Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 02:46 PM CST
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Shavay had suggested this over chat in Test, but it would be nice to have a metafeat that allows a player to PREPARE SPELLNAME MAX, rather than specifying a mana number. The game would determine the maximum amount of mana that character could cast at without backfiring, and the spell would be prepared at that amount, without the player having to figure it out.

I can see how this would be helpful to a lot of players going into 3.0 for the first time who don't want to have to take the time and figure out their personal caps for each of the many new spells.

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 02:52 PM CST
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>>Shavay had suggested this over chat in Test, but it would be nice to have a metafeat that allows a player to PREPARE SPELLNAME MAX, rather than specifying a mana number. The game would determine the maximum amount of mana that character could cast at without backfiring, and the spell would be prepared at that amount, without the player having to figure it out.

Too many variables influence that. Snap cast vs waiting. Fatigue. Spirit. Vitality. Wounds. Most of which can change positive OR negative over time timeframe it takes to prepare and cast the spell.


TG, TG, GL, et al.

"Disagreement with the fundamental plan at this point is akin to supporting Richard III vs the Tudors."
-Raesh
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 02:53 PM CST
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It might just be me, but I've noticed my backfire range to be a lot wider in 3.0 for spells that start in the single digits but max out ~100.

Sometimes I can cast a fully prepped MAF at 100. Sometimes I might still backfire at 90.

Not saying the idea is a bad one, but I don't think it's as exact as it used to be in 2.0



When in doubt, http://elanthipedia.org/
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 05:41 PM CST
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Make a macro? Though I guess for some guilds that'd be a lot of macros.



You've reached the uninformative help match I haven't written yet.
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 06:05 PM CST
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I say have a toggle that will force PREP SPELL to prep at the (absolute) max instead of the min as it does now.

-Artificer Nilassa

You notice Kssarh trying to remain hidden while speaking.
You hear the voice of Kssarh say, "Slackers."
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 06:48 PM CST
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>>I say have a toggle that will force PREP SPELL to prep at the (absolute) max instead of the min as it does now.

If you prep a spell at something bonkers like 999 it'll turn the power down to the actual cap. I don't think it's possible to cast past the spell cap anymore.



When in doubt, http://elanthipedia.org/
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 07:44 PM CST
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>>If you prep a spell at something bonkers like 999 it'll turn the power down to the actual cap. I don't think it's possible to cast past the spell cap anymore.

I think (if Im reading these correctly) what folks are wanting is not to auto cast at the spells cap (ie 100 etc) but at the mages personal cap.... So for example say I can cast CV at 60 mana without backfiring I would PREP CV MAX and it would auto pick 60 as the mana amount.

~Tezirite Renzar Lorrani

"Power is merely a stepping stone to more power."
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 07:48 PM CST
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I think, and I have been reading correctly that there was two different versions. One, that casted at the mages personal cap, which would take alot of time to make since it would have to take alot of different factors into effect, and one version that automatically casted at the cap of the actual spell.
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 07:57 PM CST
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I'd be pretty happy with a prep level that is the minimum amount that will teach me, assuming full prep time.
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 08:03 PM CST
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>>I think (if Im reading these correctly) what folks are wanting is not to auto cast at the spells cap (ie 100 etc) but at the mages personal cap....

The first suggestion did. The second suggestion that I responded to didn't.



When in doubt, http://elanthipedia.org/
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 08:49 PM CST
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>version that automatically casted at the cap of the actual spell

That is exactly what I was suggesting.

-Artificer Nilassa

You notice Kssarh trying to remain hidden while speaking.
You hear the voice of Kssarh say, "Slackers."
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 09:04 PM CST
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I actually ran this idea by some of the magic people when it came up a few days ago and the answer is that it would technically be nearly impossible due to all the variance that can go on, not the least of which is prep time and some actual RNG.

It would basically have to recursively fake casting the spell with every variable known (Which includes the target) over and over until it found the level of failure, back up one iteration and store that every time you prepped, and even then you run into cast time variance and so forth.

It's a nice idea, but it's not a practical one.

-Raesh

"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 09:29 PM CST
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What about an item (like a spell book?) that you could hold and "pre-program" your preps for you.

>turn book
You turn to the page titled See The Wind

>read book
You read through your notes and recall that you can cast See The Wind at 55 mana.

>note book 65
You scribble out your old notes and make a note that you can cast See The Wind at 65 mana.

>glance
You glance down to see a spellbook in your right hand and nothing in your left hand.

>prep STW book
Using your book for reference, you take up a handful of dirt in your palm to prepare the See the Wind spell. As you whisper arcane words, you gently blow the dust away and watch as it becomes swirling motes of glittering light that veil your hands in a pale aura.

Just a random thought.



Player of Diggan, Ranger & Halfing of Aesry
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 09:36 PM CST
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As GRIM45 pointed out though, it's a problem because of what happens between PREP (spell) MAX and when you CAST.

Say you have a spell that the system says you can do 50 mana at the time of the cast. So it does PREP HEAL 50.
Over the next 10 seconds you get smacked 5 times and lose half your vitality and have a head wound. Your actual max cast is 40, but your prep is 50.
You would backfire.

I think it would still be a good idea to implement, because if nothing else, in safe non-combat conditions, it would give people a general idea of approximately what their mana cap is for each spell.

Kaeta Airtag

>>Actually an opinion cannot be changed or corrected. Nice try back of line.-VERATHOR
>>But it can be wrong.-Starlear
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 09:38 PM CST
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And I should refresh my forum pages before I actually make posts in fairly active folders.

Kaeta Airtag

>>Actually an opinion cannot be changed or corrected. Nice try back of line.-VERATHOR
>>But it can be wrong.-Starlear
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/12/2012 10:31 PM CST
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>I think it would still be a good idea to implement, because if nothing else, in safe non-combat conditions, it would give people a general idea of approximately what their mana cap is for each spell.

I think if we're going to put in something like that, we already have it. Prep X, backfire, reduce, backfire, reduce, cast, increase, backfire, reduce, cast, etc.



Adding nothing to the conversation since 1834.
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/13/2012 01:39 AM CST
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I think the book idea has some merit, though I'm not involved enough in the core magic to be sure how feasible it would be.

-Raesh

"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/13/2012 07:12 AM CST
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>I think the book idea has some merit, though I'm not involved enough in the core magic to be sure how feasible it would be.

It would have some issues for an Empath under Shock if you want to know what you can cast at at that moment. What I can max cast at 0% can be significantly reduced as I approach and hit 100%, by as much as half.

Asbhuan
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/13/2012 07:19 AM CST
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If I'm being honest, my current opinion is that learning your danger zone and how it can be impacted by your current state -- especially something long-term like Shock -- falls squarely in the category of developing player knowledge of the game.

-Armifer
"In our days truth is taken to result from the effacing of the living man behind the mathematical structures that think themselves out in him, rather than he be thinking them." - Emmanuel Levinas
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/13/2012 11:11 AM CST
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Current state is a variable that makes it a challenge to accomplish the proposal if someone expected that concept to be the absolute answer of current personal max. I suspect spell stance and known feats would be variables as well.

Personally I've had no problem PAFOing how Shock affects me as an Empath in live 3.0.

Asbhuan
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Re: Prep Spell Max on 12/13/2012 01:25 PM CST
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>>If I'm being honest, my current opinion is that learning your danger zone and how it can be impacted by your current state -- especially something long-term like Shock -- falls squarely in the category of developing player knowledge of the game.

This is honestly the thought that crossed my mind when I read the suggestion.



Individuals, families, countries, continents are destroyed at the heavy hand of Vinjince.

-GM Abasha
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