The purpose of this thread is to let players suggest spells they would like us to use.
The Rules
A given spell must be something that the computer AI can reasonably be expected to use as well.
Definition of a Spell:
A spell needs the following items:
Example:
Depending on how fast my AI coding skills are, I can add a lot of spells in before release.
Please also be aware that none of you in the beta will actually ever play Elemental 1.0. You will be playing Elemental 1.01. 1.0 is what we have to ship on DVD and will only be played by people who can’t or won’t update their game.
I do not think that I could add many new spells that have not been stated by the others, however I have a few ideas on the 'magic' concept as a whole.The concept of magic is fantastic, and has the idea that with enough power one can accomplish any feat. Elementals must not place to many boundries into what magic can do. The trend for the success of any game is almost directly related to the games diversity, originality and most importantly the extent a player can change and control every aspect of the game. I have a couple ideas that would be great if incorporated.
Increasing Spell Potency:
This will cause havoc to players that like to spy (or scy - would make a great spell) out their opponents before a battle. When he believes that his opponent only know weak spells, he may not be ready for a summoned supercharged fox terrior that now resembles a bear.
Feel the Awe of my Power:
Moral is one of the key factors in any fight. Whether it is between animals, humans,fantasy creatures or even a dota game online. For this reason spells should have an "Awe" factor. If I cast a spell and my enemy just disappears with a small 'pop', then his comrade is going to get angry, however if my spell makes him explode into a gory mess, I should be certain that his comrade will think twice about attacking me, if not run away altogether. For this, the 'awe' factor of spells should be based on how impressive they look (the graphics of the spell) and flashy spell, while having a higher awe factor (striking fear to enemies and courage to allies), have less physical effect. i.e if I cause a great rift that churns up the ground and throws rocks about, it will surely strike great fear into the hearts, but though it would cause great damage most of it is caused to the ground and not the enemy thus there a lot of wasted energy.
I think this answers what Gandulf would do in font of 100 orcs. He may not be able to kill them all with one spell, but my goodness that first row is so decimated that the ranks crumble and they scatter. It just sucks being Sauron; the poor wizard just stuck in his tower and not keeping his troops in better shape. Yup. Moral is everything and if Gandulf was invisible when he attacked the orcs? Even if only one died, who would not run.
This is the reason that magic is such a fantastic thing. There is no end to the opportunity. One thing must be sure when the game comes out; If my wizard can be defeated by a stampede of the enemies farm peasants then the designers have failed. And if my Mighty Great Wizard has to kill every last villager to win a battle as in Age of Empires Rise of Rome then the designers have failed again.
Elementals could be the best hit ever, but it could also just as easily fall way short of the high expectations. Make the Magic as magical as possible and it is a guaranteed hit, otherwise it is just another strategy game where we build we advance and win or loose. BUT: Add in invisible men, man eating traps, dragons, meteors, changing landscapes and OMG how did that weak old fogy blow up my base with his stick, and I'm sold!
1. Earthquake
2. strategic
3. 15+
4. 20+
5. earthshard required (fire shard may add bonus affect or also be required)
6. cast on enemy city and randomly destroys 1 building per 10 intelligence of caster
7. Earth Spellbook
8. Costs and requirements are estimates as it would have to be balanced properly and a cool down would be appropriate so that it couldn't be used too often. If it is possible to code it, owning a Fire shard in addition to the Earth shard could add lava to the earthquake and increase the number of building damaged (say 1 per 7 int) or cause damage to defending units.
1. Meteor
5. Air and Fire required
6. When cast pulls a meteor from the heavens to strike target location doing heavy damage to any units on and immediately surrounding that square (center plus 8 surrounding). Additionally leaves a crater that is impassible for two or three turns.
7. Air Spellbook
8. Again costs and requirements would need to be balanced. The craters could be used to create temporary choke points. Kind of like raise/lower land but as a temporary measure.
The Book of Stones
Just trying to think of some additional synergies with Earth and other combinations
Earth/Fire---Magma
Earth/Water---Mud,
Earth/life---Metal or minerals of some kind?
Earth/Death---Acid??
Default Ability: Teleport
Kingdoms: Heal unit (1 tile range)
Empires: Ranged (1 tile) damage spell
Fire Shard: Bonus to Attack
Earth Shard: Bonus to Defense
Air Shard: Bonus to Attack Speed
Water Shard: Bonus to available Mana.
9. Flavor text: You come and go
Edit: And I'm sorry if someone already suggested something similar, I'm at work and can't read through all the posts.
