The issue
One of the biggest complaints players have regarding the Dark sea is Water poisoning. It’s a randomised mechanic that can catch you off guard at any time and cause you to easily lose a run. There is no telling when it might strike, and chances are you’ll be caught soapless, far from your ship or any cover.
However, this doesn’t go just for Water poisoning. Though less prominent, the issue of environment damage is present in other situations as well. This includes fire at fort Castrum, poison puddles on Far reaches island and so much more.
The fundamental issue with these threats is the fact that many of them deal absurd amounts of damage due to being percentage based, as well as force the player to take uncomfortably careful steps. This is further worsened by the fact NPCs aren’t affected by any of these, so the unholy atlantean chasing you is fully immune to the magma puddle which just cost you half your hp.
Introducing: Environmental resistance secondary jewel effect
When dragon update came out, one of the first complaints people had was water poisoning hitting them while they were fighting dragons. Dragons which drop scales which have yet to receive any purpose other than being sold to pay for repair kits.
However, what if there was another use for the scales that would make them more valuable and make dragon fights slightly easier?
By adding 5 of any dragon scales to a gem at a jewelcrafting table, the player can obtain the new “Environmental resistance” effect, which reduces damage from various hazards and outright nullifies others. The effect can scale from 0.5-5% and caps out at 100%.
Effects
Environmental resistance jewels reduce the damage of some environmental hazards and outright disable others, making them a valuable tool for exploration of dangerous areas and especially Dark sea expedition. Different sources of damage have different scaling.
The lore for why this works is simple. The dragons’ scales are naturally capable of warding off the Dark sea’s corruption, and also make the dragons highly resistant to various hazards. This property extends to jewels crafted with these scales, making their user much more durable in face of environmental threats.
Water poisoning
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce the damage dealt by Water poisoning by 1%. At 100%, the player becomes completely immune to getting Water poisoning.
Lightning strikes
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce the damage dealt by all lightning strikes by 0.5%. At 100%, all lightning strikes deal 50% the usual amount of damage, and no longer paralyze the player.
Tornadoes
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce the damage dealt by tornadoes by 0.5% and reduce DoT of imbued tornadoes by 1%. At 100%, the player becomes completely immune to getting afflicted with DoT effects from imbued tornadoes.
Water corrosion/Infection
This effect plays more of a role in worldbuilding, so it shouldn’t be affected as much, but should still have some effect.
Every 1% of environmental resistances will reduce the damage dealt by corrosion and infection by 0.5%, and reduces infection’s duration by 0.5%.
Magma
The effect of environmental jewels would only apply to some cases here, such as randomly spawning magma pools on Dark sea islands and magma found in diving spots and underwater structures.
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce the damage dealt by magma by 0.5%. At 100%, the player no longer gets ragdolled when touching magma.
Fire
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce damage dealt by burning status effect inflicted by environmental fire by 1%. At 100%, the player becomes immune to burning from environmental fire.
Poison
Every 1% of environmental resistance will reduce the damage dealt by sea urchin poison by 1% and Liquid starlight by 0.5%. At 100%, the player becomes immune to poisoning from sea urchins.
Why?
Well, first of all, scales currently don’t have any use except being sold, which is kinda lame. Second of all, this would incentivize the players to progress through the dragon fights by gathering dragon scales to craft environmental resistance jewels and protect themselves from ever-present hazards in a way that could adhere to the lore. It would make the higher tier fights marginally easier by not forcing the player to micromanage soap and constantly be tense over toxic puddles while a dragon is breathing fire on them.
