Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows


Although the central place for design discussion is ##crawl-dev on freenode, some may find it helpful to discuss requests and suggestions here first.

User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 5832

Joined: Thursday, 10th February 2011, 18:30

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 20:47

Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Rod of Shadows is similar to casting Shadow Creatures, except that Shadow Creatures summons based on the current floor, while the Rod summons based on Evocation Skill.

Regardless, most Summoning spells create allies adjacent-to or 1-space away from the player. There is only one Summoning spell that air-drops summons onto the the enemy (Haunt), and it's disliked by the good gods. Certainly Summon Dragon does something similar with the Dragoncall status, but this is not instantaneous.

Monsters have player-targeting summon spells which air-drop enemies adjacent to the player either from throughout the level, or by transporting monsters adjacent. Additionally, Shadow Trap does this.

I think it conceivable that Rod of Shadows can be set further apart from "Shadow Creatures" by making the Rod smite-targeted, allowing one to summon monsters to specific locations in view, rather than adjacent to the player.
Last edited by XuaXua on Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:37, edited 1 time in total.
"Be aware that a lot of people on this forum, such as mageykun and XuaXua, have a habit of making things up." - minmay a.k.a. duvessa
Did I make a lame complaint? Check for Bingo!
Totally gracious CSDC Season 2 Division 4 Champeen!
User avatar

Blades Runner

Posts: 614

Joined: Tuesday, 31st December 2013, 19:51

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:14

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

might that be too powerful?

i mean summons right now are kind of gimped by the fact that they mostly spawn next to you first. more defensive than offensive, and requires a little more strategy than just surrounding a foe at will. (although they do do that).
114491 | Pan | Entered the realm of Gloorx Vloq.
114491 | Pan | Noticed Gloorx Vloq
114492 | Pan | Killed Gloorx Vloq

true lords of shadow NEVER sleep

Snake Sneak

Posts: 125

Joined: Wednesday, 15th January 2014, 07:08

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:17

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

XuaXua wrote: There is no Summoning spell that air-drops summons onto the the enemy.


Doesn't haunt do this?
User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 5832

Joined: Thursday, 10th February 2011, 18:30

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:34

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Kismet wrote:Doesn't haunt do this?


Go ahead and pick a spell from one of the 3 books I forgot to identify when I had them all drop on me.

edit: DAMN, YES IT DOES. I think I shall be necromancer-ing it soon...
"Be aware that a lot of people on this forum, such as mageykun and XuaXua, have a habit of making things up." - minmay a.k.a. duvessa
Did I make a lame complaint? Check for Bingo!
Totally gracious CSDC Season 2 Division 4 Champeen!

Dungeon Master

Posts: 1051

Joined: Thursday, 12th June 2014, 05:19

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:36

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Kismet wrote:Doesn't haunt do this?

Haunt and Dragon's Call, yes.

I'm personally vaguely fond of doing this to Rod of Swarms (except beam-targeted instead of smite-targeted), since I find it a bit weaker than most of the other rods (its summons could be weakened further as part of this change), but I don't feel strongly about it.
User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 5832

Joined: Thursday, 10th February 2011, 18:30

Post Wednesday, 14th January 2015, 21:58

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

PleasingFungus wrote:
Kismet wrote:Doesn't haunt do this?

Haunt and Dragon's Call, yes.

I'm personally vaguely fond of doing this to Rod of Swarms (except beam-targeted instead of smite-targeted), since I find it a bit weaker than most of the other rods (its summons could be weakened further as part of this change), but I don't feel strongly about it.


Beam targeted would be nice and thematic. I didn't realize Rod of Swarms was still around in a world where Rod of Shadows exists.

If nothing happens to Shadows, beaming (or arcing) Swarms would definitely give it a good boost.
"Be aware that a lot of people on this forum, such as mageykun and XuaXua, have a habit of making things up." - minmay a.k.a. duvessa
Did I make a lame complaint? Check for Bingo!
Totally gracious CSDC Season 2 Division 4 Champeen!

Sar

User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 6418

Joined: Friday, 6th July 2012, 12:48

Post Friday, 16th January 2015, 01:12

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

I once found a rod of summoning on like D:3. It was summoning killer bees with 0 Evo, wasps with 5.

That was pretty neat.

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1667

Joined: Saturday, 11th October 2014, 06:12

Location: Brazil. RS, Santa Cruz do Sul.

Post Friday, 16th January 2015, 19:26

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Sar wrote:I once found a rod of summoning on like D:3. It was summoning killer bees with 0 Evo, wasps with 5.

That was pretty neat.


rod of shadows usually summons orcs at 0 evo, wasnt it a rod of swarm? wasps at 5 evo seems a bit ridiculous, i only get wasps on a rod of swarm with over 10 evo and thats rarely...

Smite target seems nice, you can balance that by having the rod use 7/8 charges so you cannot use more than twice per full recharge.
You shall never see my color again.

Abyss Ambulator

Posts: 1205

Joined: Friday, 8th November 2013, 17:02

Post Friday, 16th January 2015, 19:38

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

If nothing's changed, rod of swarms will summon wasps sometimes even at 0 skill.

Fun Fact: Paralyzed enemies are really easy to kill.

I've found rod of shadows to be much less impressive, but then I usually don't train nearly enough evo skill.

Dungeon Master

Posts: 1051

Joined: Thursday, 12th June 2014, 05:19

Post Friday, 16th January 2015, 20:11

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

damiac wrote:If nothing's changed, rod of swarms will summon wasps sometimes even at 0 skill.

Fun Fact: Paralyzed enemies are really easy to kill.

I've found rod of shadows to be much less impressive, but then I usually don't train nearly enough evo skill.

Rod of shadows got buffed a few months ago, which I suspect was pretty helpful.

Looks like the odds of getting a wasp is 1/13 per creature spawned (# of spawns depends on skill), which is pretty decent early on. (Of course, what isn't...?)

Barkeep

Posts: 3890

Joined: Wednesday, 14th August 2013, 23:25

Location: USA

Post Friday, 16th January 2015, 20:15

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Whether or not rod of shadows needs a buff, I'd point out that it is good that the game doesn't have too many smite-targeted attacks (nor too many "slouch-like" targeting effects). There are some, of course, but what's notable about these is that they make your current positioning matter even less than bolt spells and (most) summons. Since making good decisions with positioning is a large part of Crawl, and a part of it that a lot people enjoy, it is important to be careful about how much smite-like direct damage is available to the player.

Sar

User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 6418

Joined: Friday, 6th July 2012, 12:48

Post Saturday, 17th January 2015, 13:51

Re: Feature Request: Smite-targeted Rod of Shadows

Yeah it was a rod of the swarm, not summoning.

Return to Game Design Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 71 guests

Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group.
Designed by ST Software for PTF.