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Your favorite magic system?

    • 113 posts
    April 10, 2017 7:53 AM EDT

    Which game's magic do you like most? Personally I love Dragon's Dogma. The character actually has to do incantations that take more time the better the spell is. And just look at this :D

     

       

    • 1467 posts
    April 10, 2017 9:11 PM EDT

    Dragon's Dogma is definitely pretty fun, and feels a lot more interesting than a lot of other games. Personally I prefer the magic system in Divinity: Original Sin which focuses on combining spell effects and using environmental factors to deal area of effect damage (like casting a fire spell on some oil to spread flames everywhere, or an electric spell on a puddle to shock enemies.) It's just a really fun magic system that feels kind of unique.

    • 30 posts
    April 13, 2017 6:16 AM EDT

    It depends though. I've always been a fan of the whole "combining magical elements" approach and synergy systems.
    Case in point was the system from dragon age & dragon age 2, where some spells synergizes with various other party members skill sets.

    I've tried to re-create that in skyrim with limited success.... but it is possible.
    As what dragonborn said, environtmental factors can be taken into account, with mods that enable environtmental factors affected by spells.

    That said, animations are another gripe. Both in dragon's dogma and in dragon age, the animations used for casting spells & with staves are just awesome! Which bethesda could've managed to do better and though there are mods that achieve this to a certain extent, it's not the same stylish execution...

    • 585 posts
    April 14, 2017 10:02 AM EDT

    I've heard great things about the magic in Dragons Dogma, and as magic is always the thing I look for most in RPGs I really want to play it.

    But out of the games I've played, I'm actually going to say the Witcher 3. Magic is just a one skill in the repetoire of Geralt, but I think the beauty is in it's simplicity. All bases are covered with the small selection you have, and each one is versatile enough to be used in a variety of situations while not feeling forced - in fact, it's completely viable to never touch spells in a whole playthrough.

    • 30 posts
    April 19, 2017 5:13 AM EDT

    Zonnonn said:

    I've heard great things about the magic in Dragons Dogma, and as magic is always the thing I look for most in RPGs I really want to play it.

    But out of the games I've played, I'm actually going to say the Witcher 3. Magic is just a one skill in the r+epetoire of Geralt, but I think the beauty is in it's simplicity. All bases are covered with the small selection you have, and each one is versatile enough to be used in a variety of situations while not feeling forced - in fact, it's completely viable to never touch spells in a whole playthrough.

    The thing about that sort of system is that it's presented in a "variation" format as opposed to an upgrade format.

    Basically, the system that's utilized in the witcher 3 game force an "either/or" scenario where you need to make a selection for the kind of specialization for your build.

    As mentioned rightly, it's pro's include it's simplicity in design and management, but it lacks variety or multiplicity of the same spell, as it befits a spellsword class like a witcher. You'd probably expect variety and multiplicity around a class like a soreceror or mage (ie: Triss or Yennifer)
    For example, you cannot have 2 types of the same flame spell or 2 type of the same run laid on ground (ie: Either spread fire damage over time or deal burst damage)

    Skyrim's magic system on the other hand allows for the configuration of multiple loadouts.
    So, in the same spell based scenario for a spellsword, represnting the school of the wolf,  you can have a specialized build that uses damage over time, in addition to bust damage from spells and sword (ie: Ignite + Firebolt /Ice Spike/Lightning Bolt + Any Destruction Rune spell + Regular and/or power attacks)

    Or to reperesnt the school of the gryphon, which is more sign intensive (in witcher terminology), you can simulate the use of a variety of different spells, before switching to sword.
    (Ie: Flames/Frostbite/Sparks + Fireball / Ice Storm / Lightning Bolt --upgrade to-->Incinerate/Icy Spear/ Lightning)

    With enchants, it's possible to replicate the rune system for enhancing weapons & armors.
    Mods help increase the type of enchants available (ie: World's dawn, Summermyst)
    With mods, it's even possible to replicate the dodge, block/parry combat mechanics of the witcher combat system

    Overall, it's very much possible to replicate and even improve the witcher combat/magic/loot system in skyrim.
    However, it's strength it's it's weakness in this case... too many options but contrained by build and hotkeys i suppose.

    • 585 posts
    April 19, 2017 9:42 AM EDT

    Warlocksg said:

    The thing about that sort of system is that it's presented in a "variation" format as opposed to an upgrade format.

    Basically, the system that's utilized in the witcher 3 game force an "either/or" scenario where you need to make a selection for the kind of specialization for your build.

    As mentioned rightly, it's pro's include it's simplicity in design and management, but it lacks variety or multiplicity of the same spell, as it befits a spellsword class like a witcher. You'd probably expect variety and multiplicity around a class like a soreceror or mage (ie: Triss or Yennifer)
    For example, you cannot have 2 types of the same flame spell or 2 type of the same run laid on ground (ie: Either spread fire damage over time or deal burst damage)

    Skyrim's magic system on the other hand allows for the configuration of multiple loadouts.
    So, in the same spell based scenario for a spellsword, represnting the school of the wolf,  you can have a specialized build that uses damage over time, in addition to bust damage from spells and sword (ie: Ignite + Firebolt /Ice Spike/Lightning Bolt + Any Destruction Rune spell + Regular and/or power attacks)

    Or to reperesnt the school of the gryphon, which is more sign intensive (in witcher terminology), you can simulate the use of a variety of different spells, before switching to sword.
    (Ie: Flames/Frostbite/Sparks + Fireball / Ice Storm / Lightning Bolt --upgrade to-->Incinerate/Icy Spear/ Lightning)

    With enchants, it's possible to replicate the rune system for enhancing weapons & armors.
    Mods help increase the type of enchants available (ie: World's dawn, Summermyst)
    With mods, it's even possible to replicate the dodge, block/parry combat mechanics of the witcher combat system

    Overall, it's very much possible to replicate and even improve the witcher combat/magic/loot system in skyrim.
    However, it's strength it's it's weakness in this case... too many options but contrained by build and hotkeys i suppose.

     

     

    Awesome analysis, Warloksg, I've contemplated playing Geralt in Skyrim but never to this level (I know there's a build on the site that did this actually, might have to go and find it...).

    I agree that it'd be nice to have a little variation in at leastsome of the spells (Igni and Aard probably, as they're the damage dealers) like you said, concentrated blasts or big sweeps, cloak-like stuff, even runes (but that might get a bit close to Yrden).

    Hmmm, looking at what you said I think I'm changing my mind, the Witcher 3 has a great magic system, but it would be loads better if it was a little more varied and fleshed out, like the rest of the game is.


    This post was edited by Zonnonn at April 19, 2017 9:43 AM EDT