The elemental note buff is here!

Since the last RP, a lot of the elemental notes have not gotten too much use outside of a certain girl using them to stylishly skate all over the palace. We wanted to make elemental notes a more integral part of everyone’s play style. But a lot of them are too situational, too confusing, and the bulk of them can be replaced by regular notes. Hopefully this update will give espers more reason to use elemental notes.

The goal with the elemental note update was to:

-Make all notes useful regardless of your genre’s grade.
-Make elemental notes more powerful/interesting.
-Make them cost slightly less than if they were scaled with other notes. This did make some of them more expensive...

And without further ado…

[b]Fire:[/b] The giver and taker of life, but it’s always been a destructive and dangerous magic for espers. Only Ignite is an  expensive and weak DoT note with easy counters and Fever is a confusing “STR Down” Debuff. The new Ignite might convince some espers they don’t need to carry around Damage X. Fever is getting replaced, which will mark the third time Fire had one of its notes totally reworked. Rather than focusing on a debuff or fire protection, “Ferver” leans hard into Fire’s offensive play style and lets espers get a little more wild.

[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]
Ignite: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to burn with an intense flame. Ignite initially causes a minor wound (no wound on espers/magi) and then inflicts a moderate wound (minor wound on espers/magi) for every 6 seconds they remain aflame. Flames can spread across the body and to other targets, but will never cause extra wounds. Fires created with Ignite can be suffocated like real fires, or stomped/patted out by espers and monsters. Only targets that can catch fire can be affected by Ignite.

Fever: Mana Cost (2)
Causes the target’s body to heat up, which results in a loss of strength. Melee weapon attacks go down a rank in damage, ranged attacks go down one rank in sentinel, and it is more difficult to lift heavy objects for 6 seconds.
[/cell][cell]Ignite: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to go up in flames, doing the same amount of damage as a damage note, but over an entire human sized target or a monster up to three times as big as a human. Damage is reapplied every 6 seconds.

Ignite usually lasts 6 seconds, but can be extended or put out early just like normal flames. Rolling, moving to a body of water, or entering an oxygen free environment are a few ways to extinguish Ignite. However, targets that are splashed with oils, gasoline, or other flammables will burn for an extra 6 seconds. 

Ferver: Mana Cost (4)
The target is filled with fiery emotion and becomes indomitable. They ignore all debuffs and can fight on as if they were in perfect condition, minus any limbs they may be missing. Lasts 6 seconds. 

Any damage that someone under the effect of Ferver might suffer is reduced by 10%, and an additional 10% for each rank over D. If an attack would kill a fervered target, they instead fall unconscious, ferver ends, and they are critically injured by the attack. [/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Aqua: [/b]The only player who used this genre ICly performed well, but the DOCS has been evolving and a lot of the notes could use a bit of clarity as well as a reason to use these notes above bronze. Also it just makes sense to add a speed debuff to freeze.

[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Freeze: Mana cost (2)
Causes part of the target to freeze over. Frozen targets can move, but are brittle. Non-melody attacks such as instruments, mundane weapons, and hard falls create more severe wounds.  Lasts 6 seconds.

Slick: Mana Cost (2)
Human sized Targets or a 2X2 area becomes slick for 6 seconds. A target can be made partially slippery or fully slippery. As an example, an esper can make their shoes slick to allow them to slide like an ice skater, or they can make an enemy entirely slick to make climbing stairs difficult. Slick affects one's movement, rather than finer motor movements. They will not drop their weapons due to slippery hands nor lose any weapons or equipment they are wearing/carrying. Slick targets can be moved three times as far by push/pull effects if they aren’t airborne. 
[/cell][cell]Freeze: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to freeze over, reducing its movement speed. Frozen targets are brittle and treat all sources of damage as being 1 rank higher.  Frozen targets move 10% slower and an additional 10% for each rank over D.  Lasts 6 seconds. 

