Power is a delightful mechanic, but it robs us of all sorts of interesting flavour possibilities - why not start off by adding an essence like mechanic to Necromancy? We'll begin by calling it "Spirit force", because the "spirit force" differentiates it completely from its other IRE game counterparts. Really it does. Incidently, you're able to gather as much as you like, without an upper limit. Feel free to suggest something else for a name. An example of how it would work - Yrael is skipping merrily along the Ackleberry Highway. He stops, noticing a corpse - Well, obviously, he jams his fist into the corpse (in a completely platonic manner) and whistles, extracting the brain of the target as whole as possible, cramming it down to gain leftover spiritual residue - much like the inner worm, except everyone's favorite Yrael is after that vital spark of life, mingled with the tinge of death that comes from a corpse. He gains 500-10000 spirit force, (again, feel free to suggest a better name) depending on the level of the corpse. In this case, the villagers rejoice because it is the grieferfish, and he gains a flat 10k. Of course, everyone knows that Demigods can't die, let alone leave a corpse, so you'll have to use your imagination. Essence scale as follows:
0-29: 500.
30-39: 2000.
40-49: 3500.
50-69: 5000.
70-79: 5500
80-98: 8000
99-100: 10000

The following skills would be updated to use it:
Lich (2000)
Ectoplasm (200)
Contagion (250, none for breathe contagion)
Ghost (500)
Shrivel (150)
Putrefaction (25 every tick)
Disfigure (100)
Raisedead (150 for each grade of the corpse. Skeletons, 150, for example, while a wight is 750.)

Note that the "Nil based" powers of Omen and Crucify are left out of the Sf costs. That, and stuff that isn't particularly "death-y".

Also, add the following skills to Necromancy, or their rough equivalents:
Blur - 600 SF: If the target is currently disfigured, blur their features even further. (Force disfigure to last for an extra 5 seconds before it can be cured)
Curse - 2500 Sf, 3p - Gift another with undeath. (Someone else transforms into a corpse, -1 int/str during the day, +1 at night. generally meant as a "You bastard" skill. Fades when they croak, give Sacraments users a method of removing this particular type of undeath, but not Lichdom, aside from INquisition.)
SoilBond - 10000 Sf, 10p. Become a permenant member of the undead. (You'll always lich, provided you have the power in your reserves to do so. If you don't, reform slowly at the Megalith as a vengeful spirit, but still with the "archlich" properties. You just lose the prayer grade of experience. RELEASE BOND to return to normal, otherwise, it lasts forever.)
DeadVision - 300 Sf per tick, allows you to see dreambodies.
Consumption - 1000 Sf, does a 600 damage before resistance mods, and knockdown. Usable every 8 seconds. (Twist spirit force to consume the living.)

Thoughts?


(It was stuck in my head after a shift, alright?)

It's interesting, but I don't see it being implemented. And the Celestians will want their own version , which will then get complained about due to being overpowered

I don't think we need to copy essence from the other IREs...

Also consider, Yrael, that a lot of people will dismiss this idea because it comes from you. Not trying to sound rude just pointing out a fact

I do not like this idea.

Essence is not required due to the fact that we have the Power system implemented in the first place. I do not like the idea either. My problem with Priests/Apostates from Achaea is that whenever I've played one and I get into fighting, I find myself running out of Devotion/Essence on a constant basis. Coupled with power, this would just agitate Necromancers.

If Necromancers could use something other than Power to power their skills, suddenly their feats in other skillsets become much better. Think about it; all sorts of skills are risky or not terribly good to use because you can't use them and your Necromancy abilities at the same time due to Power limitations. Without Power limitations, a lot of the combat balance in Necromancers just goes away.

Besides, Power is MEANINGFUL. It's part of the world, it's part of what Lusternia is about, it's vastly more flavourful than some generic notion about "essence" or "spirit."

Abilities that use power would still require power; I didn't say anywhere that they wouldn't. Or that they would, I suppose. I find power terribly.. generic.

Don't nerf necromancy unless you find a way to nerf forum necromancy along with it.

Adding a cost just serves to weaken the skillset if you're leaving power alone.

I don't see how that adds flavor, it's just another essence cost. Salvaging the corpse for internal organs, preserving them (items kept in some kind of belt type containers), and then using them in skills which would be more ritualistic flavored would be a better way to go. But that kind of thing needs to be built into the system when it's created. That also applies to your idea actually - just putting additional requirement in now would rather piss off most people, especially that it's not fancy at all.

That's not to say that you're alone in your feeling of disappointment that Necromancy is Just Another Skillset. But oh well, it is.

Just to play devil's advocate to everyone else, I don't really see this as a nerf to Necromancy. By adding additional costs, you can buff the current skills because, well, they cost more (point-buy D&D?). Also note that the original suggestion came pre-packaged with your very own starter pack of neat-o skills so you can start raping corpses from day 1.

Although something like putrefaction is either going to have to be really good, or it'll have to be really easy to get SF. One corpse at 500 would sustain it for about 20 seconds up to the grieferfish for about 6 minutes.

So while I honestly don't see an overhaul to Necromancy anytime soon, why not spend your time suggesting modifications to skills to make them better?

I would like to see this even if it isn't used for skills. It would mean fresh liver and onions and intestine boas for all of Magnagora.

uh...no