Suggestion 3.
Spheres.
My proposal requires a preliminary analysis of the current situation with mages and a little more.
By introducing this, we will force mages to invest even more in their magical equipment.
As I understand it, the developers did not intend for mages to use large shields for self-defense.
However, players have found loopholes in the game mechanics and are using anything that helps them survive and win battles.
It is very difficult for a mage without the ability to block and control the enemy with spells to win, only if you don't deal incredibly high damage.
At the moment, there are many ways to defend against magic. Anyone who doesn't use them is a fool.
For example, in order to deal damage, a mage must have an intelligence of at least 100 and have Mental Training, Mental offence, and at least one spell school, as well as a spellbook with the necessary spell, reagents, and mana.
Without these, a mage is not a mage. But even if you have all of this and mastery skills and good jewelry for magic damage, then the enemy can have:
1) A lot of psyche, which gives resistance and damage reduction (except for some elemental spells).
2) Tursars have adamant, which reduces incoming magic damage by 20%.
3) Alvarins and humans have abilities that reduce incoming magic damage.
4) Everyone can drink a potion that gives 15% magic defense.
5) Everyone with adrenaline skills pumped has a Ward that reduces magic damage
6) Since a mage cannot kill an enemy with 100% HP with a single shot, even if the enemy is naked (a hint that some fighter can do this), the target always has the option to use a bandage, a potion to restore HP, a potion to reflect magic, a spell to restore HP, or a spell to reflect magic, which further complicates the mage's ability to kill their target.
7) Jewelry with protection against various schools of magic.
I'm not saying all this to complain to you.
No. I understand perfectly well that mages, if they unite, are a powerful and formidable force.
But a solo mage, if he can't control the opponent, and there are no controlling spells in MO2, it's very difficult for a mage if the opponent enters close combat.
Of course, it's possible to counter this by saying that a mage should be thin and fast. But is it right to dictate what a mage should be like?
The developers did this for a reason, so when you gain weight, you also gain intelligence and psyche.
This means that a mage can be fat.
But it's hard for a mage to block incoming damage in a close combat. Even with steel armor and the Brace ability, a fighter can take down a mage in seconds if the mage doesn't block incoming damage or heal it. But when you block, you don't fight back (and if you do, the tursar in steel doesn't care), and you're only focused on healing yourself, аnd this is a dead end for the mage.
Mage don't have blocking and hight STR.
In large battles, you can rely on your teammates to take down your enemies for you. And what about a 1v1 battle?
What does a mage have left in this scenario?
1) Be thin and fast.
2) Ride a mount.
3) Use a pet.
But not all mages are tamer and enemy can be tamer too.
And shouldn't it be the case that if a mage is not thin and fast, then they are a tamer?
That's why mages started using tower shield for their defense and death hand/ember for their attacks.
I think that if you want mages to give up their big shield defense (and they did it by adding a strength requirement), then you should give them the ability to actively defend themselves using magic. Not an adrenaline-based ability, but a magical ability to defend themselves against the incredibly powerful incoming melee damage.
Why do I consider melee damage to be incredibly powerful?
Well, just think about it, now with good jewelry and mastery, your melee can deal 60-70 damage to steel with an ability, and maybe even more.
What about Tursars, take Alvarin with their new armour pierced ability, which deals 45-60 damage to steel with a dagger that can strike from different directions at an incredibly high speed.
How can we implement this physical defense without causing an imbalance? You've probably seen similar things in other games.
Active use of magic protection using magic sphere as an example.
There is a magic sphere that is taken in the second hand (instead of a shield), in the first can be taken a torch or any other weapon.
Why still can't take as in MO1 torch and 1H sword / mace / axe / spear ?
When pressing the block, the sphere creates a magic shield, the size of a round / tower shield, what you want to do. When blocking this magic shield, it is not stamina that is spent, but mana. And the mage decides for himself what is more important at any given moment, whether to live under the shield for a little more time, absorbing at times less damage through a magic shield or to go to attack or as an option to try to get out of the battle or to break the distance.
This shield, should be like a physical, in the sense that it should protect only that part that is visualized. I.e. it can be bypassed and damage to the one who holds it. I.e. the mage should use this protection wisely! This is not a stupid paladin bubble.
I would make such spheres rechargeable with the help of spirit box. You can even make it so that the more souls you put in the sphere, the more it protects, or just make it so that the number of souls simply gives you the number of possible blocks using the sphere. I.e. take such a sphere and for example small spirit box, use combine skill and you have a charged sphere for 50 souls. How many souls you need for one block, you can estimate yourself.
Here I would add the ability to transfer souls from one spirit box to another, it has long been overdue. Why this has not been added so far, God knows.
By the way, the spheres could give some effect on the weapon you wear.
For example + fire damage (if the fire sphere) or + electric damage (if the electric sphere) or + cold damage (if the ice sphere). You can think of it yourself. I wouldn't give a lot of magic damage here. It's like the way the ignite effect works (its chance) when a fireball hits you. Or you can just make it visual or not do it at all.