Slick: Mana Cost (4)
Human sized Targets or a 2X2 area becomes slick for 6 seconds. A target can be made partially slippery or fully slippery. As an example, an esper can make their shoes slick to allow them to slide like an ice skater, or they can make an enemy entirely slick to make climbing stairs difficult. Targets will not drop their weapons due to slippery hands nor lose any equipment they are wearing/carrying. Slick targets can be moved three times as far by push/pull effects if they aren’t airborne. 

When cast as a buff, Slick’s rank can be used in place of speed or sentinel for escaping grapples, avoiding projectiles, or any other use where being faster or more slippery can help avoid damage. When used as a debuff or obstacle, slick’s rank is used to determine how difficult it is to traverse and is contested by an appropriate stat. 
[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Wind:[/b] Flying has always been powerful, but storm could use a bit of a rework to make it functionally different than barrier and reflect. We could use a defense VS rapid fire attacks. 
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Storm: Mana cost (4)
The target of this note is surrounded in spinning winds which can deflect attacks, increasing SENTINEL against Physical and Ranged attacks by 1 rank. This bonus stacks if the attack is both Physical and Ranged. Lasts 6 seconds.

Also during storm’s duration, it can deflect a single ranged attack/melody that is equal to the rank of the melody. Two attacks that are a rank lower, three attacks at a rank below that, etc. Melodies like projectiles and beams are curved to fly past the intended target. Storm cannot protect from spawned melodies or attacks without projectiles.
[/cell][cell]Storm: Mana cost (4)
The target of this note is surrounded in spinning winds which can deflect attacks, increasing SENTINEL by 1 rank. Lasts 6 seconds.

Also during Storm’s duration, it can deflect ranged attacks such as machine gun fire and melodies. Any ranged fire aimed at the target must be closer than 75 feet to hit the target. Every rank Storm is over D decreases this range by 15 feet. Storm cannot protect from spawned melodies or attacks without projectiles, such as laser beams. 
[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Lightning:[/b] It’s fine, but Paralysis is weirdly complicated and Speedster is just too expensive for what it offers. Now Paralysis is simpler and easier to understand while Speedster is less expensive.
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Paralysis: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to briefly lose the ability to control the part of their body that was struck. Limbs lose the ability to move, the torso affects the respiratory system, and a headshot causes the target’s vision to blur, drastically reducing accuracy over distance. If used with an AoE, the note can only activate a single debuff on the target(s) based on what part of them it touched first. Lasts 6 seconds. 

Speedster: Mana cost (4)
Target’s speed ranks up once for 6 seconds, and they can run across “less than ideal” surfaces, such as bodies of water and walls, so long as they don’t stop running. 
[/cell][cell]Paralysis: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to lose control of their body, briefly becoming a ragdoll. A target will fall prone, drop any items they are holding, and will fail tasks that require concentration, such as entering a password or casting a melody. An esper will [i]never[/i] drop their instrument unless they choose to do so. A target with high arcane resistance can resist some of the effects, and might be able to remain standing or maintain concentration. More vulnerable targets will be helpless for longer. 

Speedster: Mana cost (2)
Target’s speed ranks up once for 6 seconds, and they can run across “less than ideal” surfaces, such as bodies of water and walls, so long as they don’t stop running. 
[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Nature:[/b] The red-haired stepchild of the esper world. Unless you’re Oros the Mad, there’s almost no reason to use these notes.  Even with a stackable slow debuff, Poison takes waaaaaay too much effort for what it offers, It’s just a DoT that takes half an operation to activate, while Transform is an underwhelming melee buff/weapon transformation with no reason to cast above bronze. Let’s change that. Activating neurotoxin/acid is actually possible on a single cast, and transform offers a reason to use it above bronze. 
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Poison: Mana cost (2)
Causes the target to become poisoned, which ranks down their speed for 6 seconds. Stacks refresh the duration and stack up to three times provided it is cast by the same esper each time. The third stack also inflicts “neurotoxin,” which does severe damage to arteries near the target area after 6 seconds. If the target has no arteries, it will instead inflict “acid” and vaporize a large portion of the target's form in 6 seconds. 

