Shattered Kingdoms

I have always wanted to RP a warlock that specialized on ice/cold/snow. I also see warlocks that could specialize on water/earth as well. I would imagine a bit of change in the spells Warlocks have. We all know what Magma Spray is, I don´t want to change anything about the spell other then aesthetics. Same Damage, same cling effect just instead of shooting magma, we shoot ice or frost and instead of magma cling burning we have frost burn doing the damage (same can be done for water/earth).

I know in very specific situations Magma does added damage (Centaurs) and I understand. I Don´t want to change anything else but I feel we can accept that so we can get the added RP. I also want to change the fire elemental (the strongest) aesthetics as well.

I say we add a quest for Warlocks (like the gauntlet) once they reach a certain point. At the end of that quest they can pick which element to specialize. Depending on what you decide, your Magma aesthetics changes to fit the element you pick and your top rank elemental changes in appearance to fit the element.

Or nerf the fire elemental a bit, bring it down a few levels, and have magma/frost/thunder/meteor? elementals depending on the outcome of the specialization quest (at level 46+)? Similarly alter the magma spray (as mestizo suggested) so that not only aesthetics but element is specific to specialization... i.e., magma spray would still be effective against centaurs, but the air one (thunder blast? already two "lightning" spells, so that would be redundant) would be more effective against giants, per se.

I think this is a great idea.

Snazzy.

Just because the fire elemental is the last to be conjured, does not make it the most powerful. Each elemental has strengths in different areas. Water can reach and I'm pretty sure earth has the most HP. Air used to be able to eat up chain lightning. Just because you can conjure a fire elemental, does mean it is your best bet in every scenario. Though most warlocks never conjure a water elemental beyond master, unless they are pros.

Air still can eat up chain lightning. Even with the warlock getting hit with her own lightning, with resist elements, its one of the easiest ways to level once it's learned. imo.

I don't see how these changes to top level elementals change the use of the other elementals in the situations where you would be using them now?

The immunity and energy hide of the air elemental / fire elemental make them far superior to anything the earth / air elemental can sustain. The earth elemental may have more HP, but it'll still go down faster than the fire elemental because of the lower AC of it's obsidian hide.

Water elementals are straight up useless. The only reason to ever have one is for tripping a second row priest or something like that as the damage output of all elementals is laughable at best, not to mention they're squishy as all get out. Elementals aren't barbs like with what scouts and sorcs get. They're mercs with e parry which make them a bit more defensible, but their damage output suffers considerably.

If anything, warlocks need a way to reduce MP further than what they have now (Faerie fire in some cases) so they can actually deal damage to someone who has a fully enchanted kit. That has, and always will be their biggest weakness. Impairment doesn't matter if the full attack of your spells is only doing like 3-7% of someone's HP pool.

You may have a really good point there. I wonder if it would be a bad idea to add a passive skill (or maybe self-cast only held spell) for warlocks that would allow them to ignore a flat or percentage-based amount of someone's MP, but only for spells that they cast.

Then again, I would imagine that faerie fire is a pretty effective spell to that end. I wonder how much of a difference it really makes against very well enchanted opponents.

Fairy fire makes a big difference. The issue here is not well enchanted opponents, it's that magic damage is the easiest thing to save against, period. Between the myriad buffs available (devotion protection sanctuary shield) and innate racial mp (half the races to varying degrees of "pretty good" to "why would you bother casting at a halfling") even if fairie fire is upped further the perceived issue won't be solved.

I say perceived because I still disagree it is one. While a warlock isn't the best choice for a "buff to the gills and stand in 1 room mano a mano against every class in the game" character, it's an amazing defender, a very utilitarian groupmate, and a really strong solo act for exploring. It's in a good place right now.