With the recent announcements I got to thinking, the stonehearth team decided that most of the abilities they were considering for the magmasmith were better suited as aspects of other classes and mulling it over I can agree with them on most potential uses, but I still really like the idea and would like to see if there is enough design room to make adding the class as a mod worthwhile without stepping on the other classes’ toes.
To do this we need ideas that are needed in game that do not feel right in other classes’ ability sets.
My first thought is from playing on the glacier biome, the penalties to growth time are brutal and make farming of any kind extremely difficult, greatly slowing the development of food crops, weavers, herbalists, and clerics.
While we do not know the specifics of what they have planned for the Geomancer, ‘Heat’ and ‘Light’ do not seem appropriate to me but suit the Magmasmith nicely.
So now implementation, first thoughts: pure enchanter, the Magmasmith does not craft a single item themselves, with even their basic crafting table requiring a base version made first by another class, they take items from other classes (mostly the Mason, Blacksmith, Potter and Engineer) and then add additional effects to them, such as taking a Stone Garden Lamp from the Mason and beefing it up (small particle effect?) which when placed will increase crop growth times in an area.
Random Ideas:
*fire effects on melee weapons. (aside from the usual problems of just making bigger numbers)
*craft a wood alternative for the blacksmith to use in smithing
*enchanting devices for the Engineer, (deep rabbithole there…)
Ideas… Well, ignoring for a moment the Geomancer’s potential class features-
Source blocks - being able to create blocks that create some kind of particle effects stones that make fire sources, stones that make light, stones that wildlife gather around Heck, lava (which would require lava be made as somethings similar to water but probably with a slower propagation rate like with Minecraft).
Enchantments - Weapon modifications that function similar to the archer’s fire arrows but for swords and such, strictly more powerful weapons, weapons made from special materials/look fancy.
Decoration - Harder metals for doors and structures, special materials for unusually colored/shaped objects, and if the Geomancer isn’t an enchanter - Enchantments.
I’m thinking about ‘magmasmith’ and all it entails, and honestly I’ve got a few ideas, some of which may be running up against other mods.
First and foremost, I like the idea of the magmasmith taking other items and altering them- particularly when it comes to weapons, armor, and clothing. Something with a glow effect, possibly particles, providing light and a radius of heat along with a slight stat modification; movement speed, a slow heal, increased courage, dealing damage to an attacker, increased carrying capacity- things that don’t necessarily line up with existing options yet are useful.
Second, thinking about magma got me thinking of really hot, dangerous amorphous masses- which got me thinking about glass. You could get into some interesting decorative items that involve glass while sticking to the greater idea of a magmasmith: glass lanterns with an eternal flame inside (so akin to a glowing sphere), a version of the bird pond that generates warmth in a radius around it (which would assist with cold weather), glowing columns akin to the tall torches, glass blocks that are exactly one voxel in size that glow (for placing in roads and floors via the hole tool), and so on.
Of course, there’s already a glassmaker mod, which makes it hard not to run roughshod over something somebody’s already created, but I think it can work by keeping it to fantastical elements.
You know, Steph mentioned Crystal in the dev stream for where the bunny-folk come from… perhaps the Magmasmith relies on crystals for forging and creates items out of crystal?
What if we also had them create kind of a special reagent that other crafters could use to create a magical sheen/magical properties?
What about alchemy? Perhaps he can transmute iron into gold and so on. Perhaps make some fancy metal alloys using magical ingredients like crystals. I like the idea of making weapon enchantments too.
Well we know that magic was going to be a big no no in the game, but since this would be a MOD and not what the devs intended what if the Magma smith had an AOE ability? Like a small fire storm. Idk, just a suggestion
The devs did a lot of work to balance the game away from magic, I’d be really careful adding magical spells…
He said right before saying: I’d love it if either the Magma Smith could do this OR, probably a better fit, if they could build weapons that function like grenades that have area spell effects. That would add a new dimension to combat and not break most of the “no magic” rule…probably.
You mean one like Allie had sketched on a stream a while ago? It was something like an anvil with a dent under the flat working part, and in that dent was a space to put coals, so the metal would stay hot while working on it.
Not trying to sell my own fish or anything (That belongs to Archipelago Mod anyway … ok, bad joke. Sorry)
But my Glassworks mod does include a complete Obsidian armory that is kind of an alternative to the legendary tier of equipment (although very difficult to obtain)
Check~!
… ok, bad joke. Sorry)