Multi-Effect spells strategies

[Variaz]

Not sure who plays a mage here, but here's a nice strategy regarding multi-effect spells.

At first, it seems like the multi-effect spells option is not that interesting. Not only does the effects base costs adds up, then they are multiplied by the number of effects. Worth it? It is debatable. However, multi-effect spells become extremely valuable when you start investing in the High Mage's "School Focus" abilities.

With only 10 points in Shool Focus: Elemental, this reduces the cost of spells by 30 points. This allow you to create a spell with a power of 33 for free! But if you create a multi-effect out of it, you can get an elemental spell with a power of 165 for free using five different effects! Worht it? I think so!

So if you are interested in using multi-effect spells, consider the School Focus abilities! Also, has anyone ever been interested in the Divination skill? No? Well, know that with 10 points only, you can create a spell that instantly does five detection spells for free! Investing 100+ points in Divination is a waste, but a mere 10 points for a free spell could be worth it.

[sam12six]

just a tiny peeve of mine, but I've always felt like knowledge of a given spell school like "fire" should enable you to create a resistance to fire spell.

[Variaz]

Hmmm... interesting idea. Would probably not too hard to add a "Resistance" to the various forms of the spell. Bolt, Ball, Circle, Chain...and Resistance! And there's room to add that duration parameter I believe... Definitly an idea with potential, especially with resistances being much more important now with all those crazy damages from monsters...

Though I'm not too sure about it... With multi-effect, it would be easy to abuse it, unless we say that only one resistance to a particular element can be active at a time. It would then be just like the "Magic Resistance" alteration, but specific to one element, and much cheaper.

(Maybe a separate thread in Suggestions should be created for this topic)

[Variaz]

On second thought, I might not implement this for now... Balancing this would be very difficult. If they are cumulative with item resistances, then it will become quite easier to get 100% resistances to elements. If they aren't, then this is not much more useful than the Magic Resistance from Alterations. Plus, combining powerful direct offense with the possibility to get immunities to everything, including physical and mana, that could unbalance the school and make it too strong.

So I'm not sure I will implement this feature...