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<section begin=savedpost />
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'''Nerve staves''' were introduced at [[Duskruin Arena]].

{{saved-post
{{saved-post
| category = Game Design Discussions
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Items and Inventory
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/27 27]
| messagenum = 1575
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/01/2015 01:22 PM EST
| date = 03/01/2015
| subject = Introducing a New Runestaff Script: NerveStaves
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
}}I announced this late last night in the Duskruin Arena topic and it occurs to me that I should probably post it over here as well, or at least point interested peoples (that's you!) in the right direction. The TL;DR version:
I'm pleased to announce the upcoming release of a new runestaff script at Duskruin Arena! As it is a new script and its debut venue will operate without live merchant interaction, I thought it best to lay things out so that people could make an informed decision with their hard earned bloodscrip.
----


Some of you may be familiar with example of my other work, specifically Veola's and Voln Armor. This isn't anything like that, except for the fact that the script does a lot and is pretty complicated. What I'm saying is, go get a snack and maybe something to drink, because this is going to be long. I'll wait.... Okay!
* There's a new runestaff script, yay! It's debut venue is the upcoming Duskruin Arena. More yay!
* It is a mechanical, combat oriented script with special [[flare]]s and stuff. But you can [[enchant]] it. YAY!
* It is tiered, and it also introduces its own version of bonding called Affinity. Until it likes you it can be a little mean to you. Give it time, it will come around.
* Baseline, it comes with a defensive type flare that grants a temp Combat Maneuver Ranks enhancive effect. Inspired by Bubble Flares.
* Offensive flares available at Tier 2 if it stick likes you enough (a lot, it has to like you a lot). You know how it was mean to you before? Well now it's mean to the poor, poor things you go hunt with it. It's the circle of life, or something.
* When it's fully unlocked and it really, really likes you it gains a 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) ability what will fix popped muscles, break stuns, webs, binds, and get you to your feet if prone.


The functionality of the script can be broken down into three basic categories: AFFINITY, BACKLASH, and FLARES. This is also a tiered script with 4 Tier levels including off-the-shelf(OTS), with additional benefits provided at each tier.
==ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT==


'''AFFINITY:''' A custom sort of attunement and bonding that effects the benefits and penalties conferred by the runestaff. The first successful hit* against a like level foe* while wielding the runestaff will result in the staff 'attuning' to the wielder. For lack of a better term, that person is then the owner of the runestaff.
I'm pleased to announce the upcoming release of a new runestaff script at Duskruin Arena! As it is a new script and its debut venue will operate without live merchant interaction, I thought it best to lay things out so that people could make an informed decision with their hard earned [[bloodscrip]].


Once the runestaff has attuned, Affinity points begin to accrue when further successful hits against like level foes are landed while wielding the runestaff, where one hit equals one point. There are five ranks in total: (Analyze messaging is in parenthesis.)
Some of you may be familiar with example of my other work, specifically Veola's and Voln Armor. This isn't anything like that, except for the fact that the script does a lot and is pretty complicated. What I'm saying is, go get a snack and maybe something to drink, because this is going to be long. I'll wait.... Okay!


-- '''Level 1''': 1-199 points
The functionality of the script can be broken down into three basic categories: AFFINITY, BACKLASH, and FLARES. This is also a tiered script with 4 Tier levels including off-the-shelf(OTS), with additional benefits provided at each tier.


-- '''Level 2:''' 200-999 points
==AFFINITY==
A custom sort of attunement and bonding that effects the benefits and penalties conferred by the runestaff. The first successful hit* against a like level foe* while wielding the runestaff will result in the staff 'attuning' to the wielder. For lack of a better term, that person is then the owner of the runestaff.


-- '''Level 3:''' 1000-2999 points
Once the runestaff has attuned, Affinity points begin to accrue when further successful hits against like level foes are landed while wielding the runestaff, where one hit equals one point. There are five ranks in total:


*Level 1: 1-199 points
-- '''Level 4:''' 3000-9999 points
*Level 2: 200-999 points
*Level 3: 1000-2999 points
*Level 4: 3000-9999 points
*Level 5: 10000 points


-- '''Level 5:''' 10000 points
Affinity can be worked off, and works in essentially the exact same way as gaining it does only in reverse. If a successful hit is landed against a like level foe by anyone other than the current owner then an Affinity point will be lost instead of gained. Affinity would only begin to accrue again once all the Affinity for the previous owner had been worked off. It is not meant to be easy, but absolutely possible if some one wants to badly enough.


