The nature of Astral nodes is that they are a link to, and a manifestation of, Astral Power (Tainted, destructive energies). Make the nodes more unpredictable, to make bashing a bit more interesting and to cut down on both overlinking and node farming.

Make the number of spawns a bit random. Currently you link, you get one spawn. Woohoo. Make it vary from one to three or four, perhaps the more the node has been linked in the last hour, the greater the chance of multiple spawns.

Also, give nodes "feedback". If the power is truly so raw and unharnessed, then it should behave as such. Sometimes there should be a sort of "mana burn" where you lose one power instead of gain, and take a couple hundred damage. Perhaps make the amount of damage relative to the charged value of the node. If the node is near empty or full, linking causes lots more damage than it would otherwise. This would cut down quite a bit on overlinking, yet also keep the hardcore bashers from being able to farm or sit on a single node.

On that note, maybe make the amount of power gained random.

Just a few ideas, since I am stuck coming up with them instead of bashing Astral, being all empty and whatnot.

Not bad ideas!

getting more than one creature is more of a plus than a minus.

I didn't say the changes would be negative. Just a bit of unpredictable flavour.

Funny, I never realized that Astral power is Tainted and destructive. Seems like a normal, raw power to me.

I think a bit of randomness would do very well to keep in line with the nature of Astral...any of your ideas would be welcome. I especially like your idea about powerburn and feedback, since that would add an interesting element to the staple sit-at-node-and-tank tactics.

Considering it holds much of Kethuru's being, and that history has shown its corrupting, taint based nature (Just ask Lolly), I would say the power it supplies is of an unpredictable, destructive nature. Granted, planar skills help harness this, but things can always go wrong...

Not for lower end mages. Niara would love it, but it'd just mean I need another 10 levels before I can think about doing it solo.

Lets add more spheres to astral, Encorperate the chinese zodiak sign

You know...

Year of the dog and so on


So have a dog sphere
a pig sphere
a dragon sphere
a cock sphere
a ram sphere

and so on.

Yeah, I'd be in trouble, even though I can usually kill 3 if I'm really, really careful. Usually.

4072h, 5239m, 3033e esSilrx-
A large penis whacks you upside the head.
2563h, 5239m, 3033e esSilrx-

Let's see how long it takes THIS thread to get back on topic.

I really like the ideas here, actually. Astral shouldn't be as stable as 'sit at the node and spawn one creature, kill it, and return', it should be a whole lot more difficult. It's linked to Kethuru, and we all know that he's not exactly a paragon of stability. I love the feedback idea.

-cough- Oooh, Estarra! Make us go insane if we spend time on the Astral plane! Please, oh please! Give us a form of dementia that can only be cured by a special quest or something. Please, oh, please, oh, please!

4 minutes!