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Voln Review

Category: Organizations and Societies
Topic: Voln - General Discussion
Message #: 693
Author: GS4-COASE
Date: 07/04/2012 11:42 AM EDT
Subject: Voln Review

As previously announced, we have undertaken a review of the society of Voln and have settled upon a number of changes that we believe will result in an overall improvement to the Order of Voln and its current state vis a vis the other societies. These changes have not yet been released into Prime/Plat/Shattered, but will be as part of the Monk release.

Note that the former unarmed combat abilities that made up "Voln-fu" will be folded into the upcoming Unarmed Combat System that will be released alongside the Monk profession. Some steps will be still related to unarmed combat, granting unique abilities to Voln brawlers.

While these changes represent the final state of our deliberations, we will monitor them closely following their release. Any comments, questions, concerns, or other feedback is welcome.

Symbol Changes:

Note: Several symbols have shifted position in what step on the Path to Enlightenment that they are learned on. In some cases, this was due to a change in relative power level and in other cases to better match the symbol to the nature of the Arkati associated with that step. If you are currently progressing in Voln, you will find that certain symbols that have shifted to the higher up steps will be no longer available until you reach the new rank.

Global Symbol Changes

Favor - The favor system has been somewhat streamlined to be less harsh on lower level players, who tended to be charged a relatively high favor cost versus the favor rewards they typically got from like-level hunting. In addition, "symbol favor" has been seperated from "advancement favor", so that a Voln member that is still advancing through the steps can freely spend their favor on symbols without having to worry about slowing down their progress towards the next step. Finally, visions recieved in the meditation chamber will no longer have a random error component.

Symbol Success Resolution - Previously, many symbols that required a success check on whether they affected the targeted foe or not used many different resolution systems. Some (like Sleep) used a psuedo CS/TD check, while others like Submission used a straight level check. As part of this review, we have combined all the disparate success resolution systems into a standard one indentical to that used by the Guardians of Sunfist sigils.

Step 1 - Symbol of Recognition

No changes.

Step 2 - Symbol of Blessing

The former magical metal blessing function of the Symbol of Holiness has been consolidated into the Symbol of Blessing. The Symbol of Blessing will now affect combat gear with an enchantment up to your Voln rank times 2 (VolnRank * 2). For example at Step 2, you be able to bless gear with an echantment value up to +4. By Step 25, you will be able to bless any blessable magical metal.

Step 3 - Symbol of Thought

No changes.

Step 4 - New Symbol

The current Symbol of Recovery is being removed and replaced with a new symbol: the Symbol of Diminishment. If successfully used on a creature, it will temporarily reduce a targeted undead creature's DS, TD, and CMAN defense by -1 per Voln rank you possess.

Step 5 - Symbol of Courage

No changes.

Step 6 - Symbol of Protection

The Symbol of Protection will provide a TD bonus equal to half your Voln rank, in addition to its current DS benefit.

Step 7 - Repositioned Symbol

The Symbol of Submission will be moved from Step 16 into this slot vacated by Charl's Throw. It has been updated to use the standard success resolution system noted above.

Step 8 - New Symbol

Kai's Strike will replace Kai's Punch. It will allow unarmed combat attacks to damage undead creatures without the normal requirement of blessed gear. Unlike the rest of the symbols, this is a passive ability and is automatically granted to all unarmed combat attacks without requiring favor.

Step 9 - Repositioned Symbol

The Symbol of Holiness will be moved from Step 16 into this slot vacated by Phoen's Kick. Its former weapon/armor blessing functionality will be consolidated into the Symbol of Blessing, leaving it to be solely a direct damage attack against the undead. It has been updated to use the standard success resolution system noted above.

Step 10 - New Symbol

The Symbol of Calming is being removed and replaced with a new symbol: the Symbol of Recall. This new symbol can only be used while you are dead. It will call upon Lorminstra for a boon when you are restored to life. Upon returning to life after a resurection or decay, you will receive a free full spell-up of all spells known to you, and the restoration of up to 10-20 foreign spells that were present on you at the time of death (using whatever duration and magnitude they possessed at the time of your death). Lorminstra will not favor those who voluntarily depart.

