New Abilities: Essence Leech, Minor Animation

Post by **Rias** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:58 pm

There have been disturbing reports lately of townsfolk disappearing without a trace, occasionally returning but not acting at all like themselves. Local Monks and Templar have reported cases of these hollow-eyed victims being infused with nether.

"Such occurances are not unheard of," commented Father Dimmes, "but the fact that it is happening here in Shadgard is very disturbing. I suspect our local sorcerer population is becoming more powerful and, as a result, more bold."

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Sorcerers may now learn Minor Animation. Skill requirements will probably go up eventually, but we wanted people to be able to test it.

Sorcerers may also now learn Essence Leech, which is particularly useful in procuring a relatively undamaged corpse for use in Minor Animation.

River · Post by **River** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:01 am

Essence Leach is so much more than I thought it was at first...I quite like it.

Post by **Rias** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 9:09 pm

Creatures animated by Minor Animation will now retain any special physical attacks they had in life. They will not, however, be able to use any non-physical abilities such as magic.

River · Post by **River** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:01 am

Thanks to Minor Animation Simon is my new best friend!

Jaren · Post by **Jaren** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 4:59 am

I bet he is real good at trivia questions too! Like if you asked him:

Jaren: What is the main organ responsible for human thought?
Simon: Braaaaaains.....

Jaren: Hmmm, yes.. yes.. I see.. and what is the common sound one makes when thinking?
Simon: uuuuuuuuuh.... <drools>

Jaren · Post by **Jaren** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 4:42 am

A thought... would it be kosher to request some sort of melee version of Essence Leech? Jaren's blood-crusted scythe is getting lonely and I think it would be cool for melee sorcs too who don't have a super high sorcery skill that can already hit most baddies.

Post by **Rias** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:05 pm

I've been trying to think of a way to make this work appropriately. The ranged version specifically does very low damage, but provides the benefit of energy gain, creating a sort of balance. The problem with making it melee is that it will presumably then be an effect of a weapon strike (since accuracy would be dependent on weapon skill), and that removes the balancing factor of low damage. If it were a weaponless version, it would either have to be based on brawl, I suppose, or just Melee. In the case of basing it on just Melee, it would still be very difficult to land a hit, since there would be no reason to remove the target's appropriate dodge, block, and parry skills from the defense formula in addition to their base Melee skill.

Sorcerers are an odd class in that they have some abilities that are geared toward casting/ranged, and others toward melee. They could technically do both; they'd just have to put more time into it in order to develop two different combat styles. Currently, I'm happy with how that is. I don't plan on making a melee version of every sorcery-based effect, or a ranged version of every melee-based effect.

Templar are the opposite. While sorcerers have (or are planned to have) most abilities tending toward ranged casting, with some melee in there for those who choose to go that route, you then have templar who have most abilities tending toward melee, with some ranged abilities for those who choose to use them. Specifically focusing only on one or the other will mean you'll just have to be content with losing out on some abilities or effects.