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Change ideas

If you have a change idea worked out, please make a post here, containing

  • why it should be changed (balance, atmosphere, easier playability, etc.)

  • what should be changed exactly.

Please keep the post relatively short, just describing the change without too much discussion.

You can also bump old posts and we'll have a look at them again.

  • Reassessment of particular (wands/Staves/scrolls) sanctuary forms for pre pinnacles. In order to have a grade of items suited for different ranks. (balance, easier playability)

ATM "vials > staves" for mages.

  • Expansion of Wands/Staves/Scrolls to include more interesting spells. (New areas material/Atmosphere)

  • Re-grading of existing Staves/Wands spell levels compared to item level. (non usefull)

ATM to low level offensive Wands/Staves that are very difficult to land due to "spell-victim Level save-check".

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15160

PS: Herbs sact was the answer found for Meales easier playability. Mages should use Wands/staves/scrolls.

A cross cabal group system

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showpost.php?p=128763

This is my old "I like the new clan system, but miss the old clan system" post.

Summary:

We have cabals for characters who have dedicated themselves to a cause and the cause thinks they deserve a chance to serve.

We have clans for characters who have dedicated themselves to a cause but have not been accepted yet.

We need another grouping system (sect, faction... call it what you will) for the cross cabal issues. Examples: defeating the shades, shaman uniting for passive aggressive protests that there isn't a guild in Val Miran, quilting, whatever. No skills and no benefits other than a new place to send notes and its own channel.

[Teaser]

I reckon that will not be a problem much longer Myrek.

[/Teaser]

I've been considering playing a thief recently and got to thinking about the disguise skill. We already allow thieves to disguise classes, what about races? It could be taken instead of a trap. Nothing more than a temporary qrace. With proficiency, it would not show your real race on whois. What about disguising clans? Face it, the clan halls have become safe havens for training much like guilds used to be. Only you can't sneak past the guards. This would be a great oppoutunity to truly play a 'spy'. There are some chances for abuse though, so we'd need a way to balance it. All in all, I see a great use for RP and PK.

Here's one. How about we put that good quest area below the pyramid. I can imagine traps and undeads everywhere. Oh yeah and a holy or light polearm/staff for goods only

Here's one. How about we put that good quest area below the pyramid. I can imagine traps and undeads everywhere. Oh yeah and a holy or light polearm/staff for goods only

Power staff. Lance of Imbalance.

1, Rare Purges should occur even if the character does not login

2, Rare purges should effect items returned from bounties sitting in inventory and in the little bags

3, Rare purges should effect rares in inventory in general

(The reasons for these three are all the same, we need access to more rares!!)

4, Nexus Pandemonium elder power should effect what people see on where. In its current form the spirit of the power is completly defeated.

5, Ability to renenter cabal when diseased should require a waiting period at the cabal entrance. Suggestion is that player can say a common phrase giving them 1 tic of non-combat then they are ported right to the healer in the cabal.

example; Knight is plagued, runs into the doorway gets the "you cannot pass" message says "I seek Salvation" the guard checks for disease and replies in some form of fashion that the medics or healers or shamans are on the way (if they are not sick the guard will say so and deny entry until adrenaline timer is done). Next tic they are ported to the healer room in the cabal. This will stop the issue where plague/ poison etc are more of a benefit when placed on a defender than a hinderence.

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13889&highlight=raargant+tier

How to Fix Rangers

Archery

Number of Skills Counterable: 5 (all)

Now, some of you may be wondering, "What the hell's he talking about?" Well, I'm talking about scrolls of missile immunity. Though expensive, these are very readily available, and they render an archer completely useless. There are 17 base classes in this game, and 12 of them get the scrolls skill. In addition, there are certain items that also grant this ability. Also, the archer's long range is nullified by the fact that anyone with fired weapons who is not an archer (IE - a tracker ranger, a warrior, a ninja, etc.) is able to shoot back, regardless of distance.

Suggestions: First and foremost, shorten the duration on the most readily available sources of this skill - lower the level of the scrolls. Change it so that a class with fired weapons may only return fire upon being shot if they are within range (1 room, in most cases). If this is too overpowering, perhaps cut the range in half. Final suggestion (and perhaps the one I like the best) - attach a skill called volley to the Marksman ability (archery ranger lore). This skill, similar to chain lightning, would allow the ranger to shoot a volley of arrows that would short circuit their opponents missile shield.

