Great Balls of Fire (Ball spells)

[shockeroo]

I feel that a L50 wizard should produce bigger fireballs than a L18 wizard with special equipment.

I'm thinking about requesting a change to the way ball spell radius is calculated. At present, almost no character will get their Willpower high enough over the course of a normal game to increase the radius of ball spells, unless they start with a high (potential) willpower, then specifically collect and equip willpower boosting equipment and probably boost it a bit more through other means too. Yes, anyone CAN do it with a high willpower race, an amulet, a couple of guaranteed artifacts and the tree starsign, but it feels like you have to go a long way out of your way to accomplish it.

I'm wondering if it would be better calculated on Level + Willpower instead of just willpower (for caster classes at least), so very experienced spellcasters don't have to do lots of funky min-maxing to get this functionality.

[hapro]

At present, almost no character will get their Willpower high enough over the course of a normal game to increase the radius of ball spells, unless they start with a high (potential) willpower, then specifically collect and equip willpower boosting equipment and probably boost it a bit more through other means too.

I would expect anyone who knows what herbs are to hit the first increase. I don't think it's necessarily bad that if you want the really big radius, you have to know what you're doing and spec for it. Ball radius is probably one of the most OP mechanics in the game.

[shockeroo]

My core point is that you have to have a very dedicated spec, if not need to scum, in order for this mechanic to be relevant. That feels wrong to me.

I would expect anyone who knows what herbs are to hit the first increase.

Not since morgia was nerfed to not exceed stat potential; now you have to be the right race too.

[Blasphemous]

No scumming is needed for the second stage of ball radius (32 Wi).
I achieve this point regularly without boosting items and/or extensive grinding.
48 is another story and I'm usually pressed hard to get there though the increase is only mildly more useful over 32.

[gym21]

Pfft, play Platinum characters

[blunk]

If I do all the random dungeons I get enough morgia (and usually a lot to spare) to get 25 without herb farming.
Even w/o pogas, nonak sword and wisdom amulet is enough to get 32.
After pogas I'm normally naturally past 32.
I've had rare games with abyssmal drop rate of potential will potions AND low initial will, but yes those are rare games.

[JellySlayer]

Sure, let's do this, but make that ball spells are shruggable at the same rate as bolts

[dai]

If I do all the random dungeons I get enough morgia (and usually a lot to spare) to get 25 without herb farming.

As mentioned above, this can be problematic now herbs don't increase stats past their potential. I have this problem with my current PC, a grey elven wizard, whose willpower potential is 21 :-(

[Blank4u47]

I've only found 3 solutions to that problem, 1 give booze to fool, hope for the best, 2 use potion of exchange on stack of cure poisons, and 3, pickpocket. Number 3 can improve efficiency of both 1 and 2.

[anon123]

No one will ever deny how awesome filling one quarter of the screen with a Wi 99 acid ball is, but I think ball spells and wizards are already powerful enough as they are now.

I've only found 3 solutions to that problem, 1 give booze to fool, hope for the best, 2 use potion of exchange on stack of cure poisons, and 3, pickpocket. Number 3 can improve efficiency of both 1 and 2.

Playing chaos roulette with potions of DL 2 and above on D:1 can also work.