New inscriptions

[Susramanian]

After seeing the new tactical problems presented by npcs healing like crazy, I wanted to see more of the same. (Counters for all that healing are coming in the next beta). Here are some more ideas for runes/infusions/taints that will spice up ToME combat:

Exhaustion: puts target's inscriptions on cooldown
Stability: creates a no-teleport zone in a radius around the target
Savagery: increases physical and spell crit chance by X
Binding: links you to target. If one teleports, the other comes along
Leeching: causes any healing done to the target to affect you instead

[Canderel]

Personally, I don't think that inscriptions should affect a "target" they should always target you... as they are on your skin.

Exhaustion: puts target's inscriptions on cooldown --- You can have people with skills in a radius of X around you, skip their countdown for Y turns

Stability: creates a no-teleport zone in a radius around the target --- No one teleports for X turns around you.

Savagery: increases physical and spell crit chance by X --- 100%

Binding: links you to target. If one teleports, the other comes along --- binds you to any creature that teleports in radius X around you for Y turns

Leeching: causes any healing done to the target to affect you instead --- any healing in a radius around you affects you instead.

[Kemsha]

I like all of them

It's nice to have more possibilities, it seems that many of my characters end up with the same infusions/runes.
They may seem a bit specialized but if more and more npcs begin to use them, maybe they're worth it

[edge2054]

Entanglement Infusion - Grasping vines grow up from the earth. Pins the target (maybe aoe pin) and inflicts damage each turn.

[Sirrocco]

I specifically don't like the idea of entanglement as an infusion. Different inscription types are supposed to do different things. That's important now, and it's going to become even more important as we introduce other forms of inscription for the other power sources - to keep things clear and meaningful. Currently, infusions heal, remove debuffs, and provide temporary buffs. Nothing they do goes outside the wearer's skin except for the sun infusion,a nd arguably that one ought to be some other form of inscription. That's a good, solid set of things for infusions to do. On the flip side, runes are pretty much the opposite. They warp space, speed up time, create temporary shields of force, draw in mana, and launch bolts. For the most part, that's flashy stuff that reaches outside the body. Obviously with only two types, we can't have the types being *all* that strong yet, but they should become more clarified as new types show up. Now is not the time to muddy the differences more.

[edge2054]

I thought the difference was more of an Arcane vs. Wilder one and not so much about who it effects.

[Sirrocco]

yes,it is an arcane vs wilder one, but there's something of a thematic effect on what sorts of things they do as well. My thought is that, with more types coming out eventually (and DG has stated that he intends to bring out more inscription types at some point) those thematic differences will become more valuable, rather than less.

[edge2054]

I understand what you're saying I just don't think runes are for attack and infusions are for healing.

Anyway, another option would be spider webs or whatever. The point of the inscription was a ranged pin so melee classes can get a hold of creatures with ranged tactical AI. How that happens doesn't really make a difference to me.

[madmonk]

A point to remember here is that what is good for you can also be used by the NPCs...

That could be really nasty! As ever careful balancing is needed!

[Grey]

Another point to remember is that no one will dedicate an inscription slot for such a function, as it is only useful in a small number of cases.

Perhaps a Landslide infusion, that pulls enemies within distance x towards the user, whilst also causing significant physical damage?

[teachu2die]

i had the same thought while reading over this grey - at first i was excited, but then started realizing that, due to the very situational nature of many of these runes/infusions, only classes that have a genuine surplus of inscription slots would be able to consider using them (basically archmages?).
however, tactical options to combat enemy use of inscriptions is still an awesome idea. but i'd rather see similar abilities given to certain classes through new abilities, or maybe puchased/obtained through quests. something like the 'binding' ability could be given to certain mage or chronomancer classes, 'leeching' could be in a wilder tree, maybe 'exhaustion' could be gained through a mid-level quest at zigur (if you still don't use runes/magic, say 5 levels after completing the antimagic quest), etc.

[Goblinz]

The idea of adding new talent trees is probably better. In the SVN undead can't use infusions so this would allow them to get these useful abilities that may even be necessary some classes.

[Sirrocco]

...and Goblinz makes my point. If you write a bunch of runes that do all of the things that infusions do, then the fact that undead can't use infusions only means that they have to spend a bit longer scumming the shops. If you makes infusions that do the things that runes are supposed to do, then the fact that antimagic prevents you from using runes only means that you have to spend a while longer scumming things in the shops. These are actually *supposed* to be meaningful limitations.

[Grey]

I believe DarkGod will be implementing new types of incription that undead can use. Also, isn't it planned for undead not to be able to use anti-magic?

Personally I think even the runes should be more character-focused though. Like lightning should just be a chain lightning off the nearest target, and frozen spear should shoot out in the four cardinal directions - no targeting essentially, to separate them from talents and wands.