December DevlogThis month we’ll be taking a deep-dive into our Summoning system and just how that’s going to function, touch base on our founder packs set to release soon, and then we’ll also go through our T2 Arcanist Vocations.
SummoningIn a previous devlog, we covered the two primary ways of using magic to control an inanimate (or animate) object. One was through infusing raw magic into something like a suit of armor to make it move, with limited “pre-programmed” behaviors, and the other was to infuse the living essence of creatures (necromancy). While the latter is very frowned upon in the world, there are plenty of options for summoning things legally! An example of this would be something like the Ranger’s spirit companion: the Spirit Wolf.
The Ranger’s spirit wolf is a magically infused companion made available to them through their attunement to the spiritual world. Other types of summons are obtainable for players though, and one vocation highlighted below makes heavy use of them, the Infuser.
So, what do we do differently with summoning as opposed to other MMORPGs? Well, one big difference is that we want the use of your summons to be an active and deliberate endeavor. Infusers have specialized companion spells which they activate through their summoned armors, and Rangers can invoke powerful abilities from their spirit wolf by utilizing their own buffs. While Rangers have only one spirit companion, Infusers can learn to summon several companions, and each of these will have its own unique abilities for the Infuser to utilize.
VocationsIn our last vocations post, we took a look at the rogue ascensions: Assassin and Shadowblade. This time, we will look at the Arcanist ascensions, and then for our next Devlog, we will cover all the ascensions of the Archer vocation.
Elementalist“Fire, Lightning, Frost… Oh, the fun you can have.”
Elienna Alithyr, Elemental Sage
Elementalists aspire to master the destructive powers of Fire, Lightning, and Frost magic. A master Elementalist learns to control their foes with their expert control using frost spells while wiping them out with powerful fire and lightning.
Elementalists seek to take down anything in their path and have many spells that revolve around damaging multiple enemies. However, their single-minded focus on elemental destruction leaves them susceptible to attacks, and Elementalist players will quickly learn that controlling a fight will be important for their survival.
Shadowcaster“Take control over the shadows’ power and use them to drive your foes mad and wreak destruction!”
Maelron Tolinar, Shadowcaster.
Shadowcasters hone the sinister nature of shadow magic to bring destruction upon their foes. Their spells are capable of corrupting the minds of enemies, blinding them, and banishing them to the shadows.
As Shadowcasters utilize their destructive powers, they eventually reach a transcended shadow form, from which all their spells are enhanced. Shadowcasters tend to lack in unique debuffs and buffs, however, and mostly focus on dishing out big damage numbers both AoE and single target.
Infuser“Why do all the work yourself? Little magic here, little metal there, and boom! You’ve got yourself a companion to do all that dirty work.”
Maelron Tolinar, Shadowcaster.Infusers utilize their knowledge of Arcane Magic to summon infused constructs that do their work for them. Infusers early on learn to control two minions simultaneously, and these minions utilize the unique summoning system that we have in Ethyrial. Each minion has their own spells and abilities controlled by the player, and Infusers have a special resource that allows them to unlock special abilities for their minions.
Infusers are weak without their constructs though, as they possess limited offensive and defensive capabilities on their own, so controlling your minions will be the key to success!
Founder Packs
We have been looking to launch Founder Packs around this time of year to give our community a chance to net themselves some sweet deals before the game’s launch. We will be launching these packs this month (December) but do not have a set date at the moment. However, we are at the final stages of their prep work and will be ready to release them soon. You can expect discounted subscription times, unique cosmetic rewards, and in-game + Discord titles. Additionally, there will be a lifetime supporter pack in which a lifetime subscription is granted, and this will be the only time these can be acquired. These packs are set to be purchasable up until the game’s launch date (late April).
Previously, we have stated that we do not wish to rely on our players to fund the launch of our game, and that statement still stands. We have our development budget for the game sorted out, so the purchase of founder packs is in no way mandatory for our players, but are more a way to show early support for the game. These packs provide NO in-game advantages such as early access or any in-game items that are non-cosmetic. If you do not wish to purchase a founder pack, you can simply wait for the game to release and then purchase a subscription, which is all that is required to play the game.
Make sure to join our
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Peace!
Amar Duranovic
Game Director