Report 366

Report #366
Skillset: Crow Skill: Bonding
 Org: Ebonguard Status: Rejected May 2010
Furies' Decision:
We do not find this to be necessary.
Problem: Crow has some abilities that are most affected by "forgetting" the
skillset, which was not previously an issue but is now one with skillflex.
Changing to / from it conveys extra loss above and beyond the lesson amount,
with extra time / power / lumber requirements. In specific, when you forget
Crow your totem unbonds. When your totem unbonds, it loses the Crow-nest that
was built. Any carrion in the nest is lost, as is the egg. This is a total of
275 carrion just poofing, plus 5 lumber, plus 13 power (with the carrion being
the largest issue).
Solution #1: Do not unbond a totem when a person FORGETS Crow / Stag.
 Instead, make it so that the totem cannot fire if the person does
 not have the skill active. Finally, allow TOTEM UNBOND in front
 of your totem even if you do not currently possess Crow / Stag
 (just as you can CLIMB DOWN from the trees without having
 climbing).
Player Comments:
---[Viynain on 5/1 @ 02:38 writes]:
Does this suggestion mean totems only unbond when the syntax is used and when
the tree naturally reverts? Or what.
---[Xenthos on 5/1 @ 02:43 writes]:
At the moment, Totems do not naturally revert while bonded. Instead, there is
another timer (You have 4 months until your bond dissolves.). Once the totem is
unbonded it can do its natural reversion from Totem to Elder. Totem Release
just removes this bond immediately. Thus, with the suggestion, the totem would
unbond when the timer runs out (because without having Crow / Stag you wouldn't
be able to TOTEM RENEW), or when the person does TOTEM RELEASE. At that point
it can be bonded by someone else or revert, either way.
---[Viynain on 5/1 @ 02:44 writes]:
Oh. Dandy then. I support to make skillflexing not be a bigger pain for Totems
then. Woo
---[Narynth on 5/8 @ 05:16 writes]:
I'm in full support of this.
---[Thul on 5/11 @ 15:36 writes]:
Sounds good.
---[Raeri on 5/12 @ 09:10 writes]:
Sure, don't see why not. Or even just have it not unbond if the person
skillflexes, as opposed to forgetting permanently.
---[Xenthos on 5/13 @ 01:59 writes]:
That works too, Raeri (since they did code something in so you don't lose
Trademaster if you skillflex but you do if you forget it completely), but when
this report was first put together they hadn't wanted to separate things like
that.
---[Fillin on 5/18 @ 06:26 writes]:
Am I missing something or is the 4 month until the bond dissolves not in the
solution? Or is that just something that already naturally happens?
---[Xenthos on 5/19 @ 02:57 writes]:
That already happens naturally (I typed TOTEM SENSE and it tells me how long it
is until the totem resolves). Then I can TOTEM RENEW when standing at it to
renew it (up to a maximum of 12). That was a demonstration of how it works now,
not a request.
---[Fillin on 5/19 @ 18:36 writes]:
So basically this would only matter if you skillflexed for less than 12 months?
Still not quite understanding I don't think.
---[Xenthos on 5/19 @ 21:26 writes]:
Right-- but other guilds have things that decay over time too (primarily
summoned weapons) which you also wouldn't be able to recreate until you switched
back. Same as if you didn't leave enough carrion in your nest when you switched
and it collapsed on its own. It would, however, be a decay thing which a person
can plan around / work to avoid instead of an immediate loss. Further, leaving
the unbond-on-its-own thing is absolutely essential, or totems could just be
left bonded permanently. While this would mean never reverting back to Elders,
it would also mean that inactive people could just keep their totems and
eventually block new people from getting them, as well as leaving large
defensive gaps. Essentially, there's a huge difference between a 12-RL-day
decay time and instant.
---[Fillin on 5/21 @ 04:03 writes]:
Personally, I can't imagine why someone would want to skillflex to night or
tracking and then back to crow in under 12 days, but if you think this would be
helpful I'll support it.