Working on a new magic mod

[cfh85]

About to start developing a new magic mod, The Old Wizard.

 

Some important points:

it will contain no meshes or textures - everything used will be from vanilla oblivion;

it will make little/no changes to the enviroment;

it must be balanced at all stages of the game;

new spells/abilities will be learnt slowly;

no generic spells (fire, ice etc).

 

The mod will revolve around The Old Wizard who will teach the PC new spells and abilities.

I'm asking for suggestions for the spells, the order they are taught and balancing factors for them.

 

Spell ideas so far:

Summon Anything - you select the target and it will be summoned to you, but it might be dead, hostile etc. no changes made to the target.

Custom Summon - limited number of summons can be created (save game bloat). You will have to pass a test to select summon (stop you selecting something uber strong too early. Summon will then be loyal and level with PC.

Revive Target - thinking of having it make non hostile NPCs friendlier and hostile NPCs get more hostil but slowly bend to your will

Summon Portal - New Realm of Oblivion/player abode. NPCs will be able to follow, including hostile NPCs

Teleport to Target - teleport to target within LOS

Teleport to Pre Set Target - Teleport to pre set target.

Force Push Target - Causes aggression but no damage. Depending on Target vs PC the target may not move or go flying

Force Push AoE - As above, except it targets hostile NPCs surrounding the PC. Possibly a Greater power

 

Other ideas floating about in my head;

Turn ethereal - does this already exist (been away a while)

 

 

So, at this stage I would like any suggestions for spells or abilities, including details of how to keep them balanced, and suggestions for how to balance the spells already put forward

 

Note - I tried flight before, caused a great amount of frustration and anger so I wont be trying a flight spell

 

 

Looking forward to any input,

CFH85

 

Edit

Some extra ideas

• Take prisoners/subdue spell
• Prison where PC can drain attributes from captured NPCs. Something where over time the effect wears off and you need to perform the ritual again
• Something similar to FF7 materia system. Many types of materia (need a more ES name for it) but only a limited amount can be used. Some level, others static
• Maybe a magic disease that can infect NPCs and spread - what does the disease do? What causes it to spread?
• Make a few NPCs life connected to yours - they cannot die unless you do. Limits to this? Other effects?
• Blind target and blind AoE
• Stop all combat
• Maybe connected to materia, when you kill a NPC (in a specific way) you gain a materia for either their racial abilities or birthsign
• Reanimate Dead Creatures - Target and AoE version. Creatures will be loyal to PC and on a time limit
• Second magic pool to power some or all new spells. Some rewards to increase the size and refill rate of pool
• Prisoners have their resolve broken down until they can be used as companions in limited capacity
• Use a corpse to create a new being - personality will be changed and abilities will be customized
• ​Train an apprentice. Eventually becoming an extremely powerful ally
• Spell to change Dark Welkynd Stones into friendly versions that target enemies
• Spell to lock door for a limited time
• Ability to transport items to chest in new abode
• Spell to temporarily appear in faction
• Make better use of Welkynd and Varla Stones
• Use fame and infamy (total values of each and ratio to each other) to change availability and effects of some spells
• Corrupt Wayshrines
• Change the weather
• Some spells affected by the weather
• Some spells affected by the time of day/month
• Alignment Seal - Seals doors based on PC alignment. Only those with the same alignment can pass. Limited, permanent uses
• Spell to steal any items from unconscious people. Items will be marked as stolen. Wont fail
• Disarm Weapons
• Something involving the one ring and rings of power
• Make better use of Sigil stones

Edited March 6, 2015 by cfh85

[Venoul]

good ideaa

[cfh85]

General idea for the Wizard, Sorcalmo

• Old. Truly very old
• Starts out seeming a bit like a goodish/neutral fellow
• Over time seems more evil
• Towards the end his more evil seeming actions will start to reveal they are for the greater good
• Tragic past
• Only known surviving member of an ancient order

I'm thinking that his past will be revealed very slowly. He will be responsible for teaching the PC many new things. Some will be directly taught, though they wont be instantly learnt (not sure how I'll implement it), some will be taught through quests and others will be rewards.

 

I would very much appreciate if someone can create a lore friendly biography. I have a basic bio to work from. I could come up with a sub par background, but I'd rather someone with more talent help out and I can focus on creating the mod and scripts.

 

What I have so far

Sorcalmo was a male Altmer, born 1E 1451.

