VFX Removal-

[JustMonika]

Was there a suggestion for this? I don't remember one.

I know there was the we all hate barkskin and it looks awful, suggestion, but I don't remember anyone being sad about Shadowsheild!

[Eira]

I personally really liked how shadowshield looks and would like to keep it.

[Griefmaker]

I shall be curious to see if this will help the sudden game-crashing lag I have been having recently over the past several days, seemingly when certain spells like protection from elements (or at least that vfx) have been active, especially on multiple creatures.

It has been weird!

As far as how things will be without all of the vfx, I just hope that there shall be a list of all active spells on a character that those with enough spellcraft can determine.

[Nitro]

I think there should be some kind of indicator, whether visual or in examining someone to show if they have shadow shield up, since it will directly block a number of offensive spells.

[JustMonika]

Given this only affects PCs, it is unlikely to reduce crashes unless you frequently mass party.

I very much liked the effects for Shadow Shield/Protection from elements, and I am confused why these specifically have been removed, but obviously we still have VFX for stuff like shield, or Mind Blank, etc. Feels like it should be an all or nothing approch? Protection from elements wasn't even a model obsurcing spell!

[Kalopsia]

I think there should be some kind of indicator, whether visual or in examining someone to show if they have shadow shield up, since it will directly block a number of offensive spells.

Seconded!
It seems quite important to know which immunities a target has, and whether a breach spell is necessary or not.

Also shadow shield looks awesome. I'd kinda want the vfx to stay :D

[magistrasa]

Predictable though I may be, I would also like the return of Shadow Shield! Both because of the #aesthetic, and because, like others mentioned, it's an important visual cue to indicate the myriad immunities it provides. But, uh, mostly just because it looks cool.

[_-HiM-_]

Personally I think it's great the general barkskin on everyone was very irritating at times. Stoneskin does however appear to have been swapped round? As in normal stone skin applies the greaterstone skin vfx and greater Stoneskin the normal vfx?

[Kenji]

I was hoping the greater stoneskin would have the VFX of it being applied to large creatures (big rocks orbiting the character) instead. But the original stoneskin VFX was just as cool.

[Apokriphos]

I think there should be some kind of indicator, whether visual or in examining someone to show if they have shadow shield up, since it will directly block a number of offensive spells.

The loss of the shadowshield vfx just means most mages who can extend it will always. It blocks an entire school of magic, provides dr and negative energy. Essential to know for player characters who focus on that school.

Maybe the vfx could be replaced by a less noticeable vfx like that black rotating ward vfx.

[ActionReplay]

Reverted Stoneskin and Shadowshield VFX to behave as they used to. Until we got some replacers that's gonna stay and seems Shadow Shield was a popular VFX so we'll keep it.

Stoneskin floating rocks was a bit much mb and honestly I was fine with how they were; guess Barkskin really is just the bullied one.

[helitron]

Reverted Stoneskin and Shadowshield VFX to behave as they used to. Until we got some replacers that's gonna stay and seems Shadow Shield was a popular VFX so we'll keep it.

Stoneskin floating rocks was a bit much mb and honestly I was fine with how they were; guess Barkskin really is just the bullied one.

Awesome!
Exactly what I wanted to suggest.

[DangerDolphin]

I really like the stoneskin change, it still gives a buff indication for people to see but without applying a horrible texture over your character.

[Kaeldre]

I personally like the original stoneskin look. It gave you a different image to rp around when applied.

[DangerDolphin]

Forgot to add, the new stoneskin visual lets you see if a stoneskin is still up even when shadow shield is obscuring your character.

[Darkstorn42]

I do not understand why the protection from elements visual was removed. I used this ALL THE TIME for RP. My character always talks about her sparkles. But the removal, without a replacement, is a big no-no for me, on all of the spells. Why take away an RP tool? I really do not understand.

Please also bring back the Protection From Elements (and Resist/Endure lower version) visual effects so that my character can continue to sparkle with magical energy all the time.

(P.S. Im suprised how much this actually meant to me)

[Elaetheus]

I am happy about Barkskin removal. The rest of VFX are not too bad, hopefully we get something better for ordinary stoneskin eventually.

