Magic Overhauls

[BlackCompany]

I have shopped around the modding scene looking at the numerous magic mods. Midas and Phenderix seem to add numerous new spells and in general make mages far more powerful. Not a bad thing. I also spied numerous conjuration add-ons and overhauls. Skyrim tried to improve Conjuration and mostly succeeded, but I simply prefer to stay away from it, since I was never a fan of summoning things to fight for me. Kind of seems like watching the game to me, but to each their own.

 

At any rate, I started this post because I am wondering whether anyone is looking for something more...subtle. I am currently working on a major - and I do mean major - overhaul of Skyrim's magic system. Its making mages more powerful, but treating mana as a scarce resource that requires focus and relaxation to regen.

 

Translation: magicka (mana) regen during combat slows to an absolute CRAWL. Might as well not even be there. Use magicka wisely, or end/escape fighting to refill it. Alternatively, you WILL NEED potions/enchanting now.

 

In exchange for scarce mana you must use wisely, I have overhauled every school of magic EXCEPT Conjuration. I don't use it, so, I did not touch it. If interested, you can read details below. Note some cross-school perk-related bonuses. Here is a taste of this mod's "flavor":

 

Destruction - More damage, less often:

 

-All Destruction level perks increase spell magnitude across all schools 5% (begins at Adept - reduced costs retained.)

-Impact no longer requires Dual Casting spells

-Sparks, Frostbite and Flames increased to 10dps from 8. Deepfreeze bonus added to Frostbite and Intense Flames added to Flames.**

-Fire spells induce fear in low level animals such as bears, wolves, skeevers, sabre cats, etc. Animals fear fire and without this early on, Mages cannot survive the larger "real" animals. (This does NOT require Intense Flames perk, as it was done for Immersion.)

-Runes: Doubled damage from 50 to 100. Added Augmented Perk damage to Runes. Deepfreeze Paralysis on Frost Rune. Intense Flames perk on Fire Rune. Impact Stagger on Shock Rune. All Runes now level up with the player in terms of damage dealt.

-Cloak spells now provide resistance from their element with Mage Armor perk (alteration)

-Dual Casting Perk (Destruction): All spells are doubled in magnitude when dual cast (regardless of school, you add your Destructive Force to casting.)

-Master: Increases spell magnitude across all schools. Increases player intimidation.

-New Spells: Frostfire: Flames and Frostbite combined. All perk effects, too. Fire/Frost Barrages: "Concentrated" rapid-fire versions of Fire and Frost Bolt spells. Very nasty with Impact perk and Augmented Damage increases.

 

Alteration - More options, more power

 

-All 'level' perks increase spell duration 5% (begins at Adept) by 'altering' your casting. (Reduced costs are retained.)

-Wards moved from Restoration to Alteration. Reduced Wards cost to 1/2 magicka per second, so they are actually useful.

-Mage Armor Perk now adds 100 points of constant mage armor per level, with another 100 point bonus once you reach Master Alteration Perk. Now you can really have Mage Armor.

-Alteration Dual Wield perk now causes all dual cast spells from all schools to double their duration (Altered Casting)

-Oakflesh levels with the player's Alteration skill.

-Stoneskin is now a 'slow and stagger on target' spell

-Ebonyflesh now provides hours of armor, in exchange for reduced magicka the while.

-Magelight now turns undead if you have the Necromage perk (restoration.)

-Candlelight now costs next door to nothing and lasts FAR, FAR longer than before. Because constant recast is annoying with the hands-as-slots system. And you can dispel** it now (see below.)

-Ironflesh affect is an in-progress change which brings magic resistance to mage armor (iron always cancels out magic in fantasy lore)

-New Spells: Dispel Self: Removes any and all magic armors/wards/lights on self. Dispel Other: Cancels any magical wards, armor and cloaks on target. Staggers with impact Perk. Staggering Wind and Staggering Blow. Distance and up close Stagger punches. Low/no damage. Just clears your space. Works on small adversaries who are not actively blocking for balance.

 

Illusion - mental mastery and manipulation, inside and outside of combat

 

-Major Perk changes. All reduced Illusion Spell Costs retained.

-Adept Perk: +25 Magicka. +5 Speech (mental mastery.). Night eye on self when sneaking (automatic)

-Expert: +50 magicka. +10 Speech. 5% change to buying/selling prices.

-Master: +100 to magicka. +10% to player intimidation factor. 10% change to buy/sell prices.

-THESE EFFECTS ARE NOT CUMULATIVE. ONE REPLACES THE OTHER FOR BALANCE AS YOU LEVEL THROUGH ILLUSION

-Increased base level of Calm/Frenzy effects.

-Master of the Mind: Now increases speech. Also, Dramatic increase in level of affected actors for Calm/Frenzy effects.

-Kindred Mage: +5 speech. Another big bonus to level of actor affected by Calm/Frenzy spells (human only)

-Animage: Large bonus to level of animals affected by Calm/Frenzy

-Dual Casting: Doubles duration of calm/frenzy spells

-Rage: Generous increase. +10% player intimidation.

-No new spells at present.

 

Restoration - Active all the time; part of the Mage

 

-All perks retain decreased spell costs.

-Adept: +1% increase in health regen. +1% for Stamina regen with Respite Perk. +1% for magicka regen with Recovery perk. -5% shout recovery time.

-Expert: +2%. same as above. +5% to recovered health all times. -10% shout recovery time

-Master: +3% recovered health (and stamina, with respite, and magicka with recovery). +10% for all recovered health. -15% shout recovery time.

-Necromage: Adds Turn Undead to Magelight (alteration) spell and keeps other vanilla bonuses.

-Dual Casting: Now increases recovered health when dual casting (keeps vanilla perk)

-**New Spells**: A change. Wards are armor/shield spells. They are now Alteration spells. Healing Hands damages Undead with Necromage perk.

 

 

Summary:

 

I want magic to be more subtle and yet more powerful in Skryim. Thinking less D&D and more Gandalf. When you don't caste, you still small, innate bonuses just for being a mage. Things that alter who you are, and how you function. When you do cast you can exhaust yourself, but you get more powerful effects in exchange for the exhaustion.

 

Feel free to let me know what you think. This mod is currently all but finished. But I only rarely play a mage. So, anyone running it would be a tester, and would need to back up all save files before running this mod. Doubtless some things will not work as intended at first. I am new to Skyrim's method for handling spells and effects. Most things I have tested, however, work like a charm. Especially the Dispel spells, which I personally love. MAgick cloak? No, you HAD a magic cloak. Also, dispeling your Candlelight once you leave a nice, dark dungeon (thanks to mods) is a nice change, too.

 

I plan on releasing this mod soon. I hope others take an interest. But please note: There may be bugs to iron out. Also, it changes every single magic perk outside the conjuration school. So, it will dramatically alter the way you play your game and might be best on a new character.

 

Thanks for tuning in.

[Ategro]

I support this project.