Elementals

Nuitari · Post by **Nuitari** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:05 am

I have been experimenting with and against elementals using my Shaman, Cecil, and with the help of Chubbukoku.

We both use surp runes for our elementals, and these elementals pretty overpowered. The elementals without surps don't seem very overpowered, and would probably suck if nerfed too hard. There is also no way to resist or avoid the prog damage for a Magic Elemental(created by conjure elemental with no elemental rune)

My suggestion:

1. Force players to add an elemental rune to the spell, like with breath
2. Increase the base complexity to 70, increase base level of elementals to 50.
3. Increase attack and physical damage of elementals.
4. Reduce elemental hitpoint gain with levels, I recommend changing it to something around 20 hp/level. Remove hp cap on elementals.

Things not to do:

1. Reduce levels gained from adding fecs. It is REALLY cool to be able to summon a level 100+ mob.
2. Remove elemental prog damage. Elementals are the way to get past ridiculous defenses and retreating(though they aren't so good vs high hp). Their overall damage output could use some lowering, but the complexity/level change I suggested should take care of that.
3. Increase number of elementals. Druids do NOT need a second elemental.

Vogar Eol · Post by **Vogar Eol** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:15 am

I believe the usefulness of other summon spells should be worked on. They need a bit of a boost. When was the last time anyone used "Summon Vermin"? Perhaps give rats the ability to accept orders up to one or two rooms away? Special things would make each summon spell useful.

Kiasyn · Post by **Kiasyn** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:36 am

I do not think that summon vermin should ever be extremely useful. OMG I MADE A RAT! NOW IT CAN GO KILL BIG SCARY MONSTERS FOR ME! -.-

Jerardo · Post by **Jerardo** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 9:38 pm

If elementals are only overpowered when you add surps to them... just make it where you can only add 1 surp (or none?) to the prism. You said it's not overpowering if you don't add surps to it so don't nerf the whole thing by increasing its base complexity.

And I agree with Vogar.. another summons could use a tweak(ie raise your AR by 5%, or 5%HP while they're alive, see hidden mobs, etc while they're active/alive) On a similar topic.. maybe bards could get more songs with boosters.

Nuitari · Post by **Nuitari** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:05 am

Jerardo...That's what my suggestion did, except in a not-stupid way. It would make it so you have to gain epic levels to add surps; simply saying you can't add surps is stupid. Surps are extremely hard to get and making it so you can't use them defeats their purpose.

Vogar Eol · Post by **Vogar Eol** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:53 am

I agree, it would make super powerful Elementals harder to get but not unreachable if you epiced. Personally I dislike a lot of the caps on spells. Cone, Arrow, Meteor and such come to mind. Yeah, maybe the effect of adding another fec rune should decrease, but it should never DO NOTHING! I mean Arrow is currently its most powerful with 5 fec and a racial rune. 25 fec on the prism doesn't increase the damage done even slightly.

How about after a certain point damage spells gain power MUCH more slowly? Thats so much better then just stopping damage increase, or making damage delt zero. Currently it encourages people to max the damage, then just add things like instantaneous runes, or self-sustaining runes. With no glass cieling on damage, people would be more likely to keep upping the power.

lingolas · Post by **lingolas** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:53 am

If you believe that the purpose of summoning a rat to kill a monster, you are missing the point. When vogar suggests that summoning vermin to be more useful he specifically mention their ability to accept orders a room or two away. Sometimes spells and skills are not always to kill kill hack hack blast blast.

Kiasyn · Post by **Kiasyn** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:55 am

but why would you be able to order a rat to rooms away? is their hearing that good?

lingolas · Post by **lingolas** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 5:00 am

i understand that elementals are pretty powerful. especially when you summon an elemental e130 or higher

but we all should keep in mind that the elemental is all a druid has

Vogar Eol · Post by **Vogar Eol** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 7:37 am

Why the heck can we tell if a character is online or not? Is our eyesight that good?

The idea I would like to see is to give various summoned creatures skills, and allow you to "switch into" the mob leaving your body at the place you left it. Simular to a lot of the mobs summoned on Neverwinter Nights.

It would allow you to scout ahead, with a hidden and sneaking rat.
Bash through doors and fight hand-to-hand with your bear.
ect...

Something needs to be done to the summon spells to make them useful.