Caster Training Dummy

[biggin]

I think it would be nice to have a caster training dummy for new arcanes/divines to practice targeting, aiming and swapping gear to find the most optimal setup for different spells.

Now, I know the arguement will be, "But Biggin, the PvP pit is full of dummies. Why do we need more?" I'll tell you why. Because it takes a week to wash the stench out of my clothes from those dirty PvPers, that's why.

[Asketes]

I like this idea.

One alteration.

It would have to be in a special room (instance) of the ship where ALL damage spells are allowed to be cast that way we can see what each spell a) looks like b) what type of damage it does.

Rather than having HP, this dummy wouldn't actually die or give a buff. It's only purpose is to try out damage spells and see what they look like. The dummy would have ZERO resistances/protections and take normal damage, no evasion etc etc.

[decease]

one thing.. damaging spell are not allowed in public area...

[Memnir]

I like the idea, but as they said....

It would have to be in a special room (instance) of the ship where ALL damage spells are allowed to be cast that way we can see what each spell a) looks like b) what type of damage it does.

one thing.. damaging spell are not allowed in public area...

But, that's cool. We can work around that, if we really want to. (okay, the Devs could if they really wanted to - but anyways)
Back in the Sav. Invasion, most spells worked in the Marketplace. In fact that persisted until recently, if my memory serves. So, we add that feature back - but in the Portable Hole.

See, the PH is a place for mages - so it'd make sense for them to be able to cut loose with their spells in that location. Perhaps tweak the spells-allowable mechanic to include all spells, including AoEs. Add a back room to the PH - behind the bar, perhaps - that is kitted out with a half dozen or so Training Dummies, and allow spell casters to go nuts.


I think it'd be cool, anyways.

[biggin]

All very good tweaks to the idea. Like Memnir said, we used to be able to cast offensive spells in the Marketplace. As a matter of fact, new players would have to jump in with a pack of people to not get their brains bashed in moving from house to house (hearing that devil 'zone-in' sound still makes me jumpy).

Legion has the largest available airship so I thought one of those inside rooms would work nicely. However the Portable Hole or even House P in the tavern area would be better ideas as obviously most new players wouldn't have ship access.

[Shadow7375]

Yes, it would indeed be nice to be able to test out some spells.

[Silverwren]

This idea has been brought up before......

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=352951

and I think in one other thread that I can't find at the moment, and it definitely deserves to be brought up again.

Simply from the stand point of fairness we need a caster dummy. The dummy right now is strictly for melee types (unless the caster wants to wail away at it for 20 minutes). Casters have nothing to test their spell power against except for other toons in the PvP pits.

There should be an area somewhere (not the Portable Hole. I'll get to why in a minute) where offensive spells can be cast against dummies, and perhaps the dummies should come in varying degrees of difficulty so that DC and Spell Pen can be tested. They should all grant a buff, nothing earth shattering, maybe stacking +1 to DC or a few extra SP.

As to the point that spells can't be cast in public areas? No problem. The dummies are contained in a side room in an instance of their own.

Why not the Portable Hole? The only way to get there is to teleport, and that's a level 5 spell. It would mean that lower level casters would have to wait until they get to that level to use the test dummies, defeating the purpose of them entirely.

[Uska]

I like this idea.

One alteration.

It would have to be in a special room (instance) of the ship where ALL damage spells are allowed to be cast that way we can see what each spell a) looks like b) what type of damage it does.

Rather than having HP, this dummy wouldn't actually die or give a buff. It's only purpose is to try out damage spells and see what they look like. The dummy would have ZERO resistances/protections and take normal damage, no evasion etc etc.

This I like, casters dont need buffing but a test dummy would be very useful

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

one thing.. damaging spell are not allowed in public area...

It could be a special "training house", similar to a guild ship ...

[danotmano1998]

This I like, casters dont need buffing but a test dummy would be very useful

agreed.

/Signed!!

It would be very worthwhile to be able to swap your spells at your leisure and do some test fires/statistics analysis stuff on a dummy.

Make the dummy unkillable, just show us the damages done etc..

[Krago]

I doubt this will happen. Because then we can point out what other bugs exist with effects not stacking like they should.

/sarcasm off

A novel idea.

[Asketes]

This I like, casters dont need buffing but a test dummy would be very useful

I like the idea, but as they said....
But, that's cool. We can work around that, if we really want to. (okay, the Devs could if they really wanted to - but anyways)
Back in the Sav. Invasion, most spells worked in the Marketplace. In fact that persisted until recently, if my memory serves. So, we add that feature back - but in the Portable Hole.

