AoS Necromancy spells overlapping

[Agata]

The WoD Necromancy spell list

• Darkness
• Commune
• Animate Dead
• Control Undead
• Sacrifice
• Spectre's Touch
• Wraith's Breath
• Frost Field
• Kill
• Raise Dead
• Wraithform
• Release
• Transfusion
• Summon Spirit
• Lich
• Plague

The OSI Necromancy spell list

• Curse Weapon
• Pain Spike
• Corpse Skin
• Evil Omen
• Blood Oath
• Wraith Form
• Mind Rot
• Summon Familiar
• Horrific Beast
• Animate Dead
• Poison Strike
• Wither
• Strangle
• Lich Form
• Exorcism
• Vengeful Spirit
• Vampiric Embrace

Overlapping or similar spells (WoD spell - OSI spell)

• Animate Dead - Animate Dead
• Wraith's Breath - Poison Strike
• Frost Field - Wither
• Wraithform - Wraith Form
• Summon Spirit - Vengeful Spirit
• Lich - Lich Form
• Plague - Strangle

Spells with names that could suggest similarity (WoD spell - OSI spell)

• Release - Exorcism
• Spectre's Touch - Vampiric Embrace
• Transfusion - Vampiric Embrace
• Transfusion - Blood Oath

It would be interesting to review the WoD Necromancy spells, see which are used, which aren't so useful or rarely ever used (Commune, Transfusion, Release maybe? What about Control Undead and Raise Dead?). The OSI Necromancy spells are 17, and WoD's are 16. I have some ideas on how to take advantage of this. Using the OSI spellbook allows for spell icon dragging, and easier macro setup.

Many questions arise, for example, would the Necromancy Spellbook replace the Codex Damnorum? The mechanics are so different, the Codex Damnorum requires a scribe to write the spells on it, while the Necromancy Spellbook already has all of them. The OSI spellbook could just be used for spell icon dragging, and the magic system could check if the codex damnorum has the corresponding spell or not (that's already done with Magery's spell icons), but that's one extra item cluttering the backpack.

What about the lich staff? Well, originally it was a way to work around the limitations of the UO client, it allowed for setting up necromancy spell macros.

Another option I see is, we could add the new necromancy spells, and map the already existing similar ones to the book. That way we get new Necromancy spells and add some more. My original intention was to just add all the spells as new ones, but so many of them overlap with existing ones...

Any comments?

[Atei]

I think it makes sense to just add the new spells and not worry about the other ones. I know my necro Sin would appreciate trying out some new spells. I also like the idea of being able to place the spells on your desktop, like you can do with the regular spells. On a side note, are there any plans to make more druid spells available?

[Agata]

There is the Spellweaving from Mondain's Legacy, which is basically Elven Spells which become more powerful when cast in groups. Two spells overlap from that spell set: Nature's Fury is similar to Stinging Swarm, but multi-target, and Gift of Renewal is similar to Enduring Renewal, but single target. There is also the Reaper Form spell. The Spellweaving spells could work as new druid spells.

[Joram Lionheart]

I like the idea of having new necro spells but wouldn't want to have two necro books. It sounds like switching over to the necro books, which allow for icon dragging, would be the logical change. Does this mean necro scrolls would not spawn as loot anymore? Would they become craftable like magery scrolls?

Incidentally, I like the name of our spells much better than the OSI spells (for the most part). If I had to repurpose a necro spell it would be Commune, which, as I mentioned in a previous post, is pretty much unnecessary. It would be interesting to compare the effects of our overlapping/similar spells and see which effects we like better. For example, OSI Lich's spell is not a poly buff but it increases stat regeneration rates and resistances (however, it does kill you over time). Vampiric Embrace sounds like a MUCH more useful spell than transfusion because its a passive effect that is permanent. Maybe our version wouldn't be permanent but would be slightly more effective. The only thing I don't like about spells that change your form is that they negate the benefit of riding a mount in terms of walking/running speed. Blood Oath sounds like a counterproductive spell. OSI's Exorcism spell also sounds like it was incorrectly named. It really should do what our Release spell does (I do like the name Exorcism better than Release, though).

As for the lich staff, maybe we can find a class specific perk for using them. Perhaps a silver like bonus against certain mobs or a (minor) stat and/or skill bonus. From a RP perspective it makes sense to keep them. Naturally, Druid staffs would receive a similar upgrade.

In short, I vote that you add the new spells but review those few spells that overlap and decide on one version, or a combination of the two versions. There's no sense in having two spells that do almost exactly the same.

[Xanola]

my personal opinion would be to revamp our current spell list, possibly increasing power on overlapping spells... have it as a sort of extra 'circle' if you were to compare to mage spells

[Agata]

I checked again, the AoS Necromancy Spellbook needs spells to be added just as the Magery Spellbook does. On POL, I think we have control over this process, so we can keep the mechanic of using inscription for adding the spells. As for putting the spells from the Codex Damnroum into this kind of spellbooks, I am not sure it is possible, most likely it's not.

Thinking further on the switching to the AoS Necro Spellbook and its limitations, it would need grouping of some spells into a single one. For instance, consolidating "lesser" and "greater" versions of necro spells into a single one, like Raise Dead and Summon Spirit, which work exactly the same but summon creatures of different power level; we could map those to the Vengeful Spirit spell.

I took a deep look at Wraith's Breath, and it's not what the manual says. It's not an area effect poison, but an area effect damage spell which transforms the damage into mana for the caster, so this one would not be grouped with Plague as I initially thought. Wraithform is also not what the manual says, it does the same as the Wraith's Breath spell, for a period of time. In my opinion, I think these two should be merged. As for the Wraith Form from OSI, it lasts until you cast it again or until you die, makes you vulnerable to silver weapons, less resistant to fire, physically tougher (higher AR) and all your attacks drain mana from your target.

That Blood Oath spell is useful if you can quickly heal the damage your opponent inflicts on you.

Now, about what Xanola Remings proposes, I'm trying to understand... you mean keeping the old Codex Damnorum and using the overlapping spells from the AoS spellbook as a set of Necromancy spells either more powerful and/or working a little different than the current ones?

[Xanola]

more or less, yes...