Transform: Mana cost (2)
The target can transform parts of their body into claws and such to be used as weapons or tools. Attacks like this are a single rank higher than an esper’s base weapon. Transformations last 6 seconds.
[/cell][cell]Poison: Mana cost (4)
Causes the target to become poisoned, which ranks down their speed as the debuff persists. After 3 post cycles, the debuff becomes “neurotoxin,” which does severe damage to arteries near the targeted area. If the target has no arteries, it will instead inflict “acid” and vaporize a large portion of the target's form. The number of post cycles required for the Poison debuff to transform goes up or down depending on how many ranks the target’s arcane defense is over/under the rank of this note. 

Poison activates instantly on monsters, and does as much damage as a “Damage X” note would cast at its rank.  

Transform: Mana cost (2)
The target can transform their limbs to be used as weapons or tools, such as tendrils, living vines, claws, or other shapes related to your element. The new length of anything made from this note can be 1 foot longer than the existing weapon/limb, and add an extra foot for every rank the note is over D. Attacks from transformed weapons/limbs are a single rank higher than an esper’s base weapon. Transformations last 6 seconds.
[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Earth:[/b] What’s here is good, it’s just not nearly versatile enough. Quake now has a damage component that makes it really good for armored or hard targets. Mass is also getting an upgrade to make it more than something to grief gravity/push/pull gamers. It’s cost is going up, but it’s a substantial upgrade!
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Quake: Mana cost (2)
The effect causes a target to get knocked down, or can cause a surface to shake in a range of 15 feet. Will cause brittle materials like stone and glass to shatter. 

Mass: Mana cost (2)
Increases physical and chaos defense by one rank for 6 seconds, provided the rank of this note is equal to or greater than the target’s chaos defense. During this time, they are also impervious to movement effects like push, pull, and quake so long as the spell's rank isn’t greater than the rank of this melody. The target’s weight also doubles.
[/cell][cell]Quake: Mana cost (2)
Uses seismic-like force to damage a target. The damage dealt is comparable to a damage note but does significantly more damage to structures and hard targets such as shields, shells, or hard bodied constructs. A D rank note is enough to blow a 3x3 foot hole through a sheetrock wall. It can do this with wood at C rank, stone at D, and metal at B, with respect to the varying thicknesses those walls are usually made to. Targets with magical defenses and/or are extra thick will need 1/2 extra ranks for the desired effect. If Quake’s rank is too weak, the target will only shake on impact. If Quake is stronger than the material, the hole will get 1x1 bigger for every rank over the material. 

This note does not have the same effect on targets with construction-like attributes, such as espers or monsters with more durable flesh. It does bypass those defenses and does as much damage as a damage note normally would to a target. 

Mass: Mana cost (4)
The target becomes more dense, and their flesh hardens. Increases chaos defense by one rank. Physical defense also changes to this note’s rank if it’s higher. The target is also impervious to movement effects like push, pull, slow, and gravity notes. The target’s weight also doubles. Lasts for 6 seconds.
[/cell][/row][/table]

Light: Reveal is too situational, so it’s going to reveal a lot more to the caster now. Purity… will get its update later. It’s fine for now.
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Reveal: Mana cost (2)
The target is unable to use spells to hide it’s position, and their body is wreathed in a glowing light for 6 seconds. 
[/cell][cell]Reveal: Mana cost (2)
The target is unable to use spells to hide it’s position, and their body is always visible to the caster for 6 seconds. In addition to this, they know if the target is a monster or human, and can get a rough idea of its durability and magical might. At C rank, the caster also learns its strongest and weakest attributes for defense (its stats, essentially). At B rank, the caster also learns the nature of its weapon and its strongest and weakest attribute. At A rank, the caster also gains a rough idea of any specials the target might have. At S rank, the caster also knows what the target is thinking, but the target is also aware of this.[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Darkness:[/b] It’s pretty unique, but there’s no reason to cast it above bronze. UNTIL NOW! The new Obfuscate features a lingering invisibility effect after something leaves a shadow, and the duration of Intangible can now be increased. However, anti-telefrag measures have been put in place to prevent it from being used as a strictly offensive ability.
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Obfuscate: Mana cost (2)
Shrouds the target in a stationary shadow that makes them invisible and silent. The shadow is almost impossible to notice if used inside another shadow or another sensible location. The shadow is only slightly larger than the target, and will not hide them if they move outside of it. Aoe and zone notes will make the shadow bigger, but everyone inside the shadow will be able to see each other clearly. Lasts 6 seconds.

