Jump to content
Eternal Lands Official Forums
Acelon

Reworking 2 skill ideas

Recommended Posts

I was looking over a few old suggestion topics geared towards new skills. Shapeshifting was the one, and 'crafting' was the other. Crafting was planned to be woodworking and leatherwork as one skill and the current crafting was supposed to be renamed jewelry. These skills kind of collected dust, pushed to the side, and nothing really developed from them. With shapeshifting, future topics spoke of making it a subset of the alchemy and summoning skill, rather than a skill on it's own due to the lack of skill potential. 'Crafting' just was forgotten it seems.

Now I have a few ideas on how to revive these skills and give them new life.

 

I'll start with shapeshifting.

Shapeshifting is obviously the art of changing your shape into something different. However, what would be the point to shapeshift? In this case, it would be to increase stats and/or gain special abilities. To begin shapeshifting, you transform into weaker creatures. When you change into a creature, you get their stats, whether it is an increase or decrease of your characters normal stats. You get the initial experience for shapeshifting, now this is where the new idea comes in. While in your shapeshifting form, you get half of the a/d experience you get as that form put towards your shapeshifting skill. There would also be a time limit on how long you can stay shifted which could be affected by your shapeshifting skill, and possibly other variables.

 

Shapeshifting would also have specialized forms that aren't ingame typically (werewolves and other different creatures). Some forms would be good for combat... some good for muling... some can cast magic... Most shapeshifting forms wouldn't be able to cast magic.. and not talk to NPCs either.

 

But how does one shapeshift? I was presented to us before that shapeshifting would require totems... idols of the thing to shapeshifting into. The totem would need to be equipped before shapeshifting. Each totem has a set time limit in it that someone could stay shapeshifting. When that time runs out, they return to normal form. The totem would have a chance of breaking as well. If you want to unshapeshift before the time runs out, you unequip the totem (still with a chance to break). Also, if you die while in a shapeshifting form, your totem should break, and you should be brought back to normal form with a decrease in HP and a slight cooldown on items.

 

Now this brings up the question, what stops people from getting a dragon totem and pwning everyone? Easy... make this a required level skill.

 

Also, where does one get totems? NPCs would sell them... some could be gained by completing quests (like animal spirit quests)... others dropped by monsters... or even with the caprentry skill... (below).

 

 

Now for Carpentry...

This combines the idea of 'crafting' with a new skill mentioned by Entropy on the forums... construction. From the little mentioned about construction, it is stated that it would be used for player cities. I'm not really sure how it can be trained based upon that.. so this is what I came up with. Rename it carpentry to combine the idea of woodworking and construction. It could be trained by making wood handles, wooden shields, pickaxes, hammers, staves, bows, and possibly some totems from the previous skill (not all, only basic ones since totems should be magical). Obviously there aren't enough wood items to make woodworking it's own skill, but when combined with the ideas of construction, seems to implement both things evenly.

 

On this note, people might ask about the ub3r staves (Healing and Protection). Sure, why not make these too as high level items? On a side note, this might make that idea a tad bit better. Require 'enriched' gems to make the staves. Give crafters the chance to make enriched gems we'll call "Gleaming Gems" (ie "You've made one Gleaming Ruby!). I don't mean to digress, but that will give crafters something else to look forward to aside from rings of power :icon13:. These gems could be used in the uber staves, and maybe two more ub3r staves could be made for emerald and diamonds too.. but I'll stop digressing now.

 

A few other wooden items could be added to make this more effective.

 

 

 

So those were my collected thoughts, anyone see loopholes? Comments? Questions? Concerns?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

shapeshifting sounds kewl...

 

I also like the idea of giving crafters more special items to make because atm that skill lacks the 'rare make' items that manufacturing or even alchemy has. This would likely give players new and old, an incentive to train a skill they would otherwise never so much as think of leveling.

 

Also I like the idea of there being quests for the shapeshifting skill. IMO the game could use some spicing up with a larger selection of goals to complete with a shiny reward at the end :icon13: (Instead of the daily level-grind)

Edited by Talixim

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think these are all very interesting ideas, Ace. I like how shapeshifting is kind of like summoning, yet different. Carpentry sounds very interesting, sounds like engineering could compliment it at times (ie. making nails, ropes, etc that carpenters might need). Love the idea of more enriched items! Can never have too many of those!

 

An idea- could there be potions to help one shapeshift? (The polyjuice potions from Harry Potter comes to mind!) Might be nice to have those two skills complimenting each other a bit. Could also have it dependent on magic levels, particularly for the more difficult shapes to shift into. Just some food for thought!

Llyn :icon13:

Edited by Llynara

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Totaly love the ideas. was excited just listening to them in channel 4.

 

i like the idea of having potions to complement the shape shifting.. kinda reminds me of Harry Potter too

 

well it would be cool. to change into certan higher lvl things. maybe starting at cycs or something (just a random monster i chose). you need a PolyJuice potion.. of course we cant steel the name i dont think.. so like "potion of shifting" or something.

 

so. you trying to turn into a cyclops.

