>First off, the percentage chance for determining a successful cast of 418 has changed to:
>- ((MnE spell ranks / 4) + (Elemental Mana Control ranks / 2) + Aura stat)

What was the previous success formula?

So basically, 418 is now safe to cast for most wizards? That's a nice upgrade!

~Taverkin

>> Now on to the good part. The WATERING (Okay, can we just call my part of the ELR "The WATERING" now? That would be Ah. Maze. Ing.). Now, on a successful cast of 418, an effect is applied to the caster which increases their mana regeneration by 10. The duration of the effect is a set number of pulses, using a seed 10 summation. So it will last 1 pulse with 10 ranks, 2 pulses with 21 ranks, 3 pulses with 33 ranks, etc.

Nice update! From the formula it appears that the chance for a casting failure can now be completely eliminated from this spell through training (where it couldn't before).

1) Do you need to remain stationary (in the room where Mana Focus was cast) to receive the increased mana regeneratiion benefit per pulse?

>> So it will last 1 pulse with 10 ranks, 2 pulses with 21 ranks, 3 pulses with 33 ranks, etc.

2) Given the context of ELR "The WATERING" I am assuming we are talking about Elemental Water Lore ranks for this benefit (but I hate to assume). And emphasis on ranks just to confirm it is ranks and not skill (aka bonus).

Thanks!

-- Robert

"All wizards are beginners; some of us have just been beginning longer!"

> My assumption for The Watering being that this is an extra-special BONUS boost of ten (+10) mana per <X number of> pulses, correct?

Yes. To be specific, with <10 ranks of water lore, the spell remains almost entirely unchanged (Other than the new success formula).

> The base effect of the spell, creating a temporary ManaNode (with its attendant increase in mana) remains unchanged?

This is correct.

>Lastly, did you in fact mean "Aura stat" [emphasis mine], as you wrote, and not Aura stat bonus?

No. I meant Aura stat bonus. Thank you.

~ Konacon

Not that I'm ungrateful, but I have to wonder why we didn't take this opportunity to make this spell more practically useful? The water lore addition is...okay. But it seems to me the ones who benefit the most from it would be unable to earn sufficient water lore to make it particularly worthwhile. But I suppose if you justify water lore, they train in it for other reasons besides. So maybe that aspect works out in the end. We'll see!

But mainly what I'm referring to is that 418 is so limited by the fact that it works on the room. So when would I use this spell? The only times I can see it being useful would be in the arena and possibly if you're in a stationary invasion group, like making a stand at the north gate. Otherwise, who the heck hunts by standing in one room and waiting? And why would you even need extra mana when you're spending so much time standing around not using mana anyway? If you're not hunting, then why aren't you on a node?

I just wish there were some primary benefit of the spell that lingered to make this spell worth casting on a regular basis. Perhaps that's not a criteria for you folks designing these changes, but one of my big pet peeves with GS game design is how many spells don't seem particularly useful. I almost NEVER used this spell before because it is rarely useful and the few times it is, the benefit is almost never worth the risk of casting it. At least when those once-a-year situations come up I will now be able to cast the spell without killing myself, but I am a bit disappointed we didn't find a way to rework this spell for regular use.

~Taverkin

Okay, I tried to break it but... everything seems to be working as advertised. Nice job!

-- Robert

"All wizards are beginners; some of us have just been beginning longer!"

> 1) Do you need to remain stationary (in the room where Mana Focus was cast) to receive the increased mana regeneration benefit per pulse?

>Nope. Remaining stationary is not required to continue to receive this bonus. ~Konacon

So, if I have 33 ranks of water lore, I'm going to get 3 pulses with a 10 mana bump per pulse? Can I just cast 418 again after the bonus drops to keep it going constantly? I realize that's not much of a net gain of mana but just wondering if there is any cool down or anything.

hm.. one question when you cast 418, the additional mana regen based on water lore. Does that duration only last as long as you remain in your Focus'd room? or can I 418, then continue wandering/hunting and enjoy the benefit of better mana regen temporarily?

I'd rather hear about your lawn as part of the post as well(though clarity and accuracy are always appreciated). It's much more entertaining and fun that way and the team has been great about responding to questions and providing clarification as needed.

-- Robert

"All wizards are beginners; some of us have just been beginning longer!"

> So, if I have 33 ranks of water lore, I'm going to get 3 pulses with a 10 mana bump per pulse? Can I just cast 418 again after the bonus drops to keep it going constantly? I realize that's not much of a net gain of mana but just wondering if there is any cool down or anything.

To be honest this gets a little funky. It requires a successful cast of 418 to work, so you'll have to make a new node, but there is no cooldown for this effect.

> So, I appreciate that you try to do releases in a fun and creative way, but I'd rather have clear, accurate posts detailing the mechanics instead of the fluff about the lawn.

