Reduction of Casting and Production Points

[size=14pt]Reduction of Casting and Production Points[/size]
(((This will NOT go into effect until the September event)))

1. All professions that have career points now have a build : point  ratio of 1:1.

2. The point cost of all magic, druidic and wild magic spells, prayers, healing abilities, psionic abilities, alchemical compounds, and bard songs are changed to the following paradigm:

1st rank
Previous costs - 1, 2, 4
New costs - 1

2nd rank
Previous costs - 4, 6, 8
New costs - 2

3rd rank
Previous costs - 8, 10, 12
New costs - 3, 4

4th rank
Previous costs - 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
New costs - 5, 6

For 3rd and 4th ranks, abilities with the lower two of the old costs will get the lower new cost, while the higher old costs will get the higher new cost. Thus, at 3rd rank, 8 and 10 become 3 while 12 becomes 4; at 4th rank, 12 and 14 become 5, and 16, 18 and 20 become 6.

3. The following alchemical compounds have been revised (changes in bold):

Potion of Lesser Refreshment
This compound restores four career points to the person who consumes it, of her choosing. A person can only benefit from one compound that restores career points each period.

Potion of Greater Refreshment
This compound restores eight career points to the person who consumes it, of her choosing. A person can only benefit from one compound that restores career points each period.

4. The following druid spells have been revised (changes in bold):

Forceful Gust was Gust of Wind
This spell pushes an opponent back ten feet.

Cure Minor Wounds was Cure Light Wounds
This spell heals six points of damage to the recipient.

Cure Serious Wounds
This spell heals eighteen points of damage to the recipient.

5. The following healing abilities have been revised (changes in bold):

Cure Light Wounds
This ability heals twelve points of damage to the recipient.

Heal Wounds
This ability heals twelve points of damage to the recipient for each HP that the healer chooses to expend.

True Distant Heal
This ability allows a healer to bestow wound healing upon a recipient at a distance of up to one hundred feet. The ability automatically hits to the intended target, and can be used to heal six points of damage to the recipient for each HP that the healer chooses to expend.

6. The following magic spells have been revised (changes in bold):

Gust of Wind
This spell pushes an opponent back ten feet.

Light (Fire)
This spell creates a magical lantern flame in either of the caster's hands, or upon an inanimate object. If held in the caster's hand, the spell does not have a fixed duration and the caster does not need to concentrate to maintain the light source, but she must keep her hand free to continue to control the flame; the light goes out as soon as she attempts to use her hand for any other purpose. If cast upon an object, the spell has a duration of thirty minutes. The effect of this spell can be represented by using an artificial candle, a pen-sized flashlight covered with red cellophane, or a pen-sized LED light.

Extinguish
This spell extinguishes a normal fire with a diameter of ten feet or less.

Freeze Water
This spell turns normal water to ice at a rate of five cubic feet for each MP expended.

Light (Illusion)
This spell creates a radiant sphere in either of the caster's hands, or upon an inanimate object. If held in the caster's hand, the spell does not have a fixed duration and the caster does not need to concentrate to maintain the light source, but she must keep her hand free to continue to control the flame; the light goes out as soon as she attempts to use her hand for any other purpose. If cast upon an object, the spell has a duration of thirty minutes. The effect of this spell can be represented by using an artificial candle, a pen-sized flashlight covered with red cellophane, or a pen-sized LED light.

7. The following prayers have been revised (changes in bold):

Lay Hands Minor
This prayer heals nine points of damage to the recipient.

Holy Light
This spell creates a radiant sphere in either of the caster's hands, or upon an inanimate object. If held in the caster's hand, the spell does not have a fixed duration and the caster does not need to concentrate to maintain the light source, but she must keep her hand free to continue to control the flame; the light goes out as soon as she attempts to use her hand for any other purpose. If cast upon an object, the spell has a duration of thirty minutes. The effect of this spell can be represented by using an artificial candle, a pen-sized flashlight covered with red cellophane, or a pen-sized LED light.

