I've rolled a new version of SLS into test. I fully expect it to need some tuning to get the numbers right (Assuming no larger problems crop up... most of the scary mechanics remain untouched, but since I didn't write the initial version of the spell it's entirely possible I broke something subtle).

The major differences:

No longer usable during the day
Generally drains a very low amount of mana for a cyclic spell except when active in combat.
Generally will act slower than before
Redid the logic for how constellations influence it's behavior
Secondary damage changed from fire to impact
Changed preqs to DO or Burn
General clean up (In messaging and whatnot)

I don't expect many of these changes to be popular since, overall, they do represent nerfs but hopefully with the rest of TM feeling better right now this will allow the spell to be more in line with where it should be. I'm also in the proposal process for a new Moon Mage combat cyclic (it's not yet anywhere near a point where I can talk about it in detail however) that will play a very different role from SLS but give an alternative and something to use during the day or in place of SLS and it's night only use isn't your thing.

-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

I never really keep my SLS up during the day, I know a lot of folks do and will be mad to see that part changed. I'm happy that another combat cyclic will be available though, i'm sure that will help alleviate folks issues.

>-Raesh

Great! I'm excited for this! I'll check it out in test and see if I can help with any feedback.

Another cyclic TM spell that functions during the day would be much appreciated as well! Not to beat a dead horse but are there plans for Crystal Spike to come back in 3.1?

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>>Not to beat a dead horse but are there plans for Crystal Spike to come back in 3.1?

In 3.1? No. Will it return? Yes. Tentatively it's going to be a Stellar spell called Celestial Spike and be slightly rethemed to better fit with the current incarnations of Moon Mage Magic. Mechanically the goal will be to keep it very similar to it's 2.1 functionality. The main hold ups on it are the fact that this means redoing a fair bit of the TM messaging (Which is time consuming) and writing the quest (Which Armifer has written a general outline for and I've got some mechanical ideas how to make function).

>>Will we retain the quest spells we've already learned when 3.1 rolls into prime?

I'm not actually sure. My guess would be no, but it's not a conversation I've been involved in.

>>Wtb shadow web - shadowy hellscape cyclic aoe debilitation.

I have literally no idea where we're going with this spell, sorry. That description there is about as much as I know of the intent for the new version (and may well be all anyone knows of it) and that doesn't lend itself very well to "So, what does this spell actually DO anyway?" Couple that with the already large number of disablers and the general low power status of cyclic CC (due to diminishing returns) and it's going to be a tricky one to solve.

-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

That does not sound like a spell most people would want to use or that would mechanically function very well. In general anything that involves darkness is a hack job at best - DR doesn't really handle lighting well as most of you likely know.

-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

Something similar to hydra hex/malediction would be outstanding.

>>Really? Darn. I figured the idea of some kind of blanket to-hit AoE debilitation where everyone suffers (including the caster if they don't bother having something like PG or CV up) would be kind of fun.

Perhaps I phrased that wrong. At first glance it doesn't strike me as the sort of spell a lot of people would like and rather niche, but I've been wrong about that before. Moon Mages have long mined the vein of "Quirky, complex spells" and sometimes those are popular and sometimes they really aren't. Either way, my concerns are much more on the mechanical side - Interaction with darkness always feels like a hack job in the best of cases. It's just not something that was ever integrated into the core game at the levels we would need for it to not feel that way. Not only are there a lot of mechanical hurdles to face to 'make any room dark' (Getting it to work 90% of the time? Sure. Close to 100% of the time? Much harder...) but once you're there it doesn't actually DO much. Lots of systems don't check for it. It doesn't stop most interactions. Really it just blocks the room look and not a whole lot more, and then if you want to make it MAGICAL darkness that you can't dispel with a common light source (never mind trying to ID what a common light source is...) the rabbit hole gets deeper.

... and yes, the fact that I know this much about how darkness works off hand should indicate I've tried to play in that space before and gotten burned. An early version of the Eclipse spell it was specifically requested that it fail if they had a light aura on them or were holding a light source or something since it makes thematic sense. It wasn't until I started coding it that I realized supporting that ended up doubling the length of the spell, easily. (As an aside that isn't what's delayed Eclipse, it missed release before 3.1 because of a different issue I hit with how the combat system messages that make me backtrack and revise how it thematically and mechanically how it worked and I've been holding on digging back into it until combat and magic stabilize again.)

See also the old 'Darkness' spell as an example of someone else trying to play in this space and failing miserably.

>>If anything, I was wondering if a to-hit debilitation was something that is allowed under current buff/debuff rules.

Kinda.

You can do it as an extremely short term thing, but practically speaking it would most likely end up as a weapon/stat debuff to the target or a bonus to one of your defenses.

Debuffs don't play in exactly the same space as you might expect because they're largely designed with creatures in mind and as much as we try and treat creatures and players the same mechanically there are some glaring differences, particularly in how they track skills. This is where you end up with something like Tezirah's Veil which on the surface looks like it's doing the same thing to creatures and players but in reality it's doing two very different mechanical things that both approximate "Randomly make you worse at stuff".

-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

What about a debilitating fortress of ice? Pocket shadow space that debilities others within.

Yamcer

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"You know, while I understand the importance of seeing the (personal) validity in other's arguments, it's impossible for me to believe fully that others are correct. If their argument was correct, I'd change mine." - My GF

>>What about a debilitating fortress of ice? Pocket shadow space that debilities others within.

That sounds like Banishment.

-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

>>Um, how DO the constellations influence its behavior?

In 2.1 it checked if it was a defense, offense or lore constellation and varied some of the stats of the sphere based on that.

In 3.0 it checked if it was a magic constellation and made it cycle faster if so.

In 3.1 it PAFO'ed.

>>When you say you have another cyclic combat spell planned, is it TM?

Yes, but likely not in the way you are thinking. I will give one hint for now. "Kelsier".

-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

>>Ok Mistborn junkies. Fill me in on what Kelsier's special moves are.

That's not really going to get you too far - it's more a specific scene with him that inspired the idea.

-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

>>Does SLS 3.1 still have any interaction hooks with the glowing iron fragments in the loot system?

I left those all in place, yes.

-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

>>What do these do?

http://elanthipedia.org/w/index.php/Item:Glowing_iron_fragment

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Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.

I was asking because elanthipedia only says that it "enhances" SLS. I wondered if anyone knew more about the actual effect (more damage? greater accuracy? both?).

I've found them a few times, might eventually test them, but without at least a direction for the hypothesis it's hard to get motivated.


-- Player of Eyuve

>>More importantly (at the time) they let you cast even when the stars were faded.

Yes Please and thank you!!

Speaking of which (and maybe this should be posted in the events discussion) but would it be possible to get star-streaked sacks back for those of us that weren't around to get one?

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