Energy Maelstrom (710)
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Energy Maelstrom has two versions that create either a "raging tempest" in the area or a "tightly focused tempest" on a single target. This causes several cycles of atmospheric abnormalities to pummel its victim(s). Duration and strength of the storm(s) depend upon the levels of caster and target. Additional casts of maelstrom can increase the duration and the strength of the spell.
Focused Maelstrom
INCANT 710 or PREP 710|CAST {target} to initiate a storm directed at a single target. TARGET {target} to specify where you want the storm to be focused.
Damage and duration of this version is based upon level of the caster versus target. To control more individual tempests at once without risk of backlash and potential injury or death, Spell Aiming, Sorcerer spells known, Discipline, Discipline bonus, as well as the caster's level all play a role. A powerful sorcerer could, potentially, control up to 6 or 7 storms. Casting the spell at a target already under the effect of a targeted tempest will strengthen the storm, increasing its damage. Each subsequent cast in this manner will cost the full ten mana. The strength of the storm decreases over time, thus additional casts are most effective during build up cycles.
- About 2x Spell Aiming is expected to be proficient at using this version against targets higher in level than the caster.
- During the process of the storm, the duration of atmospheric spells (such as Spirit Barrier (102)) on the target can be degraded.
- Tempests will follow the target if it leaves the room, but will dissipate shortly afterward if the caster is not in the same room as the tempest. Moving to a different room takes up one round of the tempest's duration.
Open Maelstrom
PREP 710|CAST to create a group-friendly version that will damage any target in the immediate area. Only one tempest per caster can be open cast in a room at a time. The tempest's strength and duration is based upon the level of caster versus the level of the targets.
Lore and Attunement Benefits
Increased Damage
Training in any Elemental Lore will increase the damage of the corresponding element cycle. Casters are able to create elementally themed maelstroms based on their attunement with the primary element appearing more often in damage cycles, e.g. a fire themed maelstrom will deal heat damage more often than the other element types. As mentioned, training in the appropriate Elemental Lore will increase the damage from those respective attacks, so being both attuned to an element and having corresponding lore training in the same element is advantageous. For lightning attuned casters, Elemental Lore, Air ranks will increase the electrical damage, but not the air damage, and vice versa if the caster is air attuned.
Storm Formation
Training in any elemental lore will also increase the speed at which the storm forms, using a seed 1 summation of (Total Elemental Lores ÷ 5) for -1 second per round (explained below). The maximum benefit is achieved at 75 elemental lore ranks. At that point, it takes less than 10 seconds for the storm to form and start attacking instead of the base time of 22 seconds.
There are four rounds of buildup and the default time between each round is 6 seconds prior to rounds 1-3, and 4 seconds prior to round 4. Damage starts on round 4. There is no messaging on round 1, so there will be a base 12 second pause before the messaging for round 2 appears.
Thus, it takes the storm a base of 22 seconds (6 + 6 + 6 + 4) from the cast until it starts to deal damage. The lore benefit reduces the amount of time between rounds 1-3 by 1 second per round. As such, once trained in 5 ranks of any Elemental Lore or combination of, the caster immediately gets -1 second for rounds 1-3, or -3 seconds off the total summoning time. This continues up to 75 Elemental Lore ranks, where the reduction is capped at -5 seconds, or -15 seconds total, resulting in a storm that forms in 7 seconds. However, due to how things are processed internally, 1 second events don't always trigger within 1 second, so while the storm should be fully summoned after 7 seconds, it is really about 10 or so.
Total Elemental Lore ranks (any type) 5 15 30 50 75 Approximate buildup time in seconds 19 16 13 11 10
Messaging
A stiff breeze begins to swirl around you. [initial messaging] The winds swirl and intensify all around you, but you remain safely in the calm at the eye of the storm. [buildup cycle] Violent winds rip through the area! [damage cycle: impact] Brilliant flashes of lightning surround you! [damage cycle: lightning] Large hailstones whip through the area! [damage cycle: crush] The vortex of wind begins to weaken. [powerdown cycle] The storm subsides and the air is calm again. [end messaging]