Beastmaster

Number of Skills Counterable: 0

Now, while this may seem to be the best of all worlds, as there are no counterable skills in this set, that benefit is somewhat nullified by the fact that there are no real advantages to choosing this path. Group herb is really only useful in a party of humans - as if your pets and you are receiving enough damage simultaneously that you're going to die, then +200hp isn't going to save them. Pack call, while nice, is also not that spectacular. And finally, an extra pet and pets that are a level higher is not truly worth giving up the abilities of the other two paths. There has yet to be a single truly successful beastmaster ranger. Senrail came the closest, and I would like to point out that if he had chosen EITHER of the other paths, he would have been significantly more effective.

Suggestions: Raise the level of the pets to two levels higher than their owner. This isn't going to be some godsend, it's merely going to A) give the pets a tiny bit more health, and make them a tiny bit stronger. Allow the third pet to be either a raven OR a displacer beast. We all know that ravens are useless. Let's be realistic here. Increase the hp healed by group herb.

Tracker

Number of Skills Counterable: 1

Now, this is possibly the most effective choice for any ranger. You get five different abilities, all of which are uniquely and incredibly useful. My suggestions for this path are thus going to be for it to be toned down.

Suggestions: Give doublesheath to all rangers, not just trackers. Replace doublesheath with powergrip for the tracker path. Make it so creatures that are flying do not leave tracks.

So this is my take on rangers. They're a good class that is a little unbalanced, either in that one way it's underpowered or another way it's overpowered. Ranger paths were not added to change the power level of the class, but rather to give it flavor. Let's not lose sight of that by keeping one path more powerful than all the others, and thus preventing the other two from being selected nearly as often.

As a whole, rangers are an awesomely fun class to play and fight - I've done my fair share of both. So this suggestions part will also include some overall balance suggestions.

  1. Change hitroll and damroll from stat bonuses, so that dexterity affects hitroll and strength affects damroll. Why would a muscle-bound ogre be more accurate than a dextrous halfling, just because he's got bigger biceps? It doesn't make sense, really. So I propose a simple (not sure how logistically simple it would be, but logically simple) change where dexterity plays more of a key factor in hitroll than strength.

  2. Coupled with the above change, lower ogre dexterity by one point. This would make ogres less superior as melees, but still very very viable. With the above change, this would also improve the desire to play high-dexterity melees as a whole.

  3. Remove quiet movement from the ranger skillset. For a class that plays like a warrior, acts like a warrior, and essentially fights like a warrior, this class just feels a little to roguish to me. Making it so that rangers cannot move while camouflaged would fix this a little.

Chaos Mages

Races: Human, Elf, Drow, Avian, Werebeast, Gnome, Illithid, Undead, Demon

Alignment: Any Chaotic

Religion:

EXP Pen: 200

Level Titles

Level 1: the Apprentice of Magic

Level 2: the Student of Magic

Level 3: the Youngling

Level 4: the Wilder

Level 5: the Learner of Discord

Level 6: the Chaos Apprentice

Level 7: the Student of Chaos

Level 8: the Destructive

Level 9: the Initiate of Entropy

Level 10: the Magician

Level 11: the Untamed

Level 12: the Initiate of Chaos

Level 13: the Amateur of Bedlam

Level 14: the Discordian

Level 15: the Force of Energy

Level 16: the Force of Discord

Level 17: the Force of Chaos

Level 18: the Anarchist

Level 19: the Creator of Mayhem

Level 20: the Initiate of Force

Level 21: the Tumultuous

Level 22: the Pandemonist

Level 23: the Lord/Lady of Chaos

Level 24: the Learned of Entropy

Level 25: the Student of Ataxia

Level 26: the Acerbic

Level 27: the Master/Mistress of Energy

Level 28: the Greater Discordian

Level 29: the Begetter of Destruction

Level 30: the Master/Mistress of Disaster

Level 31: the Summoner of Chaos

Level 32: the Lord/Lady of Entropy

Level 33: the Supreme

Level 34: the Caller of Force

Level 35: the Initiate of Catastrophe

Level 36: the Destroyer

Level 37: the Harbinger of Doom

Level 38: the Master of Holocaust

Level 39: the Patron of Discord

Level 40: the Wreaker of Havoc

Level 41: the Grand Demolitionist

Level 42: the Lord/Lady of Disintegration

Level 43: the Greater Disrupter

Level 44: the Summoner of Blight

Level 45: the Bearer of Destruction

Level 46: the Antithesis of Order

Level 47: the Supreme Demolitionist

Level 48: the Master/Mistress of Carnage

Level 49: the Destroyer of Worlds

Level 50: the Overlord of Apocalypse

Skills

Level 1: Dagger, Sword, Staff, Mace

Level 3: Meditation

Level 6: Parry

Level 8: Fast Healing

Level 10: [Minor Ritual]*

Level 14: Trance

Level 15: Shield Block

Level 19: [Minor Ritual]*

Level 25: Dodge

Level 27: [Major Ritual]*

Level 30: Subvocalize*

Level 34: Two Handed

Level 40: [Major Ritual]*

Level 50: [Master Ritual]

