To Fourteen Pips... And Beyond?


KingsIsle recently released the world of Azteca in Wizard101 US, and not too terribly long ago, released Avalon in Wizard101 UK. With the introduction of Azteca, Rank 10 Spells were released, and with Avalon in the UK, four sets of various spells were released. However, new gear doesn't offer as much Power Pip chance as it used to, and pips are harder and harder to gather... what happens when you go over your limit?

Ever since the introduction of Rank 8 Spells, each school has finally had a spell that is impossible for another school's wizard to cast without a Mastery Amulet. Shortly following, Rank 9 Spells, and Rank 10 Spells in the US. It would seem that KingsIsle has realized that pips are limited, and it almost looks like they'll be alternating with new worlds: Utility spells, attack spells, utility spells, etc.

However, even nine pips is quite a few, and in the US, ten. What happens when we see eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen... or will we? While it's not only hard to save up, it's even harder to maintain. Consider the newest spells that use pip manipulation - steal one pip, remove three pips, etc. Then you've got things like mana burn that removed pips, and so on and so forth. Then, if you have less than 90% Power Pip chance (and without the crowns-only Sidhe Staff, you probably do), then chances are, you'll end up with at least one single pip - and that means no-go on that new Rank 14 Spell.


However, the question has been asked - Will KingsIsle give any more high-pip damage spells? What if, instead, they eased some of our burdens with lower pip spells. You know what I'm talking about - a 4 pips AoE for Death, a cheap DoT for Life and Storm, a damage-focused AoE for Myth, another universal blade for Balance, a multi-shield spell for Ice, etc. That sort of thing. I know I'd go for it.

Then the question is asked, however, regarding how we maintain school balance. After all, in the US, Life just received a DoT spell... and since when have they been a DoT school? Ice and Myth got pip manipulation, but that has always been Balance's thing. I have to agree, things like Mastery Amulets and these new spells might appear to make schools unbalanced... but are they?

I'd argue that wizards are now level 90 - and millions of experience away from when they started the game (some of these last levels are requiring around 700,000 experience, so is millions an accurate guess?). It's been awhile without some of these essential tools, and they're pushed through the difficulty. Imagine the frustration of a Storm, without shield manipulation, that is fully bladed and encounters a shield. Without a DoT, there is no counter. It's hit or burn the blades.


Really, though, besides damage, there are some number of utility spells that I'd love to have. Mass Shields, for instance. It'd be individual school shields, maybe toned down to 70 or 75%, and to all friends at a pip cost of 1 or 2. That helps with the various Azteca and even Avalon creatures who enjoy using AoEs, and it means casting only one spell rather than digging frantically for two.

What if, between level 90 and 100, there was a Sun spell called "Split Power" that took a pure single-damage hit, and cut the damage down by one or two hundred and made it an AoE, or "Divide Power" that made single-damage spells divide their damage appropriately to be made into an AoE? That idea is a little bit out there, though.

What I'd like to see are negative auras. I think auras are under-appreciated  and could add a new level of depth to the combat system. Supposed you use a -15% damage aura on an enemy - now he's got trouble. No more excessive blade-stacking or spell-spamming, he's suddenly got the worry of Supernova, as well as the negative effect that might have even replaced his aura. Then, even if he throws up his own, it'll last an additional turn, opening doors for that Supernova... and new aura manipulations KingsIsle will introduce?

In my opinion, a fourteen pips spell is just unrealistic. Not only would it be tough to cast, but it'd indefinitely drain your pips, and you might have an expensive setup when it comes to pips - all those Feints, Tri-Blades, Global Spells, etc. And who'd wait and hope for all fourteen pips?


However, one user suggested that they'd heard something about new Mega Pips... however, KingsIsle quickly killed that rumor, saying that they wouldn't ever introduce triple-value pips. However, there's word of gear that will give additional pip slots - and that has yet to be refuted. And hey, KingsIsle's thrown Critical, Critical Block, Armor Piercing, Stun Resistance, and other new systems at us, so why not additional pips slots? My question is - how are you going to fit them on battle circle?

