Species Proposal: Spectre

[infinitevox]

In progress code on Git - Picking up where I left off with my Skuggi code

Spectre
Rumored to be the result of a necromantic ritual gone horribly awry, these creatures exist with magical energies entwined in every fiber of their bodies.

Spectres cast spells using their life force, are immune to rotting, and poisons have a difficult time affecting them. Their very presence disrupts the arcane in a small area around them. As they grow they will either learn control over their magic or it will run rampant.


Species Attributes
HP: +10%, MP: No Mana Pool
Base Stats: Str 6, Int 8, Dex 10
Stat Increase: 1 Str/Int/Dex every 4 levels
Exp Gain: -1
Suggested Classes: Fighter, Monk, Transmuter, Air Elementalist, Warper, Necromancer

  Code:

static const map<species_type, species_def> species_data =
{
{ SP_SPECTRE, {
    "Ss",
    "Spectre", nullptr, nullptr,
    SPF_NO_HAIR,
    -1, 1, 0,
    18, 6,
    MONS_SPECTRE,
    HT_LAND, US_ALIVE, SIZE_MEDIUM,
    6, 8, 10, // 24
    { STAT_STR, STAT_INT, STAT_DEX }, 4,
    { { MUT_SLOW_METABOLISM, 1, 1 }, { MUT_ROT_IMMUNITY, 1, 1 }, { MUT_POISON_RESISTANCE, 1, 1 }}
    { "You radiate an aura of Silence." },
    { "silence aura" },
    { JOB_FIGHTER, JOB_MONK, JOB_TRANSMUTER, JOB_AIR_ELEMENTALIST,
      JOB_WARPER, JOB_NECROMANCER },
    { SK_MACES_FLAILS, SK_AXES, SK_POLEARMS, SK_LONG_BLADES, SK_STAVES,
      SK_BOWS, SK_CROSSBOWS, SK_SLINGS, SK_UNARMED_COMBAT },
} }
}

Traits:
Rot Immunity:
Silence Immunity: Spectres cannot be silenced by any means
Posion Resistance: (rPois+)
Slow Metabolism: Spectres are partially sustained by magic, and do not have to eat as often

Innate Abilities:
Silence Aura: (Passive) Radius=2
Expand/Contract Aura: When a Spectre reaches level 7, they must choose;
Expand their magical ability into their aura, increasing its reach (gain: mut_subdued_magic 1, silence aura radius +1)
Contract their magical ability into themselves, shrinking its reach (gain: wild_magic_1, silence aura radius -1)

Aptitudes:

  Code:

static const species_skill_aptitude species_skill_aptitudes[] =
{
// SP_SPECTRE
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_FIGHTING,        0),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_SHORT_BLADES,   -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_LONG_BLADES,    -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_AXES,           -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_MACES_FLAILS,   -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_POLEARMS,       -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_STAVES,         -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_SLINGS,         -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_BOWS,           -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_CROSSBOWS,      -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_THROWING,       -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_ARMOUR,         -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_DODGING,        -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_STEALTH,        -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_STABBING,      UNUSABLE_SKILL),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_SHIELDS,        -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_TRAPS,         UNUSABLE_SKILL),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_UNARMED_COMBAT, -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_SPELLCASTING,   -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_CONJURATIONS,   -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_HEXES,           0),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_CHARMS,         -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_SUMMONINGS,     -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_NECROMANCY,      0),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_TRANSLOCATIONS,  0),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_TRANSMUTATIONS,  -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_FIRE_MAGIC,     -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_ICE_MAGIC,      -1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_AIR_MAGIC,       0),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_EARTH_MAGIC,    -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_POISON_MAGIC,   -2),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_INVOCATIONS,     1),
    APT(SP_SPECTRE,      SK_EVOCATIONS,     -1),
}

Restrictions:
1. Cannot worship Trog. Despite being the bane of wizards, Trog believes their existence is an abomination
2. Does not interact with MP at all (see "Notes" below)

Notes:
1.) Cast from HP species. Unlike the failed Dj, HP & MP pools are not combined. Instead, Spectres do not interact with MP at all. This means that:
a. Channeling does nothing
b. Guardian Spirit does nothing
c. MP+9 & Staff of Power do nothing
d. potion of magic does nothing
e. RegenMP does nothing
f. Eye of Draining, Mana Vipers, Ghost Moths(?) deal damage to HP instead. (Possibly extra damage per the antimagic restriction)
g. Vehemut's MP conduct would convert to HP, which makes Vehemut and Mahkleb's passives effectively the same. I don't want to remove Vehemut as a god choice
h. MP powered wands mutation would basically become HP powered wands
i. MP costs on god abilities would subtract from HP instead (keep in mind, HP & MP pools are not shared, Spectres do not interact with MP)
j. Sif Muna (in current form in stable), would be fine, Channel Energy however would do nothing
2.) Casters of this species would have an easier time early on, as their effective MP is much larger. Later on this becomes a risky dance/balance between a perceived large "mana" pool and your HP getting into dangerous territory.
3.) Spectres are immune to Silence

