Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) Suggestions Suggestion: Add this spell

Mages should have a way of absorbing the mana from other enemies they face. Create another spell similar to life leech.

Magical Sieve

Skill Description: Drain mana from your opponent and add it to your own reserves. Unlike life leech, it is possible to have more mana than you had originally.

In-Game Stats:
Level 1: Target loses eight percent of his mana. Targets with spiritual resistance over 10 are immune. Magic Cost: 5
Level 2: Target loses eleven percent of his mana. Targets with spiritual resistance over 30 are immune. Magic Cost: 7
Level 3: Target loses fourteen percent of his mana. Targets with spiritual resistance over 50 are immune. Magic Cost: 9
Level 4: Target loses sixteen percent of his mana. Targets with spiritual resistance over 70 are immune. Magic Cost: 11
Level 5: Target loses eighteen percent of his mana. Targets with spiritual resistance over 90 are immune. Magic Cost: 13

Ok ok ok, let me get this straight:

You just made up a spell, that absorbs mana to your own character. To cast this spell, it costs the player a certain amount of mana.

Ok...

So basically, you get mana for nothing. Yeah... great spell... woo! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

I have the feeling you didn't quite think this through... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Hi Tovi,

It is definitely possible for you to absorb more mana to offset the spell costs. You can modify the game to fit the spell or modify the spell to fit the game.

Personally I think that a mana equivilent of Survivor's Instinct would be more suitable.

With your idea, how about there being a Stamina cost to absorb Mana? It makes sense to use another resource to replenish the other. Also, there's the problem that the enemies don't have mana. They just keep casting to their hearts desire. This could be fixed of course. Perhaps enemies can have a mana rating, but still have unlimited mana. I think they need unlimited mana otherwise it would be too easy to drain them, making magical enemies defenseless.

Hi Handefood,

One purpose of the magical sieve is to render enemies defenseless or nearly defenseless when it comes to using their magical powers. It doesn't seem to make sense to use stamina to drain away another person's mana. It would no longer be a magical spell. In fact, I don't know what that would be. If enemies don't have mana, then they shouldn't be able to cast any spells. In addition it doesn't make sense for enemies to have a mana rating but still have unlimited mana. It's a contradiction that does not seem to work well.

That's fair then. The only problem I have is that I've seen what happens when a Wizard runs out of Mana: They die, quickly. If enemies have limited mana, what stops a Warrior -- or any other quick character -- from running in circles until the enemy's Mana is depleated from throwing fireballs, then whacking them a couple of times to kill them? Perhaps both skills are needed: Magical Seive and Mana Restore. Enemies can have levels of Mana Restore so that when their Mana runs out, they can replenish slowly, leaving them vulnerable but not completely defenseless.

Just to clarify, is your skill meant to steal Mana from an enemy and add it to your own, or just to dispel their Mana?

Perhaps another spell could be something similar to the D&D spell Silence. Silence prevents any sound happening within a 15 foot radius of the target, making any spell requiring speech impossible to cast. Perhaps Anti-Magic Sphere could block a target from casting for x seconds?

Hi HandEFood,

I think a summoning spell will stop a warrior or quick character from running around. My skill is meant to steal mana and add it to your own way beyond what you had originally. I'm not sure if mana restore is neccesary if there are so many mana potions available. Antimagic sphere and Silence are good spells to consider. You may have to talk about how it can replace or supplement Spellshield though. Maybe silence or antimagic sphere can counter spells like hellspikes and curse?

Thanks. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

I haven't encountered many enemy Wizards, bar Skeleton Conjurers, yet. Do they like summoning things later in the game too?

I was thinking that Anti-Magic Sphere would stop an enemy Wizard from casting any spell for a duration. You'd cast it on a boss monster or, if there are a few too many smaller Wizards about you could supress some of them to help even the odds.

Speaking of Spellshield, what is the difference between that and Aura of Guarding?

Would it be a good idea to let your Mana rise above it's max because of the spell? I think it would be more likely that you head would explode from more magical energy than you could contain!

I think Mana Restore makes sense. A pure Wizard character relies on magic too heavily to be denied it.

Spellshield - absorbs magical damage (poison, traps, etc.)
Aura of Guarding - absorbs physical damage

Hi HandEFood,

Head exploding??? Lol...I don't think so. Hey...A wizard's head does not explode. It expands as you give it more magical energy. And anyway, if you were to cast a spell like Bless which serves to increase the amount of mana a wizard has, his head doesn't explode.

No, I'm concurring with another fan here and they agree that Mana overdose is not a healthy experience.

