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- Apr 6, 2010
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- 3,105
Brainstorming ideas for spells and mechanics for an underwater map (in this case, a map with an underwater and a surface section, as seen on the Water War Submerged map).
The idea is that while underwater, units can move on the seafloor (treated as ground units) or swim above it (treated as flying units). Units told to go from underwater to the surface are moved to the corresponding location on the surface map (and vice-versa).
Certain spells can change or be disabled depending on the caster's location (on the seafloor, swimming underwater, or on the surface).
Spells:
* Cloud:
** Ink Cloud (Swimming, Seafloor): Squirts a cloud of ink in the water, preventing units inside from firing.
** Shifting Cloud (Swimming): Squirts a cloud of ink that then casts Taunt while the caster automatically moves away from the cloud.
* Dead Men's Hands (Seafloor): Summons the corpses of long-dead sailors to hold a target.
* Jet (Swimming, Seafloor): Pushes the caster and surrounding units away from the central point.
* Riptide (Surface, Swimming, Seafloor): Creates a current that pushes all units around the caster in a single direction.
* Drown (Swimming, Seafloor): Removes a unit's ability to breathe underwater, killing them if they don't surface before the debuff dispels. Timer appears on the target unit.
* Whirlpool (Surface): Drags all units in the target area to the central point.
* Sea Ice (Surface): Prevents swimming units from surfacing in the target area.
* Depth Charge (Surface): Deals heavy damage to units underwater below the caster's position.
* Sea Mines (Surface): Creates an NH Mine with Kaboom at the target point and a chain reaching to the seafloor under it. If the chain is destroyed, the mine has Wander.
* Sensor Buoy (Surface): Creates a Buoy with True Sight at the target point and a chain reaching to the seafloor under it. If the chain is destroyed, the Buoy has Wander.
* Drop Anchor (Surface): Creates an anchor chain reaching to the seafloor. The ship becomes immune to knockback and cannot move until the chain is destroyed or hauled up. The chain takes damage every time the ship is hit by a knockback-causing spell.
* Baited Hook (Surface): Creates a NH bait that causes swimming units with Devour to target it. Melee units attacking are instantly moved to the surface, destroying the bait. Units who Devour the bait are moved to the surface take heavy damage and are stunned, destroying the bait.
* Filter Feeder (Swimming, Seafloor): Regenerates health faster when not moving.
* Lure (Seafloor): Unit is invisible while holding still and creates a neutral Lure. Enemy units told to Stop or Hold Position within X radius of the Lure will go to it. If the Lure is destroyed, the unit is revealed.
* Entangle (Surface): The giant squid positions itself underneath a ship on the surface and channels, attacking it with its tentacles, which appear around the ship. Damage taken by the tentacles is also taken by the squid, and it loses attack damage for every tentacle lost. If all tentacles are killed, the giant squid loses its attack until fully healed.
* Sargasso (Surface): Seaweed greatly reduces the movement speed of surfaced units in the target area. Seaweed can be moved with Riptide.
* Breach (Swimming): The caster swims straight upwards at high speed and falls back on the water's surface, dealing heavy damage to units under it.
* Vent (Seafloor): Creates a deep-sea vent that causes damage to all units near it.
* Pressure (Swimming, Seafloor): Deals increasing damage to the target mechanical unit until it surfaces. Damage taken is higher on the seafloor.
* Bends: Target units has Dizziness if it changes depths while the debuff is active (Seafloor->Swimming->Surface).
* Charybdis (Surface): Sucks in all units around the target point, then spits them away.
* Plunge (Surface): The Couatl dives into the water, going from airborne to swimming. Any units swimming near the target point's corresponding location are stunned.
* Iceberg (Surface): Creates an iceberg to block movement above and below the waterline.
Adapting Spells:
* Breath of Fire (Surface): Deals damage to enemies in a cone.
** Scald (Swimming, Seafloor): Superheats a cone of water in front of the caster, dealing damage to all units there.
* Flame Strike (Surface): Deals minor damage to units in the target area.
** Steam Pillar (Seafloor): Deals high damage to seafloor and swimming units in the target area.
* Lightning Bolt (Surface): Deals damage to a single unit.
** Lightning Bolt (Swimming, Seafloor): Deals damage in a small radius to units around the caster.
* Lightning Shield (Surface): Deals damage to units around the caster.
** Lightning Shield (Swimming, Seafloor: Deals increased damage in a greater radius, including to the target.
* Summon Elemental (Surface, Swimming, Seafloor): Summons a Water Elemental in water and an Ooze Elemental on the seafloor.
** The Water Elemental is weaker but invisible while swimming (not on the surface or the seafloor), the Ooze Elemental is stronger and has a blinding attack.
* Crushing Wave (Surface): Deals damage and minor knockback to units in a line.
** Crushing Wave (Swimming and Seafloor): Deals reduced damage than when using it on the surface, but deals high knockback to swimming units and moderate knockback to units on the seafloor.
Mechanics:
* Units have Evasion while swimming and increased damage while on the seafloor.
* Spells that deal knockback send swimming units further back than those on the seafloor.
* Units have lower sight range underwater than above it.
* While on the water's surface, Submerged units can move while invisible but cannot attack.
** Some units are invisible while holding still on the seafloor, or depending on the environment (sand, kelp, coral...).
* Ships and large units killed on the water's surface will sink at the corresponding point underwater, dealing damage to units beneath.
* When X number of units are killed, NH sharks show up to attack units indiscriminately and devour the corpses.
* When moving through kelp forests, units are slowed and have reduced sight range.
* Neutral "healer" units have identical-looking units that instead attack units.