Spells

Level 1: Armor, Chilling Touch

Level 2: Detect Invis

Level 4: Invisibility

Level 5: Burning Aura*

Level 6: Faerie Fire

Level 7: Shield

Level 9: Curse

Level 10: Summon Familiar*, Detect Magic

Level 11: Stone Skin

Level 12: Discordian Strike*

Level 14: Freezing Aura*

Level 15: Earthquake

Level 16: Veil of Darkness

Level 18: Protective Shield

Level 19: Lightning Bolt

Level 20: Entropic Shield*

Level 21: Pass Door

Level 22: Poison

Level 25: Subdue*

Level 27: Chaos Blade*

Level 29: Word of Recall

Level 30: Thunderclap, Summon Familiar*

Level 33: Focus Energy*

Level 40: Chaos Aura*

Level 44: Blink*

Level 45: Summon Familiar*

Level 50: Armageddon*

Minor Ritual -> Ritual -> Major Ritual -> Master Ritual

The Chaos Mage, in an attempt to harness the raw energy that lies within, is able to perform rituals in order to gain some small measure of control over their intensely powerful innate magic. These rituals are varied, and the effect of each depends on the training an individual Chaos Mage chooses to undertake.

Augmentation : Chaos Armor -> Wild Growth -> Empowered Aura -> Enhance Chaos

Chaos Armor

Syntax: automatic

In the beginning stages of an Augmentative Chaos Mage’s training, they are most focused in surrounding themselves with Chaos. This concentration allows the Mage to create an almost tangible force out of chaotic energies, creating a substantial protective armor that increases in durability and offers more protection as the Mage grows in strength and proficiency.

Wild Growth

Syntax: store

The second ability a Chaos Mage of the Augmentation path learns is the ability to focus Chaotic forces in their own body and the bodies of their companions, in order to make them stronger, faster, and healthier. However, such growth is not always reliable, and does not come without a price - but as with most things, the higher order of control the Mage gains over their own energy and their ability to utilize such growth, the more reliable the ability’s use becomes.

Empowered Aura

Syntax: store (requires twice-stored energy)

A Chaos Mage of the third circle of Augmentation is able to focus intently on their Chaotic aura, allowing them to enhance the aura’s power and thereby the damage it does to their opponent. Additionally, with the enhanced outward strength of the aura, the inward backlash is lessened, reducing the amount of damage the Chaos Mage takes from the wild flows of Chaos.

Enhance Chaos

Syntax: store (requires thrice-stored energy)

At the final circle of the path of Augmentation lies the ability to truly augment pure Chaos. By doing so, a mighty Chaos Mage is able to increase the potency of their spells, ranging from added protective powers to increased destructive capability. When the mage reaches the highest mastery of their enhancement, it is not unheard of for spells to achieve instantaneous annihilation of a foe. However, the Mage lacks the same control of their Destructive brethren, and therefore the risk of a significant backlash is somewhat higher.

Destruction: Chaotic Touch -> Atrophy -> Entropic Infection -> Disintegration

Chaotic Touch

Syntax: automatic

At the first circle of their training, a Chaos Mage focused on Destruction can learn to imbue his hands and extensions thereof (namely weapons) with a small force of Chaos. This force, based on the Chaos Mage's own strength, can cause harm to the Mage's opponent in battle. However, the force may also attack its caller, harming the Mage instead.

Atrophy

Syntax: store

A Chaos Mage of the second circle may focus the force of Chaos in their hands, causing it to directly attack the muscles of their foe. This results in the accelerated deterioration of their opponent's musculature, which can greatly weaken and enfeeble the Mage's enemy.

Entropic Infection

Syntax: release (requires stored energy)

In the third circle of their training, a Chaos Mage learns how to focus Chaos within the body of their foe. However, the unitiated of Chaos often find themselves lacking the ability to withstand this force. As a result their body turns on itself, attacking the cells infected with the Chaos in an attempt to get rid of them. It also weakens the foe's ability to fight off other infections, as their immune system is focused on attacking the disease at hand. (causes a temporary plague effect, and a longer lasting -spellsvs effect)

Disintegration

Syntax: release (requires twice-stored energy)

Upon completing the fourth and final circle of their training, a Chaos Mage is able to create a pseudo-sentient entity out of pure Chaos. This entity, unlike the entropic infection, enters the victims body and takes complete control. After several hours of incubation, the monstrosity savagely turns its host upon him or herself, causing massive damage and possibly killing them outright. However, this ability is not without its dangers. When meddling with such powerful forces, a Chaos Mage risks their own safety, for the Chaos may turn on them instead.

