Lionheart SPECIAL System, Installment 9: The Divine Favor Skill

2002-12-02

Lionheart is a computer role playing game that is being developed by Reflexive Entertainment in conjunction with Black Isle Studios. The game is an original title which uses an updated version of the SPECIAL character development system (from Fallouts 1 and 2) in a quasi-historical medieval Europe. Lionheart diverges from traditional high fantasy by placing the player on Earth in the 16th century in which history has taken a different path and magic has been released upon the world. Using a mix of historical and fictional locations and characters, the player progresses through a deep story while advancing through the classless character system.

In this series of articles, designers of the game will discuss various changes that have been made to the SPECIAL rules system from how it appeared in the Fallout series.

Divine Favor (skill) in Lionheart.

Author's Note: We're still just as busy as can be. And with Holidays, things have been even worse. This week I have just included one skill branch from the Divine discipline. Since that wouldn't be all that exciting by itself, I threw in a few screenshots taken at the entrance to a crypt in which I used these spells to lay waste to some lumbering undead.

Divine Favor

Divine Might

Temporarily increases the damaging strength of the caster and, at later levels, all friendly characters within its radius of effect. Initially, 10% of the melee damage per physical hit is added to a character's damage results. For every 3 skill points spent, 2% is added to the damage amount added, to a maximum of 100%. At skill level 30, it adds a 150 pixel radius of effect, and adds 10% damage modifiers to allies within its radius of effect. At skill level 50, this spell also temporarily increases strength of the caster by 1, but is non-cumulative with other spells. These effects are non-cumulative with other spells or temporary modifiers.

Minimum Skill Divine Favor 1
Duration 20s + 1s per Skill Point
Mana Cost 30 + 1 per 3 Skill Points - max 65

Getting ready to give some undead a true beat down by Casting Divine Might.

Blessed Aim

This spell increases the percentage chance to hit of the caster when using either melee or ranged physical weapons. Initially, it gives a temporarily skill increase of 5 skill points across the board for all weapon and unarmed skills. This spell also adds a +5 to the "roll" of the digital 100-sided die to determine "to hit". While skill increases go up by 1 for every 2 skill points spent here with a maximum of 75, the bonus to hit does not.

Minimum Skill Divine Favor 11
Duration 10s + 1s per 3 Skill Points - max 30s
Mana Cost 40 + 1 per 3 Skill Points - max 110

Greater Sight

Casting this spell will increase the player's Perception for a limited amount of time, and as the spell gets better, it increases the player's Find Traps/Secret Doors ability. Perception is also increased by 2 at skill level 40. At skill level 15, the player's Find Traps/Secret Doors skill is temporarily increased by 5. This increases by 1 for every skill point spent, up to a maximum of 50.

Minimum Skill Divine Favor 19
Duration 20s + 1s per 2 Skill Points - max 70s
Mana Cost 35 + 1 per 3 Skill Points - max 90

Divine Power

Casting this spell will increases the player's Strength for a limited amount of time, and as the spell gets better, it increases Endurance. Strength is also increased to plus 2 at skill level 50. At skill level 30, the player's Endurance is also increased by 1.

Minimum Skill Divine Favor 21
Duration 10s + 1s per 2 Skill Points - max 60s
Mana Cost 40 + 1 per 3 Skill Points - max 95

I don't really need to cast Divine Power since my Spiritual Knight is killing everything in his path, but what the heck?

Spiritual Knight

Calls forth a ghost of a Knight Templar to fight for the player that has increased hit points and increased damage modifiers than when it was alive. Hit points start out at 15% above normal, and can be increased by 5% for every 2 skill points in this skill up to a maximum of 100% extra (plus the original 15%). At skill level 20 the knight gains a damage bonus of 1, and increases by 1 for every 10 skill points spent up to a maximum of +6. The power of the night summoned is evidenced by his armor and clothing.

Minimum Skill Divine Favor 37
Duration 3 minutes
Mana Cost 90 + 1 per 2 Skill Points - max 140

Summoning up my Spiritual Knight. He fights better than I do and if he dies... I'll just make another one.