Energy Stat Suggestions

[Phosphono]

I have a couple ideas that I'd like to share...

-The Energy stat loses its luster mid to late game. As the cost of spells increase, the two PP from pumping Energy just doesn't keep pace.

Perhaps increasing the bonus is needed. Make it tiered. 1-10 give 1PP. 11-20 give 2PP. 21+ gives 4PP. Or something of the similar nature.

-Energy should help early spells scale in mid to late game.

If you're going to invest 5 points into a Tier 1 spell, it'd be nice for it to remain useful. Damage from spells like Sparks do not keep up with increasing enemy LP. I understand that there should be differentiation between Tier 1 and later spells in terms of damage, but other skills like Quick Strike or Envenoming Strike Scale appreciably with Level.

In addition to boosting the PP bonus from Energy, I would like to see a mechanic similar to Strength added. Certain levels of Energy would provide bonuses in terms of damage. It would allow for a late game Sparks to have some tangible utility...a low-cost, moderate damage alternative to your heavy hitters. I'm hitting for around 20-30 damage based on resistances. When the opponent stands there with 700LP, the number of combat actions needed by the Mage to meaningfully contribute, using a Tier 1 spell, just doesn't justify using the spell. I find myself resorting to these 7-10PP spells only when my PP reserve is low. I feel as though I've invested 5 skill points into something I never use.

In lieu of the Energy/Damage concept (though preferable in my mind), item bonuses could exist that give a flat +% to spell damage. It would give some added 'umph' to Tier 1 spells but, unless stacked, would still fall behind the potential obtained by the Energy/Damage mechanic.

Just my two cents...

[crpgnut]

I agree with this. If I've invested 5 skill points in anything, I want it to be good for the whole game. It should be something like base damage as it currently is with a multiplier based on your energy skill and/or meditation. Say if the spell does 22-38 at level 5, this should be fine with a energy of 10. At energy 15 though it would be 22-38X1.5, at energy 20 it becomes X2 or 1.75 or whatever keeps the spell as useful as it was on earlier levels.

[MReed]

I don't agree, on two levels:

1) Low level spells still have limited utility, even later in the game -- they can provide the "last few points" of damage to kill something.
2) In any case, the goal is to force the player to continue to spend skill points on new skills if they want to be competative -- this is true of the Arcane Soldier's abilities, and I assume that it is true for the explorer's envenoming strike as well. The difference is that these three skills offer 32 levels of advancement, so you can spend many more points that you can on spells, and (of course) the PP cost increases with each rank of skill that you gain.

In short, if any change at all is called for here (and I don't think one is), the fix would be to allow you to invest more ranks in spells -- that way, you could continue improve Sparks to "level 32" if you wished. I'm pretty sure, though, that the spells are working as intended.