* Units anchored to the seafloor are immune to knockback, but the chain takes damage every time a knockback spell hits the unit.
The idea is that while underwater, units can move on the seafloor (treated as ground units) or swim above it (treated as flying units). Units told to go from underwater to the surface are moved to the corresponding location on the surface map (and vice-versa).
Certain spells can change or be disabled depending on the caster's location (on the seafloor, swimming underwater, or on the surface).
Spells:
* Cloud:
** Ink Cloud (Swimming, Seafloor): Squirts a cloud of ink in the water, preventing units inside from firing.
** Shifting Cloud (Swimming): Squirts a cloud of ink that then casts Taunt while the caster automatically moves away from the cloud.
* Dead Men's Hands (Seafloor): Summons the corpses of long-dead sailors to hold a target.
* Jet (Swimming, Seafloor): Pushes the caster and surrounding units away from the central point.
* Riptide (Surface, Swimming, Seafloor): Creates a current that pushes all units around the caster in a single direction.
* Drown (Swimming, Seafloor): Removes a unit's ability to breathe underwater, killing them if they don't surface before the debuff dispels. Timer appears on the target unit.
* Whirlpool (Surface): Drags all units in the target area to the central point.
* Sea Ice (Surface): Prevents swimming units from surfacing in the target area.
* Depth Charge (Surface): Deals heavy damage to units underwater below the caster's position.
* Sea Mines (Surface): Creates an NH Mine with Kaboom at the target point and a chain reaching to the seafloor under it. If the chain is destroyed, the mine has Wander.
* Sensor Buoy (Surface): Creates a Buoy with True Sight at the target point and a chain reaching to the seafloor under it. If the chain is destroyed, the Buoy has Wander.
* Drop Anchor (Surface): Creates an anchor chain reaching to the seafloor. The ship becomes immune to knockback and cannot move until the chain is destroyed or hauled up. The chain takes damage every time the ship is hit by a knockback-causing spell.
* Baited Hook (Surface): Creates a NH bait that causes swimming units with Devour to target it. Melee units attacking are instantly moved to the surface, destroying the bait. Units who Devour the bait are moved to the surface take heavy damage and are stunned, destroying the bait.
* Filter Feeder (Swimming, Seafloor): Regenerates health faster when not moving.
* Lure (Seafloor): Unit is invisible while holding still and creates a neutral Lure. Enemy units told to Stop or Hold Position within X radius of the Lure will go to it. If the Lure is destroyed, the unit is revealed.
* Entangle (Surface): The giant squid positions itself underneath a ship on the surface and channels, attacking it with its tentacles, which appear around the ship. Damage taken by the tentacles is also taken by the squid, and it loses attack damage for every tentacle lost. If all tentacles are killed, the giant squid loses its attack until fully healed.
* Sargasso (Surface): Seaweed greatly reduces the movement speed of surfaced units in the target area. Seaweed can be moved with Riptide.
* Breach (Swimming): The caster swims straight upwards at high speed and falls back on the water's surface, dealing heavy damage to units under it.
* Vent (Seafloor): Creates a deep-sea vent that causes damage to all units near it.
* Pressure (Swimming, Seafloor): Deals increasing damage to the target mechanical unit until it surfaces. Damage taken is higher on the seafloor.
* Bends: Target units has Dizziness if it changes depths while the debuff is active (Seafloor->Swimming->Surface).
* Charybdis (Surface): Sucks in all units around the target point, then spits them away.
* Plunge (Surface): The Couatl dives into the water, going from airborne to swimming. Any units swimming near the target point's corresponding location are stunned.
* Iceberg (Surface): Creates an iceberg to block movement above and below the waterline.
Adapting Spells:
* Breath of Fire (Surface): Deals damage to enemies in a cone.
** Scald (Swimming, Seafloor): Superheats a cone of water in front of the caster, dealing damage to all units there.
* Flame Strike (Surface): Deals minor damage to units in the target area.
** Steam Pillar (Seafloor): Deals high damage to seafloor and swimming units in the target area.
* Lightning Bolt (Surface): Deals damage to a single unit.
** Lightning Bolt (Swimming, Seafloor): Deals damage in a small radius to units around the caster.
* Lightning Shield (Surface): Deals damage to units around the caster.
** Lightning Shield (Swimming, Seafloor: Deals increased damage in a greater radius, including to the target.
* Summon Elemental (Surface, Swimming, Seafloor): Summons a Water Elemental in water and an Ooze Elemental on the seafloor.
** The Water Elemental is weaker but invisible while swimming (not on the surface or the seafloor), the Ooze Elemental is stronger and has a blinding attack.
* Crushing Wave (Surface): Deals damage and minor knockback to units in a line.
** Crushing Wave (Swimming and Seafloor): Deals reduced damage than when using it on the surface, but deals high knockback to swimming units and moderate knockback to units on the seafloor.
Mechanics:
* Units have Evasion while swimming and increased damage while on the seafloor.
* Spells that deal knockback send swimming units further back than those on the seafloor.
* Units have lower sight range underwater than above it.
* While on the water's surface, Submerged units can move while invisible but cannot attack.
** Some units are invisible while holding still on the seafloor, or depending on the environment (sand, kelp, coral...).
* Ships and large units killed on the water's surface will sink at the corresponding point underwater, dealing damage to units beneath.
* When X number of units are killed, NH sharks show up to attack units indiscriminately and devour the corpses.
* When moving through kelp forests, units are slowed and have reduced sight range.
* Neutral "healer" units have identical-looking units that instead attack units.
* Units anchored to the seafloor are immune to knockback, but the chain takes damage every time a knockback spell hits the unit.
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