Forums » General Pantheon Discussion

Favourite Way to Acquire Spells/Abilities?

    • 9115 posts
    January 16, 2017 3:48 AM PST

    What is your favourite way to acquire spells and abilities? Is it via a trainer, out in the world, mob drops, automatically updated spell book, crafted or some other way?

    • 131 posts
    January 16, 2017 3:53 AM PST

    A combination of vendor, research, and mob drops the way it was done in EQ worked well IMO.  The higher lvl you get the more of a challange to complete your book.

    • 781 posts
    January 16, 2017 3:54 AM PST

    Merchant for basic spells, out in the world for more elite spells, bosses for the best spells.  I kind of enjoyed scribing my own spells in my spell book on the page that I wanted it to be scribed on, helped with organization but i can understand  if thats a bit outdated.  Crafted spells were good but the pain of losing mats if your crafting skill wasnt high enough was just too much for just a few more dmg pnts.  Crafters would charge an arm and leg ( if you werent guilded) for them as well.

    • 1618 posts
    January 16, 2017 4:10 AM PST

    Lower tiers: Merchants

    Middle tiers: Crafted

    Higher tiers: Crafted from rare drops or dropped themselves

    • 99 posts
    January 16, 2017 4:25 AM PST
    Earlier ones merchant lets face it at low lvls you got more to worry about. Higher-max drops off certain mobs, please no RBG off the entire world lol. They will be sold for a ton if its RBG.
    • 780 posts
    January 16, 2017 4:35 AM PST

    I'd prefer a combination of vendor-purchased, researched (or otherwise crafted), drops, and quests.  I definitely miss being able to buy spell scrolls and carry them around rather than just having a list of them to learn when I click on a trainer.  I'm not a fan of automatically learning things, either.  I'm also hoping to see more quests to learn spells than we've seen in other games.  I don't mean something where you are given a clickable and told to go use it on ten mobs, and once you've done that you get the permanent spell.  Meaningful quests, please.

    • 159 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:05 AM PST

    It's never made sense to me for divine spells to be mob looted or researched.  They are granted by dieties not scholarly notes and formulae.  I could see having to faction up within your faith tho, perhaps to unlock higher level diety specific spells.

    Arcane magic being found as spell drops from mobs makes far more sense to me depending on the mob type.  Research/crafting makes sense as you trial and error your way thru scraps of notes and formulae from those who've tried in the past.

     

    On that note I've always found it kinda lame in EQ that necro and SK had to choose a dirty when they used arcane magic.  It was more of a forced faction mechanic than a sensible story bit there. 

    • 52 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:06 AM PST

    Anything as long as not auto learned. Raid dropped super rare spells would be cool.

     

    • 60 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:18 AM PST

    Kilsin said:

    What is your favourite way to acquire spells and abilities? Is it via a trainer, out in the world, mob drops, automatically updated spell book, crafted or some other way?

    I think a mix would be a lot more exciting. For example most of your skills should be gotten by a trainer(like 70% of them) but some of the really useful/awesome ones should be gotten as a rare mob drop or require a hefty amount of crafting materials to make. In the end your going to be killing mobs to level anyways so why not make a level 28 skill be a rare drop from a level 28 mob? By the time you finish getting level 29 or 30 by killing them that should be enough to the point when it drops or have gained enough bone fragments lets say to turn in for the skill or be crafted. 

    • 1618 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:26 AM PST

    Xilshale said:

    It's never made sense to me for divine spells to be mob looted or researched.  They are granted by dieties not scholarly notes and formulae.  I could see having to faction up within your faith tho, perhaps to unlock higher level diety specific spells.

    Arcane magic being found as spell drops from mobs makes far more sense to me depending on the mob type.  Research/crafting makes sense as you trial and error your way thru scraps of notes and formulae from those who've tried in the past.

     

    On that note I've always found it kinda lame in EQ that necro and SK had to choose a dirty when they used arcane magic.  It was more of a forced faction mechanic than a sensible story bit there. 

    There are plenty of stories of holy objects or tomes of divine knowledge found in the possession of monsters or found in ancient graves. Not all divine spells have to be directly granted by a deity, especially in Terminus, where the gods do not directly affect us. I can see how ancient rituals could be found in the world.

    • 112 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:32 AM PST

    Crafted recipes/abilities are my favorite as they tend to allow more customization to the ability itself.  I will admit this does make it more difficult to balance for a mmo though.

     

    I agree with most that a combination is the best way to achieve a fully realized game.  A new character should be given sufficient abilities either inherently as part of their personal lore or by access to a trainer/merchant early in the game.  However refinement of core skills or aquisition of new skills should come from a variety of sources to encourage exploration and experimentation.  

    As mentioned elsewhere faction is a good way to grant divine skills from a deity and martial factions may have a specific fighting technique.  

    Rare loot drop from elementals could increase a wizard's spell knowledge while a druid may need to commune at places of natural wonder.

    Adding class specific research or milestones such as unlocking AoE heals after healing a certain amount of damage or a tactical advantage after slaying so many gnolls.

    The main focus should be to incorporate this variety across all levels to encourage repeatability and variability. 

     

    • 62 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:34 AM PST

    Just like gear, the most desired ones should be acquired through a variety of ways. Perhaps some through rare spawns, some through rare vendors, some through research if any, some through crafting if any, some through raiding and some through random mobs to name just a few of the more common acquisition methods.