Affinity ''can'' be worked off, and works in essentially the exact same way as gaining it does only in reverse. If a successful hit is landed against a like level foe by anyone other than the current owner then an Affinity point will be ''lost'' instead of gained. Affinity would only begin to accrue again once '''all''' the Affinity for the previous owner had been worked off. It is not meant to be easy, but absolutely possible if some one wants to badly enough.
==BACKLASH==

Until such a time that a full Affinity is shared between a runestaff and its owner, there will exist a small chance for backlashes to occur. As Affinity levels are gained the likelihood of these backlashes occurring decreases until being eliminated completely at full Affinity. The Backlash timer fires every 1 1/2 minutes while the runestaff is held. The base chance for a Backlash to occur is 4% at Affinity level 1 and decreases 1% per Affinity level gained.
'''BACKLASH:''' Until such a time that a full Affinity is shared between a runestaff and its owner, there will exist a small chance for backlashes to occur. As Affinity levels are gained the likelihood of these backlashes occurring decreases until being eliminated completely at full Affinity. The Backlash timer fires every 1 1/2 minutes while the runestaff is held. The base chance for a Backlash to occur is 4% at Affinity level 1 and decreases 1% per Affinity level gained.


Fine Print: Backlashes are much more likely to occur when the runestaff if being wielded by someone other than its current owner.
Fine Print: Backlashes are much more likely to occur when the runestaff if being wielded by someone other than its current owner.
Line 46: Line 37:
There are three distinct types of Backlashes that can occur:
There are three distinct types of Backlashes that can occur:


*'''Pain''': 5-10 second stun
-- '''Pain''': 5-10 second stun<br>
''Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. Instantly, each nerve and fiber within your being is alight with incandescent pain. Moments stretch into eternity, until a final wave of unbearable suffering crashes over you and leaves you reeling and stunned!''


-- '''Shock''': Nervous System Damage<br>
''Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. Instantly, each nerve and fiber within your being is alight with incandescent pain. Moments stretch into eternity, until a final wave of unbearable suffering crashes over you and leaves you reeling and stunned!
''Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. A subtle, almost electric, force ripples through you, the current awakening a vague tingling within. Building rapidly, the faint tingling gives way to intense, wracking convulsions that subside only after the build up is released in a jarring explosion within your very nervous system.''


-- '''Paralyze''': 5-10 second immobilization<br>
*'''Shock''': Nervous System Damage
''Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. In response, a powerful discordance emerges from somewhere deep within your core and permeates every cell. Suddenly a stranger to your own body, you are quickly overwhelmed and are rendered unable to move!''


'''FLARES:''' Two basic flare types, one the 'baseline' defensive flare available on Tier 1(OTS) runestaffs, and the second an offensive flare that is only available on Tier 2 and above runestaffs that share a full Affinity with their wielder.
''Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. A subtle, almost electric, force ripples through you, the current awakening a vague tingling within. Building rapidly, the faint tingling gives way to intense, wracking convulsions that subside only after the build up is released in a jarring explosion within your very nervous system.


-- '''Muscle Memory Flare''': Grants a brief Combat Maneuver ranks enhancive benefit. Baseline chance for flare to trigger is 20%, with each unlocked Tier providing an additional 5%. Baseline benefit is +5 CM Ranks at Affinity level 1, +6 at Affinity level 2, +7 at Affinity level 3, +8 at Affinity level 4, and +10 at Affinity level 5.
*'''Paralyze''': 5-10 second immobilization


-- '''Misery Unleashed Flare''': Offensive flare that essentially redirects the Backlash effects towards foes. The standard flare rate formula is used to determine if a flare will occur, and then a second roll is used to determine which flare effect will be used with some flares being more likely to occur.
''Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. In response, a powerful discordance emerges from somewhere deep within your core and permeates every cell. Suddenly a stranger to your own body, you are quickly overwhelmed and are rendered unable to move!


-- -- '''Pain''' 70% | Random Impact Criticals<br>
==FLARES==
''Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash a wave unmitigated pain upon the object of their wrath.