 

1st you get the required lvl.

2nd you equip the totem

3rd you drink the potion

4th you cast the spell(incorperating magic in it)

 

and tadah you just shape shifted.. idk just an idea

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I like your ideas alot... and i know i have this from a different game but... for shapeshifting..

why not just make every totems to be required by a quest that is level based? so you can only trigger the quest

once you have that specific "shapeshift level", and after you completed the quest you can normally buy the totems

of the npc you made the quest and so on and so on.

I just think that you beeing able to shapeshift into some ubber forms should require more than just a specific level,

or maybe even have a chance to fail when trying to shapeshift? according to the difference of the req lvl and your

actual level.. so just like with mixing the higher your skill gets but you still have a chance to fail on something?

 

all in all i would welcome it if those totems are never be makeable and are more and more expensive according to the

required shapeshift level so we dont have a massproduction problem with those items.

 

gotta admit i didnt really read carpentry as i was half way drooling about the shapeshifting idea, i almost thought it was

totally forgot about.. but i would definitly give it a shot if it ever comes out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Question..should the totems be transferable to other players?

 

Obviously they'd be highly marketable to other players who havent acquired the levels to complete the quests (if thats the basis for recieving higher totems), but should those who CAN get them then be allowed to control the amount coming into the actual economy and available to everyone else? IMO yes, all for it there since there would have to be some economy balancing somewhere to offset the costs involved with getting a "Gleaming gem".

 

After all, that idea about making those gems means a very dramatic increase in the buying of gem papers, and a LOT of money leaving the game where people wouldnt normally think of levelling crafting (either because without "Gleaming gems" they'd normally not want to train crafting instead of other skills OR because they already got to a high crafting level). So yeah, definitely needs some money changing hands here and there to keep the flow going around.

 

Who knows, maybe if theres enough gc leaving the game from the sudden increase of gem mixing, Radu might decide to increase gc drop rates again elsewhere (or make some other income for gc to compensate), just to maintain balance.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Question..should the totems be transferable to other players?

 

Obviously they'd be highly marketable to other players who havent acquired the levels to complete the quests (if thats the basis for recieving higher totems), but should those who CAN get them then be allowed to control the amount coming into the actual economy and available to everyone else? IMO yes, all for it there since there would have to be some economy balancing somewhere to offset the costs involved with getting a "Gleaming gem".

 

After all, that idea about making those gems means a very dramatic increase in the buying of gem papers, and a LOT of money leaving the game where people wouldnt normally think of levelling crafting (either because without "Gleaming gems" they'd normally not want to train crafting instead of other skills OR because they already got to a high crafting level). So yeah, definitely needs some money changing hands here and there to keep the flow going around.

 

Who knows, maybe if theres enough gc leaving the game from the sudden increase of gem mixing, Radu might decide to increase gc drop rates again elsewhere (or make some other income for gc to compensate), just to maintain balance.

 

gotta disagree somehow there, i think they shouldnt be tradeable (even tho there aint such a system for items not beeing tradeable i think..

but that could be worked on) there shouldnt be a real market for that imo as it should be a skill that only offers you the abilities you worked

yourself on. but thats just my oppinion =)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually, mod capes arent transferable, and as such there is already a "system" in place. just use whatever parameter stops the cape from being transferable and add that to the totems.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm personally not fond of the idea of making totems non-tradeable, kind of isolates shapeshifters from the community.

 

Oh and thinking more about totems.. if both skills were implemented, maybe carpenters could make the totem base (the carved outline of the creature) and then summoners could enchant the idols with the creature spirits... and then used by the shapeshifters :rolleyes:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That sounds awesome, it would need alot of teamwork etc. for me that the totems should be non tradable is not for isolating the shapeshifters

from the communtiy rather than making it a special skill that needs to be sweat and worked on by yourself, shouldnt be as easy to get

every totems straight away after a few days etc.

Edited by Scorpius

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
That sounds awesome, it would need alot of teamwork etc. for me that the totems should be non tradable is not for isolating the shapeshifters

from the communtiy rather than making it a special class that needs to be sweat and worked on by yourself, shouldnt be as easy to get

every totems straight away after a few days etc.

 

 

Nuuu, we don't need classes ingame >_<

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The carpentry skill was considered at one time, but I decided against it. The items can very well go to manufacturing, and the construction skill is going to be construction alone.

 

The shape shifting skill is pretty difficult to implement properly, and not THAT useful, plus it can change the gameplay in ways I am not prepared to analyze yet.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, after some more consideration, I've decided to add the shape shifting skill, it will be sort of like you described it, but not entirely. For example, when you shapeshift into a creature you won't get the stats of that creature, but some penalties and bonuses. For example, a woodsprite will have very little a/d (something like a=a-50, d=d-60), but will be almost invisible, good for sneak attacks at night.

When you are polymorphed, you will lose the ability to cast spells, do ranging, and so on, and you will get no exp (to prevent people from using a lower a/d creature to gain more exp).

 

We already have the shapeshifting tokens, so I'll think of a set of bonuses/penalties for each one of them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×