8. The Smith Crafting Tables are revised as follows:

Armor

Coverage Area CP (Leather/Metal/Plate)
Upper Torso 3/4/6
Lower Torso 3/4/5
Neck     1/2/3
Shoulder                 1/2/3
Upper Arm 1/2/3
Lower Arm 1/2/3
Upper Leg 2/3/5
Lower Leg 1/2/3
Head                 2/3/5

Shields

Type CP
Small 2
Medium 3
Large 4

Weapons

Weapon - CP
Small Weapon - 1
One Handed Edged / Blunt - 2
Bastard Edged / Blunt - 3
Two Handed Edged / Blunt - 4
Polearm - 4
Staff - 2
Spear - 3
Bow - 3
Crossbow N/A - 4
Arrow / Bolt (10) - 1

Exotic Weapons

Weapon - CP
Venom-grooved Dagger - 3
Bolas - 2
Pirate Hook - 2
Dart (10) - 1
Claw Sheath - 3

Tools

Tool - CP
Common Implements - 1
Basic Lock - 2
Complex Lock - 5
Chain (10ft) - 1
Manacles Metal - 1
Grappling Hook - 1
Torch (5) Wood - 1
Lantern Metal - 1
Trap Kit Metal - 7

9. Valence spells now have the following costs:

Enchanted Armor - 1 MP per six points of armor, to a maximum of twice your level in AP
Negation - 2 MP
Elemental Shield - 3 MP
Lay Over - 1 MP

Absorption - 3 MP
Alchemy Shield - 3 MP
Stoneskin - 3 MP
Stamina - 1 MP

Fortitude - 3 MP
Mind Citadel - 5 MP
Reflection - 4 MP

Resist - 6 MP
Obscurement - 4 MP
Redirection - 5 MP

10. The "15 Faith Points" ability on the Templar and Dark Templar lists is removed from the game.

11. Dream Casting points remain unchanged for the Advocate and Dark Advocate lists.

12. All Divine Ceremony standard FP costs are divided by three, rounded down. All permanent FP costs are changed to Divine Ceremony Points; you can spend permanent FP to buy DCP at a ratio of 1:3 when your character performs a ceremony.

13. All Sorcery Ritual standard MP costs are divided by three, rounded down. All permanent MP costs are changed to Sorcery Ritual Points; you can spend permanent MP to buy SRP at a ratio of 1:3 when your character performs a ritual. The MP pre-requisite for Sorcery is reduced to 35 MP.

14. Races that begin with career points now begin with 3 points instead of 10.

15. All profession lists that begin with career points now begin with 1 point instead of 3.

16. All rituals, spells, or abilities that bestow career points now bestow one-third the original amount, rounded down.

17. All item cards for items that bestow career points are now invalid. You must present your item cards to the Director, who will make a determination about the item's new capability or compensation for the item if it is to be removed from play. New item cards will be issued and dated August 2009 (or after) when appropriate and only cards with this or a later approval date will be acknowledged as valid.

18. The following bard song has been revised (changes in bold):

Nocturne of Refreshment
The recipient of this song will recover three career points at the conclusion of an undisturbed, fifteen-minute nap. The nap must follow the song within ten minutes. If the recipient has multiple types of career points, she can choose the dispersal. A character can only benefit from this song once per period.

19. Beings that have an Essence score that is a combination of casting points and Body (e.g., elementals) now have two-thirds of that score in both Body Points and casting points, rounded down to the nearest multiple of ten. For example, an earth elemental that previously had 100 Essence now has 60 BP and 60 MP.

20. The maximum values for Ritual of Storing are reduced from 5 to 2.

21. The maximum values for Ritual of the Amulet are reduced from 5 to 2 and from 2 to 1.

22. The Smith abilities Forge/Repair Armament and Field Repair Armament are edited as follows:

Forge/Repair Armament
A smith can bestow Armor Points (AP) to pieces or suits of armor at a cost of one CP for every thirty AP, and at a rate of one minute for every ten AP, rounding fractions up. A smith can combine the total CP cost of the work for all work performed in one session, a session ending after five minutes of not performing this ability.

Field Repair Armament
A smith can bestow AP to a piece or suit of armor at a cost of one CP for every fifteen AP, and at a rate of one minute for every five AP, rounding fractions up. A smith can combine the total CP cost of the work for all work performed in one session, a session ending after five minutes of not performing this ability.

23. The Battle Casting skill "Spell Proficiency" is increased in cost to 6 build.

These will be added to the Online Rulebook after the August event has passed.

