Ideas thread 2022/23

[Tink]

I think Goe means needing stealth to make use of your SL + backstab idea.

I don’t think that’s a horrible caveat fwiw.

Or a backstab cool down of let’s say 3-5 seconds? Then everyone could have what they want.

[Keighn]

Stealth is more than being just invisible, it is being able to move silently, to mask odors based on air currents, etc. An invisible thing can still be a stanky clutz making all sorts of horrible hidden mistakes. What is this "turbo" stealth thing?

Hide, attack, run so many steps, hide, attack rinse & repeat? Wth is wrong with that? Maybe we should slow down regular attack speeds since fighters swing too fast as well. Fuck nerf everyone and pump up the mobs to heroic difficulty as base but 1/2 their xp. Spells cast too fast, we need more cooldown (for players), speed mob casting and attacks up.

Good players will know how to play well. A newb isn't going to know how far away to stealth then attack and try again. It takes some gaming memory muscle. You can cast invisibility surrounded by mobs, you CAN NOT stealth (attempt to H ide) surrounded by mobs.

I see the idea of a 100% rogue using invisibility in lieu of hiding but it looks more like an exploit to hide and backstab surrounded by mobs. That looks far more like a turbo stealth than what actually using stealth as is.

Mage/Rogue: You can use invisibilty to get mobs off your back if they don't have reveal or don't cast it. You can then get far enough away and hit H to steath and attempt a BS, cast invis again rinse and repeat. It is slower but still works. Should you be able to H while invisible next to a mob? Eh... I don't know, it sounds like a cheese.

[CinisterD]

You bring up a GREAT point about being able to invis while you're surrounded.

[Comet]

My Rogue Mage senses are tingling

This is largely a personal opinion but I don't think rogues need to have backstab with invis. Largely because there so many ways it can be cheesed - I forsee rogues stockpiling invis scrolls and just unloading on bosses and 2x2s. And if there's a tank in the party there's little reason to do anything else. I play a rogue mage and backstab + invis is already fun and powerful (invis right after backstabbing and they don't chase or hit you, plus you can run faster to your hiding spot).

I'm not sure about the cooldown either, since lots of the fun of backstab is finding a door or cover and getting quick backstabs in. A cooldown removes that tactical aspect, not to mention lots of experienced rogues can get in an occasional backstab in under 3 seconds with traditional hit and run tactics, so a cooldown would throw off the rhythm.

Imagine standing next to someone, they go invisible and immediately try to stab you. Unexpected? Hardly. And then after stabbing you they go invisible again and try to stab you from the same spot. It's definitely an effective and tricky fighting style, but not the same as ambushing someone unaware.

[Keighn]

I imagine if there was a Ranger/Scout class that specialized in ranged then he'd have Snipe instead of backstab (basically ranged backstab). Point blank head shot makes me think of some action movie or horror movie when you pull out Big Ben (your shitgun) and unload both barrels into the target's skull. Its either in surprise or luck. I've never thought of that attack as a snipe headshot though.

[Tink]

@Comet
Agree with what you mentioned.

What about backstabs from Invis having a small CD. But backstabs from stealth having no CD?

That way you could regular BS then invis BS for insane damage then 10 sec to I vis BS again so then you go hide and rinse and repeat or something?

I’m all for having more shit to multi class with. More synergies is more fun IMO.

[Comet]

@Comet
Agree with what you mentioned.

What about backstabs from Invis having a small CD. But backstabs from stealth having no CD?

Yeah I was thinking of that too. No idea how to code that LAUGHING OUT LOUD LIKE A MORON. I know another idea suggested in the past was to allow invis backstab but nerf the damage - prob wouldn't be popular but would work.

Mage invis + backstab would need some kind of cooldown imo. I feel like it would be cheesy if you could just spam VSL and backstab over and over.

I agree, though after testing VSL backstab seemed fine. The cooldown is pretty long so it's reasonably slow. Maybe we should just allow invis backstab for alpha and go wild . Even SL might not be too bad, though SL scrolls are always the threat. Of course the problem is this allows for very stationary rather than hit and run combat - just imagine standing and fighting with dual SS and occasionally pressing VSL for free backstab.

