Zap a wand or staff!

Post by **Rias** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 3:21 pm

Users of element-infused wands and staves may now use them to zap a target. While not channeling elements, this works identically to cast and will simply cast the wand or staff's innate spell. When actively channeling elements, however, the infused element of the wand or staff will be added to the conjuration, allowing for easier element-compounding.

For instance: Channeling hydromancy while holding an alder (fire-infused) wand, using zap would result in a steam spell, combining the channeler's hydromancy with the wand's pyromancy.

There are no four-element spells, so zap will not work when actively channeling three elements.

Expect a verb similar to trance to show up soon in order to accommodate this new functionality.

Isiaa · Post by **Isiaa** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:17 pm

would it be possible to create four element spells?

Post by **Rias** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:14 pm

Possible (anything's possible with completely custom-built in-house code), but not planned. We had a rough enough time coming up with something for each of just the 3-element combinations, and because of those combinations, Elemancers already have a far larger arsenal of unique spells than anyone else. Going up to 4 possible elements would increase that by a ridiculous amount.

Isiaa · Post by **Isiaa** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:23 pm

well yeah...But you could make co-op mandatory for it.

Isiaa · Post by **Isiaa** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:24 pm

Some sort of circle mechanism.We have what eight magics? That would be hard.Ridculously so.

Nootau · Post by **Nootau** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:44 pm

What happens if you have a staff in one hand and a wand in the other? Does this open up five channel spells?

Post by **Rias** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:31 pm

There aren't any four-channel spells, so no, it wouldn't open up five-channel spells. As stated before, the maximum number of elements you can combine is 3, and we don't intend to go beyond that. Element-mixing already unlocks a slew of different combination options, and we're not going to significantly multiply the amount of dev work by going beyond combinations of 3.

Nootau · Post by **Nootau** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:56 pm

So what happens with a staff in one hand and a wand in another? Does the zap command count those as one channel each or only one of the two work?

Post by **Rias** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:03 pm

The item in the right hand will be counted, not the left.

Nootau · Post by **Nootau** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:13 pm

I see, thanks.

BTW.. Aren't staffs supposed to be two handed weapons? It doesn't seem to make a difference if I have my off hand empty or not, the defensive values don't seem to change.