Artifact & Ego ideas

[twas Brillig]

Another possibility would be for the Primal Infusion to grant a temporary boost to the savetype (physical, mental or magical) related to the condition it just cured. E.g., if you use it to cure a pin, it could give you, say, +40 to physical saves for 5 turns. A poor man's Spine of the World/Unbreakable Will, if you wish.

Doesn't that exacerbate the problem of Primal curing a type at random, though? Or, I guess it doesn't actually make things worse, but getting a bonus to save against the conditions I wasn't trying to cure to begin with doesn't seem like a huge boost. As to the degree of boost, I actually have no idea how to balance that? Saves are confusing.

[jaumito]

Or, I guess it doesn't actually make things worse, but getting a bonus to save against the conditions I wasn't trying to cure to begin with doesn't seem like a huge boost.

The boost doesn't necessarily have to be "huge" to make the Primal Infusion an interesting alternative to other inscriptions. Say, even if you cured a magical status instead of a more debilitating (e.g., physical) condition, the spell save boost alone could jump your magical save up a tier and possibly make you immune to spellshock for a few turns, which would often come in handy as magical magical status effects are often caused by spellcasters. AFAIK there's no talent/item that uses this kind of mechanics at the moment (except a couple passive prodigies), so the proposed change would make the Primal Infusion unique in its own way, without being overpowered.

As to the degree of boost, I actually have no idea how to balance that? Saves are confusing.

It's not that hard actually. I proposed a +40 boost because it's a guaranteed +1 tier as long as the original value was less than tier 3. Make that +60 if you want to grant the same level of protection to tier 3 saves, or +80 etc.

[Planetus]

I still think making it remove one each is a more solid method of making it unique. It separates it from Wild infusions in a way more in-line with shielding runes vs Rune of Reflection (i.e. a categorical change to the main effect). The Primal Infusion's affinity boost always felt weird to me anyway. It clearly leaves it as functionally just a wild infusion, with the only difference being that the damage mitigation it grants can't be bypassed (though a portion of it only comes AFTER the damage has been received, which bites).

In contrast, the Rune of Reflection lets you use your shield as a damaging mechanic, in limited fashion, if fighting a high-damage enemy (or not so high later on).

In addition, this change wouldn't scale it's usefulness with your build. If it granted +X save on the type it removed, not only do you still have a larger gamble than usual with wild infusions, you also have to consider how useful that save bonus is to you. If you're doing a high-save build, it's less useful, as +40 gives less if you're starting from 60 or 80 save than it does if you start from 20 save.

[jaumito]

I still think making it remove one each is a more solid method of making it unique.

So solid it might become too much of a no-brainer for too many builds, in my opinion. I don't see this as a good thing.

In addition, this change wouldn't scale it's usefulness with your build. If it granted +X save on the type it removed, not only do you still have a larger gamble than usual with wild infusions, you also have to consider how useful that save bonus is to you.

100% correct. Except I think artifacts don't have to be useful to every class, every build, everytime (I call such artifacts, 'broken'.) So I see this as an improvement worth gambling on sometimes, and that's enough for me - but not for you, and I don't have the slightest problem with us disagreeing on this. Not much else to add at this point.

[Atarlost]

The Primal Infusion should be a no brainer. It's a gold artifact that is competing only with green egos at best to perform a function most people want to spend two slots on.

When there are blue and purple inscription egos of quality comparable to blue and purple egos for other items then you can talk about inscription artifacts getting too much use, but in the current ego environment there should only be three reasons to not use an artifact infusion: 1) you didn't find it this game, 2) being undead or antimagic makes it unusable, or 3) it performs a role you weren't planning to spend any infusion slots on. Reason 3 should never apply to wilds.

[Effigy]

I kind of agree that it's ok for artifact inscriptions to be more powerful than normal inscriptions, since they can't be reused through the item vault like normal items. If it's overpowered in a vacuum that's a cause for concern, but if it's overpowered compared to regular inscriptions I'm not too worried. Finding the artifact inscription you want is like finding all the escorts you want, or getting the Alchemist Quest bonus reward.

[ghostbuster]

newEntity{ base = "BASE_INFUSION",
name = "Infusion of the Ogre Shaman", unique=true, image = "object/artifact/???.png",
desc = [[An Ogre shaman imbued powerful magic in this infusion. The more in pain, the more you can use it.]],
unided_name = "shining infusion",
level_range = {20, 50},
rarity = 300,
cost = 400,
material_level = 5,

inscription_kind = "protect",
inscription_data = {
cooldown = 65,
dur = 6,
power = 15,
use_stat = "con",
what = {physical=true, mental=true, magical=true},
},
inscription_talent = "INFUSION:_WILD",
special_desc = function(self) return "Every detrimental physical, magical or mental effect will reduce by one the cooldown of this inscription, even if stunned or otherwise disabled."
}

(hence with 3 detrimental effects, the inscription will cooldown by 4 every turn (or 3 if stunned, brainlocked, etc))

When using the inscription, ogres receive the message "You feel the infusion react with your skin" (Cooldown reduced by 8 to 57)

[Effigy]

I think Planar Beacon would be a lot cooler if it had the property "wearer is treated as a demon." This would allow you to use Fearscape Shift without hurting yourself and it might see some other situational uses, like equipping it when you get pulled into Fearscape. In its current state, this artifact is quickly outshined by other lanterns.

[Effigy]

I recommend adding the "when carried:" line to the description of the Rod of Spydric Poison. Most charms require you to equip them, so it's not clear that this can be used from your inventory.

[Atarlost]

I recommend adding the "when carried:" line to the description of the Rod of Spydric Poison. Most charms require you to equip them, so it's not clear that this can be used from your inventory.

