Need some Ideas - Unique Skills for Archer & Mage Class

[Hikitsu 31]

So, I'v been planning my Archer & Mage Characters for my game which involves only 2 playable Characters at a time (This is why I need some unique skills to keep battles more interesting with just 2 Characters). I know.. You are probably bored of hearing of those same old skill names.. Stun Shot, Poison Arrow, Fireball.. again and again just like a typical Archer or Mage from any other RPG, So am I..

 

So I wanted some help in thinking of some unique Ideas for skills for Archer & Mage Characters, as long as they are possible to be made in the RPG Maker (Like not something unrealistic like those DBZ moves, lol). I would like to hear out complicated ideas too, If you have any, which might involve some work with the common events or Force Action feature. I enjoy the challenge in making unique skills.

 

I hope you also share the Description of the skill and what it is supposed to do in some 2 - 3  sentences, Because the Skill name alone won't help much. 

 

[TalalAlgreby 1]

Well a skill i love about archers is "Arrow Rain"

 

They Shoot an arrow in the sky, and when it starts to fall it splits into 100 arrows and fall on the enemy, so maybe you can do this?

get a sprite for an arrow and use if for an animation, and set the skill into consecutive damage (like maybe deal the same damage 10 times)

 

 

For a mage.. it really can be anything, maybe random summoning ?

Set a skill with an animation of maybe 5 cards spinning around the enemy, each card with it's own respective element.

then let a flash happens and 1 card is chosen,

if the card (let's say is fire) make a unique fire skill that deals a heavy damage.

maybe you can only use this skill if you have 100TP ?

and if you're lucky enough, the element your enemy loses to will appear and you'll be able to deal heavier damage

 

 

Does Archer and Mage work together? (In the same party or not)

if they're in the same party maybe you can do a group skill, with a common event to check if "Mage is in party" or "Archer is in party"

Something like the archer shooting an arrow and put the animation of lightning to hit the arrow and the arrow suddenly speeds up a lot to pierce the enemy's heart and shock it with thunder.

[VanillaCube 14]

I'll try and think of a few Archer skills

 

William Tell = archer is so confident that he/she puts on a blindfold and shoots randomly. It has a chance to hit anyone ally or enemy, does half damage when it hits an ally and 3x damage when it hits an enemy, also if the enemy is a plant type they will be killed immediately.

 

Arrow Stab = Instead of shooting the arrow the archer instead decides to take matters into his/her own hands and stabs the foe directly, 100% hit rate.

 

Wiff shot = Fires the bow at an enemy without an arrow being socketed due to this odd psyche out the enemy is now more focused on the archer and thus less focused on your other party member who now enjoys a higher hit rate and greater damage.

 

Self shot = Some people take archery a little too far, this is one example, instead of shooting an arrow the archer literally climbs into his own bow and shoots him/herself at the enemy.

damage is based off of current HP.

[Aria1573 21]

Give your Archer Class some skills meant for survival as Archery is not just about ranged play. Have them be able to trap enemies or use otherwise poisonous items to heal themselves, maybe even give them a skill that jacks up there crit rate because they can hit key parts of a foe.

[HeckHound 61]

Archer

 

Skill Type: Preparations - Preparations add an effect to the basic attack. For example:

 

* Ignite Arrow - Deals Fire damage.

* Glass Arrow - Adds a small DoT effect and slows down Speed.

* Atropha Belladonna - Adds a Dot effect and reduces healing the target recieves.

 

Skill Type: Survivalism - Survivalism contains skills that help the Archer and are instant. For example:

 

* Consume Charcoal - Reduces the duration of Poison-type DoT's.

* Bandage Wounds - Heals for a small amount and removes Bleed-type DoT's.

* Reflex - Evade attacks against you for this turn.

 

Skill Type: Marksmanship - Marksmanship skills provide offensive buffs and skills to the archer. For example:

 

* Steady Aim - Increases Hit and Crit Chance but slightly lowers turn speed.

* Read the Wind - Increases your turn speed but lowers crit chance.

* Volley - Attacks all enemies but with a Damage and Hit penalty.