* This species is based off of my Skuggi idea, but has changed so much since the initial post of that species that I deemed it deserved its own thread *

*Updates*
- Antimagic vulnerability removed
- Now completely immune to silence, instead of being immune to only their own aura

[dpeg]

Interesting concept, would playtest!

Not sure the XL7 choice is needed, but that's pesky details...

[chequers]

What enemies have antimagic attacks? It seems like a really tiny niche thing.

[Shard1697]

What enemies have antimagic attacks? It seems like a really tiny niche thing.

You could say the same about enemies with holy attacks and undead species/demonspawn's holy weakness.

[eliotn]

Thoughts (I have not play tested though)
1. I fail to see why anti magic weapons can't be wielded. An alternate disadvantage (such as reducing health) could be used instead.
2. Same for worshipping trog. Although this race could be broken with trog, the ban looks weird.
3. I would either allow all god given mp regeneration to restore hp or for it to never happen. Why does channel energy not work but other god abilities do?
4. I feel the choice over the aura isn't interesting enough. Even for a caster, having a permanent silence 3 aura is amazing and likely worth the price of the malmutation.

[duvessa]

This would be cleaner and more unique if, instead of spells costing HP, they just cost nothing at all. The antimagic stuff and xl7 choice are pointless.

3.) Spectres are not silenced by their own aura, but are still affected by other sources of Silence

This would be terrible, I'm not convinced the silence aura should exist at all, but if it does, the species should definitely be immune to other silence auras. (Also a good excuse to finally remove the Silence spell.)

[Wahaha]

To simplify the "not silenced by their own aura" thing, they should simply not have a silenced tile under themselves. The aura starts around the character, not on them.
That is if the silence aura is something to keep, as duvessa said. Or yeah they could not be affected by silence at all, that's even simpler.

This would be cleaner and more unique if, instead of spells costing HP, they just cost nothing at all.

I think the decision of lowering your hp to cast a spell is interesting. A race with free spells could be fun too though.

[duvessa]

The thing is, you get that decision of lowering your hp on literally every other race if you put on guardian spirit, and guardian spirit is fantastic so this happens often. It's just not unique, it doesn't make sense to have a cast from HP species unless you remove guardian spirit. Having no MP costs would be much more unique.

[eliotn]

I was also thinking about no mp costs. That would be an interesting race, but the no mp costs boon would need some other corresponding drawback. Either a form of cool down (like sifts free castings), or another interesting drawback (you take damage when monsters are near you) would be interesting.

[infinitevox]

Thoughts (I have not play tested though)
1. I fail to see why anti magic weapons can't be wielded. An alternate disadvantage (such as reducing health) could be used instead.
2. Same for worshipping trog. Although this race could be broken with trog, the ban looks weird.
3. I would either allow all god given mp regeneration to restore hp or for it to never happen. Why does channel energy not work but other god abilities do?
4. I feel the choice over the aura isn't interesting enough. Even for a caster, having a permanent silence 3 aura is amazing and likely worth the price of the malmutation.

1&2 are flavor. Demonspawn can't wield and take extra damage from holy weapons because they're the spawn of demons. The flavor here is that Spectres are beings suffused with magic, so anything "anti" magic would physically hurt them.
3. The interaction between channel energy and cast from HP is completely and totally broken (Check out when Dj was a playable race)
4. I don't think of wild/subdued magic as malmutations. The choice that exists here is: Pure casters take wild magic, which is a direct increase in spellpower, and spellfailure chance isn't something that's a real issue late game. A melee or hybrid would take subdued, as it would allow them to more easily cast their charms/hexes in heavier armour, but does prevent them from being blasters.

The choice is a permanent one, not something you toggle or activate. So by XL7, you have to choose increased silence radius and easier spell casting, or decreased silence radius and more spellpower.

To simplify the "not silenced by their own aura" thing, they should simply not have a silenced tile under themselves. The aura starts around the character, not on them.

That's how I have it coded. It's essentially a doughnut. (I originally had them immune to silence, but wasn't sure about balance implications)

About "No MP Cost"
How to balance this without making it overly complicated? That would be a pretty nifty species benefit if the details could be worked out.