[eggmceye]

I think the point about going invis while surrounded and being able to backstab totally kills the idea off for me, sorry cind

given that there isn't much point adding a cd to bs, or changing how it works otherwise, so you can all have a lie down now

[CinisterD]

I honestly hadn't thought of that angle, and agree. It would actually be an improved backstab more than anything else. No worries!

Bleeding eardrums though...

[Bugbo]

Hit and run tactics are pretty much how I play on PD. Only instead of backstab I hide, sneak close enough to lob a chain lightning or other spell, then run away and hide again. It has served me well so far.

[Keighn]

Hoe of destruction is awesome. A sniper with BOW OF DESTRUCTION would make RAMBO cry in joy.

[Lifeisaparty]

After becoming a vampire, I'm surprised activating a blood fountain doesn't have some unique interaction.
I'm not talking being able to actually drink it (though that'd be cool to tack on a special buff or something to it) but a special message like "I prefer it fresh." or something instead of "No! Disgusting!" as if blood isn't the only thing I "eat" now.

[Keighn]

Vamps love blood and regaining hp from it if vamp makes sense.

[LaughingCoyote]

Expand tinkering so you can craft jewellery and tinted jewellery. Necromancers and Enchanters can create rings but tinkers can only do gold rings atm.

[speed]

I use VYR pretty often. Here's my take on the discussion that's happening in the discord server:

[ How I use VYR currently ]
Here are the benefits and downsides that I currently utilize most often:
+ Proc spells from staves as if I were a druid.
+ Increases my damage/defense significantly enough to warrant casting it all the time.
- The main downside is that I can't change weapons (i.e. casting mirror images with a barbed weapon or using a trap detection weapon)
- A smaller downside is not being able to use a raft.

[ Potential Buffs / Drawbacks ]
It'd be interesting if different polymorph colors buffed/nerfed different spells. It might be interesting to prevent casting invisibility (or other spells) when polymorphed as a drawback, since dragons are really big. Or limit XC only to the red dragon form and the un-polymorphed form. As it is, most mages only use VOG/XC/IFH/invisibility (maybe QAW too), so it'd be interesting to try limiting those spells and seeing if other builds arise.

[ Examples ]
White (focused on utility, the only form that can go invisible)
+ clone resistance
+ IVPY range increased by 1 tile
+ KXQ clones last longer
+ VEU/EU bonus increased
+ IMJ/VIMJ has a chance to not consume soul shards (maybe increase VIMJ range too)
+ Perhaps buff IW/IP/IL/VL/AQ/etc. as well
- Can't cast XC
- VOG damage significantly reduced (or can't cast it entirely)
- maybe nerf XMP/IFH/QAW as well?
Considering VEU/EU feel very underwhelming at higher levels, it would be nice to have a form that focused on smaller buffs, utility, movement speed, etcetera. Hopefully it'd find use when going on treasure-chest/soul shard runs. IFH can still be used for AOE damage, and either VF/XMP/IJO can be used for single-target damage.

Blue (focused on VOG)
+ lightning resistance
+ OG cooldown reduced
+ VOG hits 5 (6?) targets. Damage is lowered such that the total damage is 110-120%
- Can't cast XC
- Can't cast SL/VSL
- maybe nerf XMP/IFH/QAW as well?
It'd be useful to have a form where VOG hits 5 or 6 targets just for clearing weaker enemies. Sometimes there's groups of 5 enemies, and VOG doesn't deal with them all in one cast!

Green (focused on status effects / poison)
+ protection
+ venomous melee attacks?
+ XJ/AEP/IZH lasts longer
+ INH More effective somehow
- Can't cast XC
- Can't cast SL/VSL
- maybe nerf XMP/IFH/QAW as well?
Might need some more buffs to actually be useful, since XJ/AEP/INH/IZH probably still won't be used much even with buffs.

