Post:Foci - 12/14/2010 - 18:00:44

Re: Foci · on 12/14/2010 6:00:44 PM	12617
>>I like how foci will be optional, though I wonder how long it will take for the player base to arrive at the point where its considered baseline to use a foci. To clarify: "foci" is the plural of "focus." You use a focus, which you chose among the foci available. The baseline question is a bit complex, though. On one hand (and probably the most important hand, experientially), it cannot become baseline because foci simply do not work on most of the spells a guild has. I'll return to my example of Mental Blast: there is no threat of foci usage of Mental Blast becoming baseline, because Mental Blast does not benefit from a focus (because that would've robbed Mental Blast of its function). Except for the targeting focus, Foci only come up in specific circumstances: you are casting an explicitly Ritual spell (where you're going to be sitting there for a little bit anyway), or you're using Sorcery, in which case the complexity is considered part of the package deal. However, within those specific circumstances, they'll absolutely form a baseline. Ritual spellcasting is designed around the ritual focus being normal, and casting it straight up being an exceptional feat. The targeting focus will be a fun experiment. It provides a little benefit, but in almost all cases at the cost of consuming your main hand. It's a stab at seeing if there's room to allow PCs to spec more heavily into the TM role in combat rather than TM + Sword + Board baseline. If we continue down this route, it'd be with group combat in mind (the wizard is occupied doing Wizard Things and needs other people defending him). -Armifer
This message was originally posted in Abilities, Skills and Magic (4) \ Magic - Suggestions, Discussions and Thoughts (16), by DR-ARMIFER on the play.net forums.