[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.

[J C Lawrence]

On Thu, 14 Jan 1999 20:40:24 +0000 (GMT) 
Marian Griffith<gryphon at iaehv.nl> wrote:

> In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Thu 14 Jan, Adam Wiggins wrote:
>> On Wed, 13 Jan 1999, Koster, Raph wrote:

>> Another example would be a mage who can surround any target with
>> a D&D-style fireshield.  Typically a warrior would want to "bum"
>> a fireshield from the mage and then take off to do combat.  If,
>> however, the mage has to maintain the spell in order for it to
>> work (that is to say, it doesn't just have a fixed duration), and
>> perhaps the spell can only be maintained from close range (maybe
>> only in the same room), that's a pretty good reason to bring said
>> mage along - and to protect them!

> I once proposed something like this on a mud that I played. You
> would have two types of spells, one expensive that would offer
> some bonus to the target for a (very) limited amount of time. The
> other would be cheaper and would not wear off at all, but it would
> drain the caster of its casting cost every game hour, gradually
> wearing her down.  

Both are good ideas.  Another fillip I've long liked are failed
spells.  Currently (most MUDs) failed spells either silently fizzle
or merely drain the resources of the caster.  I'd like something
more noticable than that:

  -- some failed directional spells go in the wrong direction.
  -- failed tageted spells hit the wrong target.
  -- failed state-change spells (eg heal) do the reverse change (ie
     damage).
  -- failed damage spells reflect back on the caster and damage the
     caster.
  etc.

etc.

Just something to increase the risk of magic using, thus justifying
increased cost and value of magic casters.

--
J C Lawrence                              Internet: claw at kanga.nu
(Contractor)                             Internet: coder at kanga.nu
---------(*)                    Internet: claw at under.engr.sgi.com
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