Step 11 - Symbol of Sleep

The immunity that the undead possessed to this symbol has been removed. While some undead may be able to rouse themselves after being affected, all will now be initially vulnerable. In addition, the mass version of this symbol will no longer affect other player characters in the room. Finally, it has been updated to use the standard success resolution system noted above.

Step 12 - New Symbol

The current Symbol of Turning is being moved to Step 22. In its vacated place will be a new symbol: the Symbol of Transcendence. This symbol will allow the player to step into the space between the corporeal and ethereal realms for 30 seconds. While in this state, players will take damage as if they were an incorporeal creature (i.e. critical wounds will be much harder to inflict upon them and combat maneuvers will be harder to land on them). After this symbol's duration expires, there is a 3 minute hard cooldown period where the symbol cannot be reactivated. This symbol may be invoked while the player is stunned, webbed, bound, or in RT, in which case the cooldown period is 10 minutes.

Step 13 - Symbol of Mana

The deed cost structure for this symbol has been altered. Initial use of this symbol will cost only favor and no deeds. After this use, the symbol will enter a soft cooldown period of 5 minutes, where additional activations will require 1 deed per use. Clerics may be interested to note that the symbol will become useable while dead, should any Miracles be required.

Step 14 - Symbol of Sight

No changes.

Step 15 - Repositioned Symbol

With the Symbol of Holiness moving to Step 8, the Symbol of Retribution will be moved from Step 19 to fill this slot. While dead, Retribution will function in much the same way, using the standard success resolution system noted above. If used while alive, Retribution will surround the user with an aura that reactively flares with divine retribution at undead who manage to strike the player (in much the same way as reactive armor flares). This use of the symbol has a duration of 10 seconds per Voln rank (stackable).

Step 16 - New Symbol

With the Symbol of Submission moving to Step 7, this slot will be filled with a new symbol: the Symbol of Supremacy. While this symbol is active, the player will receive a +1 bonus per two Voln ranks to AS/CS/CMAN against undead creatures. This symbol has a duration of 10 seconds per Voln rank (stackable).

Step 17 - Symbol of Restoration

A minimum of 10 HP will be returned per activation. Otherwise unchanged.

Step 18 - Symbol of Need

No changes.

Step 19 - New Symbol

With the Symbol of Retribution moving to Step 16, a new symbol will take its vacated slot: the Symbol of Renewal. Each use of this symbol will immediately restore 1 Spirit Point to the player. After each use, the symbol enters a hard cooldown period of 2 minutes where the symbol cannot be reactivated.

Step 20 - New Symbol

A new symbol has been created to fill the slot vacated by Charl's Throw II: the Symbol of Disruption. Invoking this symbol will cause the player and all group members to be surrounded by a churning spectral aura. This aura is anathema to non-corporeal undead. Any non-corporeal undead struck while under this symbol's effect will suffer a temporary disruption in their link to the corporeal plane. It will be dealt roundtime based on on the critical rank of the attack and will suffer a temporary penalty to AS/DS/CS/TD/CMAN while disrupted. Disruptions cannot be stacked or refreshed on particular creature, though once the first disruption has run its course, the creature may be disrupted again.

Step 21 - New Symbol

Kai's Punch II will be replaced with Kai's Smite. This attack will be an unarmed combat attack, activated via the SMITE verb. If it connects, instead of doing damage, it will temporarily pull a non-corporeal undead creature into corporealness. Against a corporeal undead creature, it will make the creature temporarily more susceptible to damage. It has no effect upon living creatures.

Step 22 - Repositioned Symbol

The Symbol of Turning is moving from Step 12 to fill the slot vacated by Phoen's Kick II. It has been updated to use the new success resolution system noted above, which should significantly increase the usability of the symbol for most classes.

Step 23 - Symbol of Preservation

No changes.

