Author Topic: Spells - Light spell and buff durations  (Read 2675 times)

archonzero

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Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« on: July 20, 2008, 10:18:30 PM »
  Now I realize some of the spell effects have been left unchanged while others have been changed.  6 minutes of RL equals one Hour of game makes any spell duration capped with round/minute or hourly rates wear off half the time before they're even effective for the need they were cast to begin with.  Now I'm not necessarily complaining across the board.   I recognize and agree that some durations need to be nerfed while others need to be tweaked so that they actually carry long enough to be utilized in our role playing atmosphere, instead of just being used to buff up and then switch immediately into PVE or PVP.  Some of the duration limitations result in having to give up on actually role playing during dungeon crawls or PvP instances, leaving the scene or encounters bland and tasteless grinds or beat downs.  Giving no sense of enjoyment (even if you are the one getting beat down).

  If a thread like this has popped up in another forum thread or another title I apologize for doing this now, I didn't care to resurrect an old thread or dig through the boards to find the appropriate post.

 
:arrow:  Light and Continual Light
     - 1 hour duration/level

  At low level given the time speed of IG to RT I think this duration makes the spell useless for anyone at low level.  If I recall Continual Light was a permanent effect until dispelled (unless 3.5 and up changed the duration).  Would it be possible maybe for the Devs to consider altering the duration of both spells or at the least the Light spell to a flat 24 hour duration.  I don't see the spell itself as being a ground breaker for casters to upset any balances, but only adds to the use of light sources during exploration, during night time or any roleplaying scene that typically span a full 24 hour duration due to conversational elements.


  I hope to hear what other casters think and feel on spells durations that vanish far too quickly with the speed of IG time and diminish the balance between role playing and hack n slash.  I hope it's constructive and not destructively unbalancing suggestions as well.

   :)

 
« Last Edit: July 20, 2008, 10:44:12 PM by Delphinidae »

Delphinidae

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Re: Spells- Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2008, 10:24:02 PM »
The light spell was changed because for a while everyone was waliking around glowing. Around that same time is when the glowing rings and necklaces were removed in favor of torches and lanterns because Barovians would sure look at all the glowy outlanders oddly. It was mainly done for ambience reasons. The buff durations were shortened because people were capable and running around for almost a full in game day with buffs. I'll try to search the topics where they were discussed.

http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=7834.0


—————
Edit.

Added a link regarding the light spell and rings/necklaces

I took the liberty of changing the topic's title, but I please ask everyone to try to make topics titles as clear as possible. A title like spell durations is too generic and more, uhm... what's the word...? Vague. Accurate titles help when searching up topics.

Also, if everyone could refer to these forum usage rules:

http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=2856.0

It would also help Soren a lot and save him time when reading through all the feedback topics.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2008, 10:45:38 PM by Delphinidae »


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engelfire

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2008, 11:23:48 PM »
i actually got used to these durations so im cool with em. that light spell nerfing was silly, i never seen any difference in game considering people glowing. gosh whens the last time i saw someone carry a torch, 6 months ago ?
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archonzero

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2008, 11:34:29 PM »
  Thats fine Delph, I put the title vague so that it could incorporate all thoughts and ideas of other spells that may need tweaking or nerfing actually.    :)

ethinos

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2008, 11:35:31 PM »
Most of my characters have torches, but granted its the witchfire version. However, my human Geoff always uses his torch in darkness, even when using a shield would be to his benefit.

Still, I don't see the light changes here in the Spell Changes thread: http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=2173.0

And I think Light is actually more at round/level, is it not? My bard casts it and it goes out really quickly. But as far as the server is considered, I think the removal of the Shining Necklaces and Glowing Rings (that were  1 fang each) has been to the betterment of the server.
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Delphinidae

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2008, 11:40:24 PM »
Most of my characters have torches, but granted its the witchfire version. However, my human Geoff always uses his torch in darkness, even when using a shield would be to his benefit.

Still, I don't see the light changes here in the Spell Changes thread: http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=2173.0

And I think Light is actually more at round/level, is it not? My bard casts it and it goes out really quickly. But as far as the server is considered, I think the removal of the Shining Necklaces and Glowing Rings (that were  1 fang each) has been to the betterment of the server.

Might be they forgot to update it? I agree I prefer the whole torches sceanario. Deneve doesn't use a torch since she has true seeing and a glowy ring, but with Noica I use the lantern a lot and have to fight in the dark if I want to use my shield, and in my mind, I can just imagine her fighting in the darkness as the looming shape of a greater wererat surrounds her.

As for the durations, with the new resting system I don't feel buffs to be much of a problem, but I do agree light is too short.

Oh, before I forget; to prevent the "rush the dungeon before the spell wears off!", the new rest system was implemented to balance itself with the short buff durations.


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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2008, 11:50:00 PM »
I'd love to see continual flame at least last until the next server reset, if not go back to permanent... if there are concerns about players being christmas trees then let IC be IC and find IC solutions.

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ethinos

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2008, 12:00:33 AM »
I'd love to see continual flame at least last until the next server reset, if not go back to permanent... if there are concerns about players being christmas trees then let IC be IC and find IC solutions.

I'd think Continual Light being 1 hour + 1 turn/level being fine, and with Light being 1 turn + 1 round/level may be more acceptable.
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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2008, 12:05:11 AM »
  I seem to remember reading in one of the threads (though not the one posted), that caasting permanent continual flame on an item increased its sale value, and was being spammed on everything sold for a quick fang.  Continual flame should be longer though, even if only what Ethinos suggested, or until the next rest, whichever comes first.

  There are still probably a dozen characters that walk around glowing all the time.  Peasants have never reacted to it.  Ever.

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2008, 12:10:13 AM »
The reason for those changes was to make the world darker. We pulled the light emiting rings and necklaces then nerfed those spells to achieve that. The glow of the light spell and of continual were changed to a dim blue light as well.

Delphinidae

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2008, 12:20:11 AM »
Might want to add the changing of those spells to the Spell Changes thread, EO.


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archonzero

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2008, 12:57:30 AM »
  I can understand the reasons for wanting to tone it down to prevent the light emitting neon glowing characters ... though the changes have made the spell all but useless to any low level (under 8th) as a useless selection choice.  Now as a low level bard, there is really only two useable and useful cantrips out of the six selectable ones and  3 of those are rather useless (light, Daze and Flare).  I went on a low level role crawl, the other two companions need to use two hands for combat so I thought my light spell would come in handy for the exploration and no sooner had I emoted one text comment the spell was gone before we made it to the next beetle spawn.

  I would have just kept them for cure minor wounds instead

archonzero

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Re: Spells - Light spell and buff durations
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2008, 01:03:05 AM »
The reason for those changes was to make the world darker. We pulled the light emiting rings and necklaces then nerfed those spells to achieve that. The glow of the light spell and of continual were changed to a dim blue light as well.

  I'm happy the light emitting rings and necklaces were yanked out, though the spell nerf may be to much for low levels, making them pretty much a firecracker of effect in the flow of time the server is set to.  Thats the only thing I felt unbalanced by the nerf was that it fizzled a moment with an oOOo and aaaah then puff and gone before you could recite the text from a page of a book.  Just a flat duration would be fine say 3-6 hour set duration for a Light spell and 1 hour + 1 turn/level for a continual light as Ethinos suggests.  At least that way the spell lasts long enough for the character and group to utilize before they're able to rest again.  Thats all.