Element States Ideas?

[atoms]

I was wondering what elemental state ideas people could come up with, as I'm trying to think of simple very basic ones for each element. If you're using any of them in your own games or you want to share either basic or complex examples to either help out or share your thoughts for discussion feel free to do so.

This is what I have so far for elemental state ideas.
Fire = Burn
Ice = Freeze
Water = Bubble
Thunder = Shock
Earth = Petrify
Wind = ? Maybe slow or speed.
Dark = Curse or Blind
Light = Bright

What they can do, though no final decison made so far.
Burn = Degen on HP
Freeze = Can't act for a few turns.
Bubble = Slower Agility lowered to 70%, weaker to thunder.
Shock = Lowers HP recovery rate by 70%, lowers normal stats by 25%.
Petrify = Can't move until cured, higher def by 25%.
Slow or Speed = Slow, lower agility a lot maybe it become 30%. Speed, acts faster 125% or 150% but out of control and may target allies like confused.
Curse or Blind = Curse, all state rates (elemental and others that are both consider normal ones) increase to 200%. Blind, lowers attack rate to 70% and hit rate to 50%.
Bright = Lowers agility by 50%, attack rate lowered to 70%, hit rate to 70%.

Wondering what other people use in there games and there thoughts on what elemental states could be and do.

 

[Krystek_My]

About the wind: My idea would by cyclone. Character affected can't move/is rooted, but also it also get's high chance of dodge when affected.
Also in my project "Frozen" state is more lethal, because enemies can use "Shatter" skill on charcters affected to remove state and deal large damage.

 

[Mystic_Enigma]

I kind of have my Elements and their corresponding status effects set up as follows:

Fire - Burn: Takes away some HP every turn, also lowers Physical Attack.
Water - Soak: Lowers Speed, Lightning attacks while Soaked deals more damage.
Earth - Vulnerability: Increases the likelihood of other attacks inflicting other status effects on you.
Wind - Dizzy: No control over movements and will attack random targets, including yourself!
Lightning - Shock: Lowers Special Attack, as well as TP gain.
Nature - Toxified: Lowers max MP and burns some of it every turn.
Ice - Chill: Increased MP usage for skills, further Ice attacks will also deal more damage.
Metal - Broken Guard: Cannot use Guard command.
Light - Blind: Decreased hit chance for most attacks, as well as decreased evasion rates.
Dark - Startled: Slows basic attack commands and weakens guards. Dark attacks deal more damage.

Furthermore, if a Battler can use a certain Element, they're immuse to the status effect connected to it.

 

[Frostorm]

My Burn state is actually divided into 2 parts: Burning & Burnt. Burning causes DoT based on the caster's MAT and lasts 3 turns, but reapplications will add on to the turns remaining instead of resetting the turn count. When this state runs out of turns, the target is applied w/ the Burnt state, reducing healing received by 50% for 1 turn. In addition, Burning & Burnt reduces Frost dmg taken by 30% & 10% respectively. The Pyromancy tree also has Fire spells that take advantage of a Burning target. For example, Incinerate will consume a target's existing Burning state and add the DoT's damage to the spell. In addition, there are a few passives, which does the following:

• Cauterization: (Passive) Reduces healing Burning and Burnt targets receive by 25% and 50% respectively.
• Flammable: (Passive) Burning targets will also inflict Burning onto adjacent targets.
• Overheat: (Passive) Increases the duration of your Burn effects by 1 turn.
• Combustion: (Passive) Increases Fire damage targets take by 5% per turn of the Burning left.
  • (so if Burning has 3 turns left, the target will take +15% Fire dmg)
• Pyromaniac: (Passive) Target is inflicted with Fear as long as there are at least 3 turns of Burning on the target.

My Paralysis state works kind of like Pokemon where the target has a 33% chance to be unable to act that turn. The Paralysis state lasts 3 turns. It also reduced Dodge(EVA) & Speed(LUK) by 25%. Critical Hits w/ Lightning spells on a target w/ Paralysis will also trigger the stun effect. There are a couple of skills/passives that help Lightning spells Crit.