 

Mage

 

Skill Type: Fire Magic - Fire magic skills are all about area damage. For example:

 

* Gather Fire - Increases the effects of your Fire skills for the next x turns.

* Flame Arrows - Deal Fire damage to all enemies. If you've Gathered Fire, also apply Burn for x turns.

* Combust - Deal Fire damage to an enemy. If you've Gathered Fire, consume the buff to deal Fire Damage to all enemies.

 

Skill Type: Water Magic - Water magic skills are about healing support and control. For example:

 

* Gather Water - Increases the effects of your Water skills for the next x turns.

* Ice Orb - Slows down all enemies for x turns. Effect is removed if enemies are hit by Fire damage. If you've Gathered Water, also reduces their damage.

* Healing Waters - Heals all allies for a moderate amount. If you've Gathered Water, consume the buff to also apply a HoT effect for x turns.

 

Skill Type: Storm Magic - Storm magic skills are about single-target damage and offensive support. For example:

 

* Gather Storms - Increases the effects of your Storm skills for the next x turns.

* Zephyr - Increases allies turn speed for x turns. If you've Gathered Storms, attacks are unavoidable.

* Invoke Lightning - Deal damage to an enemy. If you've Gathered Storms, consume the buff to also stun the enemy for x turns.

[Hikitsu 31]

 

 

Well a skill i love about archers is "Arrow Rain"

 

They Shoot an arrow in the sky, and when it starts to fall it splits into 100 arrows and fall on the enemy, so maybe you can do this?

get a sprite for an arrow and use if for an animation, and set the skill into consecutive damage (like maybe deal the same damage 10 times)

 

 

 

 

 Cool idea , Yea an AOE Skill would be nice for the finisher skill for the Archer    And nope, The Archer & Mage are separate Secondary Characters that never meet each other. I like your idea of  a Team Ability with Archer, The other  2 Characters are Warlord (A Warrior) & Lancer (Tank/Assassin Hybrid). So maybe I could make your idea work for them instead.

 

 

 

Wiff shot = Fires the bow at an enemy without an arrow being socketed due to this odd psyche out the enemy is now more focused on the archer and thus less focused on your other party member who now enjoys a higher hit rate and greater damage.

 

 

 

I like this idea, Sort of like an Attack and Team Buff at the same time, However I'm afraid the Archer would die off easily if he got more Aggro, Because he can't tank many hits for long.

 

 

 

Give your Archer Class some skills meant for survival as Archery is not just about ranged play. Have them be able to trap enemies or use otherwise poisonous items to heal themselves, maybe even give them a skill that jacks up there crit rate because they can hit key parts of a foe.

 

 

That's a nice idea, I might be thinking of a Trap skill, Sounds fun and unique, Also makes a nice substitute for Stun Skills, which many Archers possess. 

 

 

 

 

Archer

 

Skill Type: Preparations - Preparations add an effect to the basic attack. For example:

 

* Ignite Arrow - Deals Fire damage.

* Glass Arrow - Adds a small DoT effect and slows down Speed.

* Atropha Belladonna - Adds a Dot effect and reduces healing the target recieves.

 

Skill Type: Survivalism - Survivalism contains skills that help the Archer and are instant. For example:

 

* Consume Charcoal - Reduces the duration of Poison-type DoT's.

* Bandage Wounds - Heals for a small amount and removes Bleed-type DoT's.

* Reflex - Evade attacks against you for this turn.

 

Skill Type: Marksmanship - Marksmanship skills provide offensive buffs and skills to the archer. For example:

 

* Steady Aim - Increases Hit and Crit Chance but slightly lowers turn speed.

* Read the Wind - Increases your turn speed but lowers crit chance.

* Volley - Attacks all enemies but with a Damage and Hit penalty.

 

Mage

 

Skill Type: Fire Magic - Fire magic skills are all about area damage. For example:

 

* Gather Fire - Increases the effects of your Fire skills for the next x turns.

* Flame Arrows - Deal Fire damage to all enemies. If you've Gathered Fire, also apply Burn for x turns.

* Combust - Deal Fire damage to an enemy. If you've Gathered Fire, consume the buff to deal Fire Damage to all enemies.

