| Focus Staves |
| So what are these things anyway? Why does it say +19 levels? Why don't I see this bonus on my sheet? Hmm. Maybe the item is broken? Maybe not? |
| Well, anyone who has seen a focus staff has probably been baffled by it, if they've heard an explaination of it, they're probably even more baffled. Let me give you one key point about these staves. +19 Levels in Matter is not the same as +19 Matter! So why, then, do they have this? Its pretty simple. All of your spells cost 120% of their Power to cast. Mythic did this on purpose and I'm not sure the reasoning behind it. Now, if you wield a staff that has +4 Levels to Matter, Body and Spirit, you will have a reduced casting cost for any spell that equals or is less then level 4. This means, if the spell has a number 4 or less next to it, it will be cast at 100% of its cost rather then 120%. For Body Destruction, Matter and Spirit Animation this will mean any spell that you got at level 4 or less will be cast at 100% of its cost. For Essence Manipulation, Matter Manipulation and Vivification it will be any spell you received from up to 4 points in the proper specialization. It doesnt seem fair, but its a great deal noticeable at higher levels. Some focus staves are created to give you an edge over one specialization. However, it will be reduced slightly in the other two. For example, having a staff that gives +6 levels in Body magic might be more beneficial to you if you cast a lot of taps, even though your Spirit and Matter will only be +3 levels. This kind of staff is great if you know you will be casting more body spells on the field. I currently wield a +43 Levels in Body, +33 Levels in Matter and Spirit simply because, even though I use a lot of matter spells, the main matter spells I use are under 33 levels other then my main DoT, and my lifetap that I use constantly is below 43. This affords me quite a few more taps for my power. Thus I do more damage. Iphis |