Diseases

[Cruzel]

So like, Diseases are supposed to be afflicting and contagious.

I think most or all diseases should be contagious like the slime sickness was in EFU.  Disease should be  scary and something a PC wants to avoid, not just rest a couple times and have it gone, imo.

Likewise, the spell contagion should be HIGHLY contagious diseases, maybe even including slime sickness or similar ones?

I want to be scared of getting sick, plz.

[The Crimson Magician]

We need dangerous diseases as well. Sorta like things that will lower ability scores / inflict damage. That are contagious. It would be more fun and people would die because they didn't wear + 1 fortitude items.

[Jasede]

I think diseases are debilitating enough as is; not to mention irritating. EfU DMs love poison and disease.

I do agree that the Contagion spell could use a boost. Make it contagious, maybe allow one to select what disease will be inflicted, make it a fairly horrible one, like 2d4 on contraction and every failed check after.

[Thomas_Not_very_wise]

Contagious diseases are incredibly hard to script, their is only two diseases I know of that are contagious, Ooze Plague and the Rot plague.


When I applied for a character to design and test new diseases, DM's say the scripts were ridiculously long and hard, so it was shot down based on the effort from the Dm part. While this would be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!, I do not think it's a must have.

[Letsplayforfun]

Diseases are sufficiently strong in terms of loosig ability scores imo, but they certainly could use a contagious effect to make them more distinct from poisons, and more scary society-wise.

[p00d33m]

A few years ago they tried to do something similar in WOW and all the server got compromised because the "disease/virus" code just act as it should, and spread to every and each pc.

If you want I can dig for the link about it ...

[Cluckyx]

In efU there was at one point a plague.

It, was, fucking, amazing.

People hit in their homes, they wouldn't talk to anyone. People were making a fortune selling bogus cures on the streets. People became suspicious and panicky. huddling in their groups. It was an amazing experience.

 Of course a small group of people openly declared that they wouldn't log back in until the plague was gone because it was interrupting their cycle of questing, looting and resting.

I am all up for anything that will break up that cycle and create situations that people wioll be forced to react to and deal with.

Another thought would b e to have the diseases take longer. So instead of LOL UR STR WENT DOWN. Have ones that cause blindness if untreated for ages. Maybe paralysis. Some really scary diseases that are slow acting, but essentially change the way you play your character until you find your cure.

I want to see some sort of disease based around necrosis. So your con goes up, but your str, and dex drop like a rock.

[lovethesuit]

Unlike Poison, Diseases will not show symptoms immediately. Sometimes it can take hours, or it will activate when a character rests. I think that if you want to immediately debilitate someone, Poison is the best way to go. But on a server like EfU, I think something can be done to improve the way Contagion works to make it a viable choice for PvP/PvE.

Firstly, reduce the amount of time it takes for symptoms to manifest. It takes too long to be an effective spell in PvP or PvE, even if cast at the start of an encounter. Would it be possible to script this amount of time to be reduced based on caster level, or spell focus in Necromancy? Perhaps 2 turns at base (2 minutes), reduced by 1 round per caster level, and 5 rounds each for SF/GSF: Necromancy? This way, someone who dedicated themselves to this type of magic (a level 10 caster with GSF: Necromancy) would have the symptoms appear instantly, whereas a regular wizard or spell cast from an item would have to wait one to two minutes.

Secondly, for the spell Contagion at least, make the Disease effect resistant or immune to treatment with tonics. This will not effect people who can cast Remove Disease or who have an item with that spell, but it will force them to decide between using up that (relatively) high level spell or suffering the consequences.

Thirdly, why not add a cool visual effect to someone afflicted with Contagion? I know I would use it just because it covered somebody in buzzing flies.

Fourthly, as an option for all them Talonites and other various evil disease gods, why not have an option to cast Contagion benevolently? Allow for a long-term buff to one stat in exchange for another, which is ended as normal by Remove Disease and relies on a Fortitude save? Now that could be interesting.

[Szgk]

A few years ago they tried to do something similar in WOW and all the server got compromised because the "disease/virus" code just act as it should, and spread to every and each pc.

It was a bug.

[Tyrael]

Yes, of course it was a bug! Weren't you listening? ...Ohh, you mean a computer bug! Well, that's different! :)

Seriously though, I support the idea of a plague wholeheartedly. Something that drains the vitality of afflicted people, makes them break out in boils maybe, something that rots the brain perhaps, maybe something that erodes their lungs slowly like acid....and, of course, there's the entire Disease section of the SRD:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#disease

I'd love to see a plague of one or more of these.

[efuincarnate]

I remember a plague on EFU. While it was interesting at first, but most just logged off and waited it out, except for a few directly involved in the plot. At least that is how I remember it. (Was playing a High Const. Dwarf at the time, so seemed unaffected and was online regularly thru the whole thing)

[p00d33m]

I think I start playing efu few weeks after the end of the plague.

But I remember it.

As I said on irc, few days ago I am reading Pillars of Earth, and there is certain atmosphere, like plagues, diseases, religions plots and persecutio, and weather, specially weather and how men on that time depend on nature so well put on this book that it would be awsome things to see in EFUA.

I am in favor of a plague, earthquakes, and all kind of DooM natural, religious or magical "episodes" happening.