My Chill effects are broken up into stages. Pretty much all Ice spells will inflict a Chill effect. If the target doesn't already have a chill effect then Chilled is applied. If that is already on the target, Frosty is applied instead. If that is already on the target, Frigid is applied instead. Finally, if that is already on the target, then the Frozen state is applied. Here's what they do:

1. Chilled: -25% Speed(LUK), -10% Fire dmg taken, lasts 4 turns
2. Frosty: -50% Speed(LUK), -20% Fire dmg taken, lasts 3 turns
3. Frigid: -75% Speed(LUK), -30% Fire dmg taken, lasts 2 turns
4. Frozen: -100% Speed(LUK), -40% Fire dmg taken, lasts 1 turn, cannot act

There are also a plethora of passives to pick up in the Cryomancy tree which will buff those 4 Chill states w/ various effects, such as...



Btw, Speed is a very valuable stat in my game. It not only dictates turn order, but also how far you can move as well as the amount of TP you start w/ at the beginning of battle. It also increases EVA.

Edit: Oh right, there's also the Damp state if a target which can be inflicted by using Water spells or melting Frozen targets w/ Fire. Damp increases Frost & Shock damage by 30% but also increases the effectiveness of Water-based healing spells by 30%.

There's other effects/states of the other elements too, but I'm tired of typing now lol...

 

[Tiamat-86]

can use yanflys extended DoT to make HP degen on all of them that are effected by element rates.

Burn : Fire DoT : -Physical Defense
Chill : Ice DoT : -Hit Rate
Drown : Water DoT : -Magic Defense
Shock : Lightning DoT : -Evasion
Rot : Earth DoT : -Magic Attack
Erode : Wind DoT : -Physical Attack
Blight : Dark DoT : +Ailment Rates
Purge : Light DoT : +Element Rates
Poison : Life DoT : Stronger DoT and stays after battle
Curse : MPoT
Fatigue : TPoT

 

[Pootscooter]

@Tiamat-86 You must really love DoTs! lol
@Frostorm Holy moly...

 

[RCXGaming]

Elemental states, huh? I tend to associate multiple states to a specific element, so here's what I got.

Light -
* Blind (Lower accuracy and evade)
* Aura (shields user and buffs them. Prevents instant death.)
* Seal (Prevents victim from using special attacks in general)
* Turbo MP (Doubles magic usage for double the strength.)

Dark -
* Curse (Drains all MP and prevents MP regen)
* Death Count (instantly kills victim when its counter falls to zero)
* Heal Block (Prevents victim from healing at all, goes away at the end of battle)
* Vanish (Prevents user from being hit by physical attacks, but magic will dispel it)
* Taunt (Prevents victim from using support moves.)

Luna -
* Illusion (Lowered evasion and magic defense drop)
* Charm (attack only allies)
* Confusion (Attack anyone)
* Sleep (Opponent can't attack)
* Berserk (Attacking stats are buffed, but can only mindlessly attack enemies)
* Reflect (Reflects magic attacks)

Space -
* Time Stop (completely unable to move, counts as an incapacitate state, though it does go away after a long time)
* Shrink (lowers Attack and Defense)
* Accelerate (Gives two actions in one turn, speed increase)
* Power Shield (Reflects physical attacks. Replaces Reflect if it's already up.)

Earth -
* Poison (Damage over time with reduced defense. Goes away eventually. Doesn't affect metal creatures.)
* Corrosion (Progressively worse damage over time, does not go away eventually, affects even metal creatures.)
* Petrification (Victim is a stone statue. Counts as a death state.)

Flame -
* Burn (Damage over time, does not affect overworld, lowered attack.)

Frost -
* Freeze >> Iced (Freeze is normally lowered evasion and a weakness to fire, with fire attacks thawing it. Iced is if you get too frozen to move, acting as an incapacitate state.)
* Bleeding (Damage over time, as well as having a lot of stats debuffed)

Storm -
* Paralysis (Evasion and speed drop)

 

[Cythera]

