| |
Site Navigation
Main
News
Forums
Games
Games Database
Top 100
Release List
Support Files
Features
Reviews
Previews
Interviews
Editorials
Diaries
Misc
Download
Gallery
Music
Screenshots
Videos
Miscellaneous
Staff Members
Privacy Statement
|
|
|
|
Tiercel
Guest
|
| If only Alchemy could do this... |
|
At first I thought Alchemy was very cool. I have it as one of my major skills. And I quested until I could raise my skill (via an expert trainer) to the point where I could identify all four qualities of everything.
But then it lost its coolness. Not because I could see everything and so there was no mystery left, but because I could see everything and there was nothing nifty to find.
If you could put the ingedients together and place the effect on an item, like enchantment, that would be cool. Or if you could combine things in ways beyond the four ingredients and come up with new effects, that would be cool. Or if you could know the spell (for casting and enchantment purposes) after you know how to create its effect through alchemy, that would be cool. Or if every spell in the game could be created via potions--or even spells that could ONLY be created through alchemy--that would be cool, too.
But no. Now I hardly ever use alchemy anymore and I never pick up ingredients. What's the point?
Tiercel |
Wed May 29, 2002 8:34 pm |
|
|
MoonDragon
High Emperor
Joined: 25 May 2002
Posts: 1254
Location: Waterloo, Canada |
How can someone teach you something you're epistemically bounded from knowing?
In other words, how does someone show you something when you're blind? You don't see reason, so how does one show you reason? You can't see it. You said so yourself.
_________________
(@) |
|
Wed May 29, 2002 8:39 pm |
|
|
Rhys
Guest
|
Well, since you can damage opponents with a sword, what's the point of the entire destruction school of magic? And since you can absorb damage with armor, why use the alteration school with shields? Heck, since you can buy restoration potions, that school of magic must be useless as well, and since you can pay someone to enchant, I guess that school is bunk too. Mark/recall/intervention can be done via bought or quested items, so mysticism is out, and with sneak/hide and such, illusion is bunk too.
Guess the entire magic system oughta be discarded.
I like alchemy, if only because it has taught me to pay more attention to the game world. There's something very nice about walking down a path, seeing a bush, and thinking "hey, comberry--I could use some of that for 'restore magicka' potions!" As a caster, I'll admit that I use Alchemy mostly for 'restore magicka' and a couple of other effects--but most potions are very light, and I like the ability to pull out many different effects without having to worry about mana drain.
Great skill; tremendously useful. If you don't like it, spend yer attentions elsewhere; nothing wrong with that either.
-->Rhys |
|
Wed May 29, 2002 11:43 pm |
|
|
LORD_LSD
City Guard
Joined: 08 May 2002
Posts: 138
Location: Anywhere but there |
And in english the reason to pick up (or buy) ingrerdients would be making potions? The better your skill, the better your potion. So an 100 skill healing would give you like 30 points for 15 seconds. If thats meaningles to you, then by god stop using the skill and concentrate on something else.
Only efect that should be put from potions to items would be poison/paralyze/etc. to weapons - and restricted to assassins/thieves.
Knowing the spell by knowing how to make a potion is absurd. If you know how to combine herbs to create an effect, why should it make you able to cast that spell without the herbs? And finally more or less all spells are available through alchemy.
_________________
- Of all the worlds there must be - why was i born on this one? -
- Idiocy. A rare encounter or a way of life? - |
|
Wed May 29, 2002 11:43 pm |
|
|
Lawnmower
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 21 May 2002
Posts: 103
|
| Applying potions to items |
|
I think that you should be able to apply poison to a blade, but only as an assasain-type character. But it's a cool concept.
Maybe applying a levitate potion to boots, as a cheap cast-when-used enchantment. Or coating your armor with resist fire, or soaking a robe in an invisibility/chameleon potion to create camo (low-grade chameleon, i should guess). This could be balanced by making seperate potions to apply and to use.
_________________
It's a paradox to say that you are lying. Luckily, I can still say that you're lying.
