Untargeted AOE Spells?

[Akutex]

As it stands now, every spell and attack that is in the game has to be associated with a target of some type whether enemy or ally (even PbAOE spells have yourself as a target, technically). What I have always wondered is why there are not spells/attacks that can be cast in an area instead of needing a target to cast on.

For example, take the pre-existing skill meteor storm. Instead of highlighting an enemy to cast this on and then having it rain in that area, why can't we have the player select the skill and and then place a flag on the ground (or minimap) within a specfic amount of distance where the spell will be cast (the same function used to point heroes to an area). The spell will then occur in that area, in this instance, creating a meteor storm where the flag was placed.

Granted that this is mostly related to Elementalsts, but many classes have AOE spells that could function in a similiar way. Imagine being able to cast heal area to an actual area. Or cast spirits in strategic locations without having to run there first. I wouldn't want this mechanic to be universal of course, but some skill types could really benefit from this, I think. And if you don't think it can work with current skills, could it not work with newer skills for a possible new profession?

If anything, I would love to see this mechanic in a future chapter because it begins to bring in the idea of manipulating the terrain and the enemies group movement. I'm sure we've all seen this mechanic in other games as well, and GW seems like a great canidate for this too.

Thoughts?

[Azrael STX]

http://guildwars.incgamers.com/forum...58#post4431258

Of course, as that thread suggests, I like the idea.

[Akutex]

http://guildwars.incgamers.com/forum...58#post4431258

Of course, as that thread suggests, I like the idea.

Yes, I thought of assasin shadow stepping applications as well and I have seen this idea of yours. In fact, shadowstepping seems to be so constricting and limited in scope as is, so I have no idea why it wasn't implemented in the first place to allow untargted SSing. Pfft, whatever.

And please guys, don't say "because you could just teleport anywhere you clicked including off the map" because this isn't true. Shadowstepping is it's own mechanic too and relies on the ability for a location to exist within game defined walking boundries.

[Manwithtwohands]

I always liked the idea of strategically placing effects on the battlefield rather than casting them on targets.
I hope someday skills are tweaked or added to function like this.

[sorudo]

not all spells nead a target and not all spells nead specivic a target to cast to, i'm talking about fireball and inferno.
i do agree about the way meteor shower could be casted, only i dont agree with the spirits and heal area.
spirit's are a sortof souls of ppl who has bin stuck by there chains, you can only call them by do a ritual and will only get to the place the ritual has bin placed.
heal area is this way for 2 reasons.
1) it's cheap, so you nead to have one side thing to suport the cheap energy cost
2)it's called area becouse it's around you, just the spell explaines.

just my view on things, i do want to add that the spell that you cast on a dead enemy must automaticly be redirected to the closest enemy.

[Akutex]

not all spells nead a target and not all spells nead specivic a target to cast to, i'm talking about fireball and inferno.
i do agree about the way meteor shower could be casted, only i dont agree with the spirits and heal area.
spirit's are a sortof souls of ppl who has bin stuck by there chains, you can only call them by do a ritual and will only get to the place the ritual has bin placed.
heal area is this way for 2 reasons.
1) it's cheap, so you nead to have one side thing to suport the cheap energy cost
2)it's called area becouse it's around you, just the spell explaines.

just my view on things, i do want to add that the spell that you cast on a dead enemy must automaticly be redirected to the closest enemy.

Well first off, fireball does require a target (it just causes AOE damage like tons of ele spells), and inferno is PbAOE (like I said, the target, according to the game's mechanics, is yourself). But that's nitpicking.

I just threw out examples of spells that exist to illustarte a point. Ideally, I would NOT want pre-exisiting skills to utlize this mechanic, rather, I'd like to see it used in a new profession that focussed on using this mechanic as part of its skill line. Granted that there are some skills out there like firestorm that could benefit from this but we've gotten so used to casting it on a target that I think it's best to take this idea and lay it out on a new slab.

[TheRavenHQ]

Wait... I'm not sure, but during Factions Preview weekend, I thought there was a Ritualist damage spell that targets an area? Is this still there? or was I imagining something?

[sorudo]

fireball doesn't nead a target, it only neads a target to cast, not to trow it.

[Akutex]

fireball doesn't nead a target, it only neads a target to cast, not to trow it.

Um...huh? Casting IS throwing it.

Fireball:
Send out a ball of fire that strikes target foe and all adjacent foes for 7...91 fire damage.

Target foe means you... need a target to cast it on. You cant "throw" a fireball unless you select a target to throw it at.