I like the idea of the anti-magic skilltree. It somehow plays well with and against the combat system by offering a nice array of tactical skills for players thinking out of the box !
And since we're sharing here, I have been thinking for some time about an equivalent to the Wild Mage from Baldur's gate 2, as told by a friend from some of his fondest memories of playing the game in co-op.
The Wild Mage, as a reminder, is able to cast high levels spells that he shouldn't be able to cast yet.
The cost is that the result will be ... Unpredictable. Turning your gold to rock, making cows rain from the sky, summoning a major unshackled and very pissed demon, changing a character's gender, etc, are among the most comical and random effects a Wild Mage can get out of his reckless spells. The most boring surprise? Having your spell actually cast.
I think that, in a game which will feature a lot of skills, and already includes a combat system based on elemental effects, as well as introducing various playable races, a Wild Mage equivalent would be a nice addition.
-- Spellomancing / Reckless Sourcering / I Have No Idea What I'm Doing / Hey what does this thing do? ( seriously I have no idea for a name. ) --
PROS:
- Can virtually use higher skills and spells as well as more powerfull versions of those.
- Can be fun.
- Randomness can be fought by leveling and investing points into the skilltree.
CONS:
- Randomness.
- Randomness.
- You may do more harm than good, because... Randomness.
With the following, almost always assume a Worst Outcome and a Normal Outcome.
Normal Outcome : the original skill or spell is simply cast with no alteration whatsoever.
Worst Outcome : a roll against some kind of "worst outcomes table" will be made. As a result, you may very well knockdown your friend, electrocute yourself, or hasten that gigantic orc. Or vice versa. Or turn into a girl. Or a lizard. Or see the world in red. Or turn red yourself. [cosmetic alterations only. You would retain your original race racial skills and chosen origin.]
- Let's try something new ( buff until next skill) :
You have an interesting idea. Let's try it to empower your next skill or spell !
Best outcome : modifiers that would control the damage or the chance of success of the skill will be higher than usual. [ ie : if the character has, say, 12 int, a damage spell will do as much damage as if they had 16 int ].
Moderate outcome : no modifiers, but the skill's cooldown will be halved.
- A little bit of this ( buff until next skill ):
Mix and match elements. What could possibly go wrong ?
Best outcome : Your skill will have additionnal elemental effect that may trigger an elemental combo. [ a fireball may also create a poison cloud that will immediately explode, or it may bring along some water that will douse the flames and create smoke. Utility skills inflicting an elemental ailment will inflict two ailments. ie Electrocuted + Burned ]
Moderate outcome : Your skill will have some additionnal, non comboting elemental damage [ a fireball with air damage ]
- Desperate times ( active ) :
No time to think.
Instantly cast a Worst Outcome.
- Magnum Opus ( active, high level, once per encounter ):
This is it. You've been preparing for this moment. There won't be outcomes. This is the real deal, folks.
You cast one of the highest level, damage dealing skill or spell of the game at random. This will target a random ennemy and does more damage than the real skill/spell. Let's just hope no one is caught in the blast. No one friendly, that is.
- Lucidity ( triggered, self buff ) :
You know that what you're doing is dangerous. Let's cool down a bit. But where is the fun in that ?
As long as Lucidity is active, Worst Outcomes won't be spells of a higher level than you or target your friends, but you won't get Best Outcomes either. [ leaving you with Moderate, Normal, or less dangerous Worst outcomes ]
- Recklessness ( triggered, self buff ) :
You know what you're doing is dangerous. So let's AMP IT UP !
As long as Recklessness is active, Worst outcomes won't be spells of a lesser level than you, and you will only get Best or Worst outcomes. [ If that level 3 healing spell turns into an apocalyptic rain of meteors, blame yourself! ]
- Raw Source Unleash ( source point active ) :
Maybe you're just showing off. Or maybe you're actually trying to make a difference.
You instantly inflict two random ailments [ elemental or magical ] to everyone on the battlefield, but the caster.
- Friendly Fire ( literally ) (source point temp buff )
Trust me, I swear ! Jump INTO the flames !
Instead of harming your companions, your failed - or successfull - damaging spells will heal them up. Ailments won't apply to players that you hit.
- innate boost from picking the skilltree and putting points into it :
The more you shape and test, the more your understanding of the Source grows.
Higher chances of getting a Best or Moderate outcome per invested points and per available Source Points. Maybe you should keep those Source Points to study them further ...
Obviously this is just a small list of ideas. I won't indulge in actual numbers as I know nothing of the new game system being developped for D:OS2. Likewise, those few ideas can't really take skillcrafting into account for now, or exploit any potentially new elements ...
