It should really cost 1 AP, and I agree with it not breaking Steath, and the cooldown should be 3 turns. It's certainly not worth 2 AP. It does no damage, applies no surface, and has a highly situational use.
Yeah, those are almost identical to the changes I was considering trying to make on my own, although I was considering a cooldown as low as 2 turns, because the smoke screen can't be targeted at anyone, and it only lasts for 1 turn (and making it last longer would likely make ALL smoke last longer).
I have the feeling that Smoke Screen was originally thought - way, way, way back when it was conceived and then never touched again - to give you concealment so you could enter Sneak. But with a 2 AP cost for Smoke Screen and a 4 AP cost for Sneaking, and with the smoke only lasting for 1 turn.. well, you get the idea.
And that's before we even consider how bad combat sneaking is.
Many of the crafted skills seem pretty cool too until you try to use them. I've been trying to like them, I really have. For example, Corpse Explosion is a cool concept, but it requires an intact corpse, and those are difficult to come by.
Yeah, we've been trying to use Corpse Explosion for a while, but since you're most likely going to be a Pyromancer, there'll very rarely be any corpses around.
In our case, the one with Corpse Explosion is even primarily Pyromancy/Geomancy, and for whatever reason, poison also has a tendency to dissolve people. And even when there are intact corpses (in itself a rare occurrence), Corpse Explosion is rarely the best option, because there needs to be opponents nearby and allies.. not.
It's also weird that Corpse Explosion as a Necromancy/Pyromancy hybrid does only Physical damage, and no Fire, but that's beside the point. It doesn't even ignite things like Oil or Poison surfaces, and barrels break but does not ignite, despite the huge ball of fire.
Edit:
It blocks los, you can turn it into a damage or healing surface. It's really potent, but it is too costly, really wish there were better versions out there
It blocks LoS, yes, but how would you turn it into damage or healing "surface"? Smoke cannot be targeted by Bless, for example.
Steam can, but Steam on the other hand does not block LoS.
