The purpose of this topic is to brainstorm a list of additions to enhance the game and address balance issues concerning gear and skill usefulness.
Looking back at the overhaul mods for other games, I believe the most important aspect that must be observed is not forcing people to use these changes in a "all or nothing" fashion. The players should be able to choose which parts they want to use and be able to configure their game to a decent degree so that everyone can benefit from the extended functionality.
Mod 1: Spider-be-gonne!
There are a few people who just can not play the game due to issues with arachnophobia. This option replaces the Dire-Spider models and sounds with Dire-Frog models. Like this
Mod 2: Shrakk Torr Headaches
These guys are really annoying due to the loud noises they generate, this mod lowers their sound to a bit more low key, humming version.
Mod 3: Character Statistics Overhaul
The way Stamina and Hit points are calculated in the game is really irritating to some people (me included). This option switches the way these values are calculated and calculates your total HP/Stamina pool based on current stats.
Mod 4: Advanced Game-play Options:
Additional options for those who obsess with getting max HP and Stam. at every level.
Enabling "Max HP per level up" removes the random number generator and gives you max HP per each every level up.
Enabling "Max Stamina per level up" removes the random number generator and gives you max Stamina at every level up.
Enabling "Scale with Difficulty" option changes the static value, For ex; if the RNG is 1d3, enabling this option gives you +1d5 at easy, 1d3 at normal or just +1 at hard, can be combined with options above.
Mod 4a: Game-play Optimisations
(SpoonyGundam): Automatic pickup for ammunition of all kinds to stop the current problems with arrows that loose their enhancements not being picked up as they are different from the ones in character's hands.
A new action; Block, for shield carrying characters. Block move increases evade chance by X% for Y seconds, grays out the using character for Z seconds (Z>Y or even Z>2Y to prevent spamming.)
Mod 5: Skill Balance Optimization
As they stand now, skills beyond 25(ish) do not really provide tangible benefits and certain skills are very superior to others. This mod aims to correct these imbalances.
Warrior:
-Swords vs Axes vs Maces
Until mid-game (Cutlass vs Battle Axe vs Warhammer) the gear balance is not too bad but once the player gets his hands on Nex, the whole balance gets ripped to shreds. At the moment, the swords are accurate, fast and can do a decent dent. When you add the monstrous to hit bonus of Nex that gives you a relatively dependable hit rate, the other choices become too unreliable.
I haven't worked out the numbers fully but I would like to move axes to the current position of the swords (tanking choice), redesign Sword abilities to increase evasion. Lastly, move the Maces to "massive damage" but slow slot
-Athletics vs Armors
Athlethics is the red headed stepchild at the moment. Despite the massive stat boni and utility skills, Its too much of a generalist tree to be used. I want to change it into a fencing tree, based on evasion and stamina (Indigo Montoya anyone?
)Armour tanks on the other hand suffer from receiving serious amounts of damage. This becomes really bad at hard difficulty where they become a lot more inferior to dodger rogues. I think the current model works like: "damage dealt by the mob - armor value = received damage" . Maybe changing it to a % based formula might give better results. Have to experiment...
*And I would like the switch the places of shield expert and heavy armor prof.
-Unarmed
Haven't really played an unarmed warrior yet so I can't give an informed opinion
Rogue:
Rogue class is the "master race" of current rules system;
Minatour rogues (Missile or Thrown) are the best Dps,
Dodgers (Dodge or Unarmed) are literally invincible unless the enemy crits like crazy (a lot less than 1/20 chance I think).
Daggers and Assassination are only average(!) skills that provide good and constant DPS.
I really don't want to change anything fundamental in rogue skills. tweak the assassination a bit, limit the ranged damage coefficients a bit... I want to bring other classes up to this level.
Mages:
Poor sods.
Cumbersome and fiddly to play, hard to use, low damage output for a damage specialist. Staff Defense is worthless. 55(ish) protection and 65(ish) evasion at 50/50 means nothing.
Earth Magic suffers heavily from it's inability to harm more than a few enemies. (and the way vit. is calculated atm.)
Fire, Air, Frost trio offer comparable damage outputs in the same order. 50/50 Fire offers 4 str, which is useful for carry capacity, Air has 4 dex for some resistance boost (and 1 utility spell) and Frost gives willpower for a couple of more stamina (remember no additional stam for existing levels.)
Spellcraft gives decent stamina boost, shorter cool-downs. Going deeper than 18 is not really possible as you don't actually have any offensive spell to use with the 50/50 bonus
How to increase the usefulness of Mage class? This is a tough one. I think that instead of giving it just pure dps increase, adding utility effects and synergies with other classes is the way to go.
Earth:
Replace "Poison Cloud" with "Entangle" which slows down the movement of enemy based on enemy level and your skill in Earth Magic, rooting it completely if your skill is high (and the enemy is weak) enough.
Replace "Poison Bolt" with
Replace "Poison Shield" with "Earth shield" which increases party's armor, provides a small regeneration effect and increases food consumed and increases resistance.
Keep poison arrow
Fire:
Fire seems to be okay as it is now.
Fire Shield: increases party's attack power,
Frost:
Frost spells should have a chance to put a "Crystallized" debuff on affected enemies, increasing their vulnerability to blunt force effects (maces, slings,
Frost Shield: It totally blocks and gets dispelled after one or two physical attacks. Increases resistances.
Air:
Shock Shield: Adds evasion, increases attack speed, resistances.
Mod 6: Gear Balance Optimization
Similar to the useless and sub par skills problem, some of the early-mid and mid game items are practically useless. *Detailed info will follow soon*
Mod 6a: Gear Location Changes
This is a personal opinion but I really don't like finding gear (solely) in alcoves or on the ground. For example, instead of having Machete lying on the ground, lets put a new unique monster in that room (Gnarled snail) which has more hit points and a bit more armor than a regular snail and the machete is stuck on its shell. Allow the player manually pick up from the monster in combat.
A couple of such mini-bosses with small rewards would be nice.
Mod 7: Expanded Spell-crafting
Option to allow players to utilize keypad to input runes
Option: Signature Spell: A single quick-slot where you can place a basic spell (shock, poison cloud, fireburst, ice shards, light and darkness) and cast it without rune interface
Mod 7: Expanded Survival and Crafting
This mod adds a new quest to first two levels that gives you a new crafting kit (Sewing Kit).
Using the Sewing kit, the player can create new items; Improvised Sack, Small Sack, Scroll Case, Totem Pole
Improvised Sack (a): 3 Slot Container that can be crafted* from Peasant's Tunic
Improvised Sack (b): 3 Slot Container that can be crafted* from Peasant's Breeches
Improvised Sack (c): 3 Slot Container that can be crafted* from Silk Hose
Small Sack: 4 Slot Container crafted* from a tattered cloak
Scroll Case: Special container that can be crafted by destroying (cutting up) a Sandmole Hide Vest. Allows you to add found scrolls and notes onto it.
Totem Pole: (Craft-able by Minatours Only) Allows your minatour to add the skulls to it. Provides a very minor boost over carrying the skulls separately.
crafted*: tied the leg-ends or arms-ends and closed the waist with a piece of string
