Spells altered?

[Stempest]

Okay, I've seen that spell-casting requires components on this server. I think that could be really interesting. My question is:

Have any spells on this server been altered from their Bioware version? If so, where would I be able to find out what has been altered and how?

[Dorganath]

Yes, several of the spells have been altered. Most that were altered have been adjusted down in duration and/or effect that is more in keeping with a low-magic world that is Layonara.  There's a list in the handbook that shows the adjusted spells and how they've been adjusted, though I think it's currently incomplete.  The new handbook (currently in development) should contain a more complete list.
  One that comes to mind which is probably not on the list in the handbook is Darkfire and Flame Weapon.  They've been changed to 1d4 for every 5 levels, I believe.  ILMS and IGMS have been adjusted too in terms of missiles per target and maximum missiles per spell.
  Also, clerics have different summons depending upon which diety they follow.

[Stempest]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if spells have been altered to have less duration (and thus make them not as good), doesn't that make it pretty tough playing a caster? I mean, you've now got weaker (than Bioware) spells, and you have to have components to cast them, some of which can be expensive or difficult to find...

[Harlas Ravelkione]

On the lower lvls playing a caster may be tough, but that evens out, and on later lvls casters are the most powerful. The spell tweaks done on Layo make a lot of sense. A list of the spells changed, and a description of these spells will be in the new upcoming handbook.

Harlas

[Talan Va'lash]

Well, on other servers I've played on that dont shorten spell durations, they set much much longer rest timers (ie you can only rest every 3min/level, so a level 10 has to wait 30 min between rests.  This is offset by the fact that durations there are much longer.

Here you can rest every 10 minutes, so durations were shortened.

It doesnt really matter which way you do it, but for a PW you have to balance it somehow.

In the OC it made it waaaay too easy for casters, since you could rest basically every battle if you wanted to.


Mostly durations were made more consistant.  Most protective buff spells are turn/level, which is way long enough, since at level 10 turn/level spells last your whole rest timer.  Short combat buffs (haste, etc) are round/level generally.

Almost all hour/level spells were shortened because instead of having 2 turns per hour (as per standard bioware) we have 4 turns per hour, so hour/level was definitely too long.

Firebrand is also one of the ones that was toned down like the isacc's spells because well... it was too good for its level.

Some spells have been improved.

-Resistance is 4 turns instead of 1 (finally a cantrip that might be worth casting some time!)
-Death armor lasts 4 turns instead of round/level and gives +2 natural AC(since the only way it could ever be usefull before was at high levels, and damaging shield spells have been modified so you cant have multiple ones on at the same time, this one had to be boosted so it would be usefull at low levels)
-Horrid wiltings die was changed from d8 to d6 but anything making the save is slowed as well as taking half damage.

Just a smattering of some changes.

-TV

[Synpox]

Stempest - 8/13/2005  2:51 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if spells have been altered to have less duration (and thus make them not as good), doesn't that make it pretty tough playing a caster? I mean, you've now got weaker (than Bioware) spells, and you have to have components to cast them, some of which can be expensive or difficult to find...

Playing casters is tough at lower levels. You're weak. Inexperienced. Not exactly a wealth of arcane knowledge, or divine blah blah pansy stuff... friggin clerics. And weak! But it gets easier.
Some spells were ridiculously powerful, like Talan mentioned-firebrand. They've been toned down but in the same breath other spells like ball lightning and shadowshield kick butt now.  
There's also the tried and true spells that havent been touched. Fireball comes to mind. Combine some metamagic and it takes down primals. Learn to use what ya have.
Spell components are a B**** that adds some extra annoying fun to casters.   At later levels, starting at level six I think,you can grab the Eschew Components feats, something the Layo gurus worked up that lets you ignore the material components of spells of certain levels. Which is good. I woulda cross classed already if I still had to hunt down licorice and bat guano.
Anyways, try it and see it aint at all as bad as ya might think.

[Frendh]

See this thread:
http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11528&start=1