Step 24 - Symbol of Dreams

The Symbol of Dreams will be updated to double the rate at which the user recovers from the stat loss effects of Death's Sting. Players will also be able to talk with other players while under the effects of this symbol, instead of being required to be completely incommunicado.

Step 25 - Symbol of Return

No changes.

Step 26 - New Symbol

The ability of Voln masters to invite others into the Order will remain via the INVITE verb, but will no longer take up an entire symbol slot. Instead, a new symbol will be implemented to take its place: the Symbol of Seeking. Calling upon the zeal of the Great Spirit Voln, the player will be able to teleport from any Voln outpost directly to a chosen undead hunting ground in the general vicinity. This ability is similar to the effect of the tapestry in the Wehnimer's monastery, but will be available in all towns as an innate ability. Of note, players will be able to directly teleport from Icemule to the Cavern of Ages, or from Kharam-Dzu directly into the Water Temple. This symbol requires no favor to use.

Coase

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Favor Clarification

Category: Organizations and Societies
Topic: Voln - General Discussion
Message #: 760
Author: GS4-FINROS
Date: 07/11/2012 03:35 AM EDT
Subject: Voln Review

>So, just to be sure I understand: once you earn favor toward advancement, that favor is not subtracted when you use a symbol (though obviously if you use the symbols too much you can run out of favor). Is that the way this will work?

Yes. Favor earned towards your next rank will never go down.

>And does that mean that "symbol favor" will no longer be wiped out when you advance a step?

Correct, although your "favor towards the next rank" counter still resets with each step, so you can't get multiple ranks at once.

>I'm curious about the change is said to lessen the disparity between low level favor gain and high level favor gain.

The favor gain is identical to the way it was before. The cost has been lessened for low-level characters, and left approximately the same for high-level characters. For all but the highest cost symbols, the favor costs are about the same between the old and new formulas, after level 40 or so.

Category: Organizations and Societies
Topic: Voln - General Discussion
Message #: 762
Author: GS4-FINROS
Date: 07/11/2012 03:53 AM EDT
Subject: Voln Review

>Is the lesser cost for lower levels in effect(I'm in plat)? I have a favor tracker, and at level 11 and 12 it seems to still require the exact same amount of favor to advance.

The lessened costs refer only to the activation of symbols for lower leveled characters. The favor required to advance in rank is unchanged, except inasmuch that it is now tracked separately from one's current favor.

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Symbol of Bless

Category: Organizations and Societies
Topic: Voln - General Discussion
Message #: 828
Author: GS4-OSCURO
Date: 07/17/2012 03:11 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Voln Fu and Symbol of Bless

>>I did not have to beg for blesses. I now have to go back to the old way of hoping there is a cleric around to bless my weapon. And it will have to be a cleric, because the new "Symbol of Bless" casts only a few blessed swings on a weapon. My empath used to be able to cast about 140 swings per Symbol of Holiness. The new Symbol of Bless gives her only about 30 swings.

Why do you need to ask anyone else for blesses? Symbol of Blessing works on the same items Holiness used to work on and it costs substantially less favor now. BTW, the old Symbol of Holiness would bless items for 130 swings when you mastered (it was 5 swing per rank in the society, so 5*26). So if you were mastered, then you must be seeing at least 52 swings, because the number of swings is supposed to be 2*rank + your level. Are you sure this is not the case?

GameMaster Oscuro

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Re: Standard success resolution systems

Category: Organizations and Societies
Topic: Voln - General Discussion
Message #: 876
Author: GS4-OSCURO
Date: 07/26/2012 11:56 AM EDT
Subject: Re: Standard success resolution system

>>How does this work exactly? Myself and other people can't get any symbols that use this to work when uphunting, even by a little, and that is when we need them to work the most. Kind of silly to only have them work on like level and under things when by the time you get to that point you don't need them any more.

The success factors are ranks in the society, Discipline and Influence stats and level difference. The level difference penalty does not become significant until the target is > 5 levels over the user. This is the same formula used for the Guardians of Sunfist Sigils of Distraction and Intimidation.

GameMaster Oscuro

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See Also

• Order of Voln