As a side note, if any player feels that any spell is made not worth its spell cost, or to good for its spell cost please post "Please review X spell from Y list" and that is it. We will then review those spells and see if there are any changes needed to be made. No other player should comment on any spell that is asked to be reviewed.

For instance
Good Idea
"Please review Gust on the Air mage spell list"

Bad Idea
"DUDE GUST SUX NOW"

Further Bad Idea
"Gust is fine NOOB L2PLAY"

So, what happens to the current points people have?

See #1 above.

Everyone's points will be recalculated under the new rules. In almost every case players should find they have equal or more points, but some spells have become less cost effective which is why we are asking that players bring up any concerns they have now.

Do the changes to permanent MP and SRP affect rituals already cast?

Example: Bellanear has cast Ritual of the Exemplar (4 permanent MP).  Do the MP used retroactively become SRP, or am I out 4 build?

Further Question: For Rituals Like Exemplar (where the Permanent MP/SRP cost is not a multiple of 3), what happens?  I obviously have to spend 2 mp (to get 6 SRP).  Do I keep the extra 2 SRP as a reserve for future rituals, or do I lose them?

To illustrate my question better (I'm worried it may be a little confusing):
Bellanear has 39 build in MP.  As a mage and a High Elf, he now has 43 MP.  However, there are 4 permanent MP marked off his card (for the aforementioned ritual).  Which of the following 3 scenarios occurs?
A: Bellanear has 39 MP.  Sucks to be him.
B: Bellanear has 41 MP.
C: Bellanear has 41 MP, and 2 SRP to be used for future rituals.

Concern Regarding Light (all varieties):

Light exists now as a purely RP/safety spell.  MP is an extremely valuable resource now.  Is there any possibility of returning Light to a casting cost of 0?

EDIT: Ditto on the above question for Germinate.

Concern regarding Gust (both magic and druidic)

Even at an increased distance, gust remains a very inefficient use of MP. 

Suggestion: make it a 'trip' spell in line with freeze ground and vertigo.

I will work with anyone who has invested perm MP make sure they do not loose anything from this.

With regards to investments, how does this affect the investments in the focus in terms of the total amount and the differences between priests and healers?  Also, is it safe to assume that the relative levels of the ranks of the focus will be adjusted as well?

Re: Gust of Wind/Forceful Gust- Why not just make it work like a throw?

I know I am only have a general knowledge of casting, but light used as a device to see where you are going in most cases last very little time (Under 30 I'd say). Perhaps if light (in all forms) were free while in hand, and cost to be placed on objects. Using the math here, light wouldn't equal a buff, debuff, defense, or an attack. The spells made for roleplay in this new system are in decimals with this drop.

Perhaps a cost at a certain point would make the point worth it. (Since it seems points are becoming more valuable.) After the first 30 minutes, light costs a point.

That way, all that would hold you and light is verbals. Extinguish (Divine) would still be a point, but to make it 'worth' it, perhaps a mage must wait fifteen minutes to cast light for free again, or spend a point.

As per my original post, DO NOT discuss what people have asked to be reviewed. Also if you have comments in regards to what you'd like to see in a spell keep them very brief.

I'm trying to be really nice about this as there originally was no intent to ask for spell reviewals so keep it to the mentioned format. The rules marshal thread about this topic reached about 13 pages, if we have every player commenting about how a spell should be it will crash the forums. So again guys please keep your reviewal comments as per the original rules.

<<11. Dream Casting points remain unchanged for the Advocate and Dark Advocate lists.>>

I thought the advocate list was being eliminated.

As per the original announcement for the removal of the higher list, players with the list can keep it. Since the rules are still in play until those characters are gone, the rules must be adjusted.

Naturally, the Law of Unintended Consequences is now applied.  In the Life Domain is

3 Lay Hands 8 FP
Heals twenty-five points of damage to the recipient.

It now will cost 3 (I am guessing it will not be 4, as that would be even more unbalanced), making it less efficacious than using 3 Lay Hands Minor. 

Balanced range (as it was marginally more efficient than a like number of Lay Hands Minor Prayers) would be in the 28-30 point range, with 30 being an easier number with which to work.

Perhaps increase the area of effect for Druidic Flora 'Germinate' to 20 square feet?

How many MP worth of spells can sorcery wands now store?