Don't do drugs. Pick one and stick with it. |
|
Thu May 30, 2002 1:29 am |
|
|
MoonDragon
High Emperor
Joined: 25 May 2002
Posts: 1254
Location: Waterloo, Canada |
My alchemy is less than 50 (I can't see all the effects yet), and I used mostly Master level items.
So you tell me that's not cool.  My first attempt at alchemy.
_________________
(@) |
|
Sat Jun 01, 2002 2:18 am |
|
|
Lisje
Head Merchant
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 61
Location: Fort Myers, Florida |
I've found that for combat effects (resists/heals) I FAR prefer alchemy to enchantments or scrolls. I can quaff a potion between strikes without the need to put away my blade. And the homemade ones are far superior to store-bought once you get the Master's tools.
Also, Fortify Luck is one you should be making, turns out to be VERY useful - once you can boost it to 65-70 (I don't think the vendors sell ones will take you that high) those chests tend to have better loot, and patrolling guards almost always linger at the distant end of their routes while you do something "questionable."
I still can't see all the effects yet, and looking thru every ingredient in my chest is a pain anyway, so if you have any good mnemonics you use, I'd love to hear them. My favorite is right from the game - there's a farmer with a guar named Corky... Might have to post those in spoilers though, I hope my one hint is OK. |
|
Sat Jun 01, 2002 3:42 am |
|
|
some guy
Guest
|
You can stack potions really easily, that's why they're cool. Well attribute buffs at least. Has anyone tried it with shield potions and levitate? Does defense and levitate magnitude stack? |
|
Sat Jun 01, 2002 6:37 am |
|
|
REDF0X
Guest
|
Potions are great if you aren't specifically a caster, since you tend to get the crap beat out of you while you are readying a spell. With potions you don't have to do that, you just open your inv and drop the potion(s) on you or better yet just set the popular ones to a hot key and there you go, no pause or complemenary a$$ beating |
|
Sat Jun 01, 2002 7:32 pm |
|
|
The Hurricane
Tempered Warlord
Joined: 01 Jun 2002
Posts: 299
Location: The Sword Coast |
I think alchemy is one of the better developed skills in the game. Potions come in handy during combat and it's a great skill for the non-caster. ...and how would one learn to cast spells by mixing herbs together?
_________________
= Member of The Nonflamers' Guild =
= Member of The Alliance of Middle-Earth =
= Not just a member, but a client of The Followers of Righteousness =
"Stand back...there's a hurricane coming through..." |
|
Sun Jun 02, 2002 2:03 am |
|
|
Dave
Village Dweller
Joined: 24 May 2002
Posts: 20
Location: York, PA. |
I got the shi@s of alchemy too after awhile. Reading all the praises here makes me miss it again though. These are all good points. Not having to put your weapon away while you cast a spell is very efficeint indeed. Depends on what kind of character your playing I suppose. I think I'll go back and start a new one tonight.  This will be my 15th character. Still haven't found the combination of skills/attributes/race/gender/sign that I want to stick with yet. I know I'm getting close though... |
|
Mon Jun 03, 2002 5:02 pm |
|
|
Tiercel
Guest
|
I do think Alchemy is cool. Don't get me wrong. I love how it made me pay attention to plants everywhere I went. I even caught myself glancing at plants in the real world, wondering--just for a split-second--what attributes they might possess.
It's just that I think they could've done so much more with it. What about potions that can only be made by combining four ingredients that have no similar attributes, but when put together create something completely new--like instant level up or instant death to any touched creature?
What about adding another piece of machinery that lets the alchemist apply the ingredients' common effects to a weapon or piece of armor?
What about true alchemy--working with normal substances to create gold?
What about dark side alchemy where pushers could create illegal substances that would fetch a high price in the thieves' guild?
What about experimental alchemy in which you discover your own new effects--but run a chance of blowing yourself up?
What about a Jekyl/Hyde potion or a werewolf potion?
I just think they could've knocked it out of the park, but they settled for an RBI. Good, but could've been amazing.
Tiercel |
|
Mon Jun 03, 2002 11:57 pm |
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:44 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
