Yes. Dynaric does sound a bit awful. Maybe... you could use some cool synonym for life? Void being negative/destruction/death, and this one being something about life? That's the best I've got for that, I think.

Maybe these could all still be wands, just be {gemtype} {energytype} wands? A beryl aetheric wand or a turquoise temporal wand? Wands are nice, and you can use them to rap the podium during a good lecture in the guild hall, or to whip a novice who is misbehaving. Doing that with a wrench or other tool just isn't very classy.

EDIT: I was going to suggest Domotheon, but I didn't think it would be accepted.

Potential Energy?

For what it's worth, the theoretical/experimental/engineer/mathematician thing is more about attitude, and in no way contradictory with any of this stuff -- it's more a matter of roleplay, another element that the guild can use to play around with its flavor and culture. More analogous to the way the Spiritsingers have writing, history, performance, etc. in its advancement stuff than to the Transmology paths. I was wrong to suggest it might be a good thing to build skill mechanics around -- Estarra's stuff is better for that -- but that doesn't mean the guild's members shouldn't explore it.

By "other dimensions," are you talking about planar shifts? Planar sounds much more Lusternian than dimensional.

Also, if you run with domothean over positronic, maybe shift the focus from positive vs. negative to something like mortal vs. divine or pure vs. incarnate, and replace void with physical, phenomenologic, or maybe even aesthetic, depending on how willing you are to redefine a word based on etymology.

If we're going with the tools, here are some ideas.

Each tool has a unique GESTURE TOOL function that applies an unremovable debuff to the target which can only be applied to one target at a time, such as:

Arcana: -15 (?) magic DMP
Aetheric: Quicksilver takes +2 seconds AND/OR aeon does not expire AND/OR +.25 seconds to aeon delay
Temporal: -15% (?) timewarp cured
Dimensional: -5 power for Resonance, +50% Convoke speed
Void: +30% shatterplex damage
Positronic: Health/mana/ego drained by gems is given to the Researcher

Could make positronic double the effects of certain gems too (double onyx affs? double bloodstone? double amethyst? etc) maybe, instead of some regen healthleech.

Well, if gems are being changed to target an individual and buffed/changed to match up (which was discussed earlier, and I think generally agreed upon), the changes would need to be made there first (and they'd need to be known) before you decided to add more effects on top.

I just had an idea for the spinning gems, though don't know how feasible it is -

You can spin multiple x gems around you (maybe onyx or sapphire), and they charge up as they orbit around you with each tick up to a maximum of 3 ticks. You can then launch the gem at a single target, causing the gem to explode/latch onto the victim and cause a number of ailments/damage depending on the charge level. Pre-charging the gems and then sending them at enemies takes balance and is faster than individually crystalspinning them (so it pays off to be prepared).



Got inspiration for this idea from looking at the hex palm skill.

Oh and I was just playing around with the different stones/gems. Actually they're pretty fun and cool At the same time I was thinking how neat it'd be if we could make miniature polyhedrons that did those same things... it's just purely cosmetic though.

It looks like Estarra is happy with the 6 she's come up with, but another convenient group of 6 dimensional things could be:

primordial
ethereal
elemental
cosmic
astral
aetheric

Primordeal/Primal is very... Soullessy, and ethereal is very not Hallifax.

Well, it's referring to the energies of the various planes, all of which would in theory be studied even if they're not directly tied to Hallifax.

I hate to slightly change the subject, but could we possibly change either (the required gem for shatterplex from ruby to something else) or (change ruby's damage type)? Because, no offense but Hallifax's enemies are strong against fire, and I don't think we should be slinging fireballs at them. Maybe let us choose our damage type, like CRYSTALSPIN RUBY @TARGET @ELEMENT? Or make ruby do what Sapphire does, and make sapphire an ice or lightning attack?

some tool choices:
Lever
Wheel and axle
Pulley
Inclined plane
Wedge
Screw

Face my VOID PULLEY!

It'd be nice if sapphire had the added functionality to be spun and targeted as a ruby, but with cold damage. It'd be a little more harmonious with the Astrology Volcano / Glacier debuffs.

According to the AB files on the Wiki for Ruby it says it is Magic damage.

Estarric and Kethurean.

Very true. I didn't flesh the idea out too well.

I was thinking more along the lines of those being part of a name rather than indicating any influence over the particular plane. Something like: ethereal complementarity or cosmodynamics.

I vote Syntophic or Eutrophic for the Positronic tool.

I really like my wand. I don't think we really need that big of an aesthetic change overall. I believe the main complaint of this thread is the lack of connection between Harmonics and the Continuum.

so...

an arcane wand - While some look down on the use of such an implement by the esteemed fellows of the Institute, none have been able to successfully agrue against its usefulness in the field of Arcane Metaphysics. Masters of this implement need only a simple gesture to direct arcane energies, both in their experiments and in defense.

an aetheric resonator?

A temporal screwdriver - Some find the term screwdriver misleading when first introduced to this peculiar item. Lacking any outward appearance of a screwdriver, this device is primarily used for adjusting temporal fields, loosening and tightening the grip of time as needed. Sometimes used offensively by randomly adjusting temporal fields around a single target, causing different parts of their body to move at varying speeds through time.

A dimensional modulator?

a void manipulator?

A domotheon scalpel - Commonly employed by fellows studying the natural sciences, the scalpel is a medical instrument of great precision. Used in both dissection as well as medical procedures, the scalpel employs domotheon energies to make clean incisions. Certain settings also allow for offensive uses through increased range, these settings have been observed causing seemingly random bursts of healing energy into the user.

Just some explanations I thought of, I keep thinking of the screw driver as a layman's term that just caught on though.