I went a little more simplistic with my elemental states, considering how frequently enemies of that element inflict that state I didn't want the state itself too powerful. For perspective, most enemies have a 10%-30% chance to inflict their elemental state on attack(skills or magic), with the more powerful states having a lower chance. Fighting a group of elemental enemies, there's an extremely good chance you'll end up with that state, so I could not make it overly powerful without making some balance changes.
Wait, how is everyone changing their text colours?! Let me in on the secret!
Fire -> Burn: Strength (attack) -25%, and DoT according to the inflictor's Magic, and target's Luck(Higher luck = less DoT damage taken)
Water -> Sleep: ...Sleep? Can't move; wakes if takes damage
Wind -> Confusion: Uses their basic attack against anyone, ally or enemy. Chance to remove if takes damage
Ice -> Frozen: Can't move. Physical damage taken is halved, while magical damage taken is doubled. This is obviously one of the nasty states :3
Light -> Slow: Halved Agility and -10% Critical Evasion
Shadow -> Blind: Halved Critical Rate and Critical Evasion (accuracy/evasion aren't a thing in my game; all attacks land. If they're critical or not is another matter...)

 

[Milennin]

I keep my status effects very simple. My Earth element is focused a lot on sharp stones causing Bleed, so it's just a simple lose HP each turn state. Same for Burn from some Fire skills. Lightning has a Shock state that's used as a 1-turn stun. Light element has Daze, which makes the character take more damage, that's about it.

But if I had to go with something a bit more fancy, from that list:

• Earth = Petrify: Immobilised. Immunity to other status effects and all sources of damage.
• Water = Soak: Take reduced damage from Fire. Take increased damage from Ice and Lightning.
• Wind = Headwind: Reduce attack and speed.
• Fire = Burn: Lose HP when performing an action. When hit with Water, cure Burn.
• Ice = Shiver: Reduce defence and speed. Take increased damage from Wind. When hit with Fire, cure Freeze.
• Lightning = Shock: Immobalised.
• Light = Blind: Attacks have a chance to miss.
• Dark = Curse: Cannot regain HP.

 

[Frostorm]

Does anyone have any ideas for mechanics that would be exclusive to a certain element? Specifically, I'm mainly trying to come up w/ stuff for Earth & Wind. For Earth, I'm considering the following: Tar, Quicksand, and/or Petrify (as mentioned above).

Tar would slow and also cause Burning if the target is inflicted w/ Fire OR Shock damage. Quicksand would actually be a spell that places a "mark" on the map, which acts like traps that activate once a unit is within its AoE, or the effect would be immediate if cast on tiles w/ units already present. Petrify would not only prevent the target from acting (stun) but also triggers an instant kill if the target receives a Critical Hit. Insta death portion of the effect only works if caster's Max HP > target's Max HP (so bosses can't be affected by the KO effect).

 

[Ami]

Fire: Burned (Damaging Your Character,Fire Damage Output Increase)
Ice: Freeze (Your Character Is Stopped,Ice Damage Output Increased)
Thunder: Paralyze
Water: -
Earth: Broken (You Can't Attack and Use Weapon Skill,but You Can Use Magic)
Wind: Sealed (Same Like Broken,but You Can't Use Magic)
Light: -
Darkness: Curse (Lowering Your Stats,You Can't Get Exp)

I Can't Imagine of Water & Light's States. Maybe Leaking for Water (Damaging Your Character's MP)

 

[Frostorm]

I Can't Imagine of Water & Light's States. Maybe Leaking for Water (Damaging Your Character's MP)

Lol, "Leaking" makes me think the character is pissing their pants. I use "Damp" for my water state, which increases Frost & Shock damage by 30% while reducing Fire damage by 30%. In addition, it also triggers Freeze & Paralysis effects if hit by those elements. The affected target would also be immune to Burning. I used to call this state "Wet" but that makes it sound quite naughty lol.

 

[Redeye]

These are just some random ideas:

Fire

• Burning - Lose a large amount of HP over time. 33% reduced healing. Transform into Blinded status if hit by a Water attack. 2-3 turns.

Frost

• Chilled - 33% reduced Agility. Negates Evasion chance. Weak to Frost damage. Susceptible to Frozen status. Transformed into Soaked status if hit by a Fire attack. 3-4 turns.
• Frozen - Cannot move or evade. Weak to Physical damage. Removed on hit. 3 turns.

Lightning

• Shocked - Lose MP over time. Negates Magic Evasion & Magic Reflect chance. 3-5 turns.
• Paralyzed - 33% chance to lose your turn. Negates Critical Hit chance. 3-4 turns.

