Idea Medley #2

[Blaze]

1. Bard skills: I heard Jorb mention the possibility of implementing this, so here's my take on the subject.
Skill: Bardic Tradition (Or whatever you decide to call it)
Based on: Charisma
Requires equipped item: Lute (Or some other instrument, I'll leave the details up to you)
Starting a song costs 10 stamina, plus an additional amount of stamina taken in increments during the duration of the song. The player can only move at walk or slower when playing a song and taking any other action will end the effects of the song. The effects of the song will only affect an area around the player, and each song has its own AOE* which increases along with the performers charisma. You can toggle whether songs affect everyone in its radius or only party members.
AOE= Area of effect
The songs that I suggest are:

Rousing Crescendo: Increases stamina recovery of players in the AOE.
Chords of Dissonance: Animals attacking players will end combat and will not initiate combat until the song ends or the players leave the AOE.
Assault Allegro: Lowers attack cooldown of players in the AOE.
Soothing Sonata: Increase the SHP recovery rate of players in the AOE.

2. Specialized town types: When you're ready to activate an idol, it'll give you the choice of turning into a normal or specialized town, which will give bonus/penalities (Industry, agriculture, etc.) to anyone joining that town. Optional: Special buildings unique to each town type and can only be build within the town's borders.

3. Magic: While throwing fireballs and shooting lightning bolts would seem fun, I doubt it'd fit in H&H's theme, so I'm suggesting spirit magic instead.
You can craft various magical talismans which cast a particular spell. You activate a talisman by r-clicking on it and choosing "invoke" then choosing a target (When applicable).

To put "Charges" in an talisman, I have 4 different suggestions for doing so:
- Construct an altar, then sacrifice animal corpses on it to generate "Spirit power". Then you can charge a talisman with it. Intelligence affects how much spirit power is necessary per charge.
- Same as the above, but you can only charge the amulet when the altar is completely full. Intelligence affects the amount of corpses needed to fill the altar.
- Gather the materials and craft a "magic power item" which you can use to charge a talisman. Intelligence affects how much charge you gain from the use of the charging item.
- Talismans start out at full capacity and cannot be recharged. Intelligence affects the chances of using up a charge when invoking the talisman.

I'm also thinking of alchemy and magical contraptions like fire traps and sentry totems, but I haven't worked out the details yet.
If you have the time, please read my first Idea Medley if you missed it.

[Yolan]

I also posted some ideas on magic here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=615

I think the giant wall of text scared people away from actually reading it.

[jorb]

Nice work, Blaze. The Bard skills will probably look somewhat like what you have described. You're also spot on in so far as lightning and fireballs not (be)fitting the H&H ticket. I'm considering posting an idea medley of my own now that I saw yours.

[Pacho]

I very much like these suggestions.

On the subject of magic, I think that a more passive sort of magic would be more fitting to the game's environment. Instead of seeing instant effects, why not make it something more of a ritualistic kind of thing with smaller, but longer term effects such as increased farm yields, more meat from butchering, weakening or strengthening enchantment of items/people, curses (like having your ancestor's skeleton rise from its grave and attack the descendants or destroy their work), etc.