Implementing Levitation in DDO

[Chaosprism]

I suggest "light gravity" from the Inspired Quarter Mission Finale.

Be what levitation (level 2 spell) does for you.

It wont increase your jump, but you'll get higher and further by giving you feather fall, and lighter gravity to jump in.


Issues come with flight and levitation to do with enemy AI not being able to do much against a floating gun turret. So making light gravity means they cant stay up there indefinitely.



The other thing that levitation could do , is simply float the user just above the ground (much like mephits do), they're still able to be meleed with, And automatic feather fall as well . But are immune to knockdown, slipping on surfaces(ice or oil etc) , and can cross over water/lava/green mist surface as if it were solid.
(wraithform palemasters would also get this in that form)



Any thoughts?

[stormarcher]

Great Idea. I like it and maybe in the future the Dev's will put it into the game

[Alexander_Illusioni]

I like both ideas, with levitation allowing you to float over lava and slippery surfaces, while fly could be a form of light gravity. Nice suggestions!

[Talon_Oakenleaf]

Only thing is that when you get hit and your floating in the air, I would like to see the dev's add the voice over dungeon master to say "look at the guy who just took a club to the face and is now butt over tea kettle for a hundred yards" Oh yeah add the visual effect for it too! Now that would be funny.

[Chaosprism]

Yeah the downside of levitating is that your horizontal speed is reduced a little (maybe 10-15%) (as opposed to feather fall where it's not)

Getting hit by a big giant blow that would knock you back may well launch you horizontally across the map (can somebody say reverse leap of faith?)

It's important that spells, if powerful in one area have other downsides.

[azrael4h]

Levitation is already in, as a monster ability. Just go to WW and watch in amazement as Kobold Shamans and Throwers hover in midair, at will! Even Orc Warriors in the Cerulean Hills have this ability, as evidenced when I ran through there yesterday on a level 4 Cleric. Twice I ran across Orc Warriors standing in mid-air, even before I drew their attention. :D

On a serious note, being flung across the map is coded in; one of the House D quests, 'Spy in the House' or some such has a mild puzzle which involved compressed air and a heavily armored paladin being flung into a wall or two. It's buggy, and requires precise positioning to get the intended effect (and continue the quest) but it's there. So that could make for a interesting mechanic to the Levitation spell. Just make it happen on a critical, not every hit. That would be far too much, and no one would bother using it.

[Chaosprism]

I agree getting criticalled while levitating would be a fun slight drawback.

Being immune to getting knocked down, having feather fall on (for longer than the level 1 spell) Being able to skim over water and lava, acid.

The other drawback is the movement speed while levitation is on, HASTE or other run speed improvers wont help as you are levitating keeps you at a constant rate. You need to be able to cancel the spell at will also.

The "fly" version is an example of slow movement rate in reavers refuge.

[Nott]

I think the reason we aren't likely to see this any time soon is there are too many places you could reach which you are not intended to be able to jump to. These are places which would give you an advantage against the environment which you're not intended to have, and it would be too much effort for Turbine to go back and figure out what all those spots are to make them inaccessible still.