Water

• Soaked - Weak to Frost & Lightning damage. Susceptible to Chilled, Frozen, and Shocked status. 3-4 turns.
• Soaked (Alternative) - Buffs casted on you have a 50/100% chance to fail. 3-4 turns.

Earth

• Stunned - Cannot move. 1-2 turns.
• Bleeding - Lose a small amount of HP over time. 66% reduced healing. Removed by Fire attacks. 3-6 turns.
• Petrified - Cannot move or evade. Resistant to all forms of damage. Immune to all other ailments. 3 turns.
• Petrified (Alternative) - Cannot move or evade. Instant Game Over if all party members are Petrified. Does not expire naturally.

Wind

• Staggered - 25% reduced Defense. 50% reduced Critical Hit resistance. Guarding is rendered useless. 3-4 turns.
• Disarmed - Cannot perform physical techniques and/or basic attacks. 2-4 turns.
• Confused - Auto-attack anyone, including yourself. Chance to be removed on hit. Also removed by getting inflicted with Tranquil, Enraged, or Charmed, for only 1 mental ailment may be active at a time. 2-5 turns.

Light / Psychic

• Blinded - 50% reduced Accuracy. 25% reduced Magic Defense. 3-4 turns. (This status can also be used for some Earth attacks themed around Sand / Dirt, or maybe even Dark attacks.)
• Silenced - Cannot cast spells. 2-4 turns.
• Tranquil (aka Sleeping) - Cannot move. Removed on hit. Also removed by getting inflicted with Confused, Enraged, or Charmed, for only 1 mental ailment may be active at a time. 3-5 turns. (Sometimes I prefer to theme the "Light" element around Illusions.)
• Enraged - Auto-attack enemies. 50% increased Attack, but 25% reduced Defense and Magic Defense. Removed by getting inflicted with Confused, Tranquil, or Charmed, for only 1 mental ailment may be active at a time. 3-4 turns.
• Charmed - Auto-attack allies. 25% increased Attack. Removed on hit. Also removed by getting inflicted with Confused, Tranquil, or Enraged, for only 1 mental ailment may be active at a time. 3 turns.

Dark

• Poison - Lose a decent amount of HP over time. 4-8 turns.
• Feeble - 25% reduced Attack & Magic Attack. Susceptible to mental ailments such as Confused, Tranquil, Enraged, and Charmed. 3-4 turns.
• Terror - Reduces all stats by 15%. Susceptible to Instant Death. 3 turns.
• Cursed - 25/33% reduced Max HP. Lose HP whenever you cast a spell. 3-4 turns.
• Torment - When this state expires, you lose HP equal to 50/100% of the amount of damage you took since this state was inflicted. 3 turns.

 

[Wavelength]

I have some states in my game that increase or decrease stats, but for the most part when I am coming up with the 'signature' states for each element (the ones that several skills in that element can inflict, and that ties in well with the class' gameplay theme), I try to avoid stat reduction because it's kind of boring.

Here are some signature states in my game, with their descriptions slightly modified to work better in a "standard" RPG Maker game (rather than relying on my own game's unique mechanics):
Fire - Burning: Short but intense Damage over Time, which (unlike, all other DoT's, can KO battlers)
Energy - Static: Next time this battler is hit, they take significant additional damage; if this hit KO's the battler, the attacker gains MP
Wind - Knockdown: ATB fills much less quickly; ends once the ATB gauge completely fills
Time - Accelerator: For a short time, whenever this battler is hit, the attacker's ATB gauge fills based on damage dealt
Light - Blind: This battler's single-target actions have a high chance to be redirected to one of the target's allies, and this battler's AoE actions have a chance to miss each target
Astral - Stasis: Cannot act, cannot be targeted, and completely immune to damage and all other states
Water - Soaked: Greatly increases the chance of success for other negative states' application

 

[Frostorm]

I'm thinking of giving Wind element the "Buffeted" or "Buffet", as in the target is buffeted by wind. It would reduce Hit % of course, but I'm also on the fence whether to give this state increased Fire & Frost dmg taken. This way Tar increases Fire & Shock, Damp increases Frost & Shock, while Buffet increases Fire & Frost. Thoughts?

Other possible effects could be turn delay or positional pushback, but those effect should be regulated on a per spell basis and not on the state itself imo.

