Verb:SACRIFICE
A sorcerer can sacrifice weakened creatures, converting their animus into usable mana. The animus is the energy linking the ethereal spirit to physical body. Creatures near death are more susceptible to the disruption of their animus, which will ultimately end their lives anyways. Only living creatures can be sacrificed (undead cannot), and only sorcerers can sacrifice. Sacrifice can also be used to heal and refresh an animate, and to weaken the next few creatures (of the same type). Success in Sacrifice is highly dependent upon the sorcerer level vs. creature level difference, but the ability to use various aspects of Sacrifice is dependent upon training in Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy.
>sacrifice
SACRIFICE Usage: SACRIFICE {target}
SACRIFICE CHANNEL {target}
SACRIFICE INFEST {target}
SACRIFICE TEACH {player}
| Command | Description | Necromancy Lore Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| SACRIFICE {creature} | Makes an attempt at sacrificing a target to regain mana. | None to use
|
| SACRIFICE CHANNEL {creature} | Directs the energy of a sacrifice into an animate, healing it of injuries and refreshing the animate to its original duration. | 60 ranks |
| SACRIFICE INFEST {creature} | Taints the energy of a sacrifice, resulting in 10 minutes (or 15 creatures) of infested creatures of the same type spawning with AS, DS, CS, and TD penalties equal to 5 + (creature level / 5). | 100 ranks |
Obtaining the Ability
Sacrifice is an inherent ability granted to all sorcerers. The previous method of learning sacrifice from the teachings of another sorcerer, while no longer necessary, is still available and can serve as a roleplaying opportunity. The same requirements still apply. The sorcerer being taught must have knowledge of the Mind Jolt spell although it is not necessary to be able to cast it. The action of teaching sacrifice will incur 15 sec of roundtime for both teacher and student, and requires that the teacher be at least level 20. This instruction will also grant the teacher a small amount of experience and take 1 spirit point from them.
- SACRIFICE TEACH {character} teaches the sacrifice ability to another sorcerer.
You take Sorcerer to the side and begin to instruct him in the necromantic method that was once taught to you. You explain the secrets of focusing one's will on the victim's animus, and how the student may supply a small amount of his own spirit to initiate a link with the victim. You go on to teach Sorcerer how to control the spiritual link once it is created, and the secrets of overcoming and dominating the victim, including using physical and mental pain to cause a victim's will to weaken. You complete the lesson with instructions on drawing the dominated victim's animus from its body in the form of mystical energy. You feel drained!
Attempting to teach a non-sorcerer to sacrifice gives the following messaging:
Sorcerer looks like he was about to say something to you, but he hesitates, obviously having changed his mind.
The following is what it looks like when being taught how to sacrifice by another sorcerer:
XXX takes you to the side and begins to instruct you in a necromantic discipline previously unknown to you! He explains the secrets of focusing one's will on a victim's animus, and how you may supply a small amount of your own spirit to initiate a link with the victim. He goes on to teach you how to control the spiritual link once it is initiated, and the secrets of overcoming and dominating the victim, including using physical and mental pain to cause a victim's will to weaken. XXX completes the lesson with instructions on drawing the dominated victim's animus from its body in the form of mystical energy! You carefully note the methods that he teaches you in this dark art. XXX looks drained!
Types of Sacrifices
Default (Mana)
- SACRIFICE {creature}
The default Sacrifice will attempt to drain mana from a target and transfer to the sorcerer. Attempts cause the expenditure of spirit points and 10 sec of RT, regardless of outcome (failures during the cooldown not included). Failed attempts can drain 1-2 spirit on minor failures and up to 5 on major ones. A successful attempt will cost 2 spirit, kill the target, and return mana to the sacrificer. Corpses can be looted normally after death.
A combined Elemental Mana Control and Spiritual Mana Control skill bonus of 102 (24 ranks total) is required to obtain the full amount of mana from a sacrifice.
For instance, the successful sacrifice of a level 50 creature will return 70 mana (20+50=70).
The spirit loss can be nullified by training in Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy. At 10 ranks there will be no more spirit loss on a failed sacrifice. At 30 ranks there will be no spirit loss on a successful sacrifice.
Sacrifice Channel
- SACRIFICE CHANNEL {creature}
This Sacrifice is used in conjunction with Animate Dead (730) to heal a creature animate of its injuries and refresh the animate to its original duration. There is no spirit or mana cost involved with this ability. Both failures and successes will result in 10 seconds of roundtime.
60 ranks of Necromancy Lore are required to use this ability.
Sacrifice Infest
- SACRIFICE INFEST {creature}
Sacrifice Infest taints the energy of a sacrifice, weakening the next few spawns of the same type of creature for a short amount of time. The weakened creatures will have lower combat numbers such as attack strength (AS), defensive strength (DS), casting strength (CS), and target defense (TD), but levels will not change; thus, creature maneuvers will not be weakened.