Protection: Bind Chaos -> Entropic Ward -> Cognition -> Mark of Discord

Bind Chaos

Syntax: automatic

The first thing a Chaos Mage of the protective path learns is to bind their inner Chaos, making it their servant and not the other way around. Such a binding results in a more significant amount of control over the powers the Mage learns, and reduces the chances that their energy will strike back at them.

Entropic Ward

Syntax: store

A Chaos Mage of the second circle in the hall of protection is taught to ward off assaults of ordered magic, boosting the protective capabilities of the Mage’s own enchantments. The ward of entropy increases the power of the mage’s Entropic Shield, and adds a defensive capability to the chaotic auras the mage is trained in focusing.

Cognition

Syntax: store (requires twice-stored energy)

In the third circle of their protective training, a Chaos Mage gains the ability to concentrate on the powers of their foe, revealing their enemy’s inner Chaos. By sensing the flows of energy surrounding their opponent, the Mage is better able to predict their actions, meaning that they can better prepare for assaults. This means the Mage can effectively predict and therefore dodge attacks that a more vulnerable foe would fall victim to, effectively countering such attempts.

Mark of Discord

Syntax: release (requires twice-stored energy)

At the highest order of the protective sect of the Chaos Mages are those who can call forth a guardian of Discord to protect their body while they are in battle. By marking a foe with the symbol of Discord, the Mage is able to create a being that will attempt to turn their opponent’s blade from its intended course. The recipient of the Mark will also be surrounded by a field of Chaos that will temporarily prevent their body from substantial recovery.

General Abilities (all paths)

Subvocalize

Syntax: subvocalize

Due to the innate nature of their magic, a Chaos Mage is able to withstand the effects of utter silence. A number of their spells are able to be brought forth with mere gestures, or even a glance if the Mage is powerful enough. However, no matter the strength of the mage, a spell unaccompanied by an incantation causes more strain on the Mage’s mind than a normal usage.

Burning Aura, Freezing Aura, Chaos Aura

Syntax: cast ‘burning aura’, cast ‘freezing aura’, cast ‘chaos aura’

At varying stages in their training, a Chaos Mage learns how to focus the Chaos flowing through them into a powerful aura. This shield of energy, while granting rather insignificant mundane protection, is capable of causing a considerable amount of harm to any foe unlucky enough to attempt trespassing into a close proximity of the mage.

Summon Familiar

Syntax: cast ‘summon familiar’

Chaos Mages, or at least those with the potential to become them, are often left in the wild, untrained by those who have forged their own path. These unitiated are often looked down upon by the members of the guild, and seldom live to see a mastery of their unique abilities. To stop this from occurring, the head Mages found a way to send creatures imbued with magic to the struggling mages, in order to guide them in their time of need. The familiar a Mage calls is dependant on their chosen path, and will serve the mage faithfully for the rest of their life.

All mages initially summon the same familiar. Then a lesser familiar and greater familiar will be summoned as the mage gains strength, based on the mage’s chosen path.

Discordian Strike

Syntax: cast ‘discordian strike’

The primary offensive spell learned by all Chaos Mages, the Discordian Strike is a beam of pure chaotic energy. The potency of the strike is based on how much Chaos energy the Mage is willing to expend - and how much they can afford to. The level of the mage’s training, in addition to proficiency in the spell and the mage’s general condition at the time of casting all have an effect on the degree of their energy usable, and on the subsequent effect of the spell. A mage attempting to use too much energy with too little training may find themselves being hit with a backlash of energy.

Entropic Shield

Syntax: cast ‘entropic shield’

Much like the sanctuary granted by the ordered magic of the arcanists, and the prayers of the divine, the Entropic Shield is a protective ability with a basis in Chaos. The shield grants the mage the ability to withstand great attacks that would cripple normal men, by diverting some of the harmful strikes into small bursts of Chaos.

Subdue

Syntax: cast ‘subdue’

Utilizing their own powerful innate energy, a well trained Chaos Mage is able to turn an opponent’s own energy against them. By doing so, their foe’s body begins to slowly shut itself down, energy being systematically withdrawn from their system. With each successful attempt to subdue their enemy, the Mage siphons out a small amount of energy, and in turn can cause render their foe weakened, and possibly even unconscious.

