Poisoner's handbook change proposal

[Strongpoint]

I have an idea for a change in Venom mages starting book. What I dislike in the book? It almost forces you to become a conjurer, 3 conjuration spells out of 5. One of them, mephitic cloud : 1) trivialize any non poison resistant enemy (meph, then poison to death) 2) Is used by wizards, conjurers, air elementalists, too widely used, IMO 3) technically don't poison enemy, only confuses, but we have young poisoner's handbook.

I propose to remove mephitic cloud from the book and replace it with spider form. Spider form used to poison someone so it's fits to the book, it's tactically useful spell and it allows more strategical variants to develop a venom mage.

[dolphin]

As a spell taken by itself, I like Spider Form much more than MephSpam. It's thematic, relatively powerful, and allows for a variety of tactics (instead of "if not rPois, Spam, Spam, Spam, Eggs, and Spam")

However, Poison goes into Conjurations at higher levels, and taking away an intermediate Conjuration would make getting there harder. Before the Poisoner could branch out from Conjurations, I think you would need some new Poison spells, since branching into a dead end would kinda suck. Also, Meph is THE Poison spell that everyone has; the Poisoner not getting it would be a little strange.

[Zicher]

trivialize any non poison resistant enemy (meph, then poison to death)

Well, this is exactly what Venom Mages are about, at least in the early game.

[Strongpoint]

However, Poison goes into Conjurations at higher levels, and taking away an intermediate Conjuration would make getting there harder.

Why can't you grind with sting? Mephitic cloud isn't casted that often to seriously influence conjurations

Before the Poisoner could branch out from Conjurations, I think you would need some new Poison spells, since branching into a dead end would kinda suck

I branched a lot of venom mages into melee, summoners, transmuters and while I would be happy to see new poison spells, I don't think that venom mage>conjurer is the only way to go

[jackalKnight]

A surprising amount of dangerous early game stuff IS meph resistant. Jellies, Imps (don't laugh), and phantoms are all immune.

[Strongpoint]

I want to bump this, because now there are no more mephitic cloud in air elementalist book, and if conurers will become one book class, they may lose the spell, too... If we remove mephitic cloud from venom mage, then mephitic cloud will become wizard-only starting spell