Ability Breadth and Effects

The shared ability library now has 36 entries. The aim of this pass was to get examples of the different targeting shapes and effects behaving correctly, so class and enemy kits can build on them.

DungeonSlice's 36-ability development library, grouped into projectiles, single-target attacks, melee, friendly and self support, areas, ground fields, cones, beams, and missile impacts.
The development ability library. Select the image to read the full chart.

Damage, healing, and support

Fire Bolt hits once and leaves a burn. Venom Needle applies poison, and Cleanse Toxin removes it. Warding Shell absorbs damage, while Renewing Light heals over time. There are also attack-speed and movement buffs, attribute and resistance debuffs, and an offensive dispel.

Targeting changes how those effects reach the fight. Meteor Mark centers its blast on an enemy. Cinder Cone fires in the direction you face. Glacial Field stays on the ground and pulses damage and a snare; Healing Rain uses a placed area for repeated healing.

Glacial Field in the development build, with its ground area visible and combat-log entries recording damage and a six-second snare.
Glacial Field. The combat log records damage and a six-second snare.

Crowd control

Frostbind roots an enemy without stopping it from attacking anything still in reach. Hammerfall stuns, while Mind Spike applies a daze that damage can break. Terror Cry sends nearby enemies fleeing.

Other effects change an NPC’s movement or target choice. Intimidating Presence makes it back away from the caster. Turncoat Whisper can redirect it toward nearby allied NPCs already fighting the caster. Beguiling Oath makes it avoid attacking the caster while another player or player-controlled pet is on its threat list. These three effects apply to NPCs.

Attributes and ability rules

Each ability can use its own scaling. Open Wound combines Strength and Precision. Warding Shell uses Spirit and Warding, and Thunderburst Missile uses Arcana and Fortune. An ability can also compare several scaling formulas and use the one that gives the strongest result for that character.

Crit chance has its own scaling rules. Abilities can allow or disallow crits for direct damage, healing, and periodic effects, and can adjust the crit multiplier.

The combat checks also cover armor, resistances, and spell avoidance. This library gives us abilities to exercise those rules while class kits and balance develop. The spell visuals and sounds are still prototype work.