Fourteen pips - will our spells ever go there? What happens when they get there or if they don't? What sort of spells will KingsIsle offer instead? What's fair to offer?

Thanks for reading, and see you in the Spiral!

10 comments:

  1. Maybe they will, we just have to wait until the time comes.Until then, we should be more worried about what will happen to our good old duel circle in the level 90-100 world or level 100-110 world.I have been thinking of super pips or later in the Wizard101 storyline them bringing the spells back to one pip, but I would think my prediction will never happen.

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  2. I am on the idea for more utility spell, but I am sure that there are allot people that will be angry of them, but well if we continue going with that speed we will be on the 14-pip-cost spell in like 1 or 1 and half years so I think utility spells OR triple pip, that's the decision that KingsIsle have to make.

    ~~ Pavlina (Terri)

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    1. I agree, but I think the decision will be utility spells or and extra pip slot from gear, because I think they've indefinitely turned down the idea of a triple-value pip.

      That being said, while that might be an overall decision, it isn't completely true. After all, Avalon was four sets of utility spells, and we didn't get any level 78 spells.

      I personally would love smaller, "disadvantage-filling" attacks and utility spells at these high levels than a huge-pipped attack. I will say, though, I love Avenging Fossil. It's perfect to attack a boss, but take out the minions meanwhile. (I'm Death if you didn't guess, or at least my main character is.)

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  3. I did not knew they said thath they won't make a 3 pip value, that's bad.

    Well, like you said, waiting for the 14 pips will be hard, especially if you don't have a good pwer pip change and if spells continue to take pips from you.

    Adding extra pip slots would be useless, if people won't wait for 14 pips, of course thet are not going to wait for 16.

    I think another solution could be making wands that give more pips, if we start with 5 power pips combined with extra pip slots then maybe we could use huge-pipped atacks. The mobs start with full power pips already, having more pips would really help us.

    Nevertheless, if they make a way in which we can have 14 pip spells, it will make things a lot harder, the mobs could use them in nthe first round.

    I think we should start learning those few-pipped spells that the mobs use and which we can't use yet.

    - Agente Fuego/ Alexander Fuego Audaz/ Alexander Fire Blade

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    1. That's what I've heard, anyway.

      I think the extra pip slots wouldn't help us with Rank 16 Spells, but make casting fourteen easier.

      Back when Celestia was in the Test Realm, our wands gave us two power pips, but they were removed in the live realm. That just made things too easy. Rank 6 spells on the first turn, and rank 8 on the second turn, etc., could really affect PvP.

      I'd like to see a wand with these stats:

      +X Critical Rating
      +X Critical Block
      +X% Incoming Healing
      +X% Outgoing Healing
      +1 Power Pip in PvP (Written as +1 [PvP Symbol] [Power Pip Symbol]
      +2 Power Pips in Pve (Written as +1 [AoE Gobbler Symbol meaning PvE] [Power Pip Symbol]

      I think you're right about more high-rank spells with effects - it means more trouble from bosses, especially when your school doesn't get as effective of a spell.

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    2. *Sigh* Completely ignored closing my parenthesis... it's the details that bug me.

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  4. I'm a bit late to the party, but do you remember the Simplify and Elucidate spells from when Celestia was in the rest realm? I think they may help with the problem of excess pip costs. Obviously restrictions would have to be put on how they may be used, but I think it's an idea to consider :)

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    1. I think that was along the lines of the wands giving two power pips in battles - simply too overpowered. While it could be convenient for sure, imagine PvP, when your team got a 7-pip Sirens? PvE monsters are getting more diverse, too, and that wouldn't be fun. I think it's neat that they've left it as a treasure card - that means we can occasionally use a couple, and enemies can't!

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    2. That's very true. I've been collecting simplify treasure cards and i have about 5 of them now. I'm just waiting until I actually NEED it.

      KevinFireLeaf

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  5. Will Wizard101 last that long, though? Just saying...

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