    • 1618 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:39 AM PST

    Another option is player taught spells. Someone could learn a rare spell from a quest or loot drop. Then, they could teach that spell to others. This would reward social interaction and provide an alternate path for those deemed unworthy by the RNGsus.

     

    • 2 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:43 AM PST

    Like others posted above I enjoy purchasing spells from merchants, drops from difficult mobs or research.

    I think the main point to drive home here is the idea of scarcity. I want to be forced to make a decision on which spells I acquire. There may be 8 spells available to me, but I can only afford 3 or 4 of them at that time. That makes the spells I do get valuable and more meaningful.

    • 7 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:49 AM PST

    Mostly learned through a spell tree, so folks can focus their character a bit more. I'd love if some spells/abilities only came from other sources, such as winning them out in the world.

    • 626 posts
    January 16, 2017 5:57 AM PST

    I agree with most here. A good mix is nice. For me it would go about like this...

     

    Merchants: General Spells (Some spells limited to certain vendors.)

    Craft: Advanced Spells (Make this a useful profession.)

    Drop: Higher Tier Advanced Spells (Mostly Cosmetic Spells, or as an additional way to get the spell. - This means you can craft the spells at a very high cost, or find the spells in the world off a drop. Cosmetic spells would be drop only.)

    • 137 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:05 AM PST
    Merchants: low level and utility spells
    Crafting: via scribe/research skill, spell should be sellable
    Questing: prove yourself to whatever caster and earn your spell
    Drop: .......I like dropped spells but would like to see alternative paths to prevent people from gouging casters or straight up C-Blocking them. Maybe a long alternative that involves both a quest and a crafting component.
    • 9115 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:10 AM PST

    There is a nice mix here and most of you agree with a good mix of many options, on Facebook a tonne of people want a mix except are bitterly against having it auto update! :D

    • 170 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:14 AM PST

    I actually preferred the Everquest way. you only get new ones every 4th or 5th new level and they weren't automatically available. You had to seek them out from trainers, merchants, mob drops and quests. I liked that if you were close to the spell level you'd fill a bag with spell scrolls so you were prepared for the DING! I feel it made those levels special, it didn't force the dev team to come up with 4 million spells or anything crazy. I enjoyed it now you could always EQ2 them whereas the ones you get from the trainer in a town are apprentice level and the ones you get from secret merchants are journeyman level. Spells quested for were master level and rare dops off mobs were grandmaster level or something like this.

    • 626 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:15 AM PST

    Kilsin said:

    There is a nice mix here and most of you agree with a good mix of many options, on Facebook a tonne of people want a mix except are bitterly against having it auto update! :D

     

    Well I didn't note it before, but I'm not a fan of auto update either. I love the scribe tradeskill and want there to be a profession in it. If you can buy all the spells or auto them then it kills this tradeskill, and makes it a waste. 

     

    Glad to see most everyone on the same page though :)

    • 409 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:22 AM PST

    Trainer is probably my favorite.


    This post was edited by Nimryl at January 16, 2017 6:24 AM PST
    • 169 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:30 AM PST

    I like the concept of gaining abilities being unique to the class.  These would mostly require gathering gathering components or the actual ability from an area that makes sense for the class.  A good example would be enchanters in Everquest.  You had illusion spells and this would allow you to venture into cities your race would otherwise be unable to go and buy spells from vendors there.  Other examples would be Druids ability to turn into wolves and buy spells from the Brownies in Lesser Faydark.  I also like the idea of having certain powerful spells and abilities require you to find components from all over the world and to craft them.  For standard spells threre should be different vendors in the world and not all vendors have the same spells/abilities avaiable to sell.

    • 510 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:40 AM PST

    I am thinking of something more along the lines of...

     

    You are a wizard.  You have a certain number of spells that you leanred in Spell Camp (TM).  You level up and get better and better at those spells.  The more that you use each spell the better it gets.  The you hit lvl 10.  Let's say you are in the pub one day and you overhear someone mention a spell called "Rip-off-their-face" (TM).  It sounds intriguing and maybe a little fun.  So now you have a desire to learn more about it.  You have to do some lore-seeking and some perception driven searching just to get the quest.  Then you get the quest and have to complete a number of things.  Whatever.  The point is, there are some new spells you gain that will require work to get the basic spell.  Give a few auto-updates for a few levels, but then require another quest/Perception driven search for major upgrades or new spells.

    • 8 posts
    January 16, 2017 6:44 AM PST

    Agreeing with most of you, about a mixture of ways to gain abilities, I think that "auto update" might be a good addition to it.

    I think that by swinging a sword enough times, you might gain knowledge by yourself, about better ways / different ways to use it, and not always need a trainer for it.

    So some kind of "the more you use it, the more skills you might discover" thing, might be a nice add.

    • 36 posts
    January 16, 2017 7:03 AM PST

    All of the above.

    I don't think any single person's experince comes from a single location in life, and I think that a combination of everything like crafting and trainers at low-mid levels, mob drops and higher level quests (like being mentored by a really powerful warrior) at higher levels would be really cool.

    If I had to choose one or two of them, I'd say mob drops and quests would be my favorites.