Elemental Affinity System and Gameplay Mechanics

Pendragxn

I wanted to share some ideas for Ashes of Creation, even if they don’t make it into the game or receive much attention. I fully understand the game is already well into development, and my intention isn't to compare it to other titles or suggest that it won’t be great—on the contrary, I’m excited for its potential success and hope it takes its own unique spin on things while staying relevant in the MMORPG space. More discussions and ideas on how to make the game the best it can be should always be welcomed, and I’ve already shared my thoughts in threads on AoE mechanics, bosses, and dungeons, for anyone interested.

Drawing from experiences with games like Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter, I think incorporating a Status Effect and Elemental System would be an exciting addition. Imagine fighting a fire-based beast, and by enhancing your weapon with a water or poison effect, you could gain an edge in the battle. This could be done through gems, magical glyphs, or rune stones, adding a layer of strategy to combat. Importantly, this system should allow flexibility—players shouldn’t feel locked into one choice or risk ruining their weapon for the long term. Having the ability to switch effects would make encounters more dynamic.

While Monster Hunter does a good job with status effects like poison and paralysis, alongside elemental properties to counter specific mob types, I believe this idea could be expanded. It doesn’t need to dominate combat, but rather, it should complement it—making it logical that a water-type mob might take more damage from lightning, just as fire is countered by water or earth-based abilities.

A lot of high-fantasy games tend to focus on mages being the elemental wielders, but often the element system lacks depth. Imagine an immersive world where elemental interactions play a larger role, impacting all players, not just mages. This may be a complex undertaking, but it’s a concept worth exploring, in my opinion, to add depth and make combat feel even more engaging.

Incorporating Status Effects and Elemental Affinity:

Adding an elemental and status effect system to enhance weapon properties (e.g., water or poison) against specific enemy types.

Status effects and elements can be applied through gems, runes, or magical glyphs for flexibility in combat.

Flexibility in Elemental and Status Effects:

Players should have the ability to change or adjust these effects to avoid being locked into one strategy or ruining gear long-term.

Elemental damage and status effects should add depth to combat, making it intuitive to counter specific mobs, without overwhelming the gameplay.

Example from Monster Hunter:

In games like Monster Hunter, players use status effects (e.g., poison, paralysis) and elemental properties to counter certain enemy types. This adds immersion and strategy to encounters.
Expanded Use of Elements Beyond Mages:

High fantasy games often limit elemental powers to mages. An elemental system that affects all character types (e.g., melee or ranged) would add depth and immersion.

Status Effects Examples:

• Poison: Gradual health degeneration from venom or toxins.
• Sleep: Forces the target into a deep sleep, leaving them vulnerable.
• Paralysis: Immobilizes the target temporarily, exposing them to attacks.
• Stun: Disorients the target, causing them to stagger and stop acting.
• Bleeding: Causes continuous health loss from wounds.
• Burn: Causes fire damage over time, hindering movement.
• Waterlogged: Reduces endurance and stamina recovery due to water exposure.
• Electrocution: Electrical shock that may stun or immobilize.
• Frostbite: Slows down movement and stamina recovery due to freezing cold.
• Decay: Weakens elemental powers, reducing the target's ability to use their own elemental attacks.

Elements and Their Strengths/Weaknesses:

Fire:

• Strong Against: Ice, Water
• Weak Against: Water
• Fire burns away cold but is extinguished by water.

Water:

• Strong Against: Fire
• Weak Against: Thunder, Ice
• Water douses flames but is vulnerable to being frozen or electrified.

Thunder:

• Strong Against: Water, Ice
• Weak Against: Earth
• Electricity shatters ice and travels easily through water, but struggles against grounding forces like earth.

Ice:

• Strong Against: Water
• Weak Against: Fire, Thunder
• Ice freezes water but melts under fire and thunder.

Beast/Demon:

• Strong Against: All Elements
• Weak Against: None (countered with raw power)
• Primal forces like beasts or demons can disrupt all elements, but lack specific elemental weaknesses.

Element Interaction Examples:

• Fire vs. Ice: A fire-based creature would deal heavy damage to an ice-based target but would take more damage from water-based attacks.
• Thunder vs. Water: A thunder-infused weapon would easily defeat water-infused enemies but struggle against creatures aligned with dragon or earth energies.

Conclusion:

Implementing a status effect and elemental system in a high fantasy game like Ashes of Creation would bring more immersion and strategic depth to combat. Flexibility in applying and switching elemental properties would prevent the locking of gear or strategies, allowing players to adapt to different combat situations, ultimately improving gameplay diversity and engagement.

Talmore

I've always loved this idea ever since casting frostbolt at a water elemental in world of warcraft. Logically, certain elemental types should deal more, less, or no damage to a mob based on its resistances. A lot of classic TTRPG have this system in place as well.