[Haelyn]

I wholeheartedly approve of this idea. Although, I will say that this will more than likely incentivize Spectre players to rush into groups to cause their silence aura (if you keep that) on their enemies. Given they share HP and MP then, wouldn't Spectres just get used as stabbers or melee fighters rather than mages since playing a mage Spectre would force constant life-or-death choices?

[chequers]

The way this would introduce a one-time special-case for aura geometry (eg it not affecting the source square) is pretty awkward, just make them silence immune.

"Demonic casting with no MP/magic costs" is a good core of an idea. Why not just try -2 magic apts?

[Laraso]

(I originally had them immune to silence, but wasn't sure about balance implications)

Unless you're doing a ziggurat, Tartarus, or fighting Mennas, being immune to silence is basically completely irrelevant. Even less relevant than rot immunity.

Although, I will say that this will more than likely incentivize Spectre players to rush into groups to cause their silence aura (if you keep that) on their enemies.

I disagree, a radius 2 (which after XL 7 would often even be radius 1) silence would encourage me to create a killhole and lure the scary spellcasters into it.

[infinitevox]

Click "Thank" again to un-thank btw

I wholeheartedly approve of this idea. Although, I will say that this will more than likely incentivize Spectre players to rush into groups to cause their silence aura (if you keep that) on their enemies. Given they share HP and MP then, wouldn't Spectres just get used as stabbers or melee fighters rather than mages since playing a mage Spectre would force constant life-or-death choices?

Someone mentioned whats basically a reverse augmentation trait: You get a slay bonus and spellpower the lower your hp goes.
I think something like that would most certainly be incentive to run around in the danger zone! if we found that to be an issue.
Although I would think that wild magic would somehow mitigate your point, as its a source of spellpower that other species really don't have access to.

"Demonic casting with no MP/magic costs" is a good core of an idea. Why not just try -2 magic apts?

As in a -2 to all their spell schools? Maybe that combined with the possible contamination effect (and to a lesser extent, hunger), that might work to balance the ability to spam spells.

Any other ideas on the no MP costs thing? It takes me a little while to parse out all the interconnected code for this game, so I don't wanna get started on something to try only to change it a day later :p

[duvessa]

1&2 are flavor. Demonspawn can't wield and take extra damage from holy weapons because they're the spawn of demons. The flavor here is that Spectres are beings suffused with magic, so anything "anti" magic would physically hurt them.

Not convincing. A great deal of Crawl's races and monsters are suffused with magic - spriggans, some demigods and demonspawn, felids, golems, and especially vine stalkers. None are especially susceptible to antimagic, and vine stalkers and Lom Lobon even have innate antimagic attacks. I don't think this detail would strengthen the flavour enough to justify the added complexity.

3. The interaction between channel energy and cast from HP is completely and totally broken (Check out when Dj was a playable race)

It really wasn't broken at all. This is easily demonstrated by the fact that guardian spirit is in the game right now, allowing you to effectively recover hp with mp recovery items, and while very strong, it's not totally broken. Dj was somewhat too strong but not unbalanceable outside of hungerless pacification (which is no longer an issue, and would be irrelevant for this species even if it were). Dj was mainly strong because it had high max hp and no compensating disadvantages. The healing from MP restoration is greatly exaggerated by players; even staff of wucad mu, for the brief period where it worked for Dj, was no better than having a wand of heal wounds, and potions of magic are very limited and still not nearly as good as say, scrolls of blinking.

4. I don't think of wild/subdued magic as malmutations. The choice that exists here is: Pure casters take wild magic, which is a direct increase in spellpower, and spellfailure chance isn't something that's a real issue late game. A melee or hybrid would take subdued, as it would allow them to more easily cast their charms/hexes in heavier armour, but does prevent them from being blasters.

You really don't realize how bad subdued magic is.

[genericpseudonym]

(I originally had them immune to silence, but wasn't sure about balance implications)

Unless you're doing a ziggurat, Tartarus, or fighting Mennas, being immune to silence is basically completely irrelevant. Even less relevant than rot immunity.

On a different race, being immune to silence would basically just be a huge buff to the silence spell, letting you keep it up all the time against any threatening casters until pan/hell when everything becomes immune.

Since the spectres already have a silence aura, though, it doesn't do too much to them. I guess the spectres who chose the 1-radius silence would still benefit a bit from keeping the scroll/spell around.

[Laraso]

Since the spectres already have a silence aura, though, it doesn't do too much to them

That's the entire point of my post