The combat number penalties are equal to 5 + (creature level / 5). The effect lasts for 10 minutes or until 15 creatures have been infested. There is messaging for the entire hunting area when the effect starts and ends, as well as a visual indicator on each affected creature. Once a creature is infested, it lasts until it dies, even once the infestation is no longer affecting new creatures in the area.
100 ranks of Necromancy Lore are required to use this ability.
Executing a Sacrifice
Regardless of the Sacrifice being attempted, the target must be incapacitated, and, depending on the sorcerer vs. target level difference, the target's health may have to be reduced. This damage/incapacitation may be done by anybody.
For targets whose level is similar to that of the sorcerer, the target's health must first be reduced by 2/3 or more (be aware some creatures can heal or regenerate). Targets well below one's level may be sacrificed without this requirement. Likewise, targets above one's level are more difficult to sacrifice, sometimes beyond one's ability entirely. Regardless of relative level, the lower the target's health, the easier it will be to sacrifice.
Incapacitation is usually accomplished via Mind Jolt's stun effect, though other spells such as Web and Bind can also be used. The sacrificer need not deal damage or incapacitation themselves in order to succeed.
Once a successful sacrifice is made, attempts cannot be made until the cooldown period expires.
Cooldown
Each successful sacrifice has an accompanying cooldown period of 10 minutes. Ranks in Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy will reduce the time according to the following:
- Ranks 1 to 120: -2 seconds per rank
- Ranks 121 to 200: -0.75 seconds per rank
- Ranks ≥200: -1.5 seconds per rank
The table below lists cooldown durations at various lore thresholds.
Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy ranks 0 30 60 90 120 200 240 Cooldown (minutes) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4
Sacrifice has been updated to display messaging when the cooldown has expired. Additionally, while the cooldown is active, SPELL ACTIVE, as well as the StormFront Active Spells window, will display its remaining duration.
You feel refreshed enough to sacrifice another animus.
Messaging
Sacrifice (for mana)
- First person
- Success
You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the forest bendith. You feel drained! Steeling your thoughts, you begin to draw energy from your victim. The bendith contorts in agony, her mouth open in a silent scream! Your senses tingle, then become awash in a flood of power as the life leaves your hapless foe!
The forest bendith drops lifelessly to the ground. You feel 62 mana surge into you! Roundtime: 10 sec.
- Failure
You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the forest bendith. You struggle to control the link, but it dissipates with no effect. You feel drained! Roundtime: 10 sec.
- Failure
You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the Sheruvian monk.You struggle to control the link, but something goes very awry! You begin to lose control of your own lifeforce, barely managing to keep a grasp on it as a tearing force attempts to rip it away! With extreme effort, you regain control, though the effort leaves you pale and shaken. Roundtime: 10 sec.
- Failure due to cooldown
You steel your thoughts and focus on the sprite, but you are unable to draw enough of your energy to drain such a powerful foe. Perhaps you should wait a while longer.
- Failure due to targeting an animated dead
You attempt to sense the monk's life force. An uncomfortable sensation begins to overtake you as your connection to the forces of mana in this world grows still and cold. The sensation passes after a few moments.
- Failure due to targeting an undead
You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you try to initiate a link with the monastic lich. You are unable to complete the link.
- Third person
- Success
Ulthripe appears to be in deep concentration as he stares at a forest bendith. Ulthripe looks drained!
The bendith contorts in agony, her mouth open in a silent scream! The forest bendith drops lifelessly to the ground.
- Failure
Ulthripe appears to be in deep concentration as he stares at a forest bendith. A moment later he blinks quickly and breaks his gaze away from the bendith, hissing. Ulthripe looks drained!
Sacrifice Channel
- Success
>sac chan was You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the cinder wasp. Steeling your thoughts, you begin to draw energy from your victim. The wasp contorts in agony, its mouth open in a silent scream! Your senses tingle, then become awash in a flood of power as the life leaves your hapless foe! The cinder wasp careens to the ground and crumples in a heap. Focusing on the link to your animate, you carefully feed an animated spectral triton defender the stolen life of your sacrifice, the pulsating energy revitalizing and healing him of his injuries. Roundtime: 10 sec.
- Failure
>sac chan diss You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the triton dissembler. You struggle to control the link, but it dissipates with no effect. Roundtime: 10 sec.
Sacrifice Infest
- Activation (Sacrificing Sorcerer)
You focus your inner thoughts, channeling a part of your spirit as you initiate a link with the triton combatant. Steeling your thoughts, you begin to draw energy from your victim. The combatant contorts in agony, his mouth open in a silent scream! Your senses tingle, then become awash in a flood of power as the life leaves your hapless foe! The triton combatant gurgles once and goes still, a wrathful look on his face. Mastering the struggle against the frantic rush of stolen power, you infuse the wild energy with a dark haze of necrosis. With a small smirk, you force the sickly currents from your body, commanding them to seek and infest similar creatures in the area. Roundtime: 10 sec.
- Area Messaging - Effect Ending
The putrid infestation shrouding the area fades.