Magical Skills?

[Dyson]

I was wondering if the specific skills related to magic were decided on yet, or if they were, if it's "set in stone."
I'd personally like to see the following:
For Wizards:
A "Five Element" system for the main "attack/summoning" spells [Necro\Aero\Pyro\Geo\Hydro]mancy, a set of "construction" skills [research formulae, enchant weapons, enchant armor, brew potion], and a set of four general "non-combat" spell schools [Divination, Abjuration, Shadow Magic, and Flux Magic]. For our purposes, Shadow is Illusion and Flux is any dimensional magic, like Teleport or Enlarge.
I just thought Shadow sounded cooler (since Illusion is the word used in most RPGs) and Flux gave Dimensional magics a bit more of a "techno" edge, since the game is based out off a society emerging from the ashes of another.

For Druids:
Access to certain elemental Spheres (Air & Earth, most likely) as well as Animal Friendship, Tracking, and general Nature-related abilities. I'd think it'd be good to make most of the Druid's spell-like powers "Abilities" so as to justify why they're kept secret. This makes sense, since most druids are either "chosen by the land" ie, self-taught, or taught by other Druids (Rather then Wizards, who learn incantations out of old books, Druids learn to channel LifeForce through their bodies).

For Clerics:
Spells related to their God's Sphere of Influence (of course) and abilities like "Channel Godly Wrath," ie, jacking up one's stats by putting divine might into your mortal frame. Extremely high levels of this could make the player a minor emodiment of the God's avatar for a short time.

For Psionicists:

Skills all the way. Psionicists don't "Cast spells" in D&D or any fantasy literature; they focus energy in their bodies. Since it's mental effort they're exerting, they don't have "incantations" to summon up energy.

Anyway, that's my take on things. How far off from the intended system have I landed? Still in the ballpark (I hope...)? :)

[Cynycal]

i'd like to see some spells that would be more fun than anything else..perhaps charm spells and some stupid tricks or something...but basically spells that could help encourage roleplaying...

i'd also like to be able to make new spells...(like u guys would create them and we'd have to "discover them" through research n' stuff)...it would be great to play a wizard and to (once powerful) have a small lab or something set up to mess with spells n' such...and when very powerful to have a tower... =) and maybe some cronies to experiment on

[Wrentia]

Kind of a cantrips kinda thing. Here's a couple ideas:

1. Skyburst (big firework like burst of light in the sky), perhaps it lasts awhile (5 mins of real time) and increases the light in an outdoor zone a step or two. Should waste all mana. Now that I think about it, it should last at most 30-60 seconds...Wizard type spell

2. Dancing Skeletons: Creates 2-3 skeletons that dance a jig for a min or so, then fall apart into a pile of bones....Necro type spell

3. Change the seasons: Makes a tree either bloom flowwers or turn leaves to fall colors. Lasts 5-10 minutesz of real time.....druid type spell

NOTE HERE: would it be possible to have seasons based on how trees look....no leaves winter, small green leaves or blooms in spring, large green leaves summer, orange/red/yellow/brown leaves in fall.....Just a thought

Also, maybe more "useless" spells could be suggested by in game players and if acceptable, have them named after the creator....like "Dyson's Roman Candle" which could shoot balls of non-damageing colored flame into the sky....

Just some ideas

-Wrentia

[Cynycal]

those are good ideas...i think it would also be cool to have to use some spell components or something..

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

It would be fun

[BelDragos]

I think spell componants should be used with some of the mid level spells and with the high level spells as a control to keep the abusive multiple castings of mega spells. That would keep the game more balanced and prevent cities from being melted into molten rubble by 37 Raining Hellfire spells. Low level spells should be faster than the higher ones. They should also do less damage.
In stories the ceremony that threatened to destroy the world was long and involved. That allowed the 'heros' to interupt the casting and save the world.
Ugh! Too sappy! Teeth rotting. Gotta go.