Part 49: Game Mechanics: Level 20 Skills

Game Mechanics: Level 20 Skills

Most of the Level 20 skills are buff skills. Only one buff skill (Battle Rage, Defensive Posture, Way of the Wise Wizard, Way of the Battle Mage, Way of the Ranger) can be active.


Warrior Skills

Death Blow
– “Warriors adept in the Death Blow have spent part of their training concentrating on delivering devastating hits, which may critically hurt an opponent. The more skilful these hits become, the greater their chances are of scoring blows that will knock their enemies six foot under in no time..”

Critical Chance Bonus: +3% -> +25%

This passive skill adds to the chance of performing a critical hit. Critical hits do a lot of extra damage, so this is useful. It is added with the base critical chance of your weapon, and with any items with +Critical Chance on them. Since Yara hasn’t got a weapon, her base critical chance is only 5%. Points here will be useful, but I have higher priorities.



Reflect
– “Those who benefit from this advantageous spell can gleefully watch as part of the damage an enemy causes is reflected back to him. This way the foes that oppose the hero may be slain by the force of arms they themselves apply, in a wonderful example of poetic justice. ”

Chance of Reflection: 100%
Enemy Damage Returned: 20% -> 132%

This passive skill is like the Retribution Aura enchantments, except that the chance of reflecting damage is 100%. A percentage of the damage done to you is automatically reflected back at the enemy. However, the problem remains the same. While the damage dealt to you is dangerous to YOU, your enemies have much higher health pools than you do. Worthless, and I'm not using it.


Ranger Skills

There is only one ranger skill at Level 20.

Way of the Ranger
– “Those born for the bow will get the most out of their speciality by choosing this skill, which will enhance all stats that pertain to it.”

Mana Cost: 49 -> 89
Duration: 45 -> 120 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Ranged Damage Bonus: +114% -> +588%
Ranged Armour Bonus: +3 -> +45
Heightened Reflexes Bonus: +2 -> +30
Melee Damage Penalty: -70% -> 0%
Melee Armour Penalty: -42 -> 0

This skill is like Battle Rage, except for Rangers. It gives a GIANT boost to ranged damage at the cost of weakened melee damage and vulnerability. Ranged damage tends to be weaker in this game, so this is a very important skill. The initial low duration is problematic, though.



Mage Skills

There is only one Mage skill at Level 20.
Way of the Battlemage
– “Those who revel in the joy of aggressive magic will get the most out of their speciality by choosing this skill, which will enhance all the stats that pertain to it.”

Mana Cost: 49 -> 89
Duration: 45 -> 90 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Magic Damage Bonus: +30% -> +100%
Magic Armour Penalty: -20 -> +30
Indomitable Will Penalty: -20 -> +30

This skill is like Battle Rage, except for Mages. It gives a boost to magic damage at the cost of increased vulnerability to magic. The boost isn’t as large as that given by other skills, but the Mage’s Destruction skill already offers a passive boost to magic damage at all times.


Priest Skills

Summon Demon
– “If ever you find yourself outnumbered in a fight, this is the skill to use. Not only will the appearance of a Demon most likely leave your adversaries stranded with malodorous breeches, its claws will send them, torn to shreds, straight to the hellish dimension whence your unholy ally came.”

Mana Cost: 98 -> 178
Summon Duration: 180 -> 460 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Demon Level: 20 -> 40

This is the most worthwhile Summoning spell - it's actually worth using. The Demon is quite durable and aggressive, and it can even kill enemies on its own. It’s so aggressive that it sometimes runs away to kill enemies farther away, so it’s not the best defensive tank, though. However, since Yara is already somewhat of a tank, I won't be spending points on this.

Way of the Wise Wizard
– “Those who enjoy putting up an impenetrable shield of defensive magic will get the most out of their speciality by choosing this skill, which will enhance all the stats that pertain to it.”

Mana Cost: 19 -> 35
Duration: 90 -> 240 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Magic Armour Bonus: +10 -> +52
Indomitable Will Bonus: +2 -> +30
Magic Damage Penalty: -50% -> +20%

This skill is like Defensive Posture, but for mages. Like that skill, defence is less helpful at saving your life than a strong offence.