冬の鎮魂曲~Reworked Pt VII

Okay, basically I've got nothing better to do. There's only this much Neverwinter gaming I can afford to do before I get myself jumped by a mob consisting of restlessness, boredom, a blank mind, and the fact that I need a girlfriend.

Spoiler: The last member of the mob is the one grabbing me by the collar.

Thankfully, I've got a decent idea when it comes to this post here. At the same time, below is a song for all you emo people like me. And to think Steve Ang Eng Hock always said I needed to quit my interest in manga and anime if I wanted to impress girls. That was during my 32 SIB days at Clementi Camp from 2003 to 2005.

Note: The singer doing the Sino-Cleopatra dance is no longer around.

http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2017/10/blog-post.html

http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2017/11/reworked-pt-ii.html

http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2017/11/reworked-pt-iii.html

http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2017/12/reworked-pt-iv.html

http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2017/12/reworked-pt-v.html
http://glaive-d-barde.blogspot.com/2018/03/reworked-pt-vi.html

Total Recall: Thaumaturgy, Metallurgy, and deums

Okay, I'll need to do a Total Recall here. After some pondering, I felt that my previous ideas were more of a Gray Davis than an Ahnuld. Hence, I need to do this.

Right now, I decide to allocate three runes to thaumaturgy powers and one rune to metallurgy power. The thaumaturgy chaining system stays unchanged. In other words, you still can afford to execute three thaumaturgy powers in a row. This comes to the question of whether any major changes in metallurgy are on the cards. Any metallurgy effect now lasts for 20 seconds and will only affect weapons. At the same time, the enchanted weapon will not lose any durability points during the effect (more on the durability points in a later post).

Thaumaturgy powers are generated by random when it comes to the options available. Metallurgy powers, however, are fixed. The idea of Order and Chaos is too fun not to be spammed.

What stays the same is the fact that every character can only use one deum. In other words, only five runes can be used. Three thaumaturgy runes, one metallurgy rune, and one bridge rune.

For the deums, four of them confers certain bonuses while the fifth one (Nihilo) is never meant to be given to any individual. That is unless I enforce some sort of plot device (hopefully, this won't come out as some sort of plot armour).

Stat bonus conferred by the deums (apart from Nihilo)

Earrach:

The deum of spring, Earrach represents rebirth and the presence of vitality. This deum is associated with Strength and Dexterity.

1. Regenerates hit points at 2% of the maximum amount per second whenever outside combat.

2. Maximum hit points increase by 4% per point in Strength.

3. +1 to Dexterity.

Samhradh:

The deum of summer. Samhradh symbolises passion and vigour. This deum is associated with Strength and Dexterity.

1. Stamina regenerates 1% faster.

2. Attacking speed increases by 1.5% per point in Dexterity.

3. +1 to Strength

Fómhar:

The deum of autumn. Fómhar embodies limitations of the body and the importance of the mind. This deum is associated with Wit and Resolve.

1. Depletion of Focus gauge is decreased by 2% per point in Resolve.

2. Resistance against magic damage and any control effect is increased by 2% per point in Resolve

3. +1 to Wit

Geimhreadh:

The deum of winter, Geimhreadh is synonymous with the need to survive and the necessary means to do so. This deum is associated with Wit and Resolve.

1. Maximum capacity of Focus gauge is increased by 3% per point in Wit.

2. Critical hit damage from any weapon is increased by 2.5% per point in Wit.
3. +1 to Resolve.

Note: Should I be blamed for the fact that the Irish folks decided to celebrate the day of St Patrick Bamford here? After all, I happened to know Irish names like Fragarach and Cú Chulainn, unlike the Chinese Sun.

Yggdrasil~A realm where only a tree is there

Okay, that's an exaggeration. It's not just a tree. But yeah, a giant tree will be the first thing you see. When you first start the game, you'll start off as Aeravor. Before stepping forth, you'll be standing before this very tree. A blue circle surrounds it. Enter the circle and wait for a little while. You'll see a window that looks like a bank popping up (i.e. the type you'd see in MMOs). This is your rune bank where you can drag the runes in order of power execution (note that metallurgy runes are an exception because the order of execution only applies to thaumaturgy powers).

At the same time, this is also where available thaumaturgy powers are generated via random probability (in other words, we gamers call it RNG). The number of such powers generated ranges from three to five.

There are two ways to travel to Yggdrasil: Either through any portal known as a steinhenge or upon getting defeated. The former can only be discovered in ruins. But even then, a steinhenge will only pop up here or there based on the RNG. The latter requires your character to die. Okay, not literally since being defeated doesn't mean death. I tried Lord of the Rings Online recently. Sadly, I couldn't get used to the navigation interface without risking motion sickness. One valuable idea I pilfered like a hobbit boss from the people at Turbine/Standing Stone is the fact that getting defeated doesn't mean you're dead. Yes, I did pilfer the idea like a hobbit boss, you don't even have to guess twice to know correctly the answer. After all, no one likes to die even though, to quote a crucified Korean Jew subjected under the Roman white man's rule, we are going to die—there’s no ‘might’ about it.

Day and night in the game

In the real world, a day constitutes of 24 hours. When I was that dumb kid in Henderson Primary School despised by everyone around me. I still remember why I needed to use my saliva to ease the itching caused by a pong pong tree. Needless to say, an unsympathetic classmate chose to be sympathetic towards everyone else except for me when it came to the medicated oil. I still remember their dirty looks and the name of that classmate.

I don't profess to be at Guts' level when it comes to the term "life sucks". But still, I'm pretty sure a lot of my fellow S'poreans never came half as close to my level when it comes to being the closest thing to Guts.