He was recruited to the Ardarume Order (named after the founding priestess) in 1E 1573, by Volanare. Volanare was over 700 years old at the time.

The Ardarume was founded around 1E 500. An order of Altmer dedicated to Elvish magical supremacy.

Sorcalmo met his wife, a Bosmer called Gildii, in 2E 370. He kept her secret from his order and extended her life using magic learnt from The Ardarume.

In 2E 753, Volanare discovered Sorcalmo's wife. The Ardarume Order, outraged at Sorcalmos betrayal, murdered Gildii and attemped to do the same to Sorcalmos.

For the next 600 years Sorcalmo fought the Ardarume until they were all dead.

For a century Sorcalmo meditated. During this time he came to realise that no race belonged above others.

He spent the rest of his time learning new skills, improving his magic. From the shadows he guided others to great deeds.

Edited March 1, 2015 by cfh85

[cfh85]

This is going to be a list of spells and abilities, in the order they can be obtained. Not all spells/abilities will require all previous spells to be learnt. This is just a rough guide. Input welcome

*Work In Progress*

Colour code - Red. Taught, instantly learnt; Blue. Taught, gradually learnt; Orange. Learnt from using pre-requiste skill; Purple. Quest, reward; Yellow. Quest, learnt.

Items tabbed forward have pre-requistes, being the item before them.

Re-align Dark Welklyn Stones - Stones will attack PC enemies until spell runs out

Turn Ethereal - Will be unable to be hurt or hurt others. Will be invisible and silent

Teleport to Target - Teleport to targeted area

Lock - Locks door until spell runs out

Disarm Weapon Target - Target will drop equipped weapon. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

• Disarm Weapon AoE
• Disarm Weapon Wave

​Force Push Target - Target will be push away. Distance varies depending on criteria PC vs Target

• Force Push AoE
• Force Push Wave

Blind Target - Target will be made blind. Duration varies depending on criteria PC vs Target

• Blind AoE
• Blind Wave

Summon Portal To Arpen Ageasel (Noble Hall of Wisdom) - Opens portal to new Oblivion realm with PC abode. NPCs can follow

• Send to Chest - Transports items from inventory to chest in new PC abode
• Take prisoners/subdue spell - Allows you to take prisoners. Limited companion commands. Must pass criteria PC vs Target
• Attribute drain ritual - Place prisoners in cells an perform ritual to drain power to PC. Effect wears off

Alignment Seal - Fixed number of uses. Permanently seals a door based on PC alignment vs NPC alignment

Faction Seal - Fixed number of uses. Permanently seals a door based on faction

Magic Diseases -

Custom Summon - Limited number of uses. Summon will be loyal, level with PC and respawn. Target must pass criteria PC vs Target

Summon Anything - Summon anything in it's current state and disposition. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

Teleport to Pre Set Target - Set destination and teleport to it later. Can return to last "teleported from" location

Steal from unconscious NPCs - seriously, can't rob unconscious people? Will never fail

Revive Target - Targets disposition will change depending on friendly or not. Willpower of enemies will be worn down after repeated use, turning them into a weaken companion of limited use

The Art of Materia (needs new name) - Use a limited number of "materia" to augment your PC.

• Racial abilities Materia - Creates a racial ability materia when killing an NPC
• Birthsign Materia - Creates a Birthsign materia when killing an NPC

Remove Clothing/ Weapons Target - All apparel and weapons will be removed. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

• Remove Clothing/ Weapons AoE

Unconsciousness Target - Target will be set to unconscious. Target wont know who done it. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

• Unconsciousness AoE

Link Life Force - Limited number of uses. Connects NPCs lifeforce to the PC (can't die)

Stop all combat - Ends all combat. Must pass criteria (strongest) NPC vs PC

Reanimate Dead Creatures Target - Reanimates dead non-NPCs for limited time. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

• Reanimate Dead Creatures AoE

Frankenstein Project - Create a completely new creature. The model will be from a dead NPC.

Grow NPC - Increase the size of NPC and alter various stats. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

Shrink NPC - Decrease the size of NPC and alter various stats. Must pass criteria PC vs Target

Faction Illusion - For a limited time appear to others as being a member of a faction. No need to change apparel

Corrupt Wayshrines - Corrupt Wayshrines as part of a powerful ritual

Edited March 6, 2015 by cfh85