 

Skill Type: Water Magic - Water magic skills are about healing support and control. For example:

 

* Gather Water - Increases the effects of your Water skills for the next x turns.

* Ice Orb - Slows down all enemies for x turns. Effect is removed if enemies are hit by Fire damage. If you've Gathered Water, also reduces their damage.

* Healing Waters - Heals all allies for a moderate amount. If you've Gathered Water, consume the buff to also apply a HoT effect for x turns.

 

Skill Type: Storm Magic - Storm magic skills are about single-target damage and offensive support. For example:

 

* Gather Storms - Increases the effects of your Storm skills for the next x turns.

* Zephyr - Increases allies turn speed for x turns. If you've Gathered Storms, attacks are unavoidable.

* Invoke Lightning - Deal damage to an enemy. If you've Gathered Storms, consume the buff to also stun the enemy for x turns.

 

 

 

Wow, Those are really awesome ideas, Thanks   I liked your ideas, Especially the Marksmanship Skill Set & Storm-Mage Skill Set.  I hadn't really planned on a Storm Mage but your ideas make me want to make something similar ! 

Edited June 19, 2015 by Hikitsu

[Heartfeltcurse 195]

Have a skill where the archer shoots arrows into the ground at the enemy's feet, and then the arrows seep poison into the ground, and all the enemies then become poisoned from touching the ground (if a enemy is flying or something, this is avoided)

[Disponi 18]

So are the archer and mage the only two player characters, or are there other pairs of characters you switch to throughout the game?

 

If the archer and mage are the only protagonists, you might want to consider making the act and function as a single character. I mean, you've already committed to a nonconventional party, why not think about going further with a nonconventional battle system?

 

For example, you could remove the 'Attack' command entirely and replace it with the 'Item' command, with Items functioning almost entirely as the contents of the Archer's quiver. MP and Magic Spells would fall entirely under the purview of the Mage, and TP could be used for combination attacks, in which the Mage enchants the Archer's arrows with incredible magical powers.

[Hikitsu 31]

So are the archer and mage the only two player characters, or are there other pairs of characters you switch to throughout the game?

 

 

The Player can pick 2 Characters and both Archer and Mage are secondary characters. You can play as one of them for the whole game. I think it's too late too change now, Since I have most of Enemy troops, Weapon and Armor designed around a 2 Character Battle system   

 

For example, you could remove the 'Attack' command entirely and replace it with the 'Item' command, with Items functioning almost entirely as the contents of the Archer's quiver. MP and Magic Spells would fall entirely under the purview of the Mage, and TP could be used for combination attacks, in which the Mage enchants the Archer's arrows with incredible magical powers.

 

I don't use TP in my game but i like your idea of Mage imbuing arrows for archer     Sadly, They never meet because the Player has to pick either one as a Secondary Character - Archer or Mage. Perhaps I can give one of my Primary Characters the same idea - Ability to Imbue arrows with Magic. I have a Warlord (Wields a Giant sword and sort of like a Berserker) & Lancer (Sort of like Tank / Support Role). Perhaps I can give my Lancer an ability to Buff the Archer somehow to give his arrow magical abilities.

Edited June 20, 2015 by Hikitsu

[Kayzee 4,032]

I liked the bow techniques form the SaGa series, especially some of the ones form SaGa Frontier 2 which has some interestingly named ones. Also SF2 has some hybrid arts not in the video like Fire Bird I think one was called. A lot of them have unique status effects that aren't showed off during the video too. I think Sidewinder for example does extra damage to some animals or something, and others always hit or cripple enemies. Also lots of games have ones like "head shot" "arm shot" "leg shot" that disable things (magic, attacks/arm moves, movement/leg moves for example), but what about other disabling moves? "weapon shot"? I don't know.
 
I also wonder how many of these terms are actually based on real archery? Look through real archery terms like these and see if it gives you any interesting ideas. Not much there about different shot types, but what if bow skills used different arrow types or something? Blunt shot (stunning), Flu-flu shot (short range), Broadhead shot, Bodkin point shot, Judo point shot, posion arrow shot...  might be interesting. Most archers in RPGs don't have to worry about ammo anyway, so why not have them acquire a lot of different types as skills?

Edited June 25, 2015 by KilloZapit