[DangerDolphin]

I do not understand why the protection from elements visual was removed. I used this ALL THE TIME for RP. My character always talks about her sparkles. But the removal, without a replacement, is a big no-no for me, on all of the spells. Why take away an RP tool? I really do not understand.

Please also bring back the Protection From Elements (and Resist/Endure lower version) visual effects so that my character can continue to sparkle with magical energy all the time.

(P.S. Im suprised how much this actually meant to me)

Maybe the VFX could be added to another cantrip spell so people can use it for RP, but it's not forced on people casting elemental protection?

[Kuma]

How about an optional toggle? -suppress_vfx could enable or disable the list of effects.

That being said, I do want shadow shield visible purely because of the range of immunities it adds, and its shorter duration. Balance-wise it seems kinda necessary to have a visual cue for it.

Also, identification of buffs applied to a character could be a check appended to someone's description taking Spellcraft, Abjuration focuses, and Divination focuses into account, regardless of VFX presence. Hiding them could be something associated with Illusionists.

[Aelryn Bloodmoon]

Can we remove all VFX except ones implicitly described in spell-text, then add in a couple of divination spells like arcane sight, greater arcane sight, and detect magic? Would also give immunities list on examine.

Otherwise, while I admit some of them are ugly, the VFX from any spells on the breach list serve as vital point of information in hostile scenarios. Knowing how many and which wards are up tells you how many and which wards you can breach and in what order. I'm fine with it costing something for that knowledge, but not the outright removal of that knowledge.

Don't get me wrong... as someone who mostly plays casters, any such VFX removed moving forward would certainly be to my benefit... but I think it's probably not very fair to the people who find themselves opposite.

[Darkstorn42]

Everyone here is discussing balance and aesthetics for the visuals, both of which are worth discussing, but I feel like the only one talking about RP. The visual effects of 'face obscuring' magical effects have long been a place in Arelith, and removing them changes much of the RP interactions. They were also ways to use magic to disguise yourself visually, as many do disguise themselves like 'Warded Mage' or something like that (Like a disguise self spell that is NWN unsupported). I personally use the sparkles from endure elements to demonstrate that my character is literally overflowing with magic.

To me, the removal of the vfx of anything, without replacement, is removal of a RP tool, and that greatly saddens me.

[Ork]

Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.

[Darkstorn42]

There are numerous spells in pnp that disguise a person, and even in NWN (and Arelith) there are a few magics that count as disguises, and I am of course refering to the polymorph spell, from the wiki:

"When a character is polymorphed, they receive a bonus +10 to their disguise strength."

If that is not a 'magic supported mean to disguise yourself' then I do not know what one even is. Besides, just because you dissaprove of my RP use, and many others, does not mean that taking away RP tools is a good thing.

Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.

[JustMonika]

There are numerous spells in pnp that disguise a person, and even in NWN (and Arelith) there are a few magics that count as disguises, and I am of course refering to the polymorph spell, from the wiki:

"When a character is polymorphed, they receive a bonus +10 to their disguise strength."

If that is not a 'magic supported mean to disguise yourself' then I do not know what one even is. Besides, just because you dissaprove of my RP use, and many others, does not mean that taking away RP tools is a good thing.

Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.

On the other side of the coin, Quistillia suffers terribly from the cold, and would die if left in the rain or the cold for extended periods. To counteract this, she was constantly warded from the elements everywhere she went. It was me trying to give neat RP ques about the fact she has a horrific constitution.

Now it mysteriously looks like she's fine, because unless you catch her warding, you can't tell! I personally am not hugely broken up about this, but it's another thing to file under the 'Sometimes Wards can be an RP tool.'

I would jump on the bandwagon of some sort of spellcraft check on examine [Like spot to break disguise] which rolls against every ward, and only suggest lists that particular ward or something. That would be rewarding.

Equally giving cookies to diviners is good.

[Ork]

If that is not a 'magic supported mean to disguise yourself' then I do not know what one even is.

I'll be more specific - stoneskin and barkskin wasn't ever a substitute for disguise.