-- -- '''Paralyze''' 20% | 6-12 seconds RT<br>
Two basic flare types, one the 'baseline' defensive flare available on Tier 1(OTS) runestaffs, and the second an offensive flare that is only available on Tier 2 and above runestaffs that share a full Affinity with their wielder.
''Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash an overpowering cacophony of sensation upon the object of their wrath and render <it> unable to move!


-- -- '''Shock''' 10% | Electrical Criticals to the dome<br>
*'''Muscle Memory Flare''':
''Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach $X1, they unleash a powerful surge of electrical current upon the object of their wrath!


Additionally, fully unlocked (Tier 4) runestaffs gain the benefit of a 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) effect. This effect will ease 'popped' muscles, break webs, stuns, and binds, and return you to your feet.
Grants a brief Combat Maneuver ranks enhancive benefit. Baseline chance for flare to trigger is 20%, with each unlocked Tier providing an additional 5%. Baseline benefit is +5 CM Ranks at Affinity level 1, +6 at Affinity level 2, +7 at Affinity level 3, +8 at Affinity level 4, and +10 at Affinity level 5.


'''VERBS'''
*'''Misery Unleashed Flare''':


-- '''Clench''': Availability = Tier 1<br>
Offensive flare that essentially redirects the Backlash effects towards foes. The standard flare rate formula is used to determine if a flare will occur, and then a second roll is used to determine which flare effect will be used with some flares being more likely to occur.
''Gripping your <runestaff> firmly in hand, a powerful tingling sensation travels up the length of your arm. At first only mildly painful, the pins and needles penetrate deeper into your flesh, forcing you to summon all your willpower to maintain your hold on the <runestaff>."


-- '''Touch''': Availability = Tier 1<br>
:*'''Pain''' 70% | Random Impact Criticals
''No sooner than your fingers graze the surface of your <runestaff>, is your mind filled with hazy fragments of memory both foreign and familiar. One memory bleeds into the next, boundaries lost and meaningless. Gradually they begin to fade and allow your mind to still.


-- '''Stare''': Availability = Tier 2<br>
:''Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash a wave unmitigated pain upon the object of their wrath.
''Chaos, in the form of swirling red, black, and white motes of light, momentarily occludes your vision. The kaleidoscope of color fades in and out of focus, each hue embodying a raw, primal emotion that evokes a near visceral response, before your vision finally clears.


-- '''Listen''': Availability = Tier 3<br>
:*'''Paralyze''' 20% | 6-12 seconds RT
''Opening yourself to the full force of your <runestaff>, a distant and indecipherable whisper teases the dark corners of your mind. Powerful emotions -- rage, joy, sorrow, and love -- fill your consciousness as you realize you host fragments of a psyche not your own. Felt no less deeply for not being your own, the cacophony of feeling swirls within and rocks you to your core before quietly fading, leaving you your mind as your own once more.


-- '''Berserk''': Availability = Tier 4 | 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) ability activator
:''Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash an overpowering cacophony of sensation upon the object of their wrath and render <it> unable to move!


So that, in a (very, very big) nutshell is it.
:*'''Shock''' 10% | Electrical Criticals to the dome
----


GM Reidyn<br>
:''Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach $X1, they unleash a powerful surge of electrical current upon the object of their wrath!
'''Customer Experience Systems'''


{{saved-post
Additionally, fully unlocked (Tier 4) runestaffs gain the benefit of a 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) effect. This effect will ease 'popped' muscles, break webs, stuns, and binds, and return you to your feet.
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/33 33]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/01/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
''>> One of my frequent complaints has always been the lack of toys available that are specifically geared towards the casting professions. This exactly is the kind of stuff I want to see. ~ JADZIABLUE''


Those frequent complaints are exactly why I set out to make a runestaff script in the first place. I'm glad that it is appreciated!
==VERBS==


''>>I wonder though, what does 10 Ranks of CM do for you defensively? ~ KEITHOBAD''
*'''Clench''': Availability = Tier 1


It certainly does more than 0 ranks of Combat Manuevers! It will also stack with other enhancive effects, and unlike a typical enhancive it will never need to be recharged. And for all that it does, it doesn't take up the standard flare slot up. So it can actually support additional flares.
''Gripping your <runestaff> firmly in hand, a powerful tingling sensation travels up the length of your arm. At first only mildly painful, the pins and needles penetrate deeper into your flesh, forcing you to summon all your willpower to maintain your hold on the <runestaff>."


