Planar Shift (740)
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This spell is not yet implemented and may or may not currently be under development. Information presented in this article is subject to change. |
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Introduction
Planar Shifting is a spell currently being discussed amongst the Sorcery forums. Nilven proposed the idea, and it has been met with a large number of fans and opponents alike. The resulting mess was more than ten pages of thread on the topic, with Nilven's original information spread chaotically throughout. Without it organized into any coherant manner, many readers of the information have yet to exactly grasp the true aspects and design of this spell. For the time being, this information for the spell may serve well to educate on what is being proposed. In the future, a more applied version may be created from it, assuming the spell is released. This summary will be made up almost entirely of that which Nilven himself has stated, rephrased and organized to be more coherant. No player discussion will alter the information, aside from my own added opinions, which will be stated as such. Finally, as this spell is a work in progress, as is this information.
Spell Information
Overview
By manipulating the fabric of space, a Sorcerer has the ability to open a dimensional rift through which he or she can travel to any location in the world of Elanthia. So far has been stated, with the exception of teleport restricted rooms (The Rift, Major Sanct, etc), any individual room in any realm can be traveled to instantaneously. For future reference, interrealm travel is travel between various realms, and intrarealm travel is within a single realm.
The dimensional rift is filled with chaotic energies which are too dangerous to attempt to pass through normally. Therefore, the Sorcerer must create a runic summoning circle to defend him or herself from the chaotic energies, otherwise the safely traversing the rift will be impossible. These circles will be drawn in special magic chalks, which will run a cost for use of this spell. The cost of these chalks will be much higher for interrealm quality, as opposed to those used in intrarealm.
With the right training, a Sorcerer will be able to bring others through the portal as well, but this only applies to the intrarealm portion.
Components
Chalks
The chalks involved in the use of this spell will be purchasable at local Magic or Alchemist Stores, and possibly in Sorcery Guild stores as well. So far, there are two types, intrarealm and interrealm.
The interrealm chalks run a hefty price; 50,000 silvers for a single use's worth. Fortunately, the chalk is so high quality in all of its aspects that most, if not all failures normally possible with the spell are negated. So far, Nilven has yet to state what, if any other failures are possible with this version of the spell, save outright failure. In this case, the spell would simply fail to active, causing no harm other than causing you to lose that use of chalk. These chalks are an absolute must for the interrealm portion of the spell, there will be no way around it.
The intrarealm chalks will be much cheaper. While the interrealm chalks have been given a pricetag of 50,000 silvers, these chalks we do not know so much about. Nilven went so far as to say that their price would be "trivial", but nothing more. It is my personal belief that Nilven would not call any significant amount of money trivial, so my estimate for their cost is between 100 and 2000 silvers per use. Keep in mind, this is entirely unofficial, just a guess. The chalks will be used to travel about within the realm, but they are far less well made; without the protective benefits of the interrealm version, many more failures are now possible, and success is far less likely. While these have not been gone into, it may be safe to assume that they might be physically dangerous.
It seems to have been implied that a Sorcerer could use the interrealm chalks for travel within a realm for increased safety, but with such a high pricetag, it would be very bad economically. Also, both forms of the chalks may be purchasable in a bulk form, to save space.
Rune Book
The rune book will be involved in storage of room runes, which will be discussed later. But they have quite a few important specifications. First off, they can be bonded to by a Sorcerer. A Sorcerer can only be bonded to one book at a time, and only one Sorcerer can be bonded to a book at one time. A Sorcerer can unbond with his or her book easily, but the book can never again be bonded to by any Sorcerer. The book need not be present to be unbonded with. In this manner, a stolen book can be unbonded with, and a new one begun.
Bonding accomplishes one major function; it allows new room runes to be added into the book. Only when bonded can this be accomplished. An unbonded book will effectively be locked to further adding of runes. Of course, the runes in an unbonded book will be usable by any Sorcerer. In this manner, a Sorcerer can own many unbonded books if he or she desires. As said, once a Sorcerer unbonds with a book, it can never be bonded to again, which seals its locked status forever.
Even if it is bonded, any Sorcerer can use the runes within the books. A Sorcerer can lend his or her book to another for temporary or long term use. Of course, the other Sorcerer cannot add runes to it, but it will still be usable. A Sorcerer could even give or sell a book to another, but because the library of runes within it can no longer grow, it loses some of its use. As a final note, it is possible, though perhaps a bit more unlikely at this point, that the rune book will be part of the enchiridion valentia, which is already on sale in the Guilds. If it isn't, it will also be purchasable in the Guilds.
