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Water is the most underrated element on fantasy.

Cryomancer

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Is very common to allow players to summon fire, earth and air elementals but no water elementals. Most of infinity engine games and even some modern games like Solasta has this problem. In fact, during the chapter 5 of the underdark of BG2, when you use the "freedom" spell to do the quest of closing portals, you close portals of all elements but water. Is very common for 3E games which allowed you to be a dragon disciple to restrict you into "red" dragon disciple, the most unlike dragon to inbreed with humans. And the "enhanced edition" from beamdog too.

On non D&D games, the same happens. On Gothic 1, you can become a fire mage on chapter 2 but a water mage only on chapter 4. And on Gothic 2, you can't become a water mage. Only a Sheep of Innos aka Fire mage. And NoTR expansion which made water mages far more prevalent added a lot of water mage spells but you can only learn then as an fire mage. Even on Gothic 3, learing fire magic or dark magic requires only praying in a Altar. Water mage require meeting with druids or water mages which aren't available early on.

On mods, like Returning 2.0, is added a lot of quest specific stuff for necromancers and fire mages, but water mages, gain almost nothing and they have the worst tier 3 spell ever.

Water Mages on returning :
  • Circle 1 = Small lightning, Ice Arrow
  • Circle 2 = Ice spear, summon ice wolves
  • Circle 3 = Lightning ball, ice block
  • Circle 4 = Lightning strike, summon ice golem
  • Circle 5 = Waterfirst, ice wave
  • Circle 6 = Geyser, Storm

A lot of iconic Gothic 3 fire spells got ported into Gothic 2 with the mod. Like Meteor. But Water Mages din't got the amazing spells like Ice Explosion and Time Bubble. I an not saying that water magic is bad on returning. Just not as developed as other spell schools. A video bellow.



Pathfinder Kingmaker had a class dedicated to "element bending" called kineticist. It is a great class, but misses a lot of iconic water infusions for eg : The Maelstrom infusion

j9GTipt.png

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternativ...ult-classes/kineticist/infusion-wild-talents/

Pathfinder Water Elementarist is a wizard specialization which I always wanted to try but I no longer have a 3.5E/PF1E group and could't find any mod which adds it to 3/pf1E games. Modern games like Solasta tries to implement more verticality. Water current naturally created or created by magic would be a pretty interesting way to explore the game's verticality. But no, zero water based spells on Solasta.

If I can "code" my own classes and custom spells on KoTC2 engine, I will create a hydromancer, because water is underrated. Lastly, Praise Adanos!!!
 
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Codex Year of the Donut
The lack of (destructive) water magic can be explained pretty easily: fire represents destruction, water represents growth, cleansing, and renewal.

Frost magic is typically used to fill this role instead.
 

Cryomancer

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fire represents destruction, water represents growth, cleansing, and renewal.

Frost magic is typically used to fill this role instead.

Well, water can be extremely destructive, waves can level cities, geysers can be quite lethal and the power to manipulate water would allow you to for eg :

"Horrid Wilting:
This spell evaporates moisture from the body of each subject living creature, causing flesh to wither and crack and crumble to dust. This deals 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6). This spell is especially devastating to water elementals and plant creatures, which instead take 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d8)."
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/horrid-wilting/


I an not saying that water should be destructive as fire, but should give a lot of "battlefield control"

 

lukaszek

the determinator
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on top of my head games where water elementals werent shit:
homm4, ddo
In both cases they used ice spells instead of attacking, arguably making them strongest elementals to face.
in ddo their spells utilized ice spears which required fortitude save, In a game where most have evasion its quite a challenge for unprepared. Quite rare enemy though
 

Cryomancer

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in ddo their spells utilized ice spears which required fortitude save, In a game where most have evasion its quite a challenge for unprepared. Quite rare enemy though

Yep. DDO Water Savant sorc was great. Did you played Gothic 2 + Returning?



Water magic is great, but not as great as necromancy. Circle 6 water magic is army slaying.
 

Delterius

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fire represents destruction, water represents growth, cleansing, and renewal.
Fire and Water can represent both these things, to be honest. Fire can be used for cauterizing wounds and forest fires are a fundamental part of a sustainable ecosystem. Meanwhile living close to the sea is often a terrible reminder of its destructive power.
 
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Codex Year of the Donut
fire represents destruction, water represents growth, cleansing, and renewal.
Fire and Water can represent both these things, to be honest. Fire can be used for cauterizing wounds and forest fires are a fundamental part of a sustainable ecosystem. Meanwhile living close to the sea is often a terrible reminder of its destructive power.
yea but that's not what they represent for people who aren't dorks.
 
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Water is boring, I expect only someone like Crispy would specialize in it.

Real men wizards specialize in either fire or dark magic. Also occasionaly, bean magic.
 

Delterius

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fire represents destruction, water represents growth, cleansing, and renewal.
Fire and Water can represent both these things, to be honest. Fire can be used for cauterizing wounds and forest fires are a fundamental part of a sustainable ecosystem. Meanwhile living close to the sea is often a terrible reminder of its destructive power.
yea but that's not what they represent for people who aren't dorks.
most people 'av seen the titanic, the sea was not kind that day
 

KeighnMcDeath

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Air is more underrated.
arcane farting is exactly what I'm practicing right now and I can easily flatulate all of you to heavenly ecstasy
Jesus Stank-Assed Christ get the fucking lysol!

If you include ice then water gets a boost but in D&D ice is para- between air & water so it isn't the true water experience.

Filling lungs with water
Slicking the battlefield
Waves to push (firection)
Water spouts

hmmm... off the top of my head I can't recall many offensive JUST water. Maybe some inspirations (i'd like to see a list)

https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Anvil_of_Dawn/Spells

http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com/heroes3/spellsair.shtml

http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com/heroes4/spells_nature.shtml

bah! I'm too lazy to plunge into this deep well of spells.

Here have this
https://runescape.wiki/w/Water_spells
 

Cryomancer

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Alex

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I think the problem with water is its competition. Fire can harm and destroy simply by being there. Meanwhile air and water are usually present in any environment. Causing an earthquake, opening the ground under your enemies, conjuring up a whirlwind; those things are powerful options as the PCs happen to, mostly, be standing on ground and surrounded by air. This means that water has a bit of the same problem as Aquaman. Aquaman powers aren't bad; but you usually need to go out of your way to make controlling sea creatures actually worthwhile.

(...snip)

86Ms3Ii.png

Good choice. As far as elemental spells go; I haven't seen a better source than GURPS Magic.
 

Efe

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Akhlaur had a good water baseds pell that drained everyone of water, turned it into water elemental(s) and raised the husks as undead
I think you would love that spell
 

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