''>>Make the defensive flare more rare 45%->15% but make it fully rebuke the cman attack. I can easily see this thing flaring and me still getting owned by whatever square critter just cmaned me. Repeatedly. Like every time. ~ KEITHOBAD''
*'''Touch''': Availability = Tier 1


I appreciate your having ideas on how to make improvements, but we're way too late in the game to be making fundamental changes to the underlying mechanics. Really, we're too late in the game to be make changes to the script at all. Whenever a combat related, mechanically beneficial script is created it has to first be approved by the Dev team -- so while the core concept and flavor of the script comes from me, the actually nitty gritty numbers part and balance is settled on by Dev and is out of my hands.
''No sooner than your fingers graze the surface of your <runestaff>, is your mind filled with hazy fragments of memory both foreign and familiar. One memory bleeds into the next, boundaries lost and meaningless. Gradually they begin to fade and allow your mind to still.


''>>Make the defensive flare more rare 45%->15% but make it fully rebuke the cman attack. I can easily see this thing flaring and me still getting owned by whatever square critter just cmaned me. Repeatedly. Like every time. ~ KEITHOBAD''
*'''Stare''': Availability = Tier 2


''>>Make sure these verbs are flashy from 3rd party perspective. ~ KEITHOBAD''
''Chaos, in the form of swirling red, black, and white motes of light, momentarily occludes your vision. The kaleidoscope of color fades in and out of focus, each hue embodying a raw, primal emotion that evokes a near visceral response, before your vision finally clears.


They are not especially flashy because, as you noted, they are very mental/internal. This is a design choice and I'm okay with it.
*'''Listen''': Availability = Tier 3


''>>Last one is least likely, but move away from this tier business. ~ KEITHOBAD''
''Opening yourself to the full force of your <runestaff>, a distant and indecipherable whisper teases the dark corners of your mind. Powerful emotions -- rage, joy, sorrow, and love -- fill your consciousness as you realize you host fragments of a psyche not your own. Felt no less deeply for not being your own, the cacophony of feeling swirls within and rocks you to your core before quietly fading, leaving you your mind as your own once more.


There are limits to what we can sell off the shelf. Those limits may change slightly from event to event, and occasionally special permission is granted to exceed lose limitations a little for a specific instance. Most of the time though the limits are the limits. Removing the concept of tiers wouldn't raise the floor of what could be sold in shops. The result of not having tiers would be to just have less cool stuff, full stop.
*'''Berserk''': Availability = Tier 4 | 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) ability activator


''>>Berserk. So this seems to be the main purpose of this item as far as I can tell. Probably worth getting repeatedly stunned and paralyzed while hunting. BUT... you need to unlock it so... What are the plans for that? I have the FEELING (hope I'm wrong) that it's going to be like voln armor where you can get a tier1 pretty easy but good luck getting it unlocked. ~ KEITHOBAD''
So that, in a (very, very big) nutshell is it.

Since there are no merchants to unlock things at Duskruin at all, the tiers are being handled a little differently for this release. No waiting on merchants for unlocked goodness!

As a general rule though, I really don't have the final say in how often and in which specific instances tiers can be unlocked. I just come up with the script idea and code it, approvals are out of my hands. Much like how the core script concept is mine, but requires oversight and final approval from Dev, unlocking services for combat related scripts also requires approval from Dev.
----


GM Reidyn<br>
GM Reidyn<br>
Customer Experience Systems
'''Customer Experience Systems'''


{{saved-post
[[Category: Item Scripts]]
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/36 36]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/01/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
I hinted at this, but probably should have stated more explicitly: Since the script doesn't use the standard flare slot that means they are fully enchantable. They can also accept ensorcelling.
----

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''

{{saved-post
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/60 60]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/01/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
So, some additional insight into these. I had planned on doing a full-on IC release doc for them, but then life happened and I never got around to it. But there is a backstory about how these came into being, and since some of you might be interested in that I'll go ahead and share it in a less full-on IC document kind of way.