Chaos Blade

Syntax: cast ‘chaos blade’

After much training, a Chaos Mage is not only able to concentrate their chaotic energies into a protective aura, but can also focus the energy into a single central point. Through deep concentration, the Mage can temporarily imbue their weaponry with a potent field of Chaos, causing additional harm to any opponents unlucky enough to be fighting them.

Focus Energy

Syntax: cast ‘focus energy’

Chaos Mages, much like other wielders of great power, rely on the source of their strength for their livelihood. This is especially true in the Mage’s case, as the Chaos they call upon is their only defense against their enemies. As such, Chaos Mages have worked diligently to discover a way to preserve their energy to truly save their own life - and in doing so have learned how to focus their energy. By focusing in such a manner, the Mage strips their body of a small amount of pure chaos, in order to restore a small bit of order, healing minor wounds.

Blink

Syntax: cast ‘blink’

cast ‘blink’

By momentarily focusing a burst of energy, a Chaos Mage can dematerialize their own body, sending it to a nearby location. Utilized primarily as a means of escaping to safety, with great proficiency the mage can actually use it as a means of travel. A truly powerful mage can concentrate on a particular target, and attempt to rematerialize near that being. However, much like the mysterious art of teleportation, blinking without proper training can result in appearing in a more dangerous place than the mage left.

Armageddon

Syntax: cast ‘Armageddon’

Few who witness a Chaos Mage calling upon the pure destructive powers of the Armageddon have lived to tell the tale. However, there are stories of an ability so intensely powerful that none can stand against it. The only beings that know the truth of the matter are the Mages that call upon it - and even then they try to forget. The only certainty is that an sane individual does not want to be on the receiving end of this apocalyptic force.

The High Questor's Guild

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12236

New Warrior Lore: Power Disarm

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7487

Shapeshifters

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9136

Basically I just went through a couple of my ideas posts that IMMs said they either would think about, or didn't reply to. Enjoy.

Oh, and finally... My favorite idea (though Chaos Mages is a close second)

New Class: Pirate

http://www.theforsakenlands.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5449

Rangers do not need a tone up. Especially not archers. Though some of the ranger ideas were good.

Shapeshifter, what about changeling? That'd also be a race instead of a class.

Shieldbash + Shield mastery should be combined for warriors. I also think shieldbash should become an automatic ability every other round. Otherwise it is a useless path, though I would love to see warriors use it.

I'll add more later.

Maybe take away some prowess against those without the scroll ability but give a little buff against those who do?

Change exp from soloing the same as grouping for goods. Still enough evils, and neutrals are fine.

No exp penalty from loss period. No groups, you go on a quest and look around, the next thing you know exp hole..

Reponse to bigpapa's suggestions:

Hey I play goodies so this sounds nice!

But I'll vote against those proposals.

Solo hunting should never give as much exp as group hunting. If it did, that would remove the impact of actually having to interact with those around you. (As previously stated numerous times by players and imm's alike when this suggestion is made)

"But there's no one to group with!"

Use your guild quests to level. You can pick three difficulties, all with their benefits:

EASY- You'll get quick, relatively safe tasks but the rewards leave something to be disired. You really wouldn't pay someone a thousand bucks to deliver a paperclip to the cubicle next to you, would you? Neither will your guildmaster.

MEDIUM- Here you'll get some tasks that are safe and easy, others will require preparation because of the dangers. The rewards here are decent for the time required to complete them. Your guildmaster won't be handing over the treasury to you, but at least you'll be able to eat tonight.

HARD- These tasks are for those of high constitution and most likely, slightly insane. These tasks usually require you to slay or travel to a place of a level which surpasses your own. Danger lurks around every corner, but the rewards are untold of, that is, if you live to claim them.

So which do you pick? I always go with medium tasks and randomly throw a hard task in there for spice. With usually safe and always decent rewards, this will get the most bang for your buck.

"But I died doing a guild quest and now I've got an exp hole! Woe is me! HELP!"

As it is now, you don't lose exp before lvl 30. After lvl 30, nothing would be different if you were hunting in a group. At least you had the chance to gain a few titles without a group available. Now it's just a matter of running a few more tasks, or putting yourself out there to -any- and all people within your grouping range, since even if you only have two people, you still get an exp bonus over solo hunting or even questing.

In ending, yes it's the pits when you die and get an exp hole. I have -never- ranked a char without taking at least a couple of mob-deaths pre-50. (I blame it on my god-complex, but that's another thread entirely )But in dying hopefully you've learned something: don't go back to that area until later, or at least better prepared this time.

Ignore the typo(s) btw... Posting from my blackberry and of course my huge fingers like to find the wrong keys at times...

(Eg. Disired = desired) >_<