Of course, I would make it so that the sphere only provides protection to mages, so that the meleefighter don't use it.
This can be implemented by adding a requirement to open the sphere based on the amount of intelligence.
I.e. a stupid tursar with 10-40 intelligence would simply not understand how to use this magic item, but starting from 50 intelligence, the sphere would start working. And the more intelligence, the more incoming physical (or is it only physical? we need to figure it out
) damage it can absorb. If I were to make it so that the sphere protects you not only from physical attacks, I would make different types of spheres. For example, if you want to protect yourself from electric elements, you could use an electric sphere to take less damage from them. If you want to take less damage from fire, then use the fire sphere, etc. Here, you could add a visual component to how the sphere opens, depending on how much intelligence you have and what type of sphere it is. For example, if you have low intelligence, the sphere will be almost completely transparent and barely visible, but if you have a lot of intelligence, the barrier will be slightly transparent. In short, the developers could make it clear from the outside who is in front of you, a weak hybrid with some kind of intelligence, or a fat, powerful mage with good intelligence.
Let's say that with 50 intelligence, the sphere will provide 5% protection.
At 140 intelligence, the sphere will give you 90% protection, which is the maximum, even if you have 200 intelligence (don't forget that when you block with the sphere, you spend mana and souls from the sphere!).
As an example here's a list of intelligence/protection combinations:
130/80
120/70
110/60
100/50
90/40
80/30
70/20
60/10
How much mana should be spent when blocking using a sphere?
Let's consider a few options:
1) The cost should be proportional to the amount of stamina used to block with a real shield.
Since mana is about half the amount of stamina, and it takes longer to regenerate than stamina, the cost of blocking with a sphere should be adjusted accordingly.
2) The amount of mana used to block should be proportional to the amount of damage absorbed by the magic shield.
In this scenario, the fighter will quickly deplete the mage's mana, but the entire amount of damage will be absorbed.
If you use this option, the protection gives 100% of physical damage, but all absorbed damage spends mana.
As an example:
you are dealt 100 melee damage, you block all 100 damage, but thereby spend 100 mana. How many times can you block like this?
Therefore, I consider 1) option to be the most optimal. The cost of mana for blocks with a sphere will be comparable to the cost of stamina for blocks with a shield.
A mage actively spends mana on defense and attack, and a foot soldier actively spends stamina on the same.
I think this is fair.
Spheres.
My proposal requires a preliminary analysis of the current situation with mages and a little more.
By introducing this, we will force mages to invest even more in their magical equipment.
As I understand it, the developers did not intend for mages to use large shields for self-defense.
However, players have found loopholes in the game mechanics and are using anything that helps them survive and win battles.
It is very difficult for a mage without the ability to block and control the enemy with spells to win, only if you don't deal incredibly high damage.
At the moment, there are many ways to defend against magic. Anyone who doesn't use them is a fool.
For example, in order to deal damage, a mage must have an intelligence of at least 100 and have Mental Training, Mental offence, and at least one spell school, as well as a spellbook with the necessary spell, reagents, and mana.
Without these, a mage is not a mage. But even if you have all of this and mastery skills and good jewelry for magic damage, then the enemy can have:
1) A lot of psyche, which gives resistance and damage reduction (except for some elemental spells).
2) Tursars have adamant, which reduces incoming magic damage by 20%.
3) Alvarins and humans have abilities that reduce incoming magic damage.
4) Everyone can drink a potion that gives 15% magic defense.
5) Everyone with adrenaline skills pumped has a Ward that reduces magic damage
6) Since a mage cannot kill an enemy with 100% HP with a single shot, even if the enemy is naked (a hint that some fighter can do this), the target always has the option to use a bandage, a potion to restore HP, a potion to reflect magic, a spell to restore HP, or a spell to reflect magic, which further complicates the mage's ability to kill their target.
7) Jewelry with protection against various schools of magic.
I'm not saying all this to complain to you.
No. I understand perfectly well that mages, if they unite, are a powerful and formidable force.
But a solo mage, if he can't control the opponent, and there are no controlling spells in MO2, it's very difficult for a mage if the opponent enters close combat.
Of course, it's possible to counter this by saying that a mage should be thin and fast. But is it right to dictate what a mage should be like?
The developers did this for a reason, so when you gain weight, you also gain intelligence and psyche.
This means that a mage can be fat.
But it's hard for a mage to block incoming damage in a close combat. Even with steel armor and the Brace ability, a fighter can take down a mage in seconds if the mage doesn't block incoming damage or heal it. But when you block, you don't fight back (and if you do, the tursar in steel doesn't care), and you're only focused on healing yourself, аnd this is a dead end for the mage.
Mage don't have blocking and hight STR.
In large battles, you can rely on your teammates to take down your enemies for you. And what about a 1v1 battle?
