[Arcane] Variety is the Spice of Life

recklessheart

This thread has been prompted as a result of the new screenshots posted by @Icallhimlecobra (thank you!), although the idea has been churning in my head for a long time.

Arcane battles often prove to be the most challenging ones (particularly in BG2). But after a certain number of playthroughs there is a predictability in the patterns of most Mages. They generally have similar spell triggers; a similar casting order; similar summons; similar protections and offensive spells. This is most poignant - I feel - with Liches.

Don't get me wrong - they're still not simple battles!

But in one new screenshot we see a Sharran Monk cast 'Chill Touch'. This made my ears perk up.

Maybe Mages might forfeit the use of some of the more powerful spells, but would it not cause the players to take a step back if some of the new Mage encounters incorporated spells that the player had not anticipated? Things like 'Stinking Cloud'; 'Slow'; 'Contagion'; 'Sphere of Chaos'; perhaps a naughty spell trigger 'Mass Invisibility' at the start of combat in order to allow the Mage to buff up, while giving his foot soldiers time to advance without fear of archers (ie.Mazzy!)?

Albeit this discussion may be more relevant for BG:SoA, a much more magically-charged world. Sooner rather than later, I figured!

Is this 'Chill Touch' screenshot the first of many unexpected arcane applications for our new foes?

CaptRory

That's a good point.

If you get into a case of Arcane Rock Paper Scissors and the other guys throw Spock and Lizard you're not gonna have a good time. Even less optimal choices can be effective when combined with the element of surprise.

DJKajuru

Once I tried the SCSII "Smarter mages" , and after a few battles all I could think was "damn, do all mages in this game cast melf's meteors?". It made me completely lose interest.

Even if they sometimes make stupid spell selections, I believe that BG mages should follow different strategies ("this one uses area spells, the other one uses enchantment ones etc...)

Brude

Absolutely agreed.

SCS does this pretty well in Tutu, but I'd love to see smarter mages incorporated into an 'official' game.

Tetraploid

I'd love to see a greater variety of spells used - there are so many, you could have every mage in the game use a slightly different group of spells, there's no need for them all to have the same ones.

DJKajuru

Tetraploid said:

I'd love to see a greater variety of spells used - there are so many, you could have every mage in the game use a slightly different group of spells, there's no need for them all to have the same ones.

Exactly! Mages have different personalities and their spell choices should reflect that.

colonel_burger

Scs2 made it fine.

DJKajuru

colonel_burger said:

Scs2 made it fine.

SC2 made it more challenging, but all mages choose the same spells.

Sarevokok

I agree. I even alter my own play style when I'm a mage/sorcerer. A crazed, neutral enchanter. Evil, chaotic evil mage of pure destruction, which is pretty much LOTS of pure offense and little of disables/defense. A wise, humble good mage focused on assisting others and protections. I think similar influences should be seen with the NPCs.

DavidW

DJKajuru said:

colonel_burger said:

Scs2 made it fine.

SC2 made it more challenging, but all mages choose the same spells.

They really don't. Most (not all) mages use Minute Meteors, because it's essentially free (you can throw meteors while waiting to be able to cast again), just as virtually all mages use Stoneskin. But mages get allocated at random (in most cases) to one of four specialities, and then their offensive spells get chosen at random from a list for that speciality. I think I use about sixty different offensive spells.

Mungri

Every mage should have stoneskin and minute meteors memorized!