I don't want to sound ignorant or anything. But this going to drag on and on for days and most of the things that people say or make up 95% already exist in most well known RGP and technical battle games that have been created in the last 20+ years. like fireball and lightening attack spells or raise the undead spells. I would really like to hear some interesting new spells that would make Elemental game to be set apart from other games that has similar playing styles. not some renamed genetic spells. wouldn't it be better to get the pool of common spells from other games, like Dominion 3, D&D, age of wonder, and ect..., and integrate it to Elemental. since those common spells are what people going to ask in the end, except those 5% like me. and can't we use this time to get unique spells to stand apart from the trends that been created in the last 20+ years?
spells that are unique for Elemental are the spells that I wanted in my wish list.
ps, wouldn't the name of the spell and the description of the spell be enough? since in the end there going to be heavy modifying of the spells to set the balance right.
Yes, and please, not just spells that are distinct and different, but also strategic reasons to "use" all the different spells at different times. I hoping (as I've written before) that the game will not turn into a spam-fest of Fireball; Fireball; Fireball ftw every battle.
1. Smite
2. Tactical
3. Arcane Knowledge: 10
4. Mana: 15
5. 1 Air Shard
6. Targets an enemy champion rolling against Intelligence. If the attack lands, the targeted Champion is reduced to 3 HP and is forced to flee the battle. All negative effects on the targeted Champion are dispelled regardless if the target hits or misses (this is to prevent abuse with Poison and also to just give it a little bit of a disadvantage in case it misses to make it more interesting).
1. Night
2.Strategic
3. ?
4. 50 (10/turn for a max of 5 turns)
5. perhaps an ice shard - a dark/ruin/chaos shard if one exists
6. Covers a ring of 12 tiles in diameter in Night for 3 turns - in night tiles other players units are not visible unless they are in an adjacent tile to your own, also, production of any buildings under the night is diminished (by how much is up to to the devs) 7. Book of Ruin
8. If the 10 upkeep for some reason cannot be paid at the beginning of the turn, then the spell ends. Can be dispelled if a sufficiently powerful fire spell is cast within the night area.
I'd just like to give Everyone a "A" for Effort .
I would like to suggest though that we should be trying to come up with more Spells that Change The Game. Damage spells are a Dime a Dozen. In Game the only REAL difference in damage type spells is that one may come from one school of magic while one comes from another school of magic. The Only Real Difference is in the Animations and Cosmetics.
Lets see Less +10, -10, Damage Damage damage...
and More...
Spells That Change Game-Play
I've seen very few straight damage spells suggested really. Most have a unique twist or flavorful feel to it, which is just as important than a novel game mechanic.
Good Idea
Some World-Altering Bullshit Spells
1. Time Tweak
2. Strategic
3. Arcane Knowledge: 20
4. Mana: 20
5. 3 Life/Death Shards.
6. Subtly alters the past so that things are just a bit different. The central result is that, basically, at random, your position can be a little better or a little worse. Ownership of cities change or disappear, or entirely new ones appear. Your children might be replaced with altered versions of themselves. Male children could become female. A child that had previously defected could now be loyal to you now. There could be a chance of something really weird happening, like your entire civilization turning into Trogs.
7. Book of Time(?)
8. Hard to program, but may result in a lot of fun.
1. Lost Lands
4. Mana 20. Consumes 5 essence.
6. A large island arises from the sea, filled with strange beasts. The land will pre-imbued with either death magic or life magic, depending on what book you know. There is a chance that said beasts will be aggressive and invade the rest of the world.
7. A life and death version.
1. Titan's Eyes
5. 4 Life/Death Shards.
6. Opens a rift for the titans to see through... and they're displeased that their creations are not fighting each other hard enough. A nation which isn't at a state of war with another nation will be inflicted with plagues. Only with a total free-for-all will they be pleased.
7. One of the more awesome ones.
8. Useless in a two player game. Can be dispelled.
1. Putrefied Kingdoms
4. Mana 20. Consumes 10 essence.
6. This powerful spell resurrects the old kingdoms of Man. From the ground randomly pop out necropoli buildings, each housing armies and their kings. It would be really cool if they weren't immediately hostile, but you could negotiate with them. You could either conquer them, make a deal with them, or dominate them with magic.
7. A kick-ass spell book.
8. Cannot be dispelled.
1. Blood of Brothers
5. 2 Life/Death Shards.
6. Violence between sentient beings now on will be harder to commit. All attack values in these cases in these cases will be halved, and morale takes into account the number of enemies slain. This could mean one side complete wipes the floor with the other and runs away. This does not effect undead, constructions, and other non-sentients, and doesn't effect attacks made against non-sentients by sentients. Also, irredeemably evil beings like demons are unaffected.
7. Book of Life, but would actually be conceivably useful in an undead/construct build.
8. Can be dispelled.
I'm sure there are a ton more.
A few more not so game shattering spells
Excellent Will and Outlaw. Well done both.
It seems to me that calling how much mana a spell requires is moot at this stage because we know not how verything will work out. However, I think we need much more subtle stuff than nuking spells and spells that work in combat.
