Casting Level

[adepali]

I'm considering changing the way casting level works. The problem I have with the current system is that that it really hurts PVE mages who play solo / in small groups, especially if they die and need to CR, but has negligible impact  to trash pk. My suggestion is:

- Spells are always cast at the caster's level, ie casting level has no effect.
- Saves against a caster's spells are modified by MAX( 0, target_level - casters_casting_level )

This means that a naked level 30 mage can still cast everything at level 30, but if they cast aggressive spells against level 30 targets there is a +15 bonus to the saves. This will cause most damage spells to do half damage and control spells to fail. Even with full spell_save_mod ranks, skills etc there should be a +10 bonus or so, which is good enough.

Suggestions?

[Charlie]

I think the time where casting level is a needed stat has passed, trash mages aren't really a thing anymore as it has alot more impact with ranks etc. and if you want to be a trash mage gathering gear to cl 30 isn't really an issue.

Only people casting level hurt are the soloers or small Clan ones that don't have access to higher tiers of gear.

That is just my opinion ofc but I do think the reasons why it was implemented in the first place aren't valid anymore.

[gnua]

I'm considering changing the way casting level works. The problem I have with the current system is that that it really hurts PVE mages who play solo / in small groups, especially if they die and need to CR, but has negligible impact  to trash pk. My suggestion is:

- Spells are always cast at the caster's level, ie casting level has no effect.
- Saves against a caster's spells are modified by MAX( 0, target_level - casters_casting_level )

This means that a naked level 30 mage can still cast everything at level 30, but if they cast aggressive spells against level 30 targets there is a +15 bonus to the saves. This will cause most damage spells to do half damage and control spells to fail. Even with full spell_save_mod ranks, skills etc there should be a +10 bonus or so, which is good enough.

Suggestions?

So under the new system, a naked mage can locate gear/books just fine, their str blur flies invises will last full duration. however, if they try to fight high level mobs they will not do much damage (similar to right now) but they can at least pack a punch vs the lower level mobs so they can recover from death by fireballing pigmies and lightning bolting lowbie mage mobs for cl.  Will read magic operate at 'full power' for a naked mage then?

This sounds like great news for pve trash mages and I welcome it.  It does raise the larger question of whether we wish to encourage or discourage the playerbase from rolling pve trash mage alts.  Teleport, Locate Object, Relo, invis, imp invis, haste-age are already great reasons to roll a pve trash mage.  I can think of no other class where I might want a level 16 lying around to help do stuff I could not otherwise do. (most level 30 characters can tank better than any level 16, can recover/avoid damage better than a level 16 non-mage, do more damage than any level 16, and have more utility than any level 16 non-mage)

[btown]

I would always encourage the player-base to roll trash mages

[gnua]

trash mages aren't really a thing anymore...

in the sense that we dont have naked level 15 mages running around killing titled warriors with hasted ogre charmies, yes those days are gone.    But I think over half the people in our clan have a trash mage for locating, popping prep / unlimited gear, reading, moccing, poofing lores/gear between characters, grouping unclanned characters. The hardest part about assembling a group seems to be getting people to rent their trash mage and log anything other than a mage.

Unspelled mages are a big drain on grouping (since we/they either need a book popped or a cr and dont actually contribute anything to the zoning effort). Great news for trash mages does mean more trash mages - and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. Sometimes I think mages should be an exotic class and only available after legend.

[blackmagus]

- Spells are always cast at the caster's level, ie casting level has no effect.
- Saves against a caster's spells are modified by MAX( 0, target_level - casters_casting_level )

I think this would be a fantastic change and allow folks to more casually play mages. Limit the adjustment to saves to players as suggested.

Being level 30 and having 25 or less CL has often been a problem for clan members who wanted to main a mage. Which is one reason why they're told to main anything but a mage.

[Loretta]

in the sense that we dont have naked level 15 mages running around killing titled warriors with hasted ogre charmies, yes those days are gone. 

I miss Pnuk and his 15 level mage who web like every 30th player in the game with like 100% chance.

[Kafilat]

What about making CL only affect spells cast offensively on other players?  That sufficiently combats trashmaging in the vast majority of situations, while keeping people who lose their gear for whatever reason from being mostly useless.

Edit: the difference being that aggressive spells are only affected when cast against players instead of all targets as Adepali's initial post implied.

[Umarth]

I approve of scrapping CL entirely or making it apply only to PK situations.

[elenacOb]

Согласно данным местного RaiNews24, магнитуда землетрясения составила 7,1. На сайте Европейского средиземноморского сейсмологического центра (EMSC) сообщается, что эпицентр землетрясения находился на глубине 10 километров, его магнитуда составила 6,6.

[Kadaj]

Согласно данным местного RaiNews24, магнитуда землетрясения составила 7,1. На сайте Европейского средиземноморского сейсмологического центра (EMSC) сообщается, что эпицентр землетрясения находился на глубине 10 километров, его магнитуда составила 6,6.

This guy bapts.

[remi]

Casting level and trash mage.


Instead of forcing casting level so undergeared mages can't relocate in and such.......or in a similar fashion shamans making their own clans so they can ritual voyage people to them.  This could also work with summon

Simply make anyone in group or clan relocatable as it is now.  If you are not clanned/grouped with the target they must give consent to allow this to happen.


Give consent to (cleric/shaman/mage)

PC gives you their consent.

You can then summon/rit voyage/relocate without becoming aggressive or having to sleep (in the case of the cleric/druid).


I am not a coder but I can't imagine implementing this would be that difficult and would remove a bunch of really poor "old school" mechanics and trash mages. 
Granted this would make it impossible for mage-bomb pvp tactics and I'm not sure the position on the imps for this.


It would at least be a nice change for clerics/druids/shaman.

[jrrestad]

I like it.. Casting level is still viable, but you can still cast most spells at level 30.

A+

[Umarth]

You can get rid of CL any day now. KTHX