Embers - Part 2

[NiteHawk]

TL:DR: Embers that are dropped by OAD monsters, low chance, grant bonuses on items.

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We talked about this is another post. Embers that can be obtained and added to an item to grant additional bonuses, such as 2% fire div damage, or 25HP health. This would be the only addition I'd like to add from the base of the game we used to play. I don't want it to be complex, and I want to keep everything simple. I think this is good balance. Item effects then would be: Sorc Enchantment (Dull/Normal/Bright/Brill), Blessed (Per divinity), Soulbound, and 1 ember would be thrown on it.

First, lets get to what I won't change to keep it simple:

1. Only one ember can be placed on an item.
2. They are one time uses.
3. Once an ember is used, THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IT BACK FROM AN ITEM.

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And here are the ways we can go about doing this that is open for discussion:

1. You cannot remove or add another ember to the item at all. The benefit of this that you might want ITEMS with specific bonuses now so it would put more value on items since you can't remove the ember itself. (I.E: A fire char will want a fire scarab blade rather then an ice scarab blade.)

2. You can REPLACE the ember. This means if you have a ice scarab blade, and replace it with a fire ember, then the ice ember removed completely and it becomes a fire scarab blade. Benefit is mostly ease of use, and allows people to keep using items they like using if they decide to change divs etc. Embers are hard to find anyways. 8)

3. You can UPGRADE the ember. Would have a maximum upgrade limit. This way I don't think will allow replacement either. Will be like Option 1. only with upgrades. Means embers are more sought out since you can use several of them.

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I don't really like the upgrade option though because I'd prefer the simple replace function and having stronger embers to keep it simple and decrease the drop rate. It makes it easier to understand and less of a hassle.

The option I like is the REPLACEMENT option, 2., followed closely by 1.

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Lastly, what should be allowed to use this?

Just body armor and weapons? Shields and Helmets excluded? Be similar to how blesses can only be put on weapons/armor too. I would say equipping to weapons give a bonus to damage, and armor gives a bonus to resist.

Please note I'm not going to be giving large bonuses. These will be very small, but can be used in OAD drops for jollies and little boosts.

[Lateralus]

I like replace meaning that the old one is destroyed so it becomes somewhat of a sink in itself.

To keep it simple I'd just like to see it on weapons only.

While I don't like the upgrade I wouldn't mind seeing a high level oad that is 2% bonus and maybe a quest item that is 4% bonus but any more than that and it gets confusing keeping in mind all the other blesses enchantments and sbing an item needs.

[Zilveari]

I like all three options.

[Yue]

I like all options too, but I want the option of upgrading embers BEFORE you put them on an item.

[Satsujin]

I like the idea of upgrading the ember that's already in a weapon.

I'm still against the idea of div banes being added though, because I saw the bullshit that caused on ROK, and I have no desire to see that happen here, even if embers are easily obtained by the playerbase. A general increase in damage I can agree with, but at no point should it function as an added div bane past the already existing div bonus built into the game.

[Mujahideen]

I like the idea of upgrading the ember that's already in a weapon.

I'm still against the idea of div banes being added though, because I saw the bullshit that caused on ROK, and I have no desire to see that happen here, even if embers are easily obtained by the playerbase. A general increase in damage I can agree with, but at no point should it function as an added div bane past the already existing div bonus built into the game.

I agree here.

But what if this bonus only worked on NPCs?

[Satsujin]

I like the idea of upgrading the ember that's already in a weapon.

I'm still against the idea of div banes being added though, because I saw the bullshit that caused on ROK, and I have no desire to see that happen here, even if embers are easily obtained by the playerbase. A general increase in damage I can agree with, but at no point should it function as an added div bane past the already existing div bonus built into the game.

I agree here.

But what if this bonus only worked on NPCs?

I'd be less against it, but then they'd only be useful for leveling, there'd be very little post game reason for them since most top tier OAD bosses were (and should remain) neutral div.

[Thoth]

I like the idea of upgrading the ember that's already in a weapon.

I'm still against the idea of div banes being added though, because I saw the bullshit that caused on ROK, and I have no desire to see that happen here, even if embers are easily obtained by the playerbase. A general increase in damage I can agree with, but at no point should it function as an added div bane past the already existing div bonus built into the game.

I agree here.

But what if this bonus only worked on NPCs?

I'd be less against it, but then they'd only be useful for leveling, there'd be very little post game reason for them since most top tier OAD bosses were (and should remain) neutral div.

Plus half the pride of having an item like that isn't for use on NPCs but in PVP. That said....I support the idea of having the option to have weapons be a little EXTRA powerful. Plus it also creates a significant value to the item that economically over time will balance itself if enough shards get dropped over say...the next 5 years. More and more items will eventually have that advantage and it will stabilize the value of it. I like the idea but just don't want the execution to see a flood of them except over a long period of time. Not to mention I am sure it will create dissension among folks running OADs depending on how they work it out...

[NiteHawk]

Well, I've not once said we're going to add powerful embers

I'd want to put them in the normal as well, so they aren't rare to the point of being EMBERS ONLY. For example 5% drop on a OAD boss. But honestly, the game was way more fun then because of this. Pre-crash div items were like, insane amounts, 50-100% div banes, that's just silly. Post-crash it was too hard to get, the crafting system was stupid. It was released too late anyways too.

I agree with Thoth though, the reason why people want to have items is to show off, PVP, not PVE reasons. PVE we can have different bane items and or use this system and make bane embers.

I'm talking about a low bonus, something that wouldn't effect the game overall. The damage values can even be slightly lowered to compensate if its a big deal. (So we base it on the 'final' damage you can get in game totally decked out.)

Just to put it into math formulas. If you deal 250 damage, 1% is 2.5 more damage, 2% is 5 damage, 3% is 7.5 damage. 4% is 10 damage. We aren't talking about game breakers.

[Rodeo]

I like option 2 and this idea overall.