We need spells with an upkeep that are effective as long as the caster maintains the spell. The spell remains effective as long as you keep paying the upkeep. You can then for example enhance diplomatic relations with others, or enhance the rate with which land is turned into fertile land, or affect the crop yields and such. Everything that is not combat related should be able to get subtle and less subtle boosts by the ways of spells too.
Not too dump on anyone, but it seems to me that these endless lists of combat spells is something that Elemental does not need. It needs subtlety too.
This possibly breaks the rule "Something the AI could use", but hey:
Spell: Glimpse Future.
Tactical.
Description: Cast after you've committed to a battle, but before the battle actually begins. Shows what the actual result of the battle will be if you elect to simulate. You're then given the choice of whether to proceed with the simulation or control the tactical battle yourself. I think it would be useful because I generally don't trust a simulated battle to give me acceptable losses.
You could possibly get the AI to use it to take 2 shots at a simulated battle if it didn't like the 1st outcome - pretend that the 1st simulation is the "simulated battle", the AI then decides if it got an unlucky result, - if it thinks it got a bad bounce, it would simualte the battle again, representing the AI player manually taking control of the battle.
I can't think of how the AI could use it if the player elected to manually control the battle - obviously you don't want to force them to play the battle twice.
There's probably also issues if both sides try to use it on the same battle - maybe have them cancel each other out. "The time currents are scrambled by another time warping spell in the vicinity and you are unable to discern any useful information."
Mana cost/knowledge requirement: Relatively low
Ooh. Ooh. Diplomacy - I will trade 100 gold, for you casting "Fertility" on my population for 6 turns. I like.
Spell: Zero Visibility.
Strategic
Effect: Cast on an enemy stack, it simulates the army getting stuck in thick fog or a sandstorm or blizzard or whatever. The result is that the units within the stack may become separated and be moved to different game tiles, allowing you to attack them individually.
The way I envisage it working is you cast the spell on an enemy army. Then, if they move the following turn, each unit within the army must make a roll to determine whether it finishes its move on the specified square, or an adjacent square (probably just randomly choose a single adjacent square for all of the "lost" units rather than fragmenting to a multitude of squares). Units get a bonus to finishing in the right spot for high intelligence (champions), or advanced training (regular units). You'd probably also have a counter-spell, or be able to negate it by just not moving next turn (possibly have an effect on tactical combat if they don't move and you enter battle on that square that turn...Tactical fog of war affecting both sides?)
Spell cost/knowledge requirement: Medium-high.
1 Dark Opportunism2 Tactical3 Arcane Knowledge Medium4 Mana High5 Death Shard6 The caster gains 1HP for each unit of his OWN side that dies7 Book of Wraith Magic
1 Cruel Torture2 Tactical3 Arcane Knowledge Low4 Mana Low5 None6 The target loses Int/10 the next turn, Int/6 after that and finally Int/47 Book of Wraith Magic8 Can be dispelled
1 Your Suffering Is Not Over Yet2 Tactical3 Arcane Knowledge Medium4 Mana Low to Medium5 None6 If the target is Undead is it "healed" for Int/3, if the target isn't Undead suffers it Int/9 damage for 3 turns7 Book of Wraith Magic8 The damage over time component can be dispelled
1 Dark Dinner Time2 Tactical3 Arcane Knowledge High4 Mana High5 None6 One of your own units loses Int/3 health each turn until death, this is given to a unit of your choice. May not be given to units with essence.7 Book of Wraith Magic8 Can be dispelled by both your enemies and you.
1 Dark Party2 Strategic3 Arcane Knowledge Very High4 Mana Very High5 Death Shard6 The target wraith city consumes only 50% food but loses 2% population each turn.7 Book of Wraith Magic8 Uses enchantment slot
1 Place of nightmares2 Strategic3 Arcane Knowledge Very Low4 Mana Very Low5 none6 A tile is turned in a place of nightmares, if a battle takes place in that place suffer all non undead units a -1 morale penalty.7 Book of Wraith Magic8 Uses enchantment slot
I'm not sure if this is possible but I suggest a new spellbook for these spells, I think that it would be very cool if the Wraiths had their own spell book. It would also let wraiths feel like wraiths. Maybe could even non wraith fallen have some way of learning this magic, like from adventuring.
1 Absolute Chaos2 Strategic3 Arcane Knowledge High4 Mana High5 Chaos Shard maybe?6 The caster releases the spell and throughout the world summons aggressive monsters everywhere that attack everyone including the sovereign caster, enemy sovereigns, wandering hero's, and cities.7 Book of Chaos (or something like that)
Would be a late game spell, and would be tricky to use because everyone is affected. On the other hand the caster can be prepared for such an event. Late Game spell for sure, powerful monsters, hmm...
Then again, maybe creating hundreds of monsters everywhere could crash machines, maybe it could be like a time spell where every turn (or few turns) monsters are spawned in a location of the map, randomly generated or not. and this goes on for a long time.
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