Intangible: Mana cost (4)
The target becomes intangible for up to 2 seconds. During this time they can not be targeted by melodies, cannot cast melodies, cannot attack, but can pass through any solid surface at will. Should something be inside them when they solidify, their mass that occupies that space will be lost to the void. Extreme care should be used when passing through things. Intangible targets are still visible, but have a transparent appearance. Extend and full extend do not extend the duration of this note. This note can be resisted by the target if their arcane defense is greater than the note’s rank. 
[/cell][cell]Obfuscate: Mana cost (2)
Shrouds the target in a stationary shadow that makes them invisible and silent. The shadow is almost impossible to notice if used inside another shadow or another sensible location. The shadow is only slightly larger than the target, and will not hide them if they move outside of it. Aoe and zone notes will make the shadow bigger, but everyone inside the shadow will be able to see each other clearly. Lasts 6 seconds.

The first time something leaves the shadow’s vicinity, it is invisible for 2 seconds. The duration for this lingering invisibility increases by 1 second for every rank over D Obfuscate is cast at. 

Intangible: Mana cost (4)
The target becomes intangible for up to 2 seconds, and an additional second for every rank over D. During this time they can not be targeted by melodies, cannot cast melodies, cannot attack, but can pass through any solid surface at will. Should something be inside them when they solidify, they will simply blink in front of whatever they were inside. Intangible targets are still visible, but have a transparent appearance. Extend and full extend do not extend the duration of this note. This note can be resisted by the target if their arcane defense is greater than the note’s rank. 
[/cell][/row][/table]

[b]Gravity:[/b] What can’t gravity do? Of all the elemental notes, this is the one that’s been over-performing. There’s also hardly a reason to cast it above bronze. So this one is getting a small nerf. Rather than being contested by the target’s arcane defense, Gravity’s effectiveness is dependent on how high its grade is. It’s the only fair way to do it, as gravity has a lot of reasons to cast on self, allies, and foes. 
 
[table][row][cell]Old[/cell][cell]New[/cell][/row][row][cell]Weightless: Mana cost (4)
The target loses all mass for 6 seconds, causing them to float. They retain their momentum they had before becoming weightless. Push/Pull effects are very potent on weightless targets. Greater resistance means the target retains some of its weight.

Suspend: Mana cost (4)
Gravity acts on all sides of a target, suspending it in place for 6 seconds. Greater resistance allows targets to move, albeit slowly.
[/cell][cell]Weightless: Mana cost (4)
Non-monster targets become lighter for 6 seconds. At ranks D/C/B/A/S, they lose 20/40/60/80/100% of their weight, and Push/Pull effects become that much more potent on them. Weightless works as intended on targets  under 400 lbs, as that is the maximum amount of weight it can affect. Thus, a rank S Weightless note cast on a 600 LB boulder will still weigh 200 lbs. Monsters on the other hand will always be rendered fully weightless so long as they are under 400 LBs, but this amount can be increased by 200 lbs for every rank the note is over D. 

Suspend: Mana cost (4)
The target is anchored to its center of mass at the time this note activates, or the center of an area modification such as AoE or Zone. This has a sort of rubber banding effect where the target is always pulled towards the anchor, but much more forcefully outside a certain range. At ranks D/C/B/A/S, the target can move most easily 20/15/10/5/0 feet from the anchor before the pull of gravity inevitably yanks them back. lasts for 6 seconds. 
[/cell][/row][/table]