More wizard powers idea

[Killerhurtz]

So. I've noticed three things:

-People seem to dislike peaceful wizards

-Some people want to make wizards more aggressive in a standard manner

-Wizards' powers are scattered all over the place and serve very specific types of gameplay

And so, because I'm a snowflake that actually wants MORE peaceful wizards (and more fun wizards in general, peaceful or not), here's a few wizard power ideas I had:

Chaos wizard (for when you just want to watch the station devour itself)

• Crew Insanity: Once every thirty seconds, the wizard can cast a spell that turns (1/2/3/4 people depending on wizard gear - no gear, only one, but one extra person targeted by piece of wizard gear) completely mad. What does that do? OOC, it would give the targeted players almost free reign, far above standard antags: anything from simply doing things they want to do but would generally be chucklefucking to pure and simple "I'm tearing everyone near me apart" murder.
  
• Sliptongue: Once every ten seconds, wizard can cast an area spell that forces players to talk, by default, in a random language (choosable from Sik'maas, whatever Unathi speaks, Skrell speak, Vox speak, Gutter, Tradeband, Sol Common). People can still speak in Common by using :0 or :1 (whichever it is) - but it reflects an override of people's ingrained speech systems. Depending on how much chaos we want to sow, characters may or may not understand the language they speak.
  
• Switcharoo: Every five seconds, the wizard can cast a spell that completely exchanges the inventory and equipment of people in an area (complete with ID, pocket stuff and all of that fun stuff), excluding themselves.
  
• SLIMES!: Once every minute, creates 1/2/3/5 baby slimes that are not hostile to the wizard.
  
• Welcome to the Jungle: Once every fifteen seconds, spawns a tile of Space Vines.
  
• Delicious Taffy: One-time use. Turns the Singularity into 5-10 caramelized applies (I think in-game they're called candied apples).
• Switchraroo MKII: Once every 10 seconds, exchanges the position of all people in a 10-tile radius.
  
• Jaunt: Once every two seconds, throws wizard in the target direction, landing them 6-12 tiles away. In space, adds tremendous momentum equivalent to a Mass Driver's launch.
  
• Houdini Trick: Once every three minutes, transfers handcuffs to random target within 20 tiles.
  
• Miracles: Spawns a Magnet (like the one in the firing range in Security) that can be controlled via an interface - instead of programming movement, however, direct input is used.
  
• F is for friends who do stuff together...: Once every thirty seconds, temporarily makes someone believe the wizard is their ally and not a threat.
  
• U is for U and ME: Binds two targets together (wizard can be a target). They share damage - if one is hurt, the other gets the same damage.
  
• N is for aNywhere and aNy time at all: Every thirty seconds, "detonates a Bluespace slime core" (teleports everything that's not bolted down, people included, to a random tracking beacon on the station)
  
• Smite: Once every 60 minutes, summons a meteor storm.

 

Trader Wizard (peaceful wizard that offers goods and services for a price)

• Create Materials: Once every five/four/three/two seconds, creates a single sheet of a selected material (metal/glass/wood/plasteel/plasma, possibly uranium/silver/gold/diamond?). Alternatively - spell has three charges, each charge can spawn a sheet, one charge every five/four/three/two seconds.
• Set Camp: Once every twenty seconds, wizard can spawn a chair, document file and table (with a paper rack and a folder, maybe - and maybe even a stamp) at their location and orientation.
  
• Deal with the Devil: Once every twenty seconds, wizard can spawn a full set of Devil's Clothes (multiple variant available). Devil's Clothes look like standard formal wear (thinking Business Suit, Hair Pin and Briefcase), but they keep the properties of the wizard item of their respective slots (Devil's Suit is equivalent to Wizard Robes, Devil's Pin is equivalent to Wizard Hat, Devil's Briefcase is equivalent to Wizard's Staff).
  
• Create MORE Materials: Once every 30 seconds, creates 20/30/40/50 sheets of a chosen material.
  
• Full Recovery: Every forty-five seconds, heals target by 25%/50%/75%/100% of healthpoints (and equivalent organ/limb damage required for it)
  
• Let There Be Light: Once every thirty seconds, recharges all nearby APCs by 10,000 units and all SMES' by 25,000 units.

