Partially agree with 1 and 3, but tbh the difference between if there are separate skills or a "source mode" for normal ones is imho a step that should be tackled after a lot other important things are settled. So far I wouldn't mind having two skills instead of temporarily transmuting another one.
But I totally agree with the base aspect of point 2!
Well in D:OS1 we had Icara extract all the source of a victim to revive someone else, but why not allowing to extract smaller non-lethal amounts?
-> additionally allow to extract source from living beings.
My thoughts regarding that:
Similar to the guild wars 1 mechanic of "overcasting/exhaustion" extraction source from a living being could reserve a part of the victims life (like 50% per use) and reducing max-HP by that amount. Then every 5s or so 1% ticks away, symbolizing the regeneration of the "source".
That would imho also nicely symbolize the exhausting effort to use it, as is often said in D:OS1.
To prevent it as an attack skill it could be needed to willingly allow it to happen so it only works on friendly/allied/(self) characters.
Which would also open up and interesting interaction with charming skills!
