We aren't looking at gutting arcane, just looking at it for possible tweaks if needed. Keep in mind that this isn't just for the PCs... mordok, undead, enemies, etc all get access to these spells and abilities too. So if a PC gets a lucky shot on a bandit NPC and takes him out with a death bolt, that is awesome... but when a mordok shaman takes someone out with a death bolt, that severely hinders the PC from being able to do much. Spells are powerful and if fielded against the PC group it can do a lot of damage. There have been several events where players have commented that the NPCs were "too powerful" when a single spellcaster was given to their group... if magic is balanced out, why is there a perspective like that? Also, say tensions rise between several player groups in the game and they end up fighting each other... do you really want one-shot abilities like death bolt to be used in a PVP environment?
These are more brain-stormy themed questions, mainly to show some of the angles that we look at when we try to see how spells influence a game.
I honestly like where arcane is, but wish it was slightly less "impactful". I don't like any ability that completely nullifies another person or thing, but we have minor versions of this already. Arrows can disable limbs, nullifying a cleaver. Spells can blow up shields, nullifying a shield wall. Protection auras absorb arrows, nullifying an archer. First aid and mend can bring back equipment and treat wounds, nullifying things that dish out damage. The best option really is teamwork and a well rounded group, much like real life.
Arcane is getting a quick look over to see if something really pops out at us, but honestly I think it is balanced. We've gotten the most concern over death bolt simply because it is the only 1-shot in the entire system. We added Improved Push and Improved Mage Armor to the Arcane list last time, drastically improving a 3rd level mages survivability, and that seems to have helped the mages survive a bit.
Drake, I wanted to expand a bit on your "magic as it was enforced" angle. I guess I am not sure what that means? For example, I recently corrected you on your use of the mana bands, really explaining what was needed to "roll them" from one wrist to another. To most players we setup at practice to use rubber bands, this method was what they were taught and what most are doing in the game. It is the enforced way of using the bands, because it does force you to take a split second to think about how to move your mana. Going too fast can break the bands (which we do not replace if you do) or make you fumble, which means care needs to be used. This is how magic has been since Day 1, and most people became really careful with the rubber bands because they do tend to be a bit fragile, which was the point of the casting system. Last Hope almost had a hand signal/hand motion based system where every spell needed a memorized set of gestures (in case you have ever seen the Naruto anime series, how they do their special attacks is an example) and that would have been much much more difficult to do. We are probably adding in a clause to the rules that states that if you break a rubber band/mana band, then you "lose that mana potential to the mana stream" until you rest again, basically showing that not taking your time to properly weave mana is finicky and you can lose your ability to retain that mana within your body. The mechanic basically translates to "If you can't carefully cast your mana and break your bands, you lose that mana until the next day". Only recently has there been a larger emphasis on hair ties for magic, for almost 3 years a very large majority of the players in the game just used rubber bands. It states in the rules that you have to use rubber bands, which we have been lenient on enforcing. I am in favor of it because it is cheap and the rubber bands that I have like 5,000 of are nice and small, and you can fit a lot of them on your hand without it getting ridiculous. They work, they work well, and they have great stretch for the required motion of the casting required. We voted and it seems like the majority of us don't mind seeing hair ties or other bands, as long as the motion to cast is explained, trained, and enforced.
I actually really enjoy this discussion and I wish more of the player base would get involved. We have a lot of spellcasters in the game that I am sure have an opinion one way or another, and everyone is welcome to add to the discussion. We have to make a ruling one way or another on things, but really discussing this stuff out really helps this game.
I have been trying to come up with more ideas for arcane and I am not sure what else to do... since so much of the utility side is covered with Divine in healing and wounds and death and some of the high level stuff like divination and enchantment is accessed via trades, I don't know what else to do for Arcane.
Perhaps a way to "lock" pouches or containers with magic, needing a special tag or ribbon that must be used to show it has been locked?
Or what if Arcane casters can "cleanse" a disease or poison by burning the infected area, causing wounds but potentially saving lives?
Or what if Arcane casters can also do some sort of "sanctuary" like effect, like "Stasis" or something, that allows them to channel energy around them and protect them?
Or how about a "divine barrier" like effect that Arcane casters can do that nullifies magic being thrown into it, perhaps a way to protect your shield walls from the destructive forces of other magic users?
Or how about an ability that allows a mage to touch an allies shoulder, and extending their mage armor to their allie to absorb spells? Imagine an ally with a shield who is being "supported" by an arcane mage, allowing the spell to "arc" through the targeted player and into the mage, utilizing their mage armor?
Could there potentially be ways to expand on Arcane magics effects against other magic users... being more "magic vs magic"?
Are these just crazy ideas that don't make sense? :-P I think the best option for now is to make minor tweaks to the rules for 1.4, then revisit this topic with more time and discussion for 1.5. I think our backs are up against the wall for any large changes to arcane, and I don't want to make knee jerk reactions in either direction for it.