TOPIC: Final MEC, Mage Medallion and Arch-Mage Medallion

Matthew Hayward wrote: Question:

When using other Mage Powers, e.g. Intensify, Arcane Slide - do I get any damage bonus from the 15 HP? Or does the 15 HP just unlock that effect without modifying the spell?

My reading says no damage boost and if that's correct I hope these powers can be tweaked to run in levels of 5HP 10HP etc instead of always 15

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

Matthew Hayward wrote: Question:

When using other Mage Powers, e.g. Intensify, Arcane Slide - do I get any damage bonus from the 15 HP? Or does the 15 HP just unlock that effect without modifying the spell?

My reading says no damage boost and if that's correct I hope these powers can be tweaked to run in levels of 5HP 10HP etc instead of always 15

This. For the mad evocer ability, can we sack any amount of HP or only increments of 15?

Kaelten wrote:

Ian Lee wrote: I would imagine Jeff could say something like "We plan on doing additional class legendaries in the future to highlight different aspects of classes." to give druids not into polymorph, rangers not into ranged, fighters not into one-handed weapons, wizards not into cutting themselves hope for another go at it.

I both understand how basing around MEC mechanics is unappealing to some and view this game as one not served well if tokens are universally appealing as that consumes design space. Widseth's Legendary was a rather obvious way to go, but will a bard legendary that does stuff not involving bardsong feel right?

Of course, I think we'd all love to know if such things are being planned.

I think the root of the problem with Wizard is it's more controversial than most classes' quintessential flavor.

Unlike Polymorph Druid, Ranged Rangers, and Singing Bards, MEC is not built into the class's concept.

Those who feel MEC is that quintessential aspect of the class are really just being gaslit by the fact it's been one of the few viable Wizard builds at the high end for so long it became a defacto expectation among them. If the class was "Blood Mage" and not "Wizard" it'd be a very different situation if no less controversial out of game.

Wizards have used their life essence to cause overly powerful magical effects in combat in fantasy lore for as long as i remember. How many times has Wizard X cast a massive elemental fire spell to save the party from imminent death and walked away bleading, having be struck blind with magefire in the eyes, had their hair gain a large streak of white or gone white all together.

The design of the Mad Evoker's Charm didn't invent the idea of sacrificial blood magic, it was inspired by it.

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

Fiddy wrote: I assume on some run I'm on, I'll be resurrecting Dave on round 1 of combat 1 as he goes straight from 100HP to 0.

Would you be my new pocket healer?

I promise to only reduce myself to 1HP when I MEC if you keep me up ^_^

Current crazy plan (with a Paladin willing to be used)...

Combat 1 - do boring regular stuff

Combat 2 - Round 1 - Wiz spends all HP to MEC, Paladin sacrifice. Round 2 - cleric restore power on sacrifice and heal Wiz for 10, Wiz spend 15 to activate other ability, paladin sacrifice. Round 3 - cleanup if needed.

Combat 3 round 1 - (assume Wiz gets back to 15 HP) Wiz spend 15 on other effect, cleric ressurect Wiz to full, Round 2 - Cleric RP on Paladin Sacrifice, Wiz MEC all HP, Paladin Sacrifice. Round 3 - cleanup if needed.

Depending on interpretation of timing of RP, I may technically need to shift some actions around, but I think the basic plan could work.

Matt Goodman wrote: What happens to the old mad evokers charm?

The old version is being retired for this new one. You will be able to swap it out for free or use it in the recipe to make the Mage Medallion.

Keep in mind that we are going to update the Wizard cards next week -- roughly doubling the damage of the spells.

Fiddy wrote:

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

Fiddy wrote: I assume on some run I'm on, I'll be resurrecting Dave on round 1 of combat 1 as he goes straight from 100HP to 0.

Would you be my new pocket healer?

I promise to only reduce myself to 1HP when I MEC if you keep me up ^_^

Current crazy plan (with a Paladin willing to be used)...

Combat 1 - do boring regular stuff

Combat 2 - Round 1 - Wiz spends all HP to MEC, Paladin sacrifice. Round 2 - cleric restore power on sacrifice and heal Wiz for 10, Wiz spend 15 to activate other ability, paladin sacrifice. Round 3 - cleanup if needed.

Combat 2 round 1 - (assume Wiz gets back to 15 HP) Wiz spend 15 on other effect, cleric ressurect Wiz to full, Round 2 - Cleric RP on Paladin Sacrifice, Wiz MEC all HP, Paladin Sacrifice. Round 3 - cleanup if needed.