3/6/10/13? (that's going by 1/3, rounded down)

or 3/6/9/12? (more intuitive and regular progression)

A couple of people have PMed me asking why this change was made.

The big thing to notice is that both Career Points AND Casting Costs were cut by 1/3.  The basic ratios for most effects should be close to what they were before.  Clerics, Rangers, Scholars, and other classes that used to have a 1:2 ratio are actually getting a boost.

The reason for this change is to simplify the math across the board.  Subtracting 6 from 60 is much easier than 18 from 180, especially in the middle of a large fight when you're casting frequently.  Also, the variation of casting costs has been dropped from several possibilities down to 1 or 2.  (For example, a Rank 1 effect could have been 1, 2, or 4 points.  Now, they are all 1, and much easier to track.)

This should make keeping track of points used much simpler, and life easier for everyone.

I actually enjoyed the mental gymnastics.

Consider yourself a rare exception. 

How did this all get started. This was kept very tight lipped and seems very sudden!

With the new costs, it looks like smiths and alchemists were heavily encumbered by this change.

Alchemists seem to have their higher end work be made once a period, perhaps an event even.

In order for a smith to service the same people, they must either be nothing but armor patchers or expend their CP on crafting items. Consider this; a breastplate (Upper and Lower Torso) costs 11 build to forge. A superior or exhaulted breastplate costs, as of now, 33 and 44 build respectively. This one item could burn out any smith who's invested in this much, without the use of refreshment potions

As it is now, Gird Shield becomes meaningless at it's current ratio. Balance Armor could be just like the example above. Temper Armament and Hone Weapon are now cheaper to do with the new system.

If this is already being reviewed, then so be it.

The career point change has been worked on and toiled over for at least the last two years, if not longer.

We are looking at some smith changes that will fix multiple problems regarding smiths. Well keep what you mentioned in mind as well.

In order for a smith to service the same people, they must either be nothing but armor patchers or expend their CP on crafting items. Consider this; a breastplate (Upper and Lower Torso) costs 11 build to forge. A superior or exhaulted breastplate costs, as of now, 33 and 44 build respectively. This one item could burn out any smith who's invested in this much, without the use of refreshment potions

Tom,

This is no different than the current system.  I just re-checked all the values - if anything, forging a new breastplate is CHEAPER than it was before.  The numbers were rounded down when they were divided by 3.

Given I've been playing a Smith for close to 4 years now, I checked over the Smithing portion of this before it went live.  The Build to Item ratios are nothing new to what they've been since I began playing Gideon, and they are fair and balanced.

Please honor Sam's request and only ask for reviews or post direct questions - do NOT post opinions or theories.  And above all, if you're going to post complaints about numbers being off, check your facts first.  Your post is the exact kind of thing Sam was asking you not to do.

I felt as though I was asking for a review and giving reason as to why. Due to there being no update on the older system, I tried to use the new math and CP figures for the older ones as far as crafting.

My openning was not about this being a shocker, or anything of the sort. If it came off that way, well, in my mind, I was speaking in elated surprise and a lighter tone. I'm sorry if it came off that way. There were few rumblings and those working on it did a great job on rumor control.

I thought the mechanics related to the new skills were related to this post as reason for me to post.

Geoff, if you say you reviewed them and say they're fair and balanced, then I'll believe it, but the option of asking if things are level was openned. I do come off as short and blunt to points, but I was trying to reduce the size of what I wanted to get across.

As for facts and math, I thought I was correct. Superior is times three while exhaulted is times four. I put the base number of the new CP ratio into the older ones since no new changes were made.

In short. I thought something looked off, I posted what I found, you said they're fine, and I accept it.

These are now gradually being entered into the Online Rulebook.  Please bear with me over the course of the week as I do this.

Alchemy, Bardics, and Druids are now done.  If you see any errors, please post here to let me know.

Healing and Smithing are done.  Two smithing abilities (Gird Shield and Balance Armor) are awaiting an official new cost - as soon as we have them, they will be updated.

Please review "Suppress Magic" on wizardry list.  50mp is a lot to be suppressed now

Tempest 4th Ranks (Eye of the Storm and Howling Wind) in the Druid spell list do not match the new system cost and need correction.

Cure Minor Wounds is still Cure Light Wounds under the Vitality domain.