 

Jester Wizard (for when you want to have real fun with the crew without being a real threat and without permanently gluing a horse mask on people)

• HONK: Once every twenty seconds, turns every non-wizard weapon (stunsticks, telescopic batons, Chain of Command, laser weapons, ballistic weapons) into a bike horn.
  
• Distraction: Once every minute, spawns a Clown ('hostile' mob that aggressively honks at people and randomly drops banana peels)
• Circus: Once every twenty seconds, forces target to drop all inventory and equipment (to avoid loss of items) and is equipped with full clown gear.
  
• Funny Gas: Once every minute, creates enough NO2 to have a noticeable effect at 2 tiles' distance.
  
• YOINKS: Once every thirty seconds, teleports all of the contents of a tile (that aren't bolted down and aren't a mob) to the wizard's tile.
  
• Boardgame: Places primed mouse traps randomly within 20 tiles, with a chance of mouse traps being replaced by a cheese wedge.
  
• The Peels: Once every twenty seconds, leaves three banana peels in the 3x3 area around the wizard.
  
• Pass The Torch: One-time use. Exchanges all inventory between wizard and target, transfers 'powers'. Essentially a spell to transfer antag status to another player.

 

Thoughts?

[SilverTalismen]

I think this would be nice to add, ut i suggest giving them a option to choose to use either of these three options, or to do standard wizard as it is now

[Killerhurtz]

Of course - this is all spells that would be added in the book itself, it's not like automatic things. I just classified them in nice categories to show what sort of style I can imagine the powers being used for.

But we can take, leave, modify and implement any of these, and they would all behave like the normal spells - to be able to be picked or left in the book and changed.

[jackfractal]

These all look like fun. They should all be possible to code with the exception of Funny Gas. ZAS isn't setup to work with gas clouds like that. You could maybe fake it, but would be awkward and tricky.

[Jboy2000000]

I like these. Gives more tricks and treats for those who like to do both peaceful, violent and jokey antags.

[Sentient Bowtie]

These are all great, except F is for Friends.

I can see people blatantly disregarding that and instead ganking the wizard when he thinks the person is his ally.

[Killerhurtz]

Three things, Bowtie:

First, it's a suggestion, not some sort of law - they FEEL it's their ally.

Second, I often hit my friends if they're jackasses. Sometimes it's valid to hurt a friend.

Third, for people who just abuse that, there's always the moderation team.

[Sentient Bowtie]

My mistake on the first part, I misread it.

But I don't mean a friendly punch or something, I meant the harmbatonning Angry McRedshirt was going to deal to the wizard before he cast the spell.

[Dreamix]

Recently, people were complaining about wizards being useless, boring, repetitive, stale, and/or unrealistic. So, I have actually managed to get this working:

 

So, I need some feedback, suggestions, balance ideas, more equipment ideas, anything. With some spriter's help, we can even add entirely new things. Without spriters, existing, and working items, please.

I will also need someone to make a pull request on github, it's confusing.

[Guest]

I really like the idea of being able to RP as a super-agent with a background of my choice as a wiz. :^)

[Dreamix]

I really like the idea of being able to RP as a super-agent with a background of my choice as a wiz. :^)

Uh. I'm not sure if you are just making fun of me.

Well, wizard is just a gamemode. You don't need to be a ancient wizard. Hopefully, you will be able to roleplay a time traveler from the future, complete with cool clothes and EMP technology. Or, hopefully, you may even dress as a businessman, actually seeking business, without looking like a hobo dressed in blue rags.

Also, this 'super-agent' stuff still costs you 'wizard-money', no thing is free.

I still need ideas, I can't think of anything non-obvious, like this trenchcoat stuff, or businessman suits ;_;

[Dreamix]

Trenchcoat Agent: Leather satchel, leather trenchcoat, jackboots. Glasses, gloves, telescopic baton. A properly badass suit set. May cause inability to use some spells.

Energy Weaponry: A special cane, holstered energy pistol, non-optional laser rifle. Beware of electromagnetic pulses.

Business Man Suit: A closet with a set of proper businessman suits gets bluespaced onto your position, watch your head. Female and male suit variants. May cause inability to use some spells.

Well. I guess it's pretty okay.

Need more ideas, and/or developer's approval.

[MagnificentMelkior]

I don't think there should be a dnd sized wizard spell list, since that only makes it harder to make choices for people who don't already know how to play a wizard, but I do like some of these spells a lot. I think the list, if actually implemented, could use some refining.