Okay, I need to stop channelling my inner Guts here. In the game, a single day consists of 24 hours all the same. A new day starts at 12 midnight (in our real world speak) and ends at the following 12 midnight. A single hour in the game means one minute in our real world. Therefore, a single day would be equivalent to 24 minutes of gaming time.

This is very important because any thaumaturgy and metallurgy power can only be used once per day. Which now comes to something I have to thank the devs at Turbine/Standing Stone for. Refer to what I manage to pull off below.

Chains of Power system

Chains are cool to use. Gilgamesh uses them in the form of Enkidu. Arcueid uses them on herself because she's too powerful to be restrained. As for Fenrir, we all know what happened to Týr's hand (apparently, Alestrial nearly followed in the footsteps of a god during her dream). Moral of the story? Chains are cool to use. That's why I designated it as Lars' weapon.

Okay, I'm digressing here. Chains of Power is a system where you gain a neat bonus in battle after executing three thaumaturgy powers and one metallurgy power. Upon successful execution, you'll hear the metallic sound of a rattling chain. However, you can only pull it off if your character's hit points drop to less than 50% of the maximum amount. If you manage to execute a chain with at least 70% of the Focus gauge filled, a more powerful version of the chain known as a Renown Drive will trigger instead.

There are two types of chains available: Alfheim and Svartalfheim.

The Alfheim chain involves executing three thaumaturgy powers in a row while the metallurgy power is active. A successful Alfheim chain will be shown via the background having a light bluish hue while the camera momentarily zooms in on the character.

The Svartalfheim chain involves triggering the metallurgy power first, after which the three thaumaturgy powers must be executed immediately. A successful Svartalfheim chain will be shown via the background having a shiny steel greyish hue while the camera momentarily zooms in on the character.

Note: Any Chain of Power effect will last for the entire battle duration. At the same time, the character's hit points will be restored to 100% as a result.

Effects of each Chain of Power

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Alfheim:

With the supernatural force of nature as the foundation, users of this technique gain the power of any one natural element. Augmenting the weapon with the power of either fire, storm, or ice, the resultant choice nevertheless is not decided by the user. Rather, it is commonly said since the Age of Renown that Chaos bends the knee to no one. The character gains one out of any three elemental effects.

Fire-Whenever the character deals critical weapon damage, the surrounding area will conflagrate dealing fire damage. The Renown Drive grants the user the ability to deal 20% of weapon damage as fire damage.

Storm-Whenever the character successfully parries an attack, all enemies will be pushed back by a sudden gale, after which an arcing lightning bolt will chain them on the spot. All enemies targeted this way will take lightning damage and be stunned for 5 seconds. The effect duration cannot be reduced. The Renown Drive grants the user the ability to deal 20% of weapon damage as lightning damage.

Ice-For the next 10 seconds, the character gains immunity to damage and control. After the effect expires, the character will deal critical weapon damage once per every 4 seconds. The Renown Drive grants the user the ability to deal 20% of weapon damage as ice damage.

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Svartalfheim:

With the presence of steel acting as both anvil and hammer, the user of this power effectively assumes the role of a craftsman. As the force of thaumaturgy becomes the metal being worked, power flows out and is subsequently shaped like how Order regulates all things. The character gains the following effects.

Steel-For the entire combat duration, the character gains 40% damage bonus to weapon damage and 20% bonus critical hit chance. The Renown Drive will also increase critical damage by 50%. However, this effect only applies to Steel or Stone.

Stone-For the entire combat duration, the character gains 20% damage resistance and temporary hit points equal to 50% of the maximum amount. The Renown Drive will increase damage resistance by 35% instead. However, this effect only applies to Steel or Stone.

Metallurgy-The metallurgy effect will instead last for the entire combat duration. There is no Renown Drive effect for this one.

Elemental damage and physical damage

There are three types of elemental damage. Per stated in the section above, they are fire, lightning, and ice.

Fire: Deals additional damage over time. Amount of hit points healed from the affected target is reduced by half. This damage effect cannot be stacked.

Lightning: Causes stun for 1.5 seconds. Lightning damage also applies 10% damage debuff on the affected target. This damage effect cannot be stacked. Targets affected by stunned status cannot perform any action.

Ice: Slows down the target by 70% for 4 seconds. After this effect expires, the affected target moves at 20% slower. This damage effect cannot be stacked. Targets affected by slowed status take extra critical damage ranging from 10% to 30%.

As for physical damage, there are four types. Namely, slashing, piercing, blunt, and poison.

Slashing: 5% bonus critical hit chance and 10% chance to cause bleeding damage for 3 seconds per successful hit. Bleeding damage is counted as damage over time. Deals 10% more damage against opponents in light armour and 20% less damage against opponents in heavy armour.

Piercing: Ignores 10% of physical damage resistance from armour and gives 2-8% chance to cause bleeding damage for 8 seconds per hit. +15% critical hit chance against opponents in medium and heavy armour.

Blunt: 20% chance to deal 15% extra damage and 10% chance to daze opponents in heavy armour per hit. Opponents with dazed status move slower, take more damage, and deal less damage.

Poison:

Always deals damage over time for 10 seconds. If stacked with bleeding damage, the damage over time duration is increased by combining the duration of both. Damage over time dealt this way is calculated by adding both damage types together.

Note: Any damage over time effect will have its duration refreshed if the same damage type is applied again.

Next up: Need to go eat dinner now.

You know one entire nation's educational system has screwed up big time if it nearly created the closest thing to someone sharing the name of a person who was Rome's worst nightmare.