Let Loose The Magic!

[cruzazul 2815]

Hello Lord of The Craft!  Today we are bringing you magic changes.  I can already hear it now ‘oh great what have they done to magic now?’  Well worry not!  A lot of you guys feel that magic got far too restricting when the magic team were introduced, you know, that it no longer had that ‘Aegis feel’ to it.  It took us a long time to heed your pleas but finally in August we came with some large changes to the magic system that reduced the amount of time it took people to learn magic. Though that didn’t quite cut it.   

 

We realize that if we are going to make LotC feel more like a game and less like how things currently are, we have to step up our game.  We’ve done just that.  We have listened to your feedback over the months and we greatly appreciate all of it as it has provoked a lot of thought about the magic system and has allowed us to change it to suit the majority of you.. We understand that some will not be pleased with these changes. However, we request that all players give these changes a chance; it is our firm belief that they will better the server as a whole, even if they come at the expense of some members of the community. Without further ado, we present the “new” Magic System, which we hope will put the magic back into magic, and allow it to promote magic for the sake of interesting roleplay rather than magic for the sake of power.

 

• Magic applications are no longer required to learn magic of any sort. Likewise, teaching applications are no longer required to teach magic, and one does not require any oversight whatsoever, even if they do not have a teacher. We believe that players are capable of regulating themselves, and that neither teaching nor sending screenshots were a particularly effective way of keeping players from abusing magic. As such, we will remove the unnecessary application, streamlining the system significantly.

 

• Do not go against the logic of magic. An example of this would be an elf learning kha magic, or learning shamanism without being part of the orc culture, or non-monks learning monk magic. The different branches of magic still yield the same logic as before, that will not change.

 

• Magic is no longer inherently greater than other forms of combat. Combat magic is equal to the usage of bows, swords, and any other forms of combat.  Remember that the ‘power’ of magic is situational, based on how you fight just like any other forms of combat but typically it should be seen to be equally powerful as an archer or a warrior.  Not following this will be considered powergaming.  The idea of making magic more powerful than other forms of combat created ulterior motives for receiving magic under the backwards justification that because one had been practicing magic for so long meant they deserved more power. However, users of other forms of combat could not face the same benefits from prolonged learning. Likewise, rewarding players for being on the server longer than others can only serve to deter new players. As such, this is a necessary (and probably the most controversial) change.  

 

• Given the somewhat ambiguous nature of magical strength and abilities, magic users must now follow the PVP default rule. Eventually, a magic plugin should fill this void, but until then, one must rely on standard MC mechanics to PVP fight. Deviating from PVP default exclusively for magic users once more creates an ulterior motive for learning magic, and also causes some of the problems which PVP default has evidently solved otherwise. This however does not stop you from roleplaying your mc weapons as magic. For instance, say you were using a bow as a bow. You do not have to literally rp it as a bow. You can rp it as a form of evocation. And remember this is only temporary until the magic plugin is released. Since magic, melee and ranged combat are of equal strengths, mages just need to get their hands on a sword and some armour until we get a magic plugin.

 

• One may be as creative as they wish with their magic, and may act outside of the presently accepted magic lore, so long as their magic does not give them drastic advantages over another. Magic not combative in nature will almost always be acceptable. This does not mean anything will slide. Powergaming your magic and breaking lore will have penalties as it did before. This system does not give you free reign to be foolish with your magic.  We also recommend you try to find a teacher for role-play’s sake as it will likely give you a better understanding of how to role-play certain magics, but again it is not required.

 

• Powergaming of magic will now be handled the same way any other powergaming is handled: by GM’s and SM’s. As such, revoking magic is no longer an applicable punishment for powergaming magic. Instead, one will face warnings and bans. Revoking magic users has never served as an effective means of deterring magical powergaming, and now that magic is no longer any different than other forms of combat strength-wise, it seems silly having a separate mechanism for punishing magic users.