<div style="border:1px solid black;">The creator of these runestaffs is a woman by the name of Peityn. She is a naturally gifted empath from the Empire who has always been fascinated by what I am deeming fringe magic. The result of a great deal of research (highly illegal research that the Hall would not approve of in the slightest, hence her doing her work in a shady bandit town away from the prying eyes of the Empire), the runestaffs are born from a confluence of empath and necromancy magics.<br><br>
The process for creating each runestaff is rather involved, with a little bit of Peityn literally going into each one. You see, she actually grafts her own living nerve fibers and trace amounts of grey matter into young tree starts that are then trained to grow in a twisted/braided fashion. And then she waits, waits for them to grow. After they have grown to an appropriate size, she harvests them and only then is an actual runestaff created.</div>

One of the consequences of this kind of situation, is that it does not lend itself well to the idea of adding this script to existing items, within the scope of this event or otherwise. I know that might disappoint some people, and I understand that, but there it is.

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''

{{saved-post
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/63 63]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/02/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
''1) I can get one of these and hand it to him and let him bond with it?''

Yes. The runestaff will only attune when it is used in a successful attack against a like-leveled foe. Attack in this sense means a spell of some sort, because runestaff. Like level foe meaning something you can learn from.

''2) Scrip is character or account based? If account based, then he can go get one himself?''

I would feel better if we stuck to questions about the item, script itself. Let's leave the Duskruin-wide questions to the big guns so I don't accidentally step in it.

''3) I'm unclear on ... the unlocking aspect...''

The Magic 8 Ball says, "Ask again later!" Seriously though, I think we're holding off on actual release specifics for right this second. But complex script it complex, so I wanted you guys to be able to sit with the actual script details for a bit. And, you know, get you all pumped up for Duskruin.
----

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''

{{saved-post
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/65 65]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/02/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
Oh, and...

''Will this play well with Wyrom's RotFlares?''

''>incant 1101''<br>
You focus your thoughts while chanting the mystical phrase for Heal...<br>
Your spell is ready.<br>
You gesture at a triton combatant.<br>
CS: +557 - TD: +343 + CvA: +25 + d100: +72 == +311<br>
Warding failed!<br>
A brief tremor ripples across the combatant's skin, leaving a faint beading of scarlet in its wake.<br>
... 36 points of damage!

'''** A sickly green aura radiates from a lacquered spiralled fireleaf runestaff and seeps into a triton combatant's wounds! **'''

... 25 points of damage!<br>
Flesh flayed from the triton combatant's left hand.

Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your fireleaf runestaff and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a triton combatant, they unleash an overpowering cacophony of sensation upon the object of their wrath and render it unable to move!

A surge of power flows through your fireleaf runestaff and courses through you, the sensation at once familiar and foreign, and lends an uncanny invigoration to your muscles.<br>
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''

{{saved-post
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/90 90]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/03/2015
| subject = Introducing: Nerve Staves
}}
So, someone, somewhere (like in another place where you player types go and post and talk about things that isn't here, that somewhere) wondered...

<div style="border:1px solid black;">I wonder if the timer resets when you stow. You'd just have to remember to stow/gird every kill.</div>

The answer is no, no it does not reset when you stow it because I anticipated you sneaky peeps trying exactly this. So, wonder no more!

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''

{{saved-post
| category = Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
| topic = Duskruin Arena
| messagenum = [http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Paid%20Events:%20Adventures,%20Quests,%20and%20SimuCoins/Duskruin%20Arena/view/259 259]
| author = GS4-REIDYN
| date = 03/21/2015
| subject = Quick suggestion.
}}
''>>So for the nerve flares I see that there are some fluff verbs. T1 you get the defensive flare, at T2 you get the offensive flare, T4 you get the 1x/day. Does T3 get anything above the T2?''

Each tier increases the chance for a defensive flare by 5%. So there's that, and an additional fluff verb. It's not the most mechanically beneficial of the tier increases, which is why I made the cost increase lower than that of going from T1 to T2.
----

GM Reidyn<br>
'''Customer Experience Systems'''<section end=savedpost />

Latest revision as of 18:34, 3 January 2022

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 27
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/01/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

I'm pleased to announce the upcoming release of a new runestaff script at Duskruin Arena! As it is a new script and its debut venue will operate without live merchant interaction, I thought it best to lay things out so that people could make an informed decision with their hard earned bloodscrip.

