Removing the Staff of Change

[Snakebittenn]

Where: https://github.com/Aurorastation/Aurora.3/pull/6888
What: Removing the Wand of Change entirely, and having the Staff of Change as adminspawn only.
Why: The Staff of Change is essentially a meme that has no counterplay except to suffer as whatever the fuck the wizard has decided to make you into (PERMANENTLY) for any reason (or lack thereof) under the sun, and has an essentially unlimited amount of uses so long as one is cautious. The wand of change is an even bigger offender, often being seen en masse and being a convenient size (not requiring a hand or a back like the Staff proper.) Wizard gameplay will not lose a night of sleep over this change, however a feedback thread is supposedly required.

[Nantei]

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Polymorph is in a similarly awful place, but it's less offensive. The staff of change is probably the most lowrp thing Wizard has in its current kit, and that is really saying something. Being changed into a Warform or HK is funny, but immersion shattering.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Nantei

[Garnascus]

The staff of change is good RP. It allows you to assume a new form and you even get to RP how you want in that form. You can still retain your old character's personality or have the personality of a horrible monster. Whats not to love? Changes like this are the kind of liberal darkness we do not need. 

-1

[MattAtlas]

Immersion shattering is not an argument you can use for Wizard.

Hard disagree on nuking it like this. You're more than capable of giving it a charge or a recharge timer. So why straight up remove it?

This is legitimately something that can create the most RP out of anything in a Wizard's kit. It's only LRP or whatever when it's being spammed as an offensive option. So, just get rid of that and give it a charge. People will consider their usage of the staff more since it's now a few-time usage tool.

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by Datamatt

[Ornias]

4 hours ago, Datamatt said:

Immersion shattering is not an argument you can use for Wizard.

tend to disagree on this. you can and should be immersed in the unreal and fantastic.

that said, there are so many ways to play a staff of change that this argument isn't fair anyway. it's up to the recipient to maintain believability. while i agree that in it's current state it's rarely used to promote meaningful or engaging interaction, that can see change- changing the staff into a spell that takes time, so people can marvel at the transformation; giving it a cooldown; giving the caster a limited degree of control (and idk if this is still a thing but making sure it keeps clothes on/tearing apart clothes/equipment that's far too small for, say, a vaurca warform).

Edited August 19, 2019 by Ornias

[Scheveningen]

+1. Wizard tools should not permanently and irreversibly kill the identity of a character.

[Bath Salts Addict]

Instead of removing it, why not add limitations and workarounds then? Give the staff and wand significant cooldowns so the wizard can't spam it on anyone they please, and upon choosing the staff/wand they get granted an ability to revert someone's polymorph.

As for the crew side of things, add something that can revert the polymorph without it being too meta-y to try. Maybe something the Chaplain can do to counteract the "unholy" magics or give additional functionality to something like the lazarus injector that lets it work like a clean SE from genetics. I'm spitballing here since I'd rather not see something just outright removed, but I'm not sure how easy that would be to code. Being permanently polymorphed into a parrot does suck. A lot.

Alternatively, give the victims some kind of ability that, after a significant amount of time, lets the polymorphed person automatically change themselves back. That way, if they wanted to remain as whatever they were they could, but the option to turn themselves back becomes presented to them after a certain amount of time has passed that the wizard has likely moved on already.

[AmoryBlaine]

Kill it. It's only gameplay use is to quickly unequip your enemies entirely, or hope they transform into a mob that will die from asphyxiation or incapable of harming you. The 'RP' it adds is not worth the poor handling it usually has in the hands of wizard players.

[Fortelian]

Personally I love the staff of change. It can be used to just bully people but maybe the chaplain could do or something like that so it isn't limited and maybe start reprimanding wizards who LRP with the staff. But don't limit it, maybe slow it's recharge. Realistically it uses magic to manipulate genetics and the total form of a person, so it makes sense that the wizard federation would have them. Removing it would stop multiple gimmicks from occuring with it. I have never seen it used on Aurora but I was once a wizard on /tg/ who basically only used it. I am unsure if it let's the wizard choose what the target becomes, but if it does then that should be removed. (I know it lets you do that on /vg/ ) But the sraff can be super fun to be hit by. Maybe decrease the chance for some things like parrots, but don't let everyone become ash drakes either. (Ash drake is an opton on tg, don't know about here. When I get wizard, staff of change is built into my load out and removing it entirely seems a real pity. Just slow it's charging and make it possible to reverse. Also maybe adding a time before you actually change so it will tell you like, you are changing! Be spooked! With like a minute or something before you change so that you know you should get somewhere safe and wizard can't just immediately destroy you with it. But do not remove it.

[Shadow7889]

I've been preaching this since day one. 

If it cant be removed then nerf it and add the ability to revert. Or a timer. A one minute revert timer. 

Even as a wiznerd I hate this thing. I cant put people back.  

[Bygonehero]

Looks like its gonna get merged despite dissenting opinions ☹️. I suggest making the staff have a long cooldown, so it cant be used as a weapon. Next, make the transformation delayed, maybe giving the player some emotes. @ParadoxSpace What do you think

[Zundy]

Make it so it only changes your characters sex haha.

Or make it so after a set amount of time after being changed you revert back to normal which fixes the problem completely whilst keeping it in game.

Or both haha.

[PoZe]

On 20/08/2019 at 01:59, Zundy said:

Make it so it only changes your characters sex haha.

Or make it so after a set amount of time after being changed you revert back to normal which fixes the problem completely whilst keeping it in game.

Or both haha.

Agreed with Zundy. Make staff of change temporary change you, after X amount of time it will revert you back.

[Fortelian]

Just make sure that the staff is still worth purchasing. 

[Gem]

implemented (?).

locking and archiving.