Suggestion...

[dhegler]

I forget if I ever saw this suggestion or not, but what about implementing the equivalent of "critical hits" with spells, based on the spellcaster level, INT/WIS and the level of the spell. Some spells seem like they do too much damage (ie Priests who use OOD all game instead of melee). This may allow you to drop the damage to some spells, with the chance of a 50% bonus to damage, keeping the average damage relatively the same.

[dos350]

please, no

[Tiburon Silverflame]

Or just limit the crits to single-target and beam spells. On a beam, the crit would only apply to the first victim. This would help make those spells attractive for a longer period; the area spells, as a rule, do more damage to your primary target, and you get the collateral damage as well.

[Magnate]

Sangband has critical hits with spells and devices, and they work well. Added to #534

[Derakon]

I suggest making crit chance a function of (caster INT score + character level - spell level). That is, smarter characters crit more often, and spells that have been "mastered" are more likely to crit. When you've just learned a spell, though, your crit chance is very low.

The biggest problem I have with that approach is that it ties into character level, which I generally don't like doing...but learning spells as a whole ties into character level, so oh well.

[PowerDiver]

I suggest making crit chance a function of (caster INT score + character level - spell level). That is, smarter characters crit more often, and spells that have been "mastered" are more likely to crit. When you've just learned a spell, though, your crit chance is very low.

The biggest problem I have with that approach is that it ties into character level, which I generally don't like doing...but learning spells as a whole ties into character level, so oh well.

I don't like this whole approach. Part of the insanity of the attack on items has morphed into a need to change effects. I like the idea that many low level effects, and thus low level spells, become useless after a while. If you want to do more, use a higher level effect. This was implicit in game design up through 3.0.

That said, if you insist on going for criticals, the obvious approach is to calculate failure rates without any minima [from class or stat], allowing even negative numbers. Then make the critical chance a function of the failure rate. Mastery of a spell would correspond to a negative failure rate.

[Magnate]

I don't like this whole approach. Part of the insanity of the attack on items has morphed into a need to change effects. I like the idea that many low level effects, and thus low level spells, become useless after a while. If you want to do more, use a higher level effect. This was implicit in game design up through 3.0.

That said, if you insist on going for criticals, the obvious approach is to calculate failure rates without any minima [from class or stat], allowing even negative numbers. Then make the critical chance a function of the failure rate. Mastery of a spell would correspond to a negative failure rate.

There's no reason we can't use an uncapped failure rate for calculating criticals and a capped one for casting.

I quite like some of your suggestions (still). It would be better all round if they weren't framed by confrontational words like "insanity" and "attack". It's not clear what you think is wrong with the current development of items, nor how this is related to effects. But don't feel a need to enlighten me in that kind of language.

Contrary to your assertion about design intent up to 3.0, magic missile was always the most mana-efficient mage spell right through the game - at least until the big mana cost revamp in 3.1.1 - it never became obsolete.

[Malak Darkhunter]

please, no

You know you want to say something.......come on.

[dos350]

nn 4 rage, headshots work in counterstrike why not angband, understand that angband isnt sangband,, i dont want rage but nn 2 reduce dmg then add crit, why not just add crit anyway, just4fun or leave it , its good as is !~~~

[buzzkill]

nn 4 rage, headshots work in counterstrike why not angband, understand that angband isnt sangband,, i dont want rage but nn 2 reduce dmg then add crit, why not just add crit anyway, just4fun or leave it , its good as is !~~~

I'd pay attention to your posts if a) I could actually make sense of them, and b) the pieces I could decipher actually made some sense. Here, you propose a change and then abandon it in the same sentence. What's the point?

[fizzix]

i finally went to urbandictionary and learned that "nn" means "no need."

[Malak Darkhunter]

i finally went to urbandictionary and learned that "nn" means "no need."

I think he speaks either yeek thus the eeeeee, or he is speaking orcish. Or the true reality is he is an automated robot, trying to interpet english language, for the sole purpose of destroying our sense of angband humor