I was bopping around as a Runemage with some other players, and we got to talking about spells and little tweaks we’d like to see in the game. I assume none of these spells are already in the game, since I haven’t heard anything about them.
Spells:
Arcane dagger - a spell with a short cast time and range, but that’s persistent and locked to your wand. The spell stays active until you press the activation button a second time, and can be swung at enemies like the warrior’s sword. Mages can struggle with soloing because all of our damage is based on range, requiring space to have time to draw the runes properly. Having a close range option that doesn’t involve casting Fire2 over and over would help that balance.
Explosive Runes - A spell a mage can set up before the battle, casting it on the ground between themselves and the enemy that does damage when someone steps on it.
Elemental Enhancement - or something like that. Mages have a single support spell, Runic shield, that make them even better than musketeers at giving defense buffs. Unfortunately, once a backup mage has shielded everyone, they have nothing to do but go back to attacking. In the interests of opening up mages to mixed DPS/Support, Elemental Enhancement would add an elemental damage buff to whoever it hits.
Healing - Again in the interests of opening mages to more support role options, A healing spell wouldn’t go amiss. Maybe a less effective one than the Musketeer can use, to make up for the reduced casting time.
Metamagic Runes - Less actual spells and more spells that affect spells, Metamagic Runes would act like rituals, but the extra parts after the first rune would be actual spells.
Twincast - A metamagic rune that lets you cast two spells in quick succession. The second rune would be a combat spell, which would be cast twice once you completed the rune. Useful for the level 3 spells that take a while to cast.
Overcharge - A rune that enhances the power of the rune cast after it at the cost of giving your wand a “burnout” period where you can’t cast spells for a while.
Tweaks:
These are just a few things I noticed or thought might be useful.
Everyone can see your lines - I don’t know if this is actually feasible due to latency issues, but being able to write messages in the air with your wand for other people to see would be helpful. My microphone went out the other day while I was playing, and I couldn’t get my party’s attention at all.
Rituals are too finicky - I’ve been working for two days now to just get the portal ritual working, and I can’t even get the first step of it done. I get that being a rune mage is all about being precise, but it just seems like for traveling spells who’s only use is outside of battle, it shouldn’t take you half an hour to cast.