What does a mage have left in this scenario?
1) Be thin and fast.
2) Ride a mount.
3) Use a pet.
But not all mages are tamer and enemy can be tamer too.
And shouldn't it be the case that if a mage is not thin and fast, then they are a tamer?
That's why mages started using tower shield for their defense and death hand/ember for their attacks.
I think that if you want mages to give up their big shield defense (and they did it by adding a strength requirement), then you should give them the ability to actively defend themselves using magic. Not an adrenaline-based ability, but a magical ability to defend themselves against the incredibly powerful incoming melee damage.
Why do I consider melee damage to be incredibly powerful?
Well, just think about it, now with good jewelry and mastery, your melee can deal 60-70 damage to steel with an ability, and maybe even more.
What about Tursars, take Alvarin with their new armour pierced ability, which deals 45-60 damage to steel with a dagger that can strike from different directions at an incredibly high speed.
How can we implement this physical defense without causing an imbalance? You've probably seen similar things in other games.
Active use of magic protection using magic sphere as an example.
There is a magic sphere that is taken in the second hand (instead of a shield), in the first can be taken a torch or any other weapon.
Why still can't take as in MO1 torch and 1H sword / mace / axe / spear ?
When pressing the block, the sphere creates a magic shield, the size of a round / tower shield, what you want to do. When blocking this magic shield, it is not stamina that is spent, but mana. And the mage decides for himself what is more important at any given moment, whether to live under the shield for a little more time, absorbing at times less damage through a magic shield or to go to attack or as an option to try to get out of the battle or to break the distance.
This shield, should be like a physical, in the sense that it should protect only that part that is visualized. I.e. it can be bypassed and damage to the one who holds it. I.e. the mage should use this protection wisely! This is not a stupid paladin bubble.
I would make such spheres rechargeable with the help of spirit box. You can even make it so that the more souls you put in the sphere, the more it protects, or just make it so that the number of souls simply gives you the number of possible blocks using the sphere. I.e. take such a sphere and for example small spirit box, use combine skill and you have a charged sphere for 50 souls. How many souls you need for one block, you can estimate yourself.
Here I would add the ability to transfer souls from one spirit box to another, it has long been overdue. Why this has not been added so far, God knows.
By the way, the spheres could give some effect on the weapon you wear.
For example + fire damage (if the fire sphere) or + electric damage (if the electric sphere) or + cold damage (if the ice sphere). You can think of it yourself. I wouldn't give a lot of magic damage here. It's like the way the ignite effect works (its chance) when a fireball hits you. Or you can just make it visual or not do it at all.
Of course, I would make it so that the sphere only provides protection to mages, so that the meleefighter don't use it.
This can be implemented by adding a requirement to open the sphere based on the amount of intelligence.
I.e. a stupid tursar with 10-40 intelligence would simply not understand how to use this magic item, but starting from 50 intelligence, the sphere would start working. And the more intelligence, the more incoming physical (or is it only physical? we need to figure it out
) damage it can absorb. If I were to make it so that the sphere protects you not only from physical attacks, I would make different types of spheres. For example, if you want to protect yourself from electric elements, you could use an electric sphere to take less damage from them. If you want to take less damage from fire, then use the fire sphere, etc. Here, you could add a visual component to how the sphere opens, depending on how much intelligence you have and what type of sphere it is. For example, if you have low intelligence, the sphere will be almost completely transparent and barely visible, but if you have a lot of intelligence, the barrier will be slightly transparent. In short, the developers could make it clear from the outside who is in front of you, a weak hybrid with some kind of intelligence, or a fat, powerful mage with good intelligence.Let's say that with 50 intelligence, the sphere will provide 5% protection.
At 140 intelligence, the sphere will give you 90% protection, which is the maximum, even if you have 200 intelligence (don't forget that when you block with the sphere, you spend mana and souls from the sphere!).
As an example here's a list of intelligence/protection combinations:
130/80
120/70
110/60
100/50
90/40
80/30
70/20
60/10
How much mana should be spent when blocking using a sphere?
Let's consider a few options:
1) The cost should be proportional to the amount of stamina used to block with a real shield.
Since mana is about half the amount of stamina, and it takes longer to regenerate than stamina, the cost of blocking with a sphere should be adjusted accordingly.
2) The amount of mana used to block should be proportional to the amount of damage absorbed by the magic shield.
In this scenario, the fighter will quickly deplete the mage's mana, but the entire amount of damage will be absorbed.
If you use this option, the protection gives 100% of physical damage, but all absorbed damage spends mana.
As an example:
you are dealt 100 melee damage, you block all 100 damage, but thereby spend 100 mana. How many times can you block like this?
Therefore, I consider 1) option to be the most optimal. The cost of mana for blocks with a sphere will be comparable to the cost of stamina for blocks with a shield.
A mage actively spends mana on defense and attack, and a foot soldier actively spends stamina on the same.
I think this is fair.