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I've found myself using this spell a bit more lately, and I realized that while its a fairly solid spell, its a perfect candidate for Necromancy Lore benefits. That said, I was a little unsure what things people would want to see from this spell if it were improved.
The most basic benefit I could think of was a simple duration improvement.
Another benefit I thought may be particularly useful were increased ability tiers based off of Lore ranks. For instance, with 50 ranks, it could WATCH a room and observe movement.
Either way, this was just my initial thoughts on the matter. What else would people think a good lore benefit for this spell?
Definitely the ability to WATCH a room. The argument against that is that it's an eye and can't HEAR things going on, so "watching" would be problematic since so much is sound-oriented (mainly speech). But I always felt that was a little bogus. I mean, here we have a floating, disembodied eyeball sprouting bat-wings and flying around of its own accord, but sprouting little bat-ears--no, now THAT would be just silly. :)
Logic aside, I get that "watching" would also hedge in on Wizard Familiar territory. As it stands, that is the main advantage of familiars over other types of companions, and if Sorcerers suddenly got that ability, it would create an inequity. On the other hand, for a sorcerer to gain this ability they must cast two spells instead of one (Minor Summoning and Eye Spy), AND invest in a good deal of lore.
I always felt that an eyeball-carrying-demon should be able to WATCH a room, anyway. At least the ones with ears. :)
~ Heathyr and friends
Logic aside, I get that "watching" would also hedge in on Wizard Familiar territory. As it stands, that is the main advantage of familiars over other types of companions, and if Sorcerers suddenly got that ability, it would create an inequity. On the other hand, for a sorcerer to gain this ability they must cast two spells instead of one (Minor Summoning and Eye Spy), AND invest in a good deal of lore.
I always felt that an eyeball-carrying-demon should be able to WATCH a room, anyway. At least the ones with ears. :)
~ Heathyr and friends
>The argument against that is that it's an eye and can't HEAR things going on, so "watching" would be problematic since so much is sound-oriented (mainly speech).
even that's not a problem. when people are placed in a situation often enough where they cannot actually HEAR anything, they will learn to lip read. long history of personal experience speaking to that. it's hard to lip read unless you're already focused on the person who is talking (ie by the time you've turned to face someone and try to lip read, they're already halfway into their sentence or even finished talking. however, you could direct your eye to WATCH one particular person (i believe this is already the case actually), and your eye would be able to tell what they're saying but no one else.
even if that were not good enough, I'd be OK with just WATCHING a room. you could see that people are talking or making noise, but not what they're saying. I rarely care what people are saying anyway when I'm using my eye.
~Moredin
even that's not a problem. when people are placed in a situation often enough where they cannot actually HEAR anything, they will learn to lip read. long history of personal experience speaking to that. it's hard to lip read unless you're already focused on the person who is talking (ie by the time you've turned to face someone and try to lip read, they're already halfway into their sentence or even finished talking. however, you could direct your eye to WATCH one particular person (i believe this is already the case actually), and your eye would be able to tell what they're saying but no one else.
even if that were not good enough, I'd be OK with just WATCHING a room. you could see that people are talking or making noise, but not what they're saying. I rarely care what people are saying anyway when I'm using my eye.
~Moredin
I have an even simpler solution to the "eye watching things" problem.
Its magic.
Heck, we even have official documentation that its not even a REAL eye, its an remove-viewing illusion which, when failing, can cause a somatic backlash which actually removes the real eye.
I wouldn't want it to be a free benefit. With improved training in Necromancy (threshold, not ranks per level), we could improve the link to allow for remote hearing as well. Any claim that we are moving in on Wizard territory can be dismissed because the eye A) Cannot seek targets or return to the caster, B) Cannot talk or gate C) Has a mechanical risk of a rank 3 eye scar and D) Would require training to use beyond the standard.
And yeah, I'd be okay with just watching, but I'd be concerned there is no easy way to "filter" sound out. Sounds like a huge amount of coding work to filter out all "sound only" background text.
Its magic.
Heck, we even have official documentation that its not even a REAL eye, its an remove-viewing illusion which, when failing, can cause a somatic backlash which actually removes the real eye.
I wouldn't want it to be a free benefit. With improved training in Necromancy (threshold, not ranks per level), we could improve the link to allow for remote hearing as well. Any claim that we are moving in on Wizard territory can be dismissed because the eye A) Cannot seek targets or return to the caster, B) Cannot talk or gate C) Has a mechanical risk of a rank 3 eye scar and D) Would require training to use beyond the standard.
And yeah, I'd be okay with just watching, but I'd be concerned there is no easy way to "filter" sound out. Sounds like a huge amount of coding work to filter out all "sound only" background text.
>Just slap some ears on the dang thing and be done with it!
Is it sad that I genuinely considered this?
While browsing at High's, I seriously considered the concept of a sufficiently skilled Sorcerer creating an organic construct of a floating eyeball with ears and a crude set of vocal cords, allows visual, auditory, and speech capabilities.
I also envisioned that losing said monstrosity would inflict a rank 3 eye scar, a rank 2 head scar, and a rank 2 neck scar.
Is it sad that I genuinely considered this?
While browsing at High's, I seriously considered the concept of a sufficiently skilled Sorcerer creating an organic construct of a floating eyeball with ears and a crude set of vocal cords, allows visual, auditory, and speech capabilities.
I also envisioned that losing said monstrosity would inflict a rank 3 eye scar, a rank 2 head scar, and a rank 2 neck scar.
>How about with increased lore you can get a batwinged skull with eyes and ears and a mouth...rar.
I can see it now . . .
So-and-so reaches into his face and pulls out his own skull, tossing it gently into the air, where upon it grows a pair of bat-like wings. It cackles a moment, then flutters and hovers about the area. So-and-so seems slightly deflated.
I can see it now . . .
So-and-so reaches into his face and pulls out his own skull, tossing it gently into the air, where upon it grows a pair of bat-like wings. It cackles a moment, then flutters and hovers about the area. So-and-so seems slightly deflated.
