Enchanted Medals

[Annex]

"We need to talk about your Flair."

"Really? I have 15 pieces on."

Characters in DDO currently makes extensive use of Enchanted Items that cast spells when used, colloquially known as, "Clickies". In many cases, the character wears one Enchanted Item while adventuring, only switching to the "Clickie" long enough to cast the associated spell. This process, colloquially known as, "Swapping", often causes delays in game play because the game must recalculate various character attributes each time a swap occurs.

I propose the addition of a new type of Enchanted Item, the Medal. Medals always have exactly one enchanted property, a cast on use spell, sometimes with multiple charges, that activates by using the Medal from a Quickslot Bar In this way, a Medal functions exactly as a traditional, "Clickie". Players may utilize Medals on the Inventory Character Sheet as 10 new slots, placed in a line below the Character Paper Doll. After slotting a Medal, players may drag the Medal to a Quickslot Bar Slot and use it from that position.

Medals can drop in Treasure Chests as Named Magical Items.

Players may also create Medals from existing Named Magical Items. Every so often, a Treasure Chest will contain a new item called an Enchantable Cannith Medal. If a Player places a Enchantable Cannith Medal and a Named Magical Item with a cast on use spell (a.k.a., "Clickie") into a Stone of Change, the Enchantable Cannith Medal absorbs the cast on use spell from the Named Magical Item. This process destroys the Named Magical Item. The Enchantable Cannith Medal becomes a Medal of the [Named Magical Item]. For example, combining a Enchantable Cannith Medal with a Visor of the Flesh Render Guards would result in a Medal of the Visor of the Flesh Render Guards. The new Medal carries the cast on use spell and minimum level of the original item. Continuing the example above, the Medal of the Visor of the Flesh Render Guards would have a Minimum Level of 7 and cast Death Ward once per rest for a 7 minute duration.

Benefits:
1) Enchanted Medals eliminate the need to switch Enchanted Items during play, reducing the number of calculations required by the Game Server in both combat and non-combat situation.

2) Enchanted Medals increase Character Inventory Space as items previously carried in bags now equip into dedicated slots on the Inventory Character Sheet.

3) Enchanted Medals reduce Character Weight Burden. While a very minor benefit, this will still help some characters.

4) Enchanted Medals create a new type of Enchanted Item for players to collect.

5) Enchanted Medals reduce control burden on players as they no longer need to switch back and forth between two or more items, often in a combat situation.

"You do want to express yourself, don't you?"

Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Medals really a good name for these? I think they should be called Flair.
Okay!

Why not just add 10 slots to the Inventory Character Sheet and let us slot existing Magical Items, only allowing access to the cast on use spells?
Okay!

Is 10 Medal slots enough?
Well, 15 Medal slots is usually considered the minimum.

Is this really important?
No, it is not super important. Mostly, I wanted to capture the idea before I forget. Sadly, given my memory, I may have made the suggestion before.

Shouldn't the developers be grinding my axe?
Yes. I sincerely hope your axe is ground to perfection any moment now.

Thank you for your consideration!

[MichaelKindrhead]

I personally like your idea, and IIRC there was a similar concept on the drawing board a number of years ago (2010-2012ish?). They (the devs at the time) were looking at creating a 'wand bracelet' , I think it was called, which was in essence a bracelet blank that one could attach a wand to and then wear as a 'clicky'. Development/release was ended when they could not figure out how to stop/prevent the bracelet from destroying itself when the last charge of the wand was expended.

[Buddha5440]

"We need to talk about your Flair."

"Really? I have 15 pieces on."...

"we're gonna need to go ahead and move you [this thread] downstairs into storage B."

Seriously though, something like this is definitely worth looking into. They atually had the wand bracelet mentioned by Michael on Lamannia for a time back in 2011 but it never made it to live. Swapping items definitely causes glitches as anyone who has a set of search/spot and disable/open lock items they use for trapping can tell you.

[Valerianus]

this is a really good idea. moreover, we have already something like this, like harper pin, and endless bottles, it would be a totally good idea to stremline and expand this kind of stuff, preventing swapping.

[Saekee]

yes, although I think all swapping should have a long cooldown. I mean, c'mon, swapping out of a full TUNIC in the middle of combat in an instant? Then have medals as the non-swap insta option.