Some of you may be familiar with example of my other work, specifically Veola's and Voln Armor. This isn't anything like that, except for the fact that the script does a lot and is pretty complicated. What I'm saying is, go get a snack and maybe something to drink, because this is going to be long. I'll wait.... Okay!

The functionality of the script can be broken down into three basic categories: AFFINITY, BACKLASH, and FLARES. This is also a tiered script with 4 Tier levels including off-the-shelf(OTS), with additional benefits provided at each tier.

AFFINITY: A custom sort of attunement and bonding that effects the benefits and penalties conferred by the runestaff. The first successful hit* against a like level foe* while wielding the runestaff will result in the staff 'attuning' to the wielder. For lack of a better term, that person is then the owner of the runestaff.

Once the runestaff has attuned, Affinity points begin to accrue when further successful hits against like level foes are landed while wielding the runestaff, where one hit equals one point. There are five ranks in total: (Analyze messaging is in parenthesis.)

-- Level 1: 1-199 points

-- Level 2: 200-999 points

-- Level 3: 1000-2999 points

-- Level 4: 3000-9999 points

-- Level 5: 10000 points

Affinity can be worked off, and works in essentially the exact same way as gaining it does only in reverse. If a successful hit is landed against a like level foe by anyone other than the current owner then an Affinity point will be lost instead of gained. Affinity would only begin to accrue again once all the Affinity for the previous owner had been worked off. It is not meant to be easy, but absolutely possible if some one wants to badly enough.

BACKLASH: Until such a time that a full Affinity is shared between a runestaff and its owner, there will exist a small chance for backlashes to occur. As Affinity levels are gained the likelihood of these backlashes occurring decreases until being eliminated completely at full Affinity. The Backlash timer fires every 1 1/2 minutes while the runestaff is held. The base chance for a Backlash to occur is 4% at Affinity level 1 and decreases 1% per Affinity level gained.

Fine Print: Backlashes are much more likely to occur when the runestaff if being wielded by someone other than its current owner.

There are three distinct types of Backlashes that can occur:

-- Pain: 5-10 second stun
Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. Instantly, each nerve and fiber within your being is alight with incandescent pain. Moments stretch into eternity, until a final wave of unbearable suffering crashes over you and leaves you reeling and stunned!

-- Shock: Nervous System Damage
Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. A subtle, almost electric, force ripples through you, the current awakening a vague tingling within. Building rapidly, the faint tingling gives way to intense, wracking convulsions that subside only after the build up is released in a jarring explosion within your very nervous system.

-- Paralyze: 5-10 second immobilization
Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and bore viciously into your wrist and palm. In response, a powerful discordance emerges from somewhere deep within your core and permeates every cell. Suddenly a stranger to your own body, you are quickly overwhelmed and are rendered unable to move!

FLARES: Two basic flare types, one the 'baseline' defensive flare available on Tier 1(OTS) runestaffs, and the second an offensive flare that is only available on Tier 2 and above runestaffs that share a full Affinity with their wielder.

-- Muscle Memory Flare: Grants a brief Combat Maneuver ranks enhancive benefit. Baseline chance for flare to trigger is 20%, with each unlocked Tier providing an additional 5%. Baseline benefit is +5 CM Ranks at Affinity level 1, +6 at Affinity level 2, +7 at Affinity level 3, +8 at Affinity level 4, and +10 at Affinity level 5.

-- Misery Unleashed Flare: Offensive flare that essentially redirects the Backlash effects towards foes. The standard flare rate formula is used to determine if a flare will occur, and then a second roll is used to determine which flare effect will be used with some flares being more likely to occur.

-- -- Pain 70% | Random Impact Criticals
Several thin, fibrous red filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash a wave unmitigated pain upon the object of their wrath.

-- -- Paralyze 20% | 6-12 seconds RT
Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a <critter>, they unleash an overpowering cacophony of sensation upon the object of their wrath and render <it> unable to move!

-- -- Shock 10% | Electrical Criticals to the dome
Several thin, fibrous white filaments erupt from your <runestaff> and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach $X1, they unleash a powerful surge of electrical current upon the object of their wrath!

