Strange Callings

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Author: Shmitz

Last revision: 7 Jun, 2023 at 02:12 UTC (1)

File size: 11.3 MB

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Description:
This mod is currently in beta testing with version 0.8

Strange Callings

Not all paths in life are sought for or planned for. Some come at you in ways you could never have predicted. Others may have been there all along, unnoticed and neglected. These callings can change our direction and make us see, finally, the life we were meant to lead.

This mod adds three new themes to the game, but they are slightly different from the usual themes. The only visual transformation they offer are wings that are mostly symbolic. Rather, the "transformation" represents a hero growing into a new craft, pursuit, or duty.
The three themes, Cogