A suggestion that comes in two parts - but first, a bit of a prequel:
Prequel - Mage is mid
Mage, despite being the class to represent AO, feels kinda lackluster. With Full Release, it’ll by far be the class with the least new content by virtue of how magic unlocks work which instates my problem with our current magics. They do nothing to interact with the world around them, aside from one exception: Poison magic.
I think this magic is the pinnacle of base magics because of its reaction with Plasmoid magics (Plasma/Fire/Flare/Heat); even though its completely useless to create solo (because it has no changes when you apply it yourself), its still fun to use, and a cool reaction to witness for the first time, and its one of the two things that made me most interested in the game.
That other thing that i found awesome with AO? THIS:
that event, even though you’ll always lose that clash because its Calvus, Feels both natural, and Awesome. It makes you wonder what you’ll be able to do with the stronger magics in the future, and encourages people that even their basic magics will still be somewhat relevant as they’ll continue to react with the later variants
If you’ve read the Prequel, i believe you understand my statement: I want magics to feel unique with each other. It’s unreasonable to do this For every magic, especially when we’ve got Lost’s and Ancient’s that will probably have backwards compatibility + reactions with each other. I still think this is a worthwhile investment. For my Example, I focus on two things that could spark a bit more wonder: our current Reaction Statuses (Frozen/Paralyze/Petrified), which i feel could be more unique from eachother; and Magic Mechanics/Interactions, like Water puddles getting electrically charged.
Disclaimer
Yes, the damage values would Definetly need to be adjusted after something as big as this; Frozen/Petrified having a 20% damage boost to several magics was because it would be hard to normally achieve them solo. because of the increased durations on the new status effects, these numbers will probably need to be lowered. I would not know, and do not wish to get into the balancing required for this, as these 20% boosts will also remove the status, and I'm not capable of making anything near even - this is also true for the numbers on duration and damage bonuses. Remember, this is a suggestion, or in other words, merely an outline of an idea, it's still up for testing and re-balancing.Reaction Statuses
Reaction Statuses
Let me be blunt: these are horrible. 3 unique statuses made from different magics in different orders… and they all do the exact same thing.
They all “work” in execution by themselves; You coat a target in liquid then rapidly freeze said liquid to generate ice and freeze them; you take the ashen skin of a person and remelt it back onto them, they cant move; you overstimulate somebodies nerves and cause cramps, they cant move; but each of these sounds so different from each other.
I get a part of the idea with these ones, but I think they can keep their original idea of being slowing statuses, WHILE also being unique:
I’ll mention it now, and for all future statuses: There should be a cool-down for reaction statuses, because imbuements can make them very easy to get, and the reaction status bonuses should also be adjusted.
I propose that all reactions get changed to a 15 second CD, and this cool-down only starts after the status ends. Reaction statuses shouldn’t be able to be refreshed.
Frozen
If the others change, this one *could* realistically be the same. But as per post, I'll do all 3 regardless:First, I’d increase the Duration. From its pitiful 1 second (0.5 when imbued) → about ~8 seconds (~4 for imbue). As for the slowness, it’s a bit weaker because of the length, from about 50% → ~25%; and there’s one more addition: this slowness will decreases as time goes by, staying at max % for 1-2 seconds before weakening.
Paralyzed
From this point onward, It'll be more creative with the statuses. Again, The OG-reactions will all be slowness based, but I've got a good idea for Paralyzed.Paralyzed now Lasts MUCH longer, at least 15 seconds. Instead of a long slow, the user gets slown for 1 second after a value is reached. This value triggers once 4 actions are done, replacing the 4th action with the slowness. The actions that increase the value are: dodging/reflex; super jump; abilities; using items; and blocking.
The slowness from this is only 15%. whenever the value is reached, a lighting vfx plays instead of the action attempted.
Petrified
By far the hardest of the OG to come up with ideas for. Petrified is a wierd status, but given how its a representation of heat, i feel that it should also deal some damage.My improvised Petrified will be the shortest lasting of the reworked statuses: lasting only 3 seconds. During this time, you are mildly slown (probably 5-10%), during this time, you’ll take 11% of the damage from attack that triggered Petrified every second (33% total). Any extra attacks you receive will have that 11% added after synergies:
get hit for petrified for 100 damage, every second, you take 11 damage, normally totaling 33 DoT damage. however, other abilities that hit you, regardless of its damage, will deal an extra 11 damage.
same cooldown as other reactions.
This concludes my Section on Magic reaction statuses. I could’ve made more, but i feel that too many right now would be miserable for balancing later. I do have some extra idea’s for those, but I’ll post them separately, my main issue was that our current reaction statuses were too similar, and not very engaging. My new Reactions aren’t just “oh you’ve got dmg/slow/blind but better” but take a part of the magics that made them and give them expression through their application (at least i hope they do).
anyways, round 2, where I’ll actually create new things: magic effects. Things like water puddles and Fire will be a bit cooler with this…
Magic Effects
Ignition
Poison clouds + Plasmoids (heat/plasma/fire/flare/etc)
Just a minor rework of this magic interaction. I find it boring that this doesnt modify any stats besides the clouds owner. I feel like these Interactions should have some benefits so that players who want to use them (even if the build is a gimmick) can still get some minor benefit.
Anyways, I’ll update this status so that it causes the cloud to start shrinking, but causes it to deal more damage. I think a simple design like this works quite well for basic magics. Reactions that are fun, but no something that needs to be prioritized (like how clashing works)
Detonation
Ash clouds + Explosion magic
So you know ho Poison + Plasmoids work? yeah imagine that but bigger. YW explosion mains, no need to thank me. Anyways, this created a large AOE attack that deals 25% of the players level in damage lmao (35 damage at 140). the explosion will take 1.2x the size of the ash cloud that triggers this interaction.
Misting & Steaming
Water/Acid puddles + Heat magics *or* Wildfire's + Water/Acid magic
Technically 2 different interactions, but they come from similar situatios:
Misting is created when a non-heat liquid puddle is hit with a heat magic; This creates a dense fog that increases the size of liquid magics (or any magic that receives an underwater size boost). This mist fogs peoples vision, and adds small distortion effects while somebody is inside. Uniquely, this affects all opponents, regardless of who made the mist. Mist deals no damage.
Steaming is created in the inverse situation: when wildfire (flames created from heat magics burning a surface) is put out by non-heat liquid magics. This creates a thinner fog that deals (level/11) damage; and increases the damage of heat magics by 3%. Like Mist, steam will also deal damage to everything inside, and buff the damage of all heat magics that cross it.
Mist will dissipate following the time a puddle will last; steam will dissipate following the time a flame would last
Dusting
Powder Debris + Wind magic
Take powder piles and turn them into Poison clouds. pretty much the same thing, but Powder clouds will only apply a status every 4 seconds. The size of the cloud is based on the pile size; being somewhat bigger than the pile that made it.
Glaciers
Snow piles + Ice
When ice magic hits a snow pile; it’ll rapidly grow the ice and snow and make a glacial stone. Players who touch these glaciers take minor damage (level/7), but are also hit with 5% slowness. The size of the glaciers is based on the snow pile that was hit, its size is increased by 25% and a glacier is then made.
Frosting
liquid puddles + Ice
Make ice sheets. These sheets make enemies use more stamina while moves / decreases agility. They also keep the property of the puddle that was Frosted. For example, frosted Acid will still deal damage, water will still make people soaked.
Obviously, this status fails if the puddle is a heat magic (so no magma frost), the frost is also destroyed should it be hit by heat magics.
Solidification
Water/Magma puddles + Magma/Water Magic
Slags of Volcanic glass: Obsidian. The solidified puddles have a chance of dealing damage when a person steps on them, they’ll deal mild damage (Level/3) and apply bleeding. These puddles can be hit by destructive attacks, which will destroy them; breaking the tiles into shrapnel that can damage players.
Closure
Anyways, this idea sprawled because we just got a suggester approval wave; and with this being my first suggestion (alongside one that would in hindsight be a HORRID idea that I will not get in to) I’ve decided to make this as my first suggester role post. Tell me what you think, and even if we cant get this for Base magics/relics, i still think Lost Magics are a definite point where this needs to be addressed. As for the reactions I’ve made, I feel that they’re simple enough to be unique, but also nothing too strong, just fun mechanics you get to consider while fighting opponents; as I’ve tried to build them in a way that doesn’t gutter the magic as much as poison is burdened by fighting fire/plasma. In a sense, advanced clash rates, but they apply to the effects in game.
I, again, feel that there was some intention to have this upon release, seeing how Intensity used to work, a stat like that would’ve functioned better if more Magic Debris had uses. These are just my thoughts, and as long as we get something like this for lost magics I’d be fine; even with the ideas I’ve provided, I’d be fine if they were only u[dated to add magics that can do these common effects; like if we got an oil lost magic, it would also be capable of being Frosted.