 

• Even though there will be no oversight, it is expected for magic users to take time to progress in magical prowess. Similarly, they must have suitable knowledge to learn magic, and are expected to police themselves in this regard. We realize that this likely will not happen across the board, but we hope that with this privilege, most will do their best to follow this. This is the same as how a knight ought to learn how to use a sword in roleplay. Once a magic plugin is released, this should hopefully facilitate the need to practice magic.

 

• Creativity in magic is not an excuse to invent your own Aengudaemons as a source for one’s magic. You may claim these beings as a source, but they will not become canon without the Lore Team’s approval. We’re giving freedom within magic, but not to the extent that you can automatically create huge pieces of lore. I think this makes sense to everyone.

 

• The current Magic Team will not serve much purpose after these changes take place however the current members will be kept in mind incase this change goes drastically different from how we expect it to.  Should that happen, the team will likely be reformed.  The team will dissolve for now, now that this change is in place.

 

• Certain red lines may be added at any time in order to keep the server free of abusive forms of magic. However, the lack of a red line explicitly disallowing some form of magic does not give one the right to create a form of magic which is clearly overpowered. Doing so will still be considered powergaming. We encourage you to be creative within reason.

 

While it is certain that responses to these changes will be very mixed, we encourage each and every one of you to give it a real try before giving all of your criticisms. This is likely the most controversial decision the staff has made since the shift to PVP default, yet most would say that that results of that change were positive. So we ask once more LotC, place some faith in us with this change, and give it your all. Your magical RP is not being taken away from you; its focus is being shifted in order to promote an experience which is better for the server as a whole. We hope you all will try to work through this change, and that in time, all of you will appreciate its benefits.

 

Here is a list of the current magic types in LoTC.  They are described as Universal and Restricted.  (Thanks Lago)  

Universal magic is magic that anyone can learn at anytime without restriction.  Simple as that.

Restricted magic is magic that requires something else before you can learn it.  This may be a racial magic, Aengudaemonic magic or guild magic.

(If I forgot anything, PM me.)

 

Universal

 

Alteration

Telekinesis

Void Translocation

Beardmancy

 

Illusion

Light Illusion

Cognitism

 

Evocation

Fire

Water

Earth

Air

Electrical

Arcane

Arcane Shielding

Conjuration

 

Holy

Priest Healing

 

Dark Arts

Contract Magic

Soul Puppetry

 

Fi'hiiran'tanya

Fi'hiiran'seth

Fi'hiiran'acaele

 

 

Restricted

 

Runesmithing

 

Holy

War Cleric

 

Illusion

Mental Magic

 

Alteration

Transfiguration

 

Dark Arts

Shade

Fjarriauga

Necromancy

 

Shaman

Elementalist

Lutauman

Witchdoctor

Farseer

 

Muun'Trivazja

 

Druid

Druidism

Nature's Healing

Shapeshifting

 

Ascended

 

Monk

[hosper 77]

First! I win! This is my last post as MAT it has been fun folks so have fun and happy roleplay! The power is in your hands now 

[ski_king3 0]

Second! :) There ya go Geo

[Sky 0]

Dislike. 

[CommunistSpy 441]

yessss

[KUSHerZombie 222]

Good job magic team! I can not thank ye enough!
+1

[Lawrna 440]

Boo.

[Elad™ 560]

What...

[Moot 1719]

Welp, suddenly I'm unable to turn into a Shrubbery to escape violent situations.

 

Does this mean I can get more then three subtypes now? Also, does this mean I'm essentially tier 5 Alteration now? Awesome.

[Stiria21 - 96]

This is going to turn into a train wreck real quick.

[Cyndikate 2303]

YES!

 

I can cast ice if I want to.

[Ever 2648]

#AEGIS

#MAGIC

#SUFFER MORTALS AS YOUR FOOLISH MAGIC BETRAYS YOU

 

Weee, good stuff.

[MonkeyCoffee 516]

Yaaaaay.

[Geo 1415]

Try to get the idea of 'tiers' out of your head.

[Galendar 631]

I like and hate, I have no opinion on this, only that I'm disappointed .