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Showing results for tags 'magic;'.
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Well hello there. I can already hear the people groan in front of their PCs as they read the topic title thinking it's another thread about what magic system to use in combat. To relieve you. It's not. It's about something else I'm concerned with and I'm making this thread to maybe bring this to Obsidian's attention as Eternity is still in the development stages. My concern is the use of magic OUTSIDE of combat. I've seen the very disappointing trend in recent years and in most RPGs, at least video game ones, that magic and having a spell caster class has been shoved entirely into a combat function. And I absolutely hate that. Where is the utility magic that has uses outside of just combat? That might actually make an impact on the story of the game. Like for example: Storywise the party has to get past a door that is locked. Thief class: Use a lockpick. Warrior: Use your strength to force the door open. Wizard: Cast an Open spell. A very simple example. To that practically each class has a different way to get past the same situations. Or... "We have to get past the guards at the gate what are we supposed to do?" You could again have several options depending on your class. A wizard for example could suggest using an Invisibility spell. If your proficiency in the spell is high enough, you get past the guards. If it's too low. They detect you and throw your out or something. Or a Detect Magic spell. Like you have to find a certain artifact that is hidden among many fake ones and you try to detect an enchantment on it. Or (minor tangent) have training a spell actually have an effect. For example... Open spell Lvl1 = Open minor locks but door itself stays closed Open spell Lvl 2 = The door unlocks and swings open too Open spell Lvl 3 = You can open a heavy gate or something --------- Detect Magic Lvl1 = You know there is something magical in the room Detect Magic Lvl2 = You can pinpoint the source of magic directly Detect Magic Lvl3 = You know what kind of enchantment it is Spells could also have synergetic effects. Let's say you are stuck in a cage and your warrior companion lacks the strength to break it or something. You could for example use fire and ice spells on the cage in rapid succession to weaken it structurally. Hot -> Cold -> Hot -> Cold etc and then have your warrior try breaking it again. This is something I'm missing entirely from most of current day RPGs. And I have high hopes from Obsidian that they might actually factor magic into the actual storyline as I remember Fallout doing that very well with it's science skills and the computer skills you could aquire during the story. And magic proficiency might just be the fantasy equivalent to that.