lowbie mages

Posted by Nosforatu on 12/24

I think there is a serious problem with leveling lowbie mages. And I'd like to propose a fix. - There are eight 2.circle words, and nine 3.circle words. To begin with, 3.circle words are MUCH MUCH better to have the 2.circle words are, so why are the more expensive to learn? I think that the the lower end should be 1 practice to learn, and the higher 2 practices. After all, wouldn't it take more studying etc. to learn words on the higher level? And not only that it seems the would be a tremendous help to leveling a lowbie mage.

Granted I'm not very good with mages, I much prefer the fast pace of dex/perc or str/con. But I am really starting to like this char and wish it weren't so impossible to level him. please append.

From: Nosforatu Sunday, December 20, 06:05PM

correction to that - so why aren't 3. circle words more expensive to learn then 2.circle words - is how it should read.

From: Gwalchmai Sunday, December 20, 07:15PM

Perhaps because magic is already a bonus for bastard mages whom it can be assumed already have a host of other fight and/or healing skills in addition to being able to cast spells.

3c mages on the other hand, tend to worry more about cast levels, 3c words are generally harder to get than 2c words, and I frankly see no reason to make 3c words 2 pracs and 2c words one prac as all it will do is boost the already not inconsiderable power of the bastard mage and do nothing at all for the 3c mage.

On a side note, I'm a 2nd circle mage, so lowering the pracs needed for 2nd circle words would be to my benefit.

Gwalchmai ap Lot

From: Kurik Monday, December 21, 01:07AM

Don't talk about mages as about bastards.

Kurik

From: Rufus Monday, December 21, 11:39AM

Okay, this isn't directly related to the issue at hand (which seems to be cost of words, etc) but one change I've been throwing around in my head and to a few other imms is that success chance for spells should be based on both cast level AND current mind.

How's this work? Well, the lower your cast level, the higher mind you would need to have in order to rely upon that spell regularly. As cast level improves with level, you wouldn't need as high of mind to successfully cast the spell reliably. (example: A level 10 mage with a cast level of 5 on stun would need 100 mind to cast the spell consistently, a failure of 1 in 25 or so, someone with 45 cast levels would need only 50 mind (the min req to cast the spell) to achieve the same level of reliability). This would give younger mages who focused on mind (as a mage's primary stat should be) a better chance at casting spells and using them in the course of levelling and fighting... moving emphasis away from having to rely on fight skills while practicing to be a mage.

NOTE: this is not 'what is going in'... it's an idea that could use a bit of feedback. Even if the feedback is popular, this change may or may not become a reality.

-Ruf

From: Trample Monday, December 21, 01:43PM

-boggle-wouldn't that make low level mages eben harder?

-Tramp.

From: Rufus Monday, December 21, 03:03PM

nope, low mind (min reqs for spells) and low cast level would result in the same chance of failure they have now. They could just overcome it by getting high mind (100 mind is EASILY doable at level 10).

-Ruf

From: Gwalchmai Monday, December 21, 06:03PM

That sounds like a rocking idea.

Gwalchmai ap Lot

From: Zelda Tuesday, December 22, 04:09AM

Yes, I like the idea. It is simply saying that by building up mind instead of a fight stat, you can benefit from the spells you have learned and this will compensate for not having the fight stat. Of course, you will also have to build up other stats which are required for spell casting, so the success rate would have to be high enough to be worth doing this.

The way I build mages currently, is to build up fight stats and not worry about actually using spells until I get a reasonable cast level, even though I always learn words first. I learn words by just gathering mind, perc and spi equipment, going over rent for a while, learning the words, casting in the spells and then selling the gear again to wear my con/dex/str stuff. It just isn't worth actually using the spells currently it can take ALL of a lowbie mages mana to get one single spell cast. But I don't really like this method of building mages, and it is a big disadvantage to those who don't really know the tricks to levelling without having either fight skills or usable spells. It would rock if we could start using the spells as we learn them and find that an equally effecient strategy.

Zelda

From: Albion Thursday, December 24, 10:33AM

that would really be cool for those of us who didn't get rudh till a higher level and our cast level sucks on all those spells