 

[Celestrium]

Wind I would use Float, Light I would use either Reflect or something similiar...
Persona 5 uses elemental states.
States can be positive too, not sure but hope that is helpful.

 

[Frostorm]

Wind I would use Float, Light I would use either Reflect or something similiar...
Persona 5 uses elemental states.
States can be positive too, not sure but hope that is helpful.

What would "Float" do exactly?

 

[RachelTheSeeker]

Here's my ideas for your own asked-for elements, and two exotic (and sci-fi) elements of my own.

Spoiler: Classic JRPG Elements

Fire
Singe - Lowered ATK and/or DEF due to injury or pain. Non-biological foes (golems, ghosts, etc) are immune.

Ablaze - Fire damage over time. Stacks with other HP-degen effects such as Poison. Creatures resistant or immune to fire are likewise resistant or immune to getting set ablaze. Damaging water (and maybe earth) spells should provide an auto-cure.

Ice
Chill - Lowered AGI, maybe with a slight DEF tweak (buffed or debuffed) due to stiffened muscles? Could make the character more susceptible to disease-based effects, playing off folks getting the common cold in winter?

Freeze - Can't act, but boosted DEF and MDF. Fire damage might thaw someone from being frozen prematurely, but definitely negates any defense boosts granted from being a popsicle. Grants a net weakness to blunt or force damage by being "shattered", which also ends the status prematurely.

Water
Damp - Target becomes vulnerable to ice, thunder and perhaps wind damage, but gains some resistance to fire. They become immune to being singed or set ablaze, but are sure to freeze.

Drown - Similar to a "Doom" or "Death Sentence" ailment. If not cured in time, character is instantly KO'd, killed, etc due to drowning from a lingering aquatic assault.

Thunder
Frazzle - Arcane electrical surges interferes with magic, lowering MAT and/or increasing MP cost. Could also faze hit, critical and evade %'s due to muscle spasms.

Shock - Target's muscles spasm too badly to move. AGI takes a hit, making their turns come up slower. Could also nullify dodge %, leaving them helpless.

Earth
Petrify - Turned to stone or crystal, and could be considered calcified in modern / sci-fi terms. Can't act until cured, but invincible to almost all damage. Blunt damage is the only way to harm them (at increased DEF), and force-based damage instakills / insta-KO's. If all characters are KO'd and / or petrified, the game is over.

Polymorph - Target is shapeshifted by fey magic into a harmless critter. ATK is cut in half or reduced to futile amounts; DEF is left alone or halved; max HP could also be lowered (or AGI raised) based on the animal's mass. Verbal powers become useless, but maybe some physical moves and magic (especially inborn powers) can still be used? Consider different animals for different party members.

Wind
Expel - Target is blown out of the battle. If used on enemies, no XP / Gold / items are awarded for the easy victory. Against actors, they can't return to the current battle unless a party-swap option is allowed mid-fight. Even then, they might be on cooldown to be re-added mid-fight? If the party loses versus random foes, the fight ends but the game doesn't. If used in a boss fight, expelled party members count as being defeated and should be warned against. Maybe they might be re-added another way?

Dizzy - Weaponized whirlwinds make one dizzy, let alone buffeting and tearing into their victims. Hit and dodge % are lowered until they can get their bearings straight. Perhaps taking a turn to defend could remove it prematurely?

Dark
Zombie - While not truly undead, you're not quite as alive as you could be...? Healing effects have a lessened effect on you, assuming you're not immune. Weakness to Light and Fire damage (intense heat associated with "good" energy), but resistance to Thunder and Ice damage (which are more brutal against living tissue and nerves). If an enemy tries to steal your HP or MP, they might suffer damage instead? Non-living targets are immune.

Curse - The victim feels... empty inside, somehow. MDF is reduced, and magical abilities (through spells or intrinsic powers like a dragon's fire breath) are sealed. Even in characters with physical abilities, superhuman or not, their fuel to use such powers are drained over time or accumulate less quickly.

