non-combat pets, aura's, and other eye candy

[marvalis]

How about adding some non combat pets in the game? They would have no impact or a very minor impact on the game and would be unkillable. Above all, they would provide an interesting visual effect and/or some role-play value.

For example, have your fateful dog/cat/whatever follow you around. Get a minor buff based on the pet you use. For example, a god would give you 1% critical strike bonus. A cat gives 1% bonus to all damage.

For the more magical classes, how about some faeries following you around? These would be small, hover around the player's head and glow. You could have different colors: green would give you some poison resistance and a small boost to poison damage, blue could heal you a small amount (say 3% health every 30 turns) or provide a small health regeneration and healing bonus (+5% healing power, +0,1% health/turn). Red could provide a minor damage increase a some fire damage (+1% damage, +1% addition damage as fire).

Similarly, there could be special aura's in the game. These would be primarily visual and mutually exclusive with each-other. A blue aura could provide some healing bonus, shadow aura (dark) could provide a stealth bonus and give a transparent look.

The whole point of this is that these things can be given away as rewards for various quests. Some players might want to collect all aura's in the game. This might be a way of providing additional replay value.

Oh and before I forget, these pets would have some kind of interface, and they can learn abilities that are completely pointless, such as fetch the ball.

Just some idea's, take care ;D.

[Sradac]

would be completely game breaking if they were unkillable...

1.Load archmage, go fire heavy.
2.Position cat in a hallway between you and massive horde of enemies.
3.Unleash hell.
4.?????
5.Kill Morgo....Er, I mean, Profit.

If I want a pet thats basically useless I will get myself a mummified spider egg.

Point being, this isnt some silly MMO where you need to be flashy and show off to everyone, if you want to collect auras go rescue sun paladins and play an archmage. you will have a ridiculous amount of auras. There is already a massive amount of replay value, Ive been playing and actively following ToME since the days of pernangband, and still have yet to get all of the unlocks in maj'eyal. Lousy cryomancy...

[Reverend Bizarre]

Point being, this isnt some silly MMO where you need to be flashy and show off to everyone

This.