Additionally, fully unlocked (Tier 4) runestaffs gain the benefit of a 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) effect. This effect will ease 'popped' muscles, break webs, stuns, and binds, and return you to your feet.

VERBS

-- Clench: Availability = Tier 1
Gripping your <runestaff> firmly in hand, a powerful tingling sensation travels up the length of your arm. At first only mildly painful, the pins and needles penetrate deeper into your flesh, forcing you to summon all your willpower to maintain your hold on the <runestaff>."

-- Touch: Availability = Tier 1
No sooner than your fingers graze the surface of your <runestaff>, is your mind filled with hazy fragments of memory both foreign and familiar. One memory bleeds into the next, boundaries lost and meaningless. Gradually they begin to fade and allow your mind to still.

-- Stare: Availability = Tier 2
Chaos, in the form of swirling red, black, and white motes of light, momentarily occludes your vision. The kaleidoscope of color fades in and out of focus, each hue embodying a raw, primal emotion that evokes a near visceral response, before your vision finally clears.

-- Listen: Availability = Tier 3
Opening yourself to the full force of your <runestaff>, a distant and indecipherable whisper teases the dark corners of your mind. Powerful emotions -- rage, joy, sorrow, and love -- fill your consciousness as you realize you host fragments of a psyche not your own. Felt no less deeply for not being your own, the cacophony of feeling swirls within and rocks you to your core before quietly fading, leaving you your mind as your own once more.

-- Berserk: Availability = Tier 4 | 1x/day Adrenal Surge(ish) ability activator

So that, in a (very, very big) nutshell is it.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 33
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/01/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

>> One of my frequent complaints has always been the lack of toys available that are specifically geared towards the casting professions. This exactly is the kind of stuff I want to see. ~ JADZIABLUE

Those frequent complaints are exactly why I set out to make a runestaff script in the first place. I'm glad that it is appreciated!

>>I wonder though, what does 10 Ranks of CM do for you defensively? ~ KEITHOBAD

It certainly does more than 0 ranks of Combat Manuevers! It will also stack with other enhancive effects, and unlike a typical enhancive it will never need to be recharged. And for all that it does, it doesn't take up the standard flare slot up. So it can actually support additional flares.

>>Make the defensive flare more rare 45%->15% but make it fully rebuke the cman attack. I can easily see this thing flaring and me still getting owned by whatever square critter just cmaned me. Repeatedly. Like every time. ~ KEITHOBAD

I appreciate your having ideas on how to make improvements, but we're way too late in the game to be making fundamental changes to the underlying mechanics. Really, we're too late in the game to be make changes to the script at all. Whenever a combat related, mechanically beneficial script is created it has to first be approved by the Dev team -- so while the core concept and flavor of the script comes from me, the actually nitty gritty numbers part and balance is settled on by Dev and is out of my hands.

>>Make the defensive flare more rare 45%->15% but make it fully rebuke the cman attack. I can easily see this thing flaring and me still getting owned by whatever square critter just cmaned me. Repeatedly. Like every time. ~ KEITHOBAD

>>Make sure these verbs are flashy from 3rd party perspective. ~ KEITHOBAD

They are not especially flashy because, as you noted, they are very mental/internal. This is a design choice and I'm okay with it.

>>Last one is least likely, but move away from this tier business. ~ KEITHOBAD

There are limits to what we can sell off the shelf. Those limits may change slightly from event to event, and occasionally special permission is granted to exceed lose limitations a little for a specific instance. Most of the time though the limits are the limits. Removing the concept of tiers wouldn't raise the floor of what could be sold in shops. The result of not having tiers would be to just have less cool stuff, full stop.

>>Berserk. So this seems to be the main purpose of this item as far as I can tell. Probably worth getting repeatedly stunned and paralyzed while hunting. BUT... you need to unlock it so... What are the plans for that? I have the FEELING (hope I'm wrong) that it's going to be like voln armor where you can get a tier1 pretty easy but good luck getting it unlocked. ~ KEITHOBAD

Since there are no merchants to unlock things at Duskruin at all, the tiers are being handled a little differently for this release. No waiting on merchants for unlocked goodness!