See, the PH is a place for mages - so it'd make sense for them to be able to cut loose with their spells in that location. Perhaps tweak the spells-allowable mechanic to include all spells, including AoEs. Add a back room to the PH - behind the bar, perhaps - that is kitted out with a half dozen or so Training Dummies, and allow spell casters to go nuts.


I think it'd be cool, anyways.

agreed.

/Signed!!

It would be very worthwhile to be able to swap your spells at your leisure and do some test fires/statistics analysis stuff on a dummy.

Make the dummy unkillable, just show us the damages done etc..

Just to reiterate & clarify:

Name: Caster Test Dummy
HP: Unlimited
Evasion: No
Resistances: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Location: An instanced room on the airship, the only known place in the entire public 'world' where damage spells may be cast. Only the dummy is affected by them. This dummy MUST be able to accept incoming damage spells as well as spells that make them vulnerable to damage like the Sorcerer PRE Awaken Element Weakness.

Secondary Location: Portable Hole with zone in instanced 'Test' rooms for parties/raid groups / individuals

[Silverwren]

Location: An instanced room on the airship, the only known place in the entire public 'world' where damage spells may be cast. Only the dummy is affected by them. This dummy MUST be able to accept incoming damage spells as well as spells that make them vulnerable to damage like the Sorcerer PRE Awaken Element Weakness.

Secondary Location: Portable Hole with zone in instanced 'Test' rooms for parties/raid groups / individuals

Although these locations would technically work, they would unfortunately leave out a bunch of players:

• Those without guilds
• Those WITH guilds that don't have big enough ships
• Those low level casters who haven't yet learned Teleport

The first two I could understand, since that is the case right now with the melee dummy, but the last group would be a problem. Even level 1 melee toons can beat up on the current airship dummy. I think then it would have to involve some redesign of the airships to accommodate it.

[licho]

one thing.. damaging spell are not allowed in public area...

Maybe there could be created a 0xp quest named "House Deneith Danger Room" which will be a separate instance, with some kind of portal and npc, who we can talk to to summon any kind of mob we want to fight.

Like "bring me some trolls, like 3-5". And we can there practice against them.
To be it more sensible lets assume their are just a ilussion.

[Such755]

/Signed

Sounds simple, sounds fun.

[Asketes]

Although these locations would technically work, they would unfortunately leave out a bunch of players:

• Those without guilds
• Those WITH guilds that don't have big enough ships
• Those low level casters who haven't yet learned Teleport

The first two I could understand, since that is the case right now with the melee dummy, but the last group would be a problem. Even level 1 melee toons can beat up on the current airship dummy. I think then it would have to involve some redesign of the airships to accommodate it.

1 & 2) Not sure, I was trying to stick with the idea of having a guildship buff. They can't access other guildship stuff. I've always been an advocate for allowing entry to the Portable Hole from House Phiarlin
2)All airships should come with it as a basic instanced room, **EDIT** dummy will still have to be unlocked. **EDIT**

[sirgog]

Just open Epic VON1 to players of all levels. The first rednamed Minotaur would be a pretty good training dummy - no elemental resists or SR, ~25k HP (not tested exactly), and he can't do anything at all to a kiting player.

[InsanityIsYourFriend]

my idea with it, put a quest giver in the Portable Hole that is for a solo quest
when you go in there are options to change the training dummy's settings (give him X saves, X resistances, X immunities, be X type, have X casted on them, be X level ect ect ect)
this way when a caster goes in there to train they get their own specialized set of dummy's (put more than one in there)
have an effect in there that gives you constant sp/hp regen

with this you can try out any spell on any type of creature, you could even have some named creatures in there with their own set of resistances ect
this way you can see what spells work best on the lord of blades, or harry ect ect ect

this would help casters amazingly

[biggin]

Just open Epic VON1 to players of all levels. The first rednamed Minotaur would be a pretty good training dummy - no elemental resists or SR, ~25k HP (not tested exactly), and he can't do anything at all to a kiting player.

Something like that would be nice, but I wouldn't want it to be able to move. Possibly one moving target and one stationary. I just thought of this originally during a SoS. The caster had no idea how to cast a firewall without targeting something (well, he did, it just ended up in weird random places). Learning how to stack them, what clickies to use, etc is important for a caster class, basic skills everyone should learn without the added stress of, "G**D*** newb, don't you know how to (insert skill)?????"

[Silverwren]

2)All airships should come with it as a basic instanced room.

No. It should have to be purchased like every other thing onboard an airship.

my idea with it, put a quest giver in the Portable Hole that is for a solo quest

..............

this would help casters amazingly

As I've already stated the Hole would not be a good place for it. Lower level toons that haven't learned the teleport spell couldn't use it.