would consider it worthwhile.
Sluggish: A quickness de buff. I've tested this on both players and monsters and it seems to have absolutely no effect. It is possible that the effects from stats (or the lack of a stat) has not yet been turned on.
Water Magic:
Icicle: It has virtually no AoE, uses 2 reagents, and costs 24 mana...but it has no cool down, a significant damage increase, a substantial stamina drain, and a fast projectile speed. It is much harder to hit with but still useful for stamina drain and fast damage in PvP situations. However because of the increased mana cost and using 2 reagents it does not replace Mana Missile in PvE and only partially replaces it in PvP.
Gills: Adds an additional 30 seconds of breath by slowing the rate you lose the oxygen bar.
Air Magic:
Ball Lightning: Exactly the same spell as Icicle. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
Fire Magic:
Firebolt: I'm told it is exactly the same spell as Icicle and Ball lightning. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
Earth Magic:
Acid Arrow: I'm told it is exactly the same spell as Icicle, Ball lightning, and Firebolt. The only difference is the animation graphic, reagents used, and the name.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Suggestions:
Spells should start off weak but show more of an improvement when the benchmarks of 25, 50, 75, and 99 skill levels are reached. As it is now reaching those benchmarks does not feel very rewarding.
When you work hard and reach a new damage spell it should be better than your old damage spells and worth using in combat. I'm all for the concept of spells starting off weak then improving but they should start off weak relative to themselves, not previous spells. As it is now when you get Eldrich Sphere, Rend, Needles, and Venom they are never (or rarely) used because they are not an improvement over Mana Missile, no matter what skill level they reach. Something doesn't seem right when you have been playing the game for 3 weeks and have taken the elemental schools but you are still using the starting damage spell 90% of the time.
You should not be put in the position of either use the new spells that are not worth using in combat for weeks (gimping yourself the entire time), or grinding reagents for weeks and firing the spell into a wall in order to reach the next benchmark. For example you reach 50 Lesser Magic and take Greater Magic you can only level Greater Magic to 25 using two spells Rend, which is worse than Mana Missile, or Beacon, which is not practical because of its 2 reagent cost. The same applies to Frailty, Needles, Venom, Sluggish, and the elemental schools starting projectiles.
In a sandbox game where you can do what you want and play how you want you should be able to PvE as mainly an archer or caster and be cost effective. Meaning that the npc's you kill should provide a net gain in loot over the cost of killing it. A caster or archer must either use Mana Missile or melee for that to be the case. This is one of the main reasons Mana Missile must still be used so late in the progression of spells.
In a sandbox MMO where you can do what you want and play how you want you should be able to play as mainly a caster and be effective in PvP early in the game. Casters need to wear cloth armor at best to avoid damage and casting time penalties. Which means extremely low survivability, but there is no off set to this disadvantage early on that makes it possible to PvP effectively. In other words a caster wearing cloth armor needs to have some means of preventing melee from coming into melee range, and if they do casters need some skillful way of creating distance. Later in the game a caster will be able to knock back, blind, stamina drain, or possibly encumber, wall of force, and whirlwind to create distance but there is nothing like that early in the game.