Hey all, just wanted to inquire about an oddity I'm experiencing with multiple channels of Geomancy. I've seen that compression pattern has no effect on Geomancy past one channel and that the damage and effect of larger channels doesn't seem to correlate to a realistic effect.
Specifically, the third channel of Geomancy allows a geomancer hurl small boulders at the enemy.
From my experience, my damage has capped at around 90 crush at an unarmored foe. Small boulder, by definition, has a minimum 10.1 inch diameter, and the average weight of a sandstone block per cubic foot is 150 lbs. If a handheld 10 lbs object (sledgehammers, axes) can deal 100 damage in game, why can't my high speed 100 lb boulder of mystical rock deal more than (anecdotally) 90 damage? I could just be having bad luck.
I drew a comparison to the molten boulder effect that's made by mixing elements. The molten boulder does over 100 damage, but it's mixed with heat damage. Additionally, the molten boulder channeling combination not only surpasses this damage regularly, it also causes a knockdown whereas the small boulder does not.
I'd love if this particular channeling tier was reviewed. I love geomancy, but this puzzles me.
I actually don't mind the low damage as much as the lack of a knockdown effect.
Geomancy question
Re: Geomancy question
Most Elemancy spells have remained untouched for a looooong time, which is why I added a few for master Elemancers and made sure that each branch had 'something' special waiting for them. With that in mind, there are some gaps in the spells, missing combos, odd damage numbers etc Some of these are intentional while others are just weird quirks from the original GM who wanted them that way. (and had every right to do so)
Putting myself into the mindset of the first creator, I think the intention was to keep the higher end Geomancy spells as less damaging as the other branches of Elemancy (aeromacy being the lowest). That is why no compression for the 2nd and 3rd level spells. From a pure 'game' perspective, Geomancers are supposed to be a utility/defensive type of caster and not so much for their damage potential. Granted one can argue and justify just about anything using real life as an example but I always try to balance the two so that one does not impede the other.
With all that said, I think that geomancers could use so more knockdown-ness as a massive boulder would have a lot of kinetic energy and therefore should push people around but unlike pure wind, I think it would be easier to dodge. I might also need to reevaluate the damages on these if I am going to add a knockdown. This way I can balance, gameplay mechanics, real life physics and the original intent.
Putting myself into the mindset of the first creator, I think the intention was to keep the higher end Geomancy spells as less damaging as the other branches of Elemancy (aeromacy being the lowest). That is why no compression for the 2nd and 3rd level spells. From a pure 'game' perspective, Geomancers are supposed to be a utility/defensive type of caster and not so much for their damage potential. Granted one can argue and justify just about anything using real life as an example but I always try to balance the two so that one does not impede the other.
With all that said, I think that geomancers could use so more knockdown-ness as a massive boulder would have a lot of kinetic energy and therefore should push people around but unlike pure wind, I think it would be easier to dodge. I might also need to reevaluate the damages on these if I am going to add a knockdown. This way I can balance, gameplay mechanics, real life physics and the original intent.
It's not easy being evil...
Re: Geomancy question
Thanks for your response, Noctere!
As the original poster of the "damage is too damaging" topic, I agree that Geomancy shouldn't have as much power as pyromancy. Heck, everything should be weaker! I also agree with the idea that drawing real life examples can definitely impede proper interpretations of game mechanics.
If we could have more knockdown-ness, i would be absolutely taken away. Thanks for your consideration!
As the original poster of the "damage is too damaging" topic, I agree that Geomancy shouldn't have as much power as pyromancy. Heck, everything should be weaker! I also agree with the idea that drawing real life examples can definitely impede proper interpretations of game mechanics.
If we could have more knockdown-ness, i would be absolutely taken away. Thanks for your consideration!