Hi HandEFood,

Is it true that two people are ganging up on me? Mana overdose doesn't really occur. After all, if you wear an item that has been charmed to increase magical energy, does your head explode? I don't think so. In the path of the Divine, there is a spell called heaven's blessing which also gives you extra mana by increasing intelligence. It's no big deal. The Divine One is a noble being. He/she is strong enough to handle vast amounts of intellectual energy. Don't worry.

Cheers, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

I see it this way: An individual has the capacity to control a certain amount of magical energy, Mana, just as one can understand things or have skills up to a certain level. Your ability with a sword is increased through training and experience. Your ability to handle wounds is increased by learning to roll with punches and minimise the long- and short-term effects of wounds. Your ability to handle magic is raised through experience in casting and training of mental control.

Your mana level reflects how much magical energy you can manipulate. If you are in a Maths exam, you can only calculate so many equations before your brain says "No more!" Some people can answer more questions, others less, depending on their inherent nature and studies. Mana potions are like a clensing; they clear your mind of magical mental blocks. It's like when you drink coffee (or what ever your beverage of choice is) at work to give you that extra kick.

Items enchanted to benefit the wearer are helping to take that burden away from the body. A sword that increases your Offense or Agility is probably lighter and easier to wield. Armour that increases your defence or hit-points is designed to take blows more effectively. A staff that increases your Intelligence or Mana is helping channel the magical energies. By acting as a Mana Rod (as opposed to a Lightning Rod), the staff can act as an attractor of untapped Mana. Combining that with your minds ability to cast spells, you can use more Mana because the staff takes some of the burden of chanelling.

How Strength is increased, I'm not so sure. That's just plain magic.

I believe that you cannot channel more Mana than you are able, just as you can only do so much math before you start halucinating. You have a maximum Mana level for this reason. If somehow, more magical energy was pumped into you, I believe that your body and mind would have a similar effect to a drug overdose. You could handle chanelling a certain amount of magical energy, just as you can drink so much alcohol, but too much is poisonous, just like alcohol.

This is my take on Mana and all things mathmatical in Divine Divinity, and any other RPG for that matter.

Hi HandEFood,

As you said earlier, strength is increased by pure magic. If it's possible to increase strength with pure magic, then it is possible to increase mana with pure magic. Magic is powerful because it has the ability to circumvent normal rules, don't you think? It makes what was once impossible, possible. Can't you just accept the fact that the magical spell I've created has the capacity to not only increase your mana but also do so in a manner that will not make your head explode?

Thanks, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

You're right, magic can do anything. Then shouldn't the spell then increase your maximum Mana as well, if only temporarily?

Hi HandEFood,

Why can't this spell be different and make it permanent if magic is so powerful?

Okay, so how much Mana is required to twist reality this extremely, that you can permenantly raise your mental powers, and how difficult is this spell (as in level requirements)?

I'm sorry if I'm being harsh. I'm not trying to rip your ideas apart. I think it's a good one, but just needs some balancing.

One variation I though of is having the spell drain anothers Mana into yourself, increasing your's temporarily (for, say, five seconds) and then you can use that to throw a really big spell back at them. Essentially, you're using their own Mana against them. Or instead of having a timed Mana increase, excess Mana drains away slowly, until it reaches your maximum again?

Hi HandEFood,

Permanently raising mana is the path I'll choose. Required levels...maybe similar to something like spellshield...I need help from someone in the forum. What are the 5 required levels for spellshield and also for life leech?


Thanks, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

life leech

Life Leech


Skill description
Drain the vitality force from your opponent and add it to your own reserves.

In-game stats
Level 1: Target loses 8 percent of his vitality points. Targets with spiritual resistance over 10 are immune.
Level 2: Target loses 11 percent of his vitality points. Targets with spiritual resistance over 15 are immune.
Level 3: Target loses 14 percent of his vitality points. Targets with spiritual resistance over 20 are immune.
Level 4: Target loses 16 percent of his vitality points. Targets with spiritual resistance over 25 are immune.
Level 5: Target loses 18 percent of his vitality points. Targets with spiritual resistance over 30 are immune.
pic in use


spellshield



Skill description
A bright magical shield of absorbing energy protects the caster from magical attacks.

In-game stats
Level 1: Shield absorbs 60 damage.
Level 2: Shield absorbs 80 damage.
Level 3: Shield absorbs 100 damage.
Level 4: Shield absorbs 120 damage.
Level 5: Shield absorbs 140 damage.

in use pic

Do you know what the level and Mana requirements are?