Spells that ought to cost every minute

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Invisibility has no big drawbacks to its use like trying to fight from Flight does.


Perhaps a non-combat flight with limited maneuverability?

Due to the DX minus, Flight tends to be non-combat.

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Bill_in_IN

Due to the DX minus, Flight tends to be non-combat.

And it only gives a defensive advantage outdoors.

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

I would be for reducing the cost of information gathering spells, like Mage Sight, or other spells that get little use. Although, any spell that is not info gathering and useful in combat should remain at a cost per turn.

These I like to be a cost per minute:

Silent Movement
Flight (not really a combat spell. replaces ladders/ropes)
Reveal Magic
Detect Enemies
Detect Life (if you are changing DE, then DL should also. Both DE & DL will have limited need for continuation, so I am not sure how much this gets you, but like I said I am for making info gathering spells more useful.)

These I think should remain at a cost per turn:

Eyes-Behind
Fireproofing

I concur with the distinction that you made for choosing which ones to extend renewal times.

[TippetsTX]

I've been thinking along similar lines, though I took it a bit further. In the process of moving the spell list into my 'tiers' framework, I decided to re-evaluate duration (as well as ST costs) for many of them. I ended up aligning each spell to one of the following durations...

Immediate
Short - 15 seconds (3 turns)
Medium - 1 minute (12 turns)
Long - 1 hour
Very Long - 1 day
Permanent

@tomc has the right idea as well... there should be different design assumptions for spells in RPG vs. arena play.

[TippetsTX]

I changed the various DETECT spells in the other direction, though... those are designated as 'immediate' spells.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

I've been thinking along similar lines, though I took it a bit further. In the process of moving the spell list into my 'tiers' framework, I decided to re-evaluate duration (as well as ST costs) for many of them. I ended up aligning each spell to one of the following durations...

Immediate
Short - 15 seconds (3 turns)
Medium - 1 minute (12 turns)
Long - 1 hour
Very Long - 1 day
Permanent

@tomc has the right idea as well... there should be different design assumptions for spells in RPG play.

Are there still continuing spells that are pay-by-the-turn?

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Are there still continuing spells that are pay-by-the-turn?

Yes, but that now kicks in after the initial 'short' duration. So for example, the wizard would start paying the maintenance cost to extend SUMMON WOLF on the spell’s 4th turn and each turn thereafter.

[hcobb]

Making enchantments cost per minute rather than per turn opens them up to use by heroes who lack the mana reserves of wizards.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Making enchantments cost per minute rather than per turn opens them up to use by heroes who lack the mana reserves of wizards.

I was thinking the same thing. Limited uses (per day?) is also worth considering.

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Mage Sight was a good choice to renew by the minute, here's some other spells that ought to cost once per minute so they get some good RPing.

1. Silent Movement
2. Flight
3. Reveal Magic
4. Detect Enemies (Yes, make it a continuing spell, perhaps with IQ roll)
5. Eyes-Behind
6. Fireproofing

The enchantment list would be much longer

I tend not to want Flight or Fireproofing to be THAT efficient to keep going for minutes at a time. If that's available, then walls and cliffs and chasms and great conflagrations (and fire magic) become MUCH less significant. And I prefer those to be significant, and at least require a significant use of energy to get past with magic.