Earth Element - Wider Range of Spells?

[Morwen]

Foreword

After playing around with magics on Helen back when the game was still up and doing some searching around through different files to see how things compared I found earth to be incredibly lacking in the Fire/Water/Earth/Air category. The element lacks any real offense (sandstorm being more of a gimmick) and even its defensive techniques which it is supposedly centered on are lacking and stationary.

Spell List Comparisons
FIRE

• Berserk
• Create Lava
• Dragon Breath
• Fireball
• Firebolt
• Firefrost
• Firespray
• Flame Wall
• Flame Blade
• Flame Shield
• Prismatic Shield
• Resist Fire
• Summon Fire Elemental

The Element of fire is centered mainly upon the ability to deal damage to an enemy. It has evocation spells, conjuration spells, and enchantment spells.

WATER

• Acid Dart
• Blizzard
• Create Pool
• Firefrost
• Frost Blade
• Frost Ward
• Frost Wave
• Icestorm
• Prismatic Shield
• Resist Cold
• Summon Water Elemental
• Water Breathing
• Water Walk

Compilation of utility spells and damage dealing spells. Has evocation spells, enchantment spells, and conjuration spells.

AIR

• Darksight
• Dispel Paralysis
• Dispel Slow
• Fly
• Invisibility
• Join Player
• Lightning Bolt
• Lightning Shield
• Magic Map
• Magic Whip
• Prismatic Shield
• Resist Shock
• Sandstorm
• See Invisible
• Shrink Armor
• Speed
• Static Blade
• Summon Air Elemental
• Thunder Bolt
• Thunderstorm
• Xray

Arguably the most useful element, provides powerful utility spells and incredible damage outpout. If a mage were to be "support", air would be a better choice than earth. Contains evocation spells, enchantment spells, and conjuration spells.

EARTH

• Create Earth Wall
• Destroy Armor
• Destroy Object
• Dig
• Enchant Armor
• Enchant Weapon
• Enlarge Armor
• Excavation
• Forestry
• Fortress
• Imprison
• Magic Mine
• Petrify
• Repair
• Resist Petrify
• Sandstorm
• Satiety
• Slow
• Stonewind [Requires 17 Lore!]
• Strength
• Summon Earth Elemental
• Summon Golem

Very low to nonexistent damage output and limited utility. Contains evocation, conjuration, and enchantment.

The Issue?

Due to its limited uses in group combat and soloing the earth element is something only eccentric enchanters use on a regular basis. Two of its spells are almost entirely unused due to the fact that they destroy the caster's equipment. There are even two spells focused entirely on removing dirt walls!

As a defensive element the earth element lacks a surprising amount of defense. What an earth mage is given are a road block (earth wall) and "pray to god I'm not already surrounded get out of jail free card" (fortress), which dissipates when you cast another spell.

Its spell list is large, yes. But how many of the spells see any regular use? And of these spells how many are replaced by scrolls, potion or potion of resist usage instead?


Proposition

1. Lower the lore cost of earth wall. As one of the basic defensive spells an earth mage is given to either block of a route to allow escape or to funnel enemies, a mana cost of 30 per wall can be a little extreme. Especially considering they've likely invested in other arts.

2. Remove Destroy (Armor, Object). It may be a cheap way to remove cursed items you've accidentally worn, but that's only if the items are complete junk. Instead, replace it with low-end earth evocation spells.

3. Excavation. Remove the Death element involved, and possibly remove the spell entirely.

4. Allow Satiety to be cast on team members. (I can't remember if this was ever changed. I remember it being self cast only.)

5. Implementation of a new Conjuration of Earth, called Armor of Stone or some such. Consumes a stone and provides a summoned piece of body armor that greatly increases the wearer's resistance to physical attacks. Lore level 4 or 5.

6. Decrease the lore requirement of Stonewind. Maybe 13 or so, like Thunderstorm.

7. Implementation of new Evocation Earth spells. Possibly one like Acid Dart/Magic Dart, Lore Level 3, that sends out a boulder that deals physical smashing damage. And perhaps a Lore 4 cone spell 1/3 the length of spells like firespray and icestorm that also deals physical smashing damage.