We can consider point 1. No promises.

We evaluated the costs of Ascendant abilities when we went through Demigods. They are, intentionally, expensive.

Just saying, a siphoner on a good aetherhunt can pull in about 200-250k an hour, WITHOUT any exp bonuses whatsoever. Adjust 20% for human, 10% for domoth, 10% for karma, 10% for bloodrage/harvest/autumn, etc. Don't know how that compares with say, astral bashing, but that's for a right proper hunt.

Sounds like it's a bit (-50k) under optimal astral bashing. Frankly, for what amounts to no cost nor effort, that's pretty good experience. It doesn't even require lessons in a skillset beyond a dozen in Aethercraft.

Not everyone is human, though. Not everyone has a 10% domoth bonus. Not everyone has 10% for bloodrage/harvest/autumn.

Bonuses are meant to be bonuses, not the standard by which averages are figured.

Just saying, I used to see aetherhunts planned all the time on CT and city clans. I haven't seen one organized since the change.

Well go tell that to the admin, not me. I'm just giving you numbers, gov.

@E: From Xiel's site, siphon takes 28 lessons. On the other hand, if you're just sitting and leeching, you don't need any lessons.

I understand that, just putting it here because it seems like the adjustments were made with a lot of bonuses in mind.

To be honest, this barely effects me, but I did have fun during the past city aetherhunts and I'm kind of disappointed that they just don't happen anymore.

I wholly support the suggestion that Vernal Demigods can have two ascendant powers and Vanilla Demigods can have one. That, alone, would fix almost everything that I feel is wrong with this system, and once it did, the awesome would still be there.

If that's still not acceptable, how about letting Vanilla Demigods at least buy one (but not more than one at a time) "ascendant" power only as ephemeral? So we can at least have the essence shop that justifies us churning up this essence. Preventing them being supernumerary is kind of arbitrary and less good, but it's better than not getting anything.

With regards to trade skills:

It's not so much synergy that I'm worried about, there's still:

1. Combat impact - far easier to pick up poisons immunity + splendors/fullplate to further throw warriors under the bus. I'll admit the other tradeskills don't really have any major combat impact, but it does help highlight the...

2. Economic impact. Businesses can start getting almost entirely self-sufficient, everything provided entirely by one person. Is this realistic? Jewelry/Enchanting/Alchemy/Herbs (though that's only for Bards) all in one? The value of the lesson cost (or lack thereof, if you've got the artifact) is pretty ambiguous as a stopping point/deterrent from this happening.

I guess penny pinching can't be helped since the commodity/design comms changes, but I do miss the days when people didn't try to cut corners by having their rings made almost entirely out of herbs.

If anyone wants to spend 150 million essence, get ascendant/VD, and trans up those trades to cut corners, I say they earned it.

Edit: Why not just wait until more powers are released first before clamoring for domoth powers access. I don't feel entirely comfortable with letting everyone and their mother have access to fearaura/destruction/aegis/etc. You guys already complained when only ascendants had them, and now you want to spread it out further?

Rings made entirely out of herbs will most likely be rejected. 'Cutting corners' can only go so far before the Panel is supposed to step on it.

Re the economic impact, that's a lot of lessons being spent hopping among tradeskills (not only do you need to pay the cost for the skillsets being activated/deactivated, but you also need to pay for high/low magic for enchantment/alchemy/herbs/poisons). Even with multiple slots, you'll still be hopping back and forth a fair bit.

"Because when everyone is Super, no one will be!"

As for trade skills, I already have master armour, a magic tome, and immunity to a poison. Skillflex already makes these things possible, except that I don't get direct access to some of the passive/fleeting bonuses like the stuff in Herbs or the dwarven runes.

Ahh, I'd forgotten about the magic requirements. It's far more difficult to pull off, I guess. Thanks for pointing that out.

(Sojiro has a good point too, there.)

Well, I'd be happy to have a select few restricted (or gotten rid of). Mostly I'm feeling that the "new powers" thing is going to be too severely limited because so many of the good ideas are already in the restricted list that even when we get them we're going to have virtually no "essence shop", while a perfectly good essence shop is sitting there being reserved for a dozen people. But who knows? Maybe the "extra powers" thing will pan out into some neat stuff. I really don't mind at all the idea of the ascendants having more choices as well as more points -- I just am eager to see when the rest of us get some options that aren't all "buy back what you already had". (Between SecondTradeskill, PlanarQuickening, and the custom messages, I feel like we got about one-and-three-quarters new choices.)

Lest I sound too negative, I am very happy that half of the obstacles to makinga it so demigods have something to do have been removed, by making it feasible for us to buy most of what we had and still have a bit left for other stuff. Just because I'm eager for the other half doesn't mean I'm not happy about the first step being taken.

An interesting compromise would be to let the VD's have any one ascendant power (from any cost/weight) while demis can only have the lowest level ascendant power. That way, they don't get fearaura/etc/etc yet still have more options.

Edit: New powers first though.

It has been like one day!

I find your sample size wanting.

Akui said it! It must be true! Quick, Fire's frozen over and Vortex just spit out a fully grown Elder God! The apocalypse is now!

Anyways. Regarding demipowers, as I've said before - I really think opening up Ascendant powers to demigods would just be a head-pat and a short-cut. Would far prefer to see new and interesting demigod powers out there, just for demigods!

I like getting patted on the head though

Please give demigods the demi power of a demi squad... Increase essence accumulation based on the number of demigods in your squad! Yay for astral bashing