One other thing: I like the healing spell, and I think healing magic should be available to a wizard, but I think that would be important to require the use of a staff, so that a wizard who is finally taken out by security cant just heal himself and keep going.

[swat43]

I was hoping seeing the 'Mechromancer' as a wizard who summens disabled mechs out of.. something and they charge at people. Something like junkbots or smth... How about wizard just firing everyone with ducks and leave wizard alone.

[Dreamix]

I was hoping seeing the 'Mechromancer' as a wizard who summens disabled mechs out of.. something and they charge at people. Something like junkbots or smth... How about wizard just firing everyone with ducks and leave wizard alone.

Well, if someone can resprite a ripley/gygax/durand, I may try to clone mech code, essentially making a new one and calling it "mechromancer's mech" (or some other clever name). I may allow a wizard to 'buy' the new mech for one spell-point, and to allow him to 'buy' weapons for this mech, also for one spell-point (to not make this too cheap). If wizardly spells can be used in-mech, that would be a pretty neat idea, I believe.

But, that's just day dreaming, I'm not a real coder. Without a real developer's approval/assistance, I can't really do much.

[Fire and Glory]

The 'stylish' clothes should probably be made compatible with wizardry spells, being resprited robes instead of just getting the normal clothes spawned.

[LordFowl]

I don't think different avenues of roleplay should cost points. Aesthetic items like clothing should be totally free. If you insist on adding functionality gear such as laser rifles or telescopic batons, then they should be listed independently.

I made a suggestion some time ago that was basically just to give a chameleon set to wizards modified to let the wizard cast spells in it. It solves the problem of Wizards having limited stylistic choice by giving them unlimited stylistic choice. Style should've have a cost.

Giving wizards laser rifles or batons is a funny idea, but if we're adding more spells to the wizard catalog, then we'll need to rebalance the number of points available to the wizard.

[Dreamix]

The 'stylish' clothes should probably be made compatible with wizardry spells, being resprited robes instead of just getting the normal clothes spawned.

I made a suggestion some time ago that was basically just to give a chameleon set to wizards modified to let the wizard cast spells in it. It solves the problem of Wizards having limited stylistic choice by giving them unlimited stylistic choice. Style should've have a cost.

Well, 'stylish' clothes I suggested/made also give some protection/armour to the wizard, trenchcoat being a little bullet/melee proof, and sunglasses protecting from flashes. Or, you may need mapper's help for adding things to the map.

 

I don't think different avenues of roleplay should cost points. Aesthetic items like clothing should be totally free. If you insist on adding functionality gear such as laser rifles or telescopic batons, then they should be listed independently.

Mapper's help, this may need a complete remap of wizard's den/area on CC's z-level, making it larger, with bigger wardrobe/dressing room area.

 

Giving wizards laser rifles or batons is a funny idea, but if we're adding more spells to the wizard catalog, then we'll need to rebalance the number of points available to the wizard.

That would be a major rebalance/overhaul of wizard's gamemode, I believe.

[LordFowl]

A large wardrobe is not needed. Chameleon clothes can fit in a box. (And in fact come in a box as a map item)

[Jboy2000000]

Fowl why does your reply have no subject, what the hell?

[Dreamix]

Fowl why does your reply have no subject, what the hell?

If you could like, not break the forums, that would be nice.

But yeah, I will try if chameleon stuff works for wizards. It will still cost wizard stuff, because otherwise it would need some mapping.

[LordFowl]

I don't see why needing mapping is an issue. I don't agree with making additional clothes cost points.

[Dreamix]

I don't see why needing mapping is an issue. I don't agree with making additional clothes cost points.

This may be a problem. Or rather (I may be wrong) no developers/mappers eager to do mapping/code additions.

[LordFowl]

That problem applies to ALL suggestions. Since it is a universal constant we'll just have to ignore it and suggest like the world was a perfect loving place.

[Dreamix]

That problem applies to ALL suggestions. Since it is a universal constant we'll just have to ignore it and suggest like the world was a perfect loving place.

That's why we have 689 topics on 28 pages full of suggestions. Can't disagree with that.

And if anything is suggested that's nice and also doable, the'new map' card is used.

The small detail that it's never going to be finished, or that it's never going to met expectations is usually skipped.