December 29, 2019

Spellwrighting Mutations for Fire

Recently I came across an interesting idea on Twitter. What if we could use spellwrighting to “upgrade” our trained secondary school spells into something we can more easily use?

So in this series, I want to explore what each school could gain mutating another’s spells through spellwrighting, but you can’t have it all! Each other school will have one or more spells that each class can mutate – and naturally the strongest spells will require a greater investment of training points. For example, for a Fire wizard to have Lava Lord, they’d need to spend 11 training points to train Storm Lord before they can mutate it.

This way, even if Fire could spellwright the best spells of every other school, it wouldn’t be unbalanced, as an individual wizard could only have a few of them. This customization is just another manifestation of spellwrighting’s goal of creating distinct playstyles for each individual wizard.

Let’s have a look at what a system like this might offer, starting with fire spellwrighting mutations!

From the Ice School

Mutated from Snow Serpent
This is basically an alternative to Fire Elf that fully focuses on the Overtime portion, while doing slightly less damage overall. I have no idea why anyone might use this over Fire Elf. However, everyone gets this spell on the way to Tower Shield…

Mutated from Ice Wyvern
A 4-pip Overtime hit, similar to Ancient Wyvern (albeit younger, stronger and faster). It has a higher damage-per-pip, befitting Fire’s greater damage potential.

Mutated from Colossus
A mid-range move that deals direct damage and places a shield. You could think of it as small Efreet, just don’t try to make any wishes – it still holds a grudge for not having a 90% shield.

From the Storm School

Mutated from Kraken
An 4-pip Over Time with large initial hit and shorter duration. Like the Storm school itself, its emphasis is on burst damage. However this fire spellwrighitng mutation is still slightly weaker than Fire Wyvern in total damage.

Mutated from Storm Lord
A very tan and very tall giant who will spread his sunburns to your enemies along with an accuracy debuff. The damage is weaker than Fire Dragon, as it’s a direct hit. Furthermore, it’s also weaker than the Storm version since you won’t have to worry about those pesky Stun Blocks.

From the Myth School

Mutated from Humongofrog
I considered naming it “Larger Than Any Rock Frog,” in light of being stronger than Meteor, but it sounded too weird. I imagined it as a 2-round Overtime so the effect will run out before you can build enough pips to cast another. Also, everyone wants 4-pip AoE’s to kill fast, not over 3 rounds.

Mutated from Orthrus
Your X pip Burning Rampage! Very powerful damage, but instead of having two heads, you’ll have 2 rounds to wait before the real damage. Also the initial tick doesn’t multiply, so remember “patience is a vitue” – and pray your opponents don’t have Shift.

From the Life School

Mutated from Nature’s Wrath
A single target version of Wildfire Treant. It could be used as a higher damage alternative to Fire Beetle, should your opponent prove too fond of Elemental and Balance blades or simply as a shield-breaker with a built in disarm.

Mutated from Seraph
Similar to Power Link. However, this Seraph doesn’t have time to linger around dealing damage over 3 rounds. Instead, she’ll do it all at once, drop you your heal over time and begone. But hey, who needs company when you have greater power?

Mutated from Forest Lord
So what’s the one thing Fire hitters don’t have? A high pip, non-shadow, direct hit to make the most out of those Feints! Well now you have the chance to fix that!

From the Death School

Mutated from Banshee
A Fire ghost that deals damage and leaves a trap… sound familiar? I made the trap universal so it could be slightly different from its 4 pip brother and not too OP at 3 pips. (bye-bye trap if you wand!)

Mutated from Scarecrow
I can’t speak for the fires that Beghastion’s scarecrows caused – I most definitely wasn’t involved. However, I’m perfectly happy with using them as a powerful single hit.

Mutated from Skeletal Dragon
Your very own skeleton on fire. A miracle of combined Fire and Death magic capable of breathing fire, despite the lack of any respiratory system! Also capable of delivering a slow, agonizing death to enemies with a powerful single-target Overtime which Fire (strangely) doesn’t learn naturally.

From the Balance School

Mutated from Scorpion
I had to make these fire spellwrighting mutations from scratch since there were no mutates from Balance to Fire. This guy’s sting may not hurt too badly, but its venom may paralyze your enemies for little bit, especially if they’re the unlucky kind.

Mutated from Hydra
This three-headed dragon bites (initial hit), spits fire (DoT) and make your foes choke in a concentrated cloud of smoke (mantles). What does your one-headed dragon do again? Right, it just coughs up fire everywhere…