Light
Rebuke - Divine wrath has marked you as unclean. Magical boons, whether healing or buffs, have no effect on you. If anything only secular magic such as potions could be of any benefit to you. Your MDF, if it comes from a spiritual place or inner willpower, also takes a hit. Afflicted clerics and other divine casters might have a crisis of faith, severing their spells' usage until removed. Despite this, as it is a divine punishment to be lifted, you may find a boost in LUK or resistance against dark damage is a silver lining?

Blind - Revved up like... eh, you know the rest. Hit % is laughably low, dodging might be impossible, and don't even think of scoring a critical hit on something you can't see.

Spoiler: Exotic Elements

Psychic
Puppet - Or otherwise, being charmed or mind-controlled. Target will actively attack their allies on behalf of their controller, at least until they take damage. A player-based version could give direct control of an enthralled enemy.

Mindblow - Ongoing damage, but aimed at the mind or soul instead of the body. The target loses MP over time instead of HP, and probably takes a hit to MAT? Could be made susceptible to other mind-affecting or emotion-based ailments too?

Energy
Liquefy - Science says humans can't melt from intense energy... but SCIENCE(!) says otherwise. Handled as either HP loss over time (which stacks with poisoning and / or being on fire), or a countdown to a gruesome demise like drowning. Anything short of a force field or being insubstantial can't stop this ailment; even robots can be reduced to slag.

Shrink - Thank Einstein, that "Martian heat ray" left your buddy's clothes behind for a reason. ATK and DEF are non-existent, but any supernatural powers are utterly unfazed. Could also give a huge dodge % to compensate, but a smaller size doesn't always mean bigger AGI.

 

[Celestrium]

What would "Float" do exactly?

Float would make the character similar to a flying unit in other games, where they were immune to terrain damage, or could even be to Earth based damage. Maybe they could float over water. Could also be more susceptible to Wind as well. There is a lot of things you could do with it. Not an ailment, but could be like how Rage is a double edged sword in some games (Attack up but Defense down).
I do believe Final Fantasy Tactics had something to the effect, but it has been a while since I played that.
(Throwing out ideas and brainstorming...)
I like where you are going with this game, and I feel you already have something kinda in mind that seems to balance the elements.

 

[Tai_MT]

Eh, simple enough for me to give my examples.

Fire
Burn Level 1 through Level 4

Water
Confuse or Charm

Lightning
Stun or Paralyze

Ice
Frozen

Earth
Blind Level 1 through level 4

Wind
Sleep

Life (or Light in any other RPG, I suppose)
Silence

Death (or Dark element in any other RPG)
Zombie

Nature (Grass element, essentially)
Poison, Bleed, or Tangled.

Burn lowers defense and deals damage over time.

Confuse makes a character auto-attack any target.
Charm makes a character auto-attack allies only.
Stun keeps the target from acting unless they take damage, then they are automatically healed.
Paralyze keeps the target from acting unless restored by consumable.
Frozen keeps the target from acting with a 50% chance that damage removes the state. Target is weak to Blunt and Fire element.
Blind reduces accuracy.
Sleep stops the target from acting with lower tiers of it having a higher chance of waking target when they take damage.
Silence keeps the target from using any Skills.
Zombie makes the target inflict zombie on every hit as well as triples damage output and is weak to Fire. The zombie targets anyone and everyone.
Poison just deals damage over time. Rate is higher than that of Burn. Comes in four tiers.

Bleed deals HP and MP damage at 12% per tick.

Tangled keeps target from moving. Target takes 200% more physical damage. Wears off after 1-3 turns.

My reasoning behind each state:
Fire burns stuff, so... obvious.
Ice freezes stuff. Obvious.
Lightning in real life can seize up your muscles, so... stun and paralyze.
Water works the way it does because it can be used to control living things. Namely, most living things are made up of a lot of water. So, messing with the water content of someone can confuse or charm them.
Earth is basically someone throwing sand in your eyes. Blinds ya.
Wind is basically someone pulling all the air out of your lungs and making you pass out. So, you know... sleep.
Death is basically "necromancy" in my game, so... zombies.
Life is complicated and rather undefined, but it "strips the target of its potential", which basically just seals all their skills (Skills use Potential Points as a universal name, named sort of because of Potential Energy). Silences.
Nature Poisoning and Tangling make obvious sense. Nature causing "bleed" makes less sense unless you consider thorns and brambles and other such dangerous plant life.

I know, I'm a simple person.