As a general rule though, I really don't have the final say in how often and in which specific instances tiers can be unlocked. I just come up with the script idea and code it, approvals are out of my hands. Much like how the core script concept is mine, but requires oversight and final approval from Dev, unlocking services for combat related scripts also requires approval from Dev.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 36
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/01/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

I hinted at this, but probably should have stated more explicitly: Since the script doesn't use the standard flare slot that means they are fully enchantable. They can also accept ensorcelling.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 60
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/01/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

So, some additional insight into these. I had planned on doing a full-on IC release doc for them, but then life happened and I never got around to it. But there is a backstory about how these came into being, and since some of you might be interested in that I'll go ahead and share it in a less full-on IC document kind of way.

The creator of these runestaffs is a woman by the name of Peityn. She is a naturally gifted empath from the Empire who has always been fascinated by what I am deeming fringe magic. The result of a great deal of research (highly illegal research that the Hall would not approve of in the slightest, hence her doing her work in a shady bandit town away from the prying eyes of the Empire), the runestaffs are born from a confluence of empath and necromancy magics.

The process for creating each runestaff is rather involved, with a little bit of Peityn literally going into each one. You see, she actually grafts her own living nerve fibers and trace amounts of grey matter into young tree starts that are then trained to grow in a twisted/braided fashion. And then she waits, waits for them to grow. After they have grown to an appropriate size, she harvests them and only then is an actual runestaff created.

One of the consequences of this kind of situation, is that it does not lend itself well to the idea of adding this script to existing items, within the scope of this event or otherwise. I know that might disappoint some people, and I understand that, but there it is.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 63
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/02/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

1) I can get one of these and hand it to him and let him bond with it?

Yes. The runestaff will only attune when it is used in a successful attack against a like-leveled foe. Attack in this sense means a spell of some sort, because runestaff. Like level foe meaning something you can learn from.

2) Scrip is character or account based? If account based, then he can go get one himself?

I would feel better if we stuck to questions about the item, script itself. Let's leave the Duskruin-wide questions to the big guns so I don't accidentally step in it.

3) I'm unclear on ... the unlocking aspect...

The Magic 8 Ball says, "Ask again later!" Seriously though, I think we're holding off on actual release specifics for right this second. But complex script it complex, so I wanted you guys to be able to sit with the actual script details for a bit. And, you know, get you all pumped up for Duskruin.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 65
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/02/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

Oh, and...

Will this play well with Wyrom's RotFlares?

>incant 1101
You focus your thoughts while chanting the mystical phrase for Heal...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a triton combatant.
CS: +557 - TD: +343 + CvA: +25 + d100: +72 == +311
Warding failed!
A brief tremor ripples across the combatant's skin, leaving a faint beading of scarlet in its wake.
... 36 points of damage!

** A sickly green aura radiates from a lacquered spiralled fireleaf runestaff and seeps into a triton combatant's wounds! **

... 25 points of damage!
Flesh flayed from the triton combatant's left hand.

Several thin, fibrous black filaments erupt from your fireleaf runestaff and swirl around each other in a chaotic dance. Straining to reach a triton combatant, they unleash an overpowering cacophony of sensation upon the object of their wrath and render it unable to move!

A surge of power flows through your fireleaf runestaff and courses through you, the sensation at once familiar and foreign, and lends an uncanny invigoration to your muscles.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 90
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/03/2015
Subject: Introducing: Nerve Staves

So, someone, somewhere (like in another place where you player types go and post and talk about things that isn't here, that somewhere) wondered...

I wonder if the timer resets when you stow. You'd just have to remember to stow/gird every kill.

The answer is no, no it does not reset when you stow it because I anticipated you sneaky peeps trying exactly this. So, wonder no more!

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

Category: Paid Events: Adventures, Quests, and SimuCoins
Topic: Duskruin Arena
Message #: 259
Author: GS4-REIDYN
Date: 03/21/2015
Subject: Quick suggestion.

>>So for the nerve flares I see that there are some fluff verbs. T1 you get the defensive flare, at T2 you get the offensive flare, T4 you get the 1x/day. Does T3 get anything above the T2?

Each tier increases the chance for a defensive flare by 5%. So there's that, and an additional fluff verb. It's not the most mechanically beneficial of the tier increases, which is why I made the cost increase lower than that of going from T1 to T2.

GM Reidyn
Customer Experience Systems

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