U82 Lamannia Preview 1 - Cantrips

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Torc

Torc

Systems Developer
Summary: Cantrips are Free Spell-Like Abilities feats granted at level 1 for certain classes. Our opening offering here will be fairly limited to direct damage but we can add to it as time goes on. This feature is mostly targeted to new players who expect a casting class to have a basic zap, which is now a common feature of the recent D&D additions, but provides a free if minor DPS tool for certain builds and a way regen spell points with the addition of a new feat, spark of magic.

Notes

  • Cantrips cost 0 spell points, and have no component. They operate like Spell Like Abilities
  • They are acquired by taking level 1 in particular classes. Acquiring them multi times has no effect.
  • Empower, Max, Enlarge, Quicken and Intensify meta magics work on them
  • All cantrips have a max caster level of 20.
  • All cantrips scale with your character level instead of your class level.
  • The cooldown for cantrips is shared. 0.75 seconds.
  • We may eventually remove the elemental bolt spell line at level 1 from arcane casters as it may become redundant (exception: chaos bolt will remain)
  • Cantrips Scale at 75% spell power.



CantripGranting ClassesDescription
Acid SplashSor/Wiz/Blightcaster60 meter range Projectile. 1d6 Acid Damage.
JoltSor/Wiz/Drd/Stormsinger/Art30 meter ranged instant zap. 1d6 Electric damage.
Finger of FireSor/Wiz/Drd/Art60 meter range Projectile. 1d6 Fire Damage.
Ray of FrostSor/Wiz/Drd60 meter range Projectile. 1d6 Cold Damage.
Disrupt LivingSor/Wiz/Blightcaster30 meter ranged instant zap. 1d6 Necrotic Damage. Cannot be used to heal undead.
Divine StrikeClr/FVS30 meter ranged instant zap. 1d4 Light damage.
Minor InflictClr/FVS30 meter ranged instant zap. 1d6 Necrotic Damage. Damage. Cannot be used to heal undead.
Sharp WhisperBard30 meter range instant zap. 1d4 sonic damage.
Bottle SpellsAlchemistWe are looking at just moving the 5 basic throw a bottle spells to cantrips, or doing something odd and different. Still TBD



Feat Adjustments:

Mental Toughness - increases your cantrip die step by 1 (1d6 becomes a d8)

Improved Mental Toughness - increases your cantrip die step by 1

Epic Mental Toughness - increases your cantrip die step by 1 (d12s and d10 by now)

Basic Bards now get Magical Training (enhancement that did this in spell singer no longer bothers)

Magical Training now grants…. Sparks of Magic: When you use a cantrip that strikes a valid target you actually gain a spell point.

For every Mental Toughness feat you have, you gain 1 more spell point.
 
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rabidfox

rabidfox

The People's Champion
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I can't enlarge divine spark.
 
W

Wrensel

Well-known member
Lichcrak said:
Rather then die step increases can we get the flat bonus to make the damage more consistent?

xd6 -> xd6+1 -> xd6+2 etc.
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Generally speaking, spells already do this. If a spell like fireball says it does 1d6+3 damage per caster level, it is weighted to actually be (1d3+3)+3 damage per caster level. We will have to see if clarification is provided and the dice step up is actually automatically weighted (or wait to see if someone tests and confirms one way or another).
 
Gavaleus

Gavaleus

Well-known member
This sounds like a good addition to the game. Playing a caster as a new player is definitely awkward. When you don't know every quest and aren't sure when a shrine is coming up, it's easy to run out of spell points and end up being useless. So having something to fall back on that isn't "pull out a weapon and start swinging even though you were supposed to be a wizard" will be nice. And in general having something for spell casters to fill their rotations with and restore some spell points will be good, too.

And yeah, you might as well remove the elemental bolt spells and have cantrips be their replacement.
 
Diaari

Diaari

Well-known member
Cantrips are really cool. I was seeing some decent 1.5K+ crits at level 17 on an air/fire savant (hitting CL20 but no epic mantle or feats).
  • It is a little confusing that they show up in the (already crowded) feats list instead of the spell list.
  • Because they are spells, you have to manually hit the button instead of holding it which adds some friction compared to melee autoattack.
I can imagine the implementation limitations that caused both of those issues but putting it out there.
 
rabidfox

rabidfox

The People's Champion
Honkin said:
Because they are spells, you have to manually hit the button instead of holding it which adds some friction compared to melee autoattack.
Click to expand...
If cantrips could auto-attack, it'd basically compete for one of warlock's perks. Pressing the button to cast them is what seperates other classes from locks.
 
Diaari

Diaari

Well-known member
rabidfox said:
If cantrips could auto-attack, it'd basically compete for one of warlock's perks. Pressing the button to cast them is what seperates other classes from locks.
Click to expand...

Eldritch blast technically should also be a cantrip. And if that's all that warlock has going for it, then warlock's got bigger problems. Like a shallow spell list that doesn't have enough warlock-specific spells.
 
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