Fair enough. If everyone just wants the mechanics, that's what they can have. My apologies. Disclaimer: Mistakes are still going to made on occasion and some things may need clarification. That's why I always make sure to keep a close eye on the forums after a release.

~ Konacon

>>if you returned in time for the pulse it would travel

I'm a bit confused, RRoy. The old way, the effect was anchored to a room. You could step out of that room, and if you made it back to that same room before the next pulse, it would remain and fire. If you didn't, it would dissipate. But it was a room-anchored event, it didn't move with you.

From what I'm seeing now, it would truly anchor to you - not the room. And it would move with you. Although how this plays out in application I haven't personally experienced yet.

Doug

This would also probably be great in a warcamp since everything keeps running at you at breakneck speeds. Just sit on a node at the entrance.

>I'd rather hear about your lawn as part of the post as well(though clarity and accuracy are always appreciated). It's much more entertaining and fun that way and the team has been great about responding to questions and providing clarification as needed.

It seriously adds way too much time to Wiki editing when the pertinent details aren't there at all or I have to weed through paragraphs of fluff or I have to keep adding corrective posts.

>Disclaimer: Mistakes are still going to made on occasion and some things may need clarification. That's why I always make sure to keep a close eye on the forums after a release.

That's fine, thank you :)

>>It seriously adds way too much time to Wiki editing

Ah! Now I understand.

Still, I like the fun. Wonder how we can get both covered off. Maybe the fun, with a separate section at the bottom appropriately tailored for draft WIKI format?

I can appreciate it's hard to enjoy the fun when it creates more work. But those roses need sniffin', dammit!

Doug

<Taverkin, I know that the places I used to see it being used all the time swarm(ed) regularly:
<- Ghoul Masters
<- Tree Spirits
<- Spectral Miners, right at the base of the ramp
<- Sheruvian Monastery, through the door at the far right end
<- same, two South of the arch (exits N, S, NW, NE, door1, door2, door3)

<And so on.

<Basically, anywhere there's a chokepoint or "a whole lot of rooms feeding into one".

<Why should I take the effort of walking around, if they're going to cooperate and feed themselves into the meat-grinder for me?


Yes, I remember those places, too. But that's really not how people hunt today and the way the spell works more or less ensures it rarely gets used.

~Taverkin

Hi everybody!

I'm going to give a little more information on Mana Focus because I'm gathering that it's a spell that there might be some confusion about the spell. This may have added to the confusion about my update. Here we go!

- If someone tries to cast 418 when another Mana Focus is already in the room, the spell automatically fails (Though not painfully). This includes the caster's own mana focus. It does not refresh.
- If a caster owns a mana focus in another room and casts 418 again, the old mana focus will be destroyed and a new one will be created in the caster's new room on a successful cast.
- The Mana Focus stays in the room while the caster is in the room according to its duration ((MnE ranks / 2) pulses). If the caster is not in the room, the mana focus will eventually dissipate, but not necessarily right away. The mana focus does not move.
- If the cast is successful and the caster has at least 10 ranks of water lore, an additional effect is applied to the caster that gives them 10 extra mana regeneration for (Water Lore Ranks, Seed 10) pulses. This effect is not tied to the mana focus in any way and does not necessarily go away when the mana focus does.

Does that help clear up the confusion with both the spell and the additional water lore effect? If not, keep the questions coming and I'll try again. :)

~ Konacon

Doug

Still, I like the fun. Wonder how we can get both covered off. Maybe the fun, with a separate section at the bottom appropriately tailored for draft WIKI format?

I was thinking something along these lines as well, though I probably won't tailor it PERFECTLY for the wiki:

Hi everybody! (Scroll down to MECHANICS if you don't want to read the shenanigans)

Shenanigans

== MECHANICS ==

Not Shenanigans

~ Konacon

So someone with 200 EMC ranks will never fail at casting 418 outside of a fumble? Even with 0 ranks in MnE and a 0 Aura bonus? Just checking.

>>Is it too much to ask that the rest of us be able to enjoy the spell, too?

Ya know, Tav - sometimes I really like your ideas, sometimes I don't. That's the great thing about differing perspectives.

Something I really dislike though is the propensity you seem to have to speak for 'us' (as evidenced in the clip). In this particular case, I am far more aligned with Robert - but I feel compelled to contortions to try to protect your concept which is supposed to include me, but doesn't really include me.

Perhaps just changing the above to - is it too much to ask that I be able to enjoy the spell with my hunting style, too? - would be more effective. Speaking for oneself reinforces the concept, it doesn't diminish it. In the end, if nothing else, I'd be grateful not having to worry about whether or not I was included, appropriately or inappropriately. I could speak for myself, you see. . .

Doug

> By the way Konacon, I love the success formula now much better, do we round up or down when figuring out or percentage chance to cast a good focus?

Round down, and thank you!

> Also wanted to comment that air seems like would be a better choice for lore benefits, but then air already has a lot of perks.

We're just getting started up in here!

~ Konacon