Alternative Materia System

[Willibab]

You know the different spells in blue magic? Like that, but spells are ONLY like that. Elemental spells work entirely differently from each other, scaling is less about damage and more about the tactical advantage inherent to the spell or element, and there is a distinct identity to each spell. A lot of materia come from monsters or the great stream of lifeforce anyway, it's stranger when materia are pallete swaps with no uniqueness.

There's a reason DnD made an effort to give each spell a fancy name with some implied history.

If there is a need for them to be different from monsters, maybe tie in how all these class abilities are drawn from local materia rather than the culture and techniques of the people, and how that might change civilization and the meaning of a job class.

Ngl, I keep changing my mind on a lot of stuff but my latest plan is actually to just follow my lore and see what fits it Im not super familar with DnD but I like a lot of games based on it. Might have to check it out further.

My materia are called Crystals which are used as focuses/sources due to having the most capacity for magical power. They are each created by specific people for specific purposes (Many of the popular ones having been copied and distributed over time). That is why I considered a sort of crafting thing or fusion to begin with. So unlike materia, they don't appear naturally but are made by enchanters and artificers (who sells them in their stores) A possible class I could use that combines effects in battle for a higher cost maybe. Like alchemists do with mix...I dunno.

Anyway, using magic without them is considered taboo as magic is inherently corrupting and at worst can make someone go feral, eventually turning into a monster. (This will be part of the story and lore but also gameplay to a certain degree, like how crystals makes you stronger but also weaker in other areas.) (The corruption might also be a lore explanation for a potential berserker type of class xD)

Haven't gotten to the naming of things yet but I will have generic ones (The mass produces less interesting options you can buy at stores) that all only contain 1 spell.

Then I will have unique crystals which were made for powerful mages of the past.
These will hold 2 spells which have synergy. So if you get one of these you can use it instead of using two generic crystals for the same effect. Making more space available. Uniques will ofc be rare.

An example could be. (Just making **** up)

Cinder: Contains the Ignite spell which causes burn.
Wind: Contains the Wind spell, which if used on burned, spread the effect to all targets.

Kahlore's Ember (Unique) Contain both Cinder and Wind.

 

[Maliki79]

Hmmm... If I had to toss a rune based materia alternative...
Maybe a system where rune holders could only hold a certain number of them and they could only be linked by letter.

So for example, let's say you had an item that could link 3 runes.

Now, you have 6 runes: RuD, SeH, BiJ, HoH, YuR, and RoS.

Effects aside for now, the way I'd do it is you could slot any rune in first, but the next one could only be link if the end letters matched.

So, you could start with YuR. From there, you could ONLY slot a RoS or RuD rune in cause they are all linked via R. Now, maybe RuD has a great effect, but since you have no runes that start with D to link, your forced to stop. But RoS has an S which could link to SeH!

From there it's just a matter of how many rune chains are allowed and how many runes can be included in a chain.

Take it a step further, you can make specific chains unlock special traits or skills!

Might be complicated if the chains get too long, but might be a fun way to do materia.

 

[Puppet Knight]

So, you could start with YuR. From there, you could ONLY slot a RoS or RuD rune in cause they are all linked via R. Now, maybe RuD has a great effect, but since you have no runes that start with D to link, your forced to stop. But RoS has an S which could link to SeH!

*reads*


*Looks over at equipment based skill learning system in place*


sigh *takes out eraser*

 

[Maliki79]

@Puppet Knight Not bad for a 10 minute brainstorm between client calls, eh?

 

[Puppet Knight]

@Puppet Knight Not bad for a 10 minute brainstorm between client calls, eh?

Literal description of how most of my game concepts come to be nowadays xD

 

[Willibab]

Another consideration

Literal description of how most of my game concepts come to be nowadays xD

Ideas are easy, deciding which ones to use is difficult

 

[Maliki79]

Another consideration


Ideas are easy, deciding which ones to use is difficult

Very true, but this one was fun to dream up.

 

[Willibab]

Very true, but this one was fun to dream up.

Ahh yeah, it is a cool idea. I have just shifted so far away from when I first started this thread now xD

I love brainstorming ideas too, even If I dont end up using any of it

 

[Maliki79]

Ahh yeah, it is a cool idea. I have just shifted so far away from when I first started this thread now xD

I love brainstorming ideas too, even If I dont end up using any of it

I hear you! This idea is so far removed from my game's internal logic that I could never use it. However, there's always the next project!