Depending on interpretation of timing of RP, I may technically need to shift some actions around, but I think the basic plan could work.

I like the way you think. It is clear you are quite familiar with working with MECs.

Jeff Martin wrote:

kurtreznor wrote: Wow, these are really cool. And I have never been interested in getting the MEC. I really like that there are multiple options, this can be my go-to build until there is a Chaos Mage build option.

Though, I do have some questions on how all of these work:
1. Can you pay life to boost every spell cast or is that part of the ability 1/room?
2. For all other mage powers, does the 15 life paid do anything other than activate that power? Ie. Can the wizard pay 15 life to boost spell damage, and instead of using that to quick cast, have that 15 life payment activate 'Intensify'?
If that 15 go payment doesn't do anything else, those number could use some adjusting based on how good those effects are.

The Mage Medallion allows Wizards to use each one of these Mage Powers once per combat: 1) Mad Evoker Free Action 2) Intensify 3) Arcane Slide. It requires a sacrifice of 15 hp and a free action to do so.

At the Arch-Mage Medallion level Wizards can pick from a total of 5 different Mage and Arch-Mage Powers and can use 1 in each of the 5 rounds of a combat.

Is the Mad Evoker effect the + to damage or the free action on the spell?

Is my HP spent to use Intensify burned for 0 bonus spell damage and the intensify effect or 30 damage and the effect or 45 damage and the effect?

Does the Mage Medallion make it 1HP = 2 damage or 1HP = 3 damage


I love the design of the Mad Evoker effect so far, I love the 15hp = 30 or 45 damage and it's a free action spell effect.

I like the other relic/legendary effects but I worry at Intensity being a free action and providing no boost to the spell that is getting 50% spell resistance. ESPECIALLY if SR comes back and Intensity only works for 1 spell per room and we can't boost the damage of that spell with the Mad Evoker's effect to do a "burst" hit.

If I am reading the Relic incorrectly and I can tap EXTRA HP into Intensity to boost the damage at 1HP to 3 Damage after the 15 HP to "pay" for the SR I am OK with that. Tho I am very uncomfortable at the thought of Spell Resistance coming back, especially if I can only fight SR 1 time per room

Others referenced MP, but what would you think of changing the HP loss to a point system. Right now the only way to get points is to pay 15 or more HP as a free action to get a point. Later maybe other tokens/effects could grant more of those points. That seems easier than giving the Wizards self healing.

Can the Relic and Legendary at least 1 for 1 boost the damage for spending life on the mage power effects? Leave the 1 to 3 and free action as the MEC for the room but allow the other ones to add a bit of damage for expending the life at a lower rate of +1 damage per 1HP or maybe +2 damage per 5HP so we are getting an enhanced spell effect and slightly enhanced damage that varies from effect to effect?

James Bennett wrote: Others referenced MP, but what would you think of changing the HP loss to a point system. Right now the only way to get points is to pay 15 or more HP as a free action to get a point. Later maybe other tokens/effects could grant more of those points. That seems easier than giving the Wizards self healing.

As currently designed a new mage power could be added later that is 5HP - do something minor or 25HP - do something major

I don't think the 15HP trigger is set in stone or finalized.

The free spell at 15 HP per level is currently extremely high cost for instance

The 15HP to reduce spell resist for 1 spell is currently high cost and doesn't integrate with a large power attack

I guess my main question is What part of the MEC is considered the mage power? Given the other mage powers I assume it is the cast as a free action part and the HP to Damage conversion is part of using a Mage Power.

To that end when I have the Relic necklace and choose a mage power does the HP to damage conversion happen on ALL mage powers or is that locked to ONLY the Mad Evoker's Mage Power? That answer GREATLY affects the actual function of the relic/legendary

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

James Bennett wrote: Others referenced MP, but what would you think of changing the HP loss to a point system. Right now the only way to get points is to pay 15 or more HP as a free action to get a point. Later maybe other tokens/effects could grant more of those points. That seems easier than giving the Wizards self healing.

As currently designed a new mage power could be added later that is 5HP - do something minor or 25HP - do something major

I don't think the 15HP trigger is set in stone or finalized.

The free spell at 15 HP per level is currently extremely high cost for instance

The 15HP to reduce spell resist for 1 spell is currently high cost and doesn't integrate with a large power attack

I could see having it go in smaller increments. As long as there are reasonable multipliers the better powers just cost more points.