Report 814

Report #814
Skillset: Paradigmatics Skill: Figment
 Org: Illuminati Status: Completed Jun 2012
Furies' Decision:
Solution 1.
Problem: Figment is a 45s effect on the victim that shows an illusion by the
caster 3 times, with a semi-random gap between illusions. Illusions (the move)
as a whole rely on strategy and timing for best effect. The problem is that
there is no way for the caster to know when the illusion has actually ticked on
the victim, thereby greatly reducing its strategic value. The following
solutions seek to either remedy this, or change figment to something that will
provide said value.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Have a message displayed to the caster when his/her
 figment ticks on a victim. Ex: You sense Shuyin's
 mind weakened by your figment. Alternatively, Add a
 3rd person message when figment ticks on a victim.
 Ex: Shuyin gazes off stupidly into the distance,
 blinking in disbelief. Add a separate line indicating
 when the last figment has fired regardless.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #2: Along with solution 1, allow the caster to specify
 the time between illusion ticks to give him more
 control over the move. Alternatively, standardize the
 time between ticks.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #3: Change figment to a move that fires off one illusion
 the moment it is cast, doable off balance and taking
 equilibrium. Have its chance to bypass arts illusion
 detection (and similar moves) scale according to
 temporary insanity levels, where none = no chance, to
 massive = almost always guaranteed.
Player Comments:
---[Raeri on 4/26 @ 06:41 writes]:
Solution 1. Alternatively, have a message displayed to the caster when it ticks
on a victim (You sense blahblah's mind weakened by your figment, or something)
---[Shuyin on 4/27 @ 18:52 writes]:
Solution 1 updated
---[Draylor on 4/29 @ 09:57 writes]:
Yeah. Solutions 1 and 2 are fine from me.
---[Shedrin on 4/30 @ 09:12 writes]:
Solution 2. I've also heard complaints about the allowed length of the illusion
being too short to do much?
---[Shuyin on 4/30 @ 19:52 writes]:
Eh, they're long enough to allow for most single line illusions. If the
complaint is that you can't use \n for newline illusions, that's a separate
issue and would probably require a different report since it will probably
require an increase in cost for figment.
---[Valistrielle on 5/3 @ 20:13 writes]:
Solution 1 or 2
---[Tacita on 5/5 @ 19:10 writes]:
Solutions 1 is fine, also solution 2 if the time is standardised rather than
specified by caster.
---[Xynthin on 5/5 @ 19:42 writes]:
Solution 1 (not solution 2) -- solution 2 might make it a little too easy as you
can set it up and have it fire exactly when you're ready for it. Solution 1
keeps the style of the skill, while allowing you to work with it, as well as the
whole 'random' aspect that paradigmatics is known for.
---[Shuyin on 5/6 @ 02:42 writes]:
Randomness is not a fun mechanic at all, incidentally. Maybe if it did extremes
instead of 'kind of good <-> meh' effects
---[Shuyin on 5/21 @ 04:52 writes]:
Would be cool too if the last figment firing gave a separate or new line too,
but this is no biggie.
---[Hiriako on 6/6 @ 10:41 writes]:
Solution .
---[Hiriako on 6/6 @ 10:41 writes]:
Solution 1...
---[Asmodea on 6/8 @ 12:41 writes]:
Solution 1 seems fine enough.
---[Tulemrah on 6/11 @ 20:48 writes]:
I don't see any need for this at all. Why can't you tell when your illusion
hits? If you used a slickness illusion, and they ate calamus, it hit. If you
used an entangled illusion, and they writhe, it hit. If you use an illusion
makes them think they cured something, and you don't see them trying to cure it,
it hit. Because figment is one ability, outside of the illusions skillset, I
feel like it shouldn't have the same reliability as an improved or even normal
illusion, which is what solutions 2 and 3 are asking for. The hallucinations
mote in dreamweaving is very similar, the illusion tics some random time after
the mote hits, and you can't even stack them.
---[Shuyin on 6/12 @ 07:05 writes]:
Does the hallucination mote give a line when it ticks, random or not?
---[Tulemrah on 6/12 @ 18:42 writes]:
Nope
---[Shuyin on 6/12 @ 19:00 writes]:
That sucks, should envoy that. I'm honestly just fine with Solution 1 myself. Is
there any problem with that one?
---[Tulemrah on 6/12 @ 19:36 writes]:
I'm fine with a message when the effect fades entirely. I don't see why you need
a message for each tic.
---[Ushaara on 6/15 @ 14:44 writes]:
Solution 1 supported, with adding a line to dreamweaver hallucination mote also
being good as a spin-off.
---[Rivius on 6/17 @ 22:53 writes]:
I'm going to firstly disagree with the problem stated. Illuminati are already
easily the most powerful guardian class, and the ability to cast non-strategic
illusions, while not overwhelmingly powerful, is already a skill one can take
advantage of. There are illusions that systems cannot feasibly anti-illusion,
and some of these require no significant setup and are possible with figment.
While I understand and sympathize with the desire to make combat less random, I
don't believe allowing the illuminati to take further advantage of figment to
the level that mages do is called for, necessary or even balanced. That said,
solution 1 may be passable as it does not remove the random aspect of figment
and requires the user to be ready to take advantage of it when the message tics.
I can support that solution. Solution 2 is problematic for the reasons I stated
earlier and solution 3 even more so.
---[Llandros on 6/30 @ 01:27 writes]:
Maybe solution 1, not convinced it's needed. Don't think it's a big deal either
way since it's possible illusions are going to be phased out of usefulness
regardless.