Necromancer Beta Test

[Dentin]

The necromancer class is officially in beta test on alteraeon.com, port 4000.  There's basically no rules on this port, other than to respect others, and give testing priority over anything else.  So if someone's trying to run a real test, don't screw with them.  One additional note:  pk balance is completely off, and I have no intention of fixing it until the mob balance is halfway sane.  Don't submit bug reports having to do with pk balance issues.

Pretty much everything is implemented except for the Demonlore skill tree, and what I'd call four problem spells/skills:

Lvl 16  consumption
Lvl 16  bone wall - already have wall spells
Lvl 21  flesh wall - already have wall spells
Lvl 27  skeletal dragon - already have craploads of minions

Consumption was supposed to be some kind of corpse eating thing to recharge your undead, but so far with the way they're working out that doesn't make much sense.  The wall spells are really problematic, as I have to come up with something very different from icewall for them to make sense.  And for skeletal dragon, well, the last thing we need is an even more powerful minion.

The Demonlore tree is problematic because I can't really see any interesting way to make it different from the 'Raised Undead' skill tree.  The both create various minions, using control and soulstones, and have the same kinds of skills.  I really hesitate to just make a skill tree that's effectively a different mob type copy of some existing tree.

Beyond that, things appear to be going well.  The class seems to be quite a bit too powerful for now, but at the same time all the testers are five-class level 33, so perhaps I'm seeing a side effect of that.  I think in the long run, the only real way to get legitimate test data is to boot in the code and see what people do with it for real.

[Draak]

'Bone wall' could be a barrier that makes it more difficult to get past and inflicts damage on those that manage to pass from jagged pieces of bone. This might be a better idea for a 'flame wall' spell, burn.

Flesh wall is a terrible idea. Keep it on the scrap heap.

Make a higher-level bone spell that uses teeth to heal skeletal warrior and mages.

You've got bone armor and a bone shield. Make a bone weapon, 'skull mace', 'bone blade' or something.

Give demonlore back to clerics. Maybe call it demonology. And give them demonfire!

(I think "Gisco's Gib Grenade" is still a viable idea. Dentin knows what I'm talking about.)

[Lokar]

I like the idea of Flesh Wall, it sounds horibly disgusting and morbid. I'm just not sure what it would do that's different from wall of ice. I guess you could make it a killable mob and make it like wall of ice, this would make it a weaker spell with the same-ish utility.

[Morpheus]

I have mentioned these two ideas to you before Dentin, posting them here as well.

bone wall:
 this could be like wall of ice with one exception and that it would be openable by the caster.

Flesh wall:
Why couldn't this be a form of shield or armor that a necro could cast. I would say like shield only castable on self.
I vision it as giving the caster a form of second skin, tougher then their own.

[firedraco]

No corpse explosion!? Add!!

[Draak]

Another possible thing you could do with the demon tree:

Leave demonlore at the bottom. Get rid of the summoning spells. Whack control undead and use its mechanic for control demon (call it "demonic compact", "demon bargaining", something like that) that would function with existing demons. Have demon tongue as a passive skill that adds a bonus to the control demon mechanic, and top the tree off with demonfire. Maybe graft in a "demon familiar" spell and a "banish/censure demon" spell to round out the tree.

Seriously, why do undead want soulstones? What do they use them for? What's the ecology/economy? Do they use them as batteries or consume them to savor the flavor? I think a demon's motivation for wanting soulstones would be more flavorful than an undead's, even if the motivation was shrouded in mystery.

This would give two solid, separate and dissimilar uses for soulstones: creating undead and bargaining with demons.

[Mason]

Flesh wall could be an actual mob that blocks exits, like ice wall.
Bone wall could also serve as an actual mob, or as a new eq piece that dentin could add! (LOL AURA) MAYBE SPELL
Soulstones for mobs makes sense that undead would need them, they're just a gateway to the DEADZONE, it would be natural for the husk to need more, like a drug addict.

As far as demons go, i suppose if you wanted like demonic ascension you would require a largesoul stone for deeds to be done i.e. powerful minions and auras. Demons could be made to make deals, enchant equipment...curse equipment... kill newbies...

i see demonology as more of a way to fight demons, and maybe have demonic rituals as the anti.

does this make sense? i've only slept a couple of hours...

[Dentin]

I've got a handful of things to work over yet, including some ideas like this.  However, I think necroport has served its purpose, and it's been shut down.  When next we fire up necromancer, it will likely be in the main server.

Thanks!