Black (summon-focused)
+ vampyric resistant
+ KXC/KVX/KX/KBX have increased summon slots / summon levels
+ XMP has reduced cooldown
- Can't cast XC
- Can't cast SL/VSL
- maybe nerf XMP/IFH/QAW as well?
Also might need more buffs to be useful. Maybe gives extra buffs for vampire mages too?

Red (single-target damage)
+ fire resistance
+ XC deals more damage (125-150%?)
+ VF has reduced cooldown
- Can't cast any other spells aside from XC and VF
Useful for single-target damage. Can still use staves, but will have to un-polymorph to cast other spells such as invis.

Of course, not all of these need to be implemented. I just find the idea of each dragon form aiding with a different type of playstyle appealing.

[ Duration ]
Regarding the update that extended the polymorph duration from 60s to infinite, perhaps an approach would be to scale polymorph time with level? So every level = 1 second duration. Level 550 = 550 seconds of polymorph, before having to recast. This would probably be a very annoying feature to deal with if it were added, but hey, it's an idea.

[ Changing between forms ]
Insert diamond/sapphire/emerald/onyx/ruby gem into staff? Eat dragon meat?

Also, perhaps prevent changing between polymorph colors super often. So if you've turned used a ruby to turn into a red dragon, you can still aren't able to change into a different color for a period of time.

[Keighn]

Are treasure maps instances? ie.. if you leave you have a time limit before they disappear and can be cleared?
Mobs don't respawn in treasure map dungeons?

If that is all so, then maybe on the instances cleared it could list the number of times each treasure map level (and radioactive treasure map dungeons) that you clear them.

I know a lot of people probably just go to the chest and loot it and leave. I would love to see a number of treasure map dungeon instances cleared under alts. Well, I think it'd be cool anyways.

[Keighn]

A hunter/gatherer skill. Eventually, at 100% you have a 100% chance to get brains, corpse, hide etc off of various creature. We all know the ones that drop what. The random becomes certain.

Why can't you debone/deskull the corpses you dig up or from dead PCs? They're bodies after all. A 100% skill in that gathering (use bone knife on corpse maybe) yields bones & skull.

2x2 mobs of various sorts should dish out 1-4 of corpse/hide etc. A 100% gatherer/hunter would ensure max 4.

Random "abandoned" maps that might have mobs, garden, house, ruins, etc in it. Sort of like a treasure map. Thd higher your pathfinding skill the greater the chance you run into one. Map determined by terrain when found.

More hunting/gathering of wild herbs and reagents or even flowers, mushrooms, apples, food in the wild.

And the age old search various objects and find something. It shouldn't be exactly like ladder but perhaps similar. I also like the kick command.

[Azalynn]

2x2 mobs of various sorts should dish out 1-4 of corpse/hide etc. A 100% gatherer/hunter would ensure max 4.

Random "abandoned" maps that might have mobs, garden, house, ruins, etc in it. Sort of like a treasure map. Thd higher your pathfinding skill the greater the chance you run into one. Map determined by terrain when found.

These ideas are dope. I love the pathfinding stuff, its literally treasure maps inside of dungeons which is a super cool idea. It would be really cool to be doing your dungeon loops in heroic or epic where one of the walls you walk by turn into a hole or a cave that is generated exactly like treasure maps of the same level.

That being said, i dont think they even need to be coding any different than treasure maps with lower or higher drop rates for items at the end of the cave like treasure maps would have.

[Vovin]

hi,

I just did the path all the way from the undead overrun town to the end of Hell's keep (first time ever) and it was a cool adventure with one of the best and most varied paths as far as dungeons go. Throughout however, you are being reminded that a huge fight awaits you at the end, including at the very last door, only to meet a blue NPC. I understand that probably some complicated quest plot was to be associated with that guy but, for the time being, perhaps just make it red? It is a nice dungeon crawl by itself without a quest and immersive enough if the guy is red.

[Vovin]

Thanks for putting together such a nice crawl by the way! It really is special to experience something like this in 2022.