Gwai's Burninator and the Rod of Nullification are also activated from the pack. If this is something that needs stating for one it needs stating for all three.

[Effigy]

I would support adding it to those as well. The Burning Star and Mummified Egg-sac of Ungole are two items that have the "when carried" line in the description. It may be that this was added for the passive bonuses, but I think it should be added for any item that has a charm effect that can be used from inventory so you don't need to memorize items which need to be equipped or not.

[Matanui3]

How about Ureslak's Talons (or however the prismatic dragon whose remains are everywhere is spelled).

A set of high-tier gloves that give a chance to proc any of the Wyrmic breath weapons on-hit, and add proc damage of all of those types.
Perhaps with a similar (though smaller) resist increase as the cloak, and/or a damage boost, and perhaps a set bonus with the cloak.

[Atarlost]

I suppose technically this is the place for this idea, though it may be a bit sweeping:

Fast ego for infusions. Fast infusions always have the lowest cooldown normally possible, but it obviously precludes one of the stat scaling egos.

It's currently basically impossible to better your starting wild and it probably shouldn't be. Minimizing cooldown at the expense of stat scaling is probably also interesting for phase door, teleport, movement, and attack runes used for their riders.

[marchewka]

Gloves of the Beast Master
A pair of thick gloves made from cured hide of alpha male silverback wolf. In the original story, passed through generations of tribal hunters, these gloves were created by a power-hungry halfling mage, who was so blinded by his confidence that he summoned spirit of the slain alpha male and weaved it into already finished gloves. However, as it happens when one is meddling with the very fabric of space and time, a paradox phenomena occured during the critical moment of spell casting. The halfling mage is said to have gone insane, babbling and mumbling about a whole pack of temporal hounds haunting his dreams.

A handwear with following stats:
+10% nature resistance
+10% physical resistance
+10% cold resistance
activation for Temporal Hounds lvl1

---
A marble coffin
This unobtrusive marble coffin stands out as a monument to human overconfidence, and can serve as a reminder of our weakness and mortality.
The once powerful archmage Norborg aimed high - his dream was to become equal to Gods. He spent days and months in his magical study, weaving and testing spells, experimenting with the matter and with the spirit. But as chance had it, vapours spilling from his experiments escaped his study, and caused a terrible sickness in the only and belowed son of the archmage. Aghast with his own doings, he changed the scope of his works. What he wanted now was life for his son. He obeyed no laws, he heeded no warnings, in his persuit he turned into the dark art of Necromancy. Alas, all for nothing. The more spells were cast by the loving father, the worse was the condition of son. Finally - he died. His father tried the last resort - to bring his firstborn back as a lich. But the magical damage was too deep, and twisted the resurrection spell. The poor son stood before his father as a mindless ghoul, no sign of recognition in his bleached eyes.
...
One disintegration spell later, the father was down on his knees, weeping for what seemed like an eternity. He renounced all that is magical. Moved out in the country, and spend the rest of his life with a chisel in his hand. Sculpting a small coffin, that would act as a cenotaph for his son. After several years, the coffin was ready. And, as was predictable, after the last polishing tough that he gave to the coffin, he passed away. Yes the story does not end here. As so strong was the devotion of father to his son, that it imbued the coffin with brend new magical qualities, making it nearly indestructible, and showing bizzare side-effects, chief among them being the ability to return to the hand of whoever dropped it.


(basically - a projectile weapon for the strong)

A projectile (ammo slot) that does not require bow/sling to shoot - or, if that is hard to code, an "ammo" slot item with an activation. Stats below take the second option into account.

Stat requirement to wear: STR 48

damage 80-100
+50% physical penetration (this item hitting only)
50% to break shield (this item hitting only)
+50% critical damage modifier (this item hitting only)
+20% critical chance (this item hitting only)
Activates for: ranged hit, distance 5
Reload time: 5

[Dienes]

I think the chronomancer classes could use a little love in the ego department. Mana, equilibrium, and psi all have egos that restore them when you are hit don't they? Maybe add a 'Reduce paradox by x when hit' ego? Or maybe on hit/spell hit or on kill. I also see tons more max Mana, Vim, and Hate items than I do 'reduce paradox failure equivalent to willpower' items. Which brings up the other side of the coin that chronomancer specific egos will be useless to every other class, even other casters.

I was thinking maybe an ego(s) that lets you choose what resource it effects. Or that chooses automatically based on your class or something when you pick it up. Merging together at least some of the various resource pool or resource recovery egos together so more classes can get more use out of items that have them. I'm not sure how technically feasible something like that is.

Doesn't that exacerbate the problem of Primal curing a type at random, though? Or, I guess it doesn't actually make things worse, but getting a bonus to save against the conditions I wasn't trying to cure to begin with doesn't seem like a huge boost. As to the degree of boost, I actually have no idea how to balance that? Saves are confusing.

Tangentially related: how about an ego that boosts phys/spell/mind power for the purpose of inflicting effects only. Playing on nightmare I've found rares and uniques can often get very high saves that make inflicting effects quite hard. These are also the enemies that status effects would be most useful against. I'm thinking especially about my Paradox Mage who just ran into a boss with substantial temporal and physical resists. Cease To Exist seems specifically made to use against that kind of enemy since it reduces phys and temporal resists by 23-57%. But being a boss the monster had so much spell save that I had a very small chance to actually make the effect stick. That makes Cease To Exist and other similar talents only useful for killing enemies that you could kill without the help anyway.

The normal way to make an effect stick is to increase (spell)power, but that increases (spell) damage as well so making (spell)power egos more powerful would be quite unbalancing. Adding egos to boost power only when calculating effects but make them boost it more than an equal power ego would give the player the option of trading some raw damage for more likely status effects.