The idea is to have all the posible dnas for each skill, having in account that some dnas wont be accessible because the Ioxenic scientists dont know how to unlock them yet and others can be unlocked but with some penalties.
This thread is related to the ideas of DNA Distribution and Active DNA.
The first step would be to change the orther of the dnas. Each skill of the skill tree, would have a "duplicate" in the DNA tree, but this duplicate will be able to be enhanced with dna, while the original one will stay the same. The lvl of the duplicated skill will depend on the lvl of the original one. This duplicated skills could be called DNA Skills. This DNA Skills would be orthered in a column, and each of those skills would be at the start of different rows that have the different dnas for that skill. The DNA Skills would be able to be linked in the quick bar like any other skill.
The idea of the penalties is more to balance than anything else. Such penalties could be added only to the new dnas or to all of the dna, to balance it even more. The idea is simple, the more power, number of targets, radius, etc, the bigger the CD and/or casting time.
The relation between the normal skill and the DNA Skill would be simple. When one of both is casted, both enter in cooldown (or downtime), that cooldown will be the one of the skill casted. For example, if the normal skill have 20 secs CD and the DNA one have 40 secs, and the caster cast the normal one, then both skills will enter in a 20 secs CD, but if the player cast the DNA skill, then both will enter in a 40 secs CD.
DNA Categories:
This are the current DNA categories: i maybe missing some bcs the wiki isnt fully updated but the main ones are listed.
Strenghtened / Intensification / Upgrade: means that increase the skill effect
Extended / Lengthened: increase the duration
Long Range: increase the range
Accuracy: increase the accuracy
Potens: reduce the cooldown
Swift: decrease the casting time
Moderated: reduce mana cost
AOE: increase radius and number of targets
Full DNA vs Penalties:
The main DNAs we have are "Strenghtened", "Extended", "Potens" and "Swift". The idea is that this DNAs and others would be present in all the DNA Skills, if those DNAs apply, bcs ofc, a Passive skill only can have an intesification in the effect and not much more.
But if a ground aoe like Holy Light had all the posible DNAs, that wouldnt make it too oped? Yes, and that is why there would be penalties for those extra DNAs. The penalties are basically in cooldown and casting time. For example, an increse in range, radius and number of targets in Holy Light, would have a penalty in casting time, while an increase in damage and duration, could have a penalty in cooldown. The penalties would be added in each DNA, and would increase with the DNA lvl. And ofc, the Swift DNA wont have a casting time penalty (but maybe would have a cooldown one) and the Potens wouldnt have a cooldown penalty (but could have a casting time one).
Also, the melee skills maybe could have only a cooldown penalty, since a casting time one could destroy those skills.
The idea is that one of this DNAs could have a penalty not bigger than 5 secs cooldown and 0.5 secs casting time at lvl 10, but if the skill have many DNA added, this amount could go up by an interesting amount.
DNA Points:
Ofc, a so big increase in the amount of DNA, it would also mean an increase in the amount of points needed. This idea also include a revamp in the DNA point system. With the new system, the player would get 1 point per lvl but the player would start with 5 dna points and then wont get any point until lvl 40. That would make the player have a total of 39 + 5 = 44 DNA points at lvl 79 (current cap).
DNA Skills Visual Effect:
This skills could have an additional visual effect that make them a little different than the others.
Conclusion:
This system not only would give the player more posibilities to customize their skills but also would balance things a little, making the stronger skills to have more casting time and cooldown, while the weaker ones will be faster to cast and re-cast. It also would balance a little the relation between melees and casters, since the casters would suffer a casting time penalty. It also would make some skills more versatile, bcs someone can cast, for example, Vampiric Touch without DNA, that would hit only one target and would prevent the player to attract more mobs than they want, or the DNA Vampiric Touch, that could have an aoe effect and hit many. The same could apply to the Paralisys Trap, some times the player may want to trap only one enemy instead of a group, and with this sytem, the player would be able to do it, without need to reset their DNA.
Edited by Nadesh, 29 August 2011 - 03:06 PM.
