Bring Back the Skill Gem (and Gem Crafting) - long

For fun suggestion board, (since don’t think this will be made into the game anytime soon), want to throw up the idea of bring back the Skill Gems into the game and further extending its use. It will be for 3 purpose, one to easier, faster skill acquiring, 2nd for weapon/armor upgrade, and 3rd as a way of adding more tradable item and interesting loots into the game. (and yes, for those who have good memories, I posted something of the same long ago too)

For those who didn’t play the first E3 for Everyone Open Beta and the earlier betas, Skill Gems are little gems that was drop by the boss mob. (ranger boss drop ranger gem, etc) Each gem has a skill (Gem of Apply Poison, for example) which you use to learn new skills. (if you have the skill point, take the gem and some gold to a trainer, and you will learn that skill). There was also a dynamic gem trader that buy/sell such skill gems.

For me, it was really fun playing with skill gems, as it feel more reward to kill a boss with such loot, more feel of collecting skills (like collecting the Playing Cards), waiting around to see if anyone sold the skill that you want to buy, and provide a way to easily customize you skills with out doing the quest thingie.

Skills
So if bring back skill gems, it would still be very similar to how it was before. It would be a % chance of drop by the bosses (but not a 100% chance), an tradable item that can also sold/bought at the gem trader. Can be use by both PvP and PvE character (but won’t make it have any unlocking effect until you learn it). This also help solve the problem of inflexible skill acquiring system that we have now, since if you have the money and the skill points, you can learn “Almost” any skills. But of course, you can still learn it for free by doing quests. Would also make it where you can only learn it at a skill trainer with some fee that is depended of your level and type of gems (thus allow more balance of price to the 1k skill price of now).

I would separate skill gems into 3 types

Common: The most common ones. Skill mostly include ones that you could learn early on in the game. Since they are drop often, they will be for most part be use for “batteries” (see gem crafting) Would set its price to be about 200-300 gold to sell, and about 500 gold to buy.

Rare: Its, well, more rare to find. Be of “better” skills, one that you would learn later on in game and not from quests. Set the price to be about 700-1.2k to sell, and about 1.5k-2k to buy. (maybe about the same dropping rate of Silver Dye?)

Elites/Special: Be of real rare. They will cost a lot, around 7k to 10k to sell, and 12k to Xk to buy (depend on the market). Also will cost more at the trainers. Since they allow you to learn Elite skills, it will be more exclusive to the “restarting” player who got the gold. Also have better crafting properties.

Gem Crafting
So, I was thinking that if skill gem does come back, its use will be somewhat limited, as to some point, most players will learn the skill they want, and its use will be of minimal. So flying off from the Raggie’s Card crafting scheme, why not make the gem be able to use as upgrade too!

First, need also introduce a “slotted” weapons. Such weapon will be of same skin and stats (but should make most slotted one with out any special property), beside it being slotted. It can go from 1 slot, 2 slot, and up to 3 slots (which will be very valuable). It is describing how many gems you can put on that weapon.

Than, you can put your skill gems and apply it on your slot weapon by a black smith (once put, can not take off) It will than give that weapon some special properties. Its property will be depended on the gems. (of course, the more common ones be of less bonus than the rare and specials)

Some example might be:

-Gem of Glyph of Less Energy (common gem): +1 energy, non-stack

-Gem of Shield Bash (rare gem): +4 AL, non-stack

-Gem of Power Strike (common gem): +1 Damage, non-stack

-Gem of Glyph of Energy (elites gem): +1 energy, stackable

-Gem of Rodgort's Invocation (elites gem): 10% chance of causing Burn to your target for 3 seconds.

-Gem of Counter Blow (rare geme): 10% chance of 1 extra knock down time.

-Gem of Cyclone Axe (common gem): 10% chance of doing + 5 more damage when using the skill Cyclone Axe.

Etc etc.

Also note that some of the more common ones, and maybe rare ones’ bonus could be repeat (so don’t need to make every gem be of different property), and that you can use any gem on any weapon (so can apply a Mesmer Gem on a Axe or Wand or Sword or Bow or Hammer)

Of course, such great bonuses does not come in free. To make it the gem be of even more use (as well as gold sink), would make such gem-equipped weapon be limited charge. Thus say you equipped a Gem of Power Strike on your Hammer and get +1 damage, but after 24 hours, that +1 will be gone. You will than need to charge it by “feeding” another skill gem of the same class into it. So you double click any Warrior Skill Gems, doesn’t matter what skill, and apply to your hammer, and you will get the bonus again (have a fade/light up icon of the gem on the weapon description).

