CLOK BBS

Utasa will find fun results if they CAST while channeling wavebending.

Went over these old posts and found some useful information. I have a question though. What happens if you channel more than one level of wavebending? I can't seem to -cast- anything with two or three levels of wavebending. Does having more than one channel offer a better chance to dodge?

When I have 2 or 3 channels of wavebending and try to -cast- it says,
"You don't have a spell or valid conjuration prepared, or a wand to cast with."

Right now the only thing that channeling more than one instance does is increase your channeling skill. However, it won't stay that way, and now that you've asked, I'll work on adding usefulness to it.

Here are a few ideas for new channeling effects or Agent abilities.

- An AOE effect for mesmerize (channel level 2 - 3)
I know it says on the Utasa Agent wiki page that agents are made for one on one combat but it does seem a little weird that an ability that mimics a "flash bang" can only effect one person. Regardless if they are standing by them or not.

- Ninja VANISH!
A way to instantly flee from a room and release you from any effect that would otherwise hold you there. Probably would not work against stun effects.

- Distant whisper
Whisper to someone in character from far away regardless of esp channel.

- Air pressure/sound based procs on a weapon or an ability
Yes I know, it's an offensive ability but still could be fun.

Can Agents manipulate light and sound great enough to create illusions or is that beyond them? If they can here are a few abilities.

- A Fake clone
Create a temporary fake duplicate of yourself to trick enemies to attack it and not you.

- A fake enemy
Make an enemy look like you so that other enemies in the room will attack it for a round or two before they realize who it really is.

Regarding Utasa using wavebending to make illusions and clones, see Mirrors. I don't know that they have enough control to make the clones look like they're doing different things than the agent himself, but several duplicate images is still quite effective.

Regarding the flashbang effect - we want to change how it works. We've agreed basing its success on dodge, and focusing it on a single person, is odd. I think giving it an AoE effect plays to the "take on one opponent at a time" concept. Whatever it ends up as, know that Rithiel and I have agreed that it's odd/silly in it's current form, and will be tweaked.

Speaking of illusions, It might be fun to have some sort of disguise ability. Disguising yourself as a monster or an NPC might be too obvious but it would be quite cool if you could play spy and disguise yourself as another random player.

- It would have to be a player than is online at the same time.
- It would have to rely on either your stealth or wavebending skill, maybe both.
- I would also think the disguise would probably fail if you said anything.
- The disguise can be defeated by other players perception skill.

Oh another idea for 3 channeled wavebending.

Invisibility!
Would probably need to add some pros and cons to make it more balanced but I could see this as a stealth technique that could be used anywhere. I think a 10 second cooldown to come in and out of it should be enough.

We've got plans for a limited invisibility, but you won't be able to do much while invisible without revealing yourself. Invisibility is one of those things where it could get really overpowered really fast. It'd be more of an escape/spying tool.

I noticed how rogues can strike with a melee weapon from hiding then in the same move return to hiding. Can normal player thieves do this too? If so is there a skill for agents to do the same thing?

That's the shadow strike ability. It works well when there is only the single target in the room, because if there are more than one things in the room then they will see you return to hiding. I think that only thieves and assassins have the ability right now.

Utasa has something too, I think. Let me check the wiki.

I was wrong, they have this: http://wiki.contrarium.net/index.php/Blink

Unfortunately, they don't work the same. That move lowers their defense like the thieves dirtkick ability but it won't give us the ability to have multiple rounds of melee stealth attacks.

It's abilities like blink that makes them more suited to open combat than a thief. Most of the thief abilities focus on avoidance (dodging and other stuff to help you get away) and stealth exclusively, with the exception of a few like hamstring and flip that can be used to give them an upper hand in open combat (you need a partner who also knows flip for it to work, i'll add).

All of that to say that agents are wannabes. Lol.

And I'm pretty sure dirtkick doesn't lower defense, unless you count lowering their perception and making it easier to get a successful ambush/snipe.

I can't be completely certain, but I believe Rithiel's idea was that an agent would start out combat from stealth, then proceed to use their wavebendy abilities to enhance their open combat, rather than constantly returning to hiding like a thief or assassin.

So instead of re-hiding, they'd blink, mesmerise other hostiles via flashbang, conjure up Mirrors to greatly increase their dodge and confuse enemies, etc. If they're hiding, all their flashy stuff is going to be wasted. It'll either reveal them, or it'll go unseen. No need to hide when you've got a bunch of mirror images around you anyway and they can't tell which is you.

That's my impression, anyway.

So, I've started out trying an Utasa. One of the first things I've noticed is that Flashbang requires marksmanship for accuracy. Is this intentional? I understand marksmanship is used for projectile based spells, but this isn't a projectile based raw cast, is it?

Secondly, with a single channel of wave bending up, I don't seem to be gaining any Channeling skill, even when studying Channeling.

*EDITED TO ADD*

Also, it would be nice if there was a way for Utasa to customise the colour of ther flashbang/lights, and possibly the actual sound that comes with flashbang.

I've been wondering, is there anything being done to the raw cast of wavebending? It's been a few months since these posts, and I really support the idea of making the raw cast an aoe rather than a single target.

Since this post seems really short, I figured i might as well as add some examples...
One channel causes the basic single target mesmerize.
Two channels causes the basic single target mesmerize with a chance for the effect to carry over to another target.
Three channels causes all targets in the room not grouped with the caster to have a chance to be mesmerized, allowing the Utasa to fight one at a time.