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I read through the focus brainstorming transcript, and really like the "spirit" of the idea. I personally think techniques/rituals using focus sound like a great addition to the game, and earning/learning these powerful weapons sounds like tremendous fun, not to mention the enjoyment of trying out a newly practiced technique or ritual on a foe.
Leveled spells sound really cool… Hrm... It almost seems that the way the level of a spell could/would be set is by the ammount of focus dedicated to it. I think it would be interesting if mastered spells/skills, with enough focus/stats dedicated to them, would have added or improved effects such as improved damage, more impressive echos of the spell effect, and/or a subaffect for a spell, such as a mastered energy drain with enough focus would drain more than hp/move from a target, possibly draining some hr/dr from the target temporarily, not to mention an echo along the lines of Pravus' dark energies surge out and lift Emperor Yurien into the air! Pulses flow through the dark energy from Emperor Yurien and empower Pravus!
I think certain spells, like detect invisibility, should only be able to bypass a lower level of its counterpart, so a level 110 improved invisibility could only be pierced with a level 110 or greater detect spell.
The idea of a natural flow of energy overlaying the world sounds fantastic. I have yet to read the mana sea transcript, but I think that a fun additive to having varying levels of power across the world would be places of lawlessness across the wilds, embodied as npk/cpk spots. That would require a bit more player cooperation if some horrible bandit lord *points Mythology* were to take up residence near a well traveled path and close to a point of power. I think ranged spells would be a great addition as well, especially if one could tap into a node or ley line to fuel them or empower them.