Spell Systems and Usage
Room Rune System
It has been previously stated that a Sorcerer will be able to travel to any desired room in Elanthia, assuming the room is applicable. The ability to pick which room to travel to is gained through the Room Rune System, which I will refer to as the RRS for short. A Sorcerer will be able to go to any room in the game and use the SENSE verb to detect the rune and save it. The runes won't be learned exactly, they will be stored within a bonded runebook, more details of which were discussed in the previous section. Sensing a rune will be simple and easy, and it will permanently be available from that book henceforth. No official statement has been made as to whether runebooks will have a room rune limit, anything goes for now.
Spell Usage
While the actual process hasn't been expounded upon all too much, the following process seems to be the case. The Sorcerer will first use his or her chalk to draw the defensive circle. This will have some accompanying roundtime, which Nilven has estimated as around ten seconds. As a substep, the drawing of the room rune is a step, but it has not been stated whether it is part of the first step, or is actually a second, independent step. Eitherway, to perform that step the Sorcerer will probably need the runebook at that time. After this preparation is complete, the Sorcerer must merely cast the spell, and transportation from the starting to ending locations will be instantly complete, assuming it was a success, though probably accompanied by some messaging.
Group Transport
As previously stated, the intrarealm portion of the spell will have the potential for bringing a group. How exactly this is accomplished has not been revealed. What we do know is that the ability to bring a group is somehow tied to Demonology, and it seems to be that without, it is not possible. Whether more Demonology will allow more group members or something else, we don't know. Group Transport will not be at all possible for interrealm travel.
This spell is currently only in the developmental stages, and is not yet implemented. For more information on this spell, you may read the following.
Success and Failure
Interrealm Success
Interrealm success rates seem to be quite simple. The spell starts with a base rate of 90% success. The only way to increase the chance to succeed even further is by training in Demonology. It is as simple as that. How much Demonology will be needed to increase the rate is unknown at this point.
Intrarealm Success
Intrarealm success rates are much more complicated, as well as more failure prone. There are five character based factors currently stated as contributing to success: Sorcerer Spell Ranks, Discipline, Aura, Wisdom, and Spiritual/Elemental Mana Control ranks.
A number of things about this equation are known. First off, Sorcerer Spell Ranks are to be considered significantly more important in it than the Spiritual/Elemental Control ranks. Secondly, the success equation is identical to that of the Wizard's Gate equation, with one difference. In the place of level, which attributes to the Wizard's Gate, there is the Control Ranks.
The way in which the control ranks factor in is rather confusing. Basically, its on a ranks per level scale, the standard being 1xed in both controls. What this will do is put the same thing into the equation as level would be applied in the Wizard's Gate. So, for example, say a level 50 Wizard cast Wizard's Gate. Just making up numbers, but lets say it added 50 to the equation. Well, a Sorcerer casting 740 who was level 50 and 1xed in both controls would also have 50 added to the equation. So through the controls, level can contribute. The interesting thing is, this means the Sorcerer can further train for success. By training more in the controls, the Sorcerer can increase this factor for the spell. Certain combinations of ranks seem to be more important. For example, someone 2xed in one control, with 0x in the other WILL have a higher benefit than someone 1xed in both. But, aside from that particular type of training, more is basically always better.
Failures
We don't have much information right now on what types of failures will be possible. It seems as if there will be a simple spell failure, in which nothing occurs and the only loss is that of the chalk used. Aside from that, nothing has been mentioned, though Nilven seems to have something interesting in mind, but we don't know what it is yet.
What Lies Ahead?
The Future of 740
We really don't know all too much about the status of the spell. But, significant detail seems to have been created for it. Taking that into consideration, it seems likely that the spell may be working its way towards the day when it is a reality. For now, we will wait for Nilven to tell us more.
Alchemy and 740
Nilven informed the Sorcery community that if it so desires, chalk making can be a part of alchemy. If it was though, it would not allow Sorcerers to remove a significant amount of cost from making them, although it would remove a little. He then went on to say that this may not be the case with 750's chalks, alluding to the idea that through alchemy, 750 chalk costs could be significantly reduced. For now, this is a possible feature this spell could include.
Alchemy and Pegasus Transport
Responding to fears that the Pegasus Transport System could completely outclass 740, Nilven informed us that while he doesn't work on the system, it is unlikely. He went further to state that should the spell be entirely outclassed by the Pegasus System, that he would personally work towards having the spell revamped to compete.
Original Posts
For more information on this spell, you may read the following.
- Planar Shifting saved post 1
- Planar Shifting saved post 2
- Planar Shifting saved post 3
- Planar Shifting saved post 4
- Planar Shifting saved post 5
- Planar Shifting saved post 6
- Planar Shifting saved post 7
- Planar Shifting saved post 8
- Planar Shifting saved post 9
- Planar Shifting saved post 10
- Planar Shifting saved post 11
- Planar Shifting saved post 12