You don’t necessary have to re-charge it every time, but just when you needed its bonus. Give gems more use, and further the gold sink.


Again, with the slotted weapons and skill gems as drops/chest, it makes loot hunting or treasure hunting more interesting and more fun. More things to collect, more upgrade to add. Add more good and gold sink into economy. Make building your character faster and easier. In all, it create a small vertical level (the rich will be a bit more powerful), but also increase the scale of the horizontal level (more personal customization of your character and weapons). Thus I like to see the skill gems back.


Whew.. that was tiresome in typing out this long winded post. If you read atleast half of it... good for you. C&C welcome, after all that is why this is posted.

In yer dreams...

Its a nice read, but no.

No...we don't need to throw yet another thing into the already RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOed up economy.

in pve go for it.

in pvp, will be a hassle to balance. So I'm still in favour of adding some things that if used in pvp will just revert to their standard representation (give standard bonusses). But in pve are used for a bigger diversification. Since I'm getting tired and bored of all the nerves to pve in favour of pvp... And maybe increase the length to a week, since the game is oriented to the casual player.

so basically you want a way to capture skills from bosses rather than having to quest for them?

signet of capture anyone?

lord it would help in getting skills when you switch secondaries. So in stead of farming for skillpoints you could just go and hunt for them.

Choices and options, without making you have to do things to get them seeing as you can still buy them from the skilltrainers although we lack in most cases th eopportunity to get them from quests once you change profs.

I like the idea of more weapon customizing, but how about just making more Grip and Shaft type upgrades (if it were an axe)?

Please explain more on HOW. I see a healthier economy as one that have more diverse goods, and more utilitizble comsuming goods (gold sinks). (of couse, under the assumption that there will be a better trading system) I think it would help more than harm. Please explain more on how you think it would mess the economy up even more.

the whole weapon upgrading thing sounds like a good idea, but i dont like the fact that you would have to "recharge" it every 24 hours, that would just get annoying. but i would like to have more customization options with weapons. and if you get a certian gem in pve it would be unlocked for pvp, just like weapon upgrades. you should be able to buy them with faction too, for pvp purposes.

at least i want more types of weapon upgrades like the ones we have now.

go back to TGH and preach to the choir.

it lets you have a 9th slot and use a skill from a 3rd profession



if you dont think that would upset the balance...........

Hi, my name is lvl 5 n00b, My ub3r friend P W N Z O R just got Me into this game and now I just sit around in the Ascalon arena's with a bar full of elite and end game skills hahaha, watch me pwn [email protected]!

Hey fictional character n00b, good to see you here again.

so, remember, I am not asking to bring back skill Charms, but Gems. (which does not involve that whole ring/necklace thing)

I like gems, add em to only pve. Something NOT annoying. Something to add to the economy. and something to actually treasure hunt for. Although this has a Diablo 2 feel to it. But eh, other RPGs have it and how could it hurt? This very well could also be used in pvp if it had the stats that did not exceed 10% or added more than 2 dmg, 1 energy, and random burns and conditions only lasted 2 seconds.

Heck these gems could have generated percents. With the limits still applying but having durations/percents determine rarity.

Just for notes, this is actually a 2 part suggestion. 1, to suggest bring back the skill gems (which would somewhat change the current skill aquiring system), and 2, a further extension on the use of skill gems (the gem crafting).

It seems that most people (who had experience back than with the gems) like them and enjoy the freedom and surprise they bring. So I think with some modfications (to both the gem system and current skill system), it would be fun to see them again.

I my self is also "iffy" on the gem crafting, but I think with some play tests, it could come to a balance. It also give the gems more life, more use.

on the 24 hour time limit issue... I would keep it.. for the gold sink purpose. But again, you have to see that it is not a necessary. You pay to get a better boost. It should not be something where you MUST use it to win or get pass a mission. Again, you probly would get the same effect with a gold or green item with out charging, but the whole thing is to add more "fun" in loot hunting and customization.

On PvP gem crafting. I would allow someway where you could unlock the gems and slot weapons, thus craft your gem slotted weapons during the character creation process... that does not need recharging. (work like a mod) Than PvP and PvE would be on even ground. (and ways to earn gems with factions)

action, but if you have to hunt to enjoy your increased weapon then it gets old fast for the casual player. Reason why it should only need recharging after a week or so. 24 hours is a bit on the little side that way you can actually enjoy of the items you hunt in stead of going ow darnit i have to farm boss x and boxx y every day or else i won't get the skillgems i wanted, and by redcing the need to have to but not taking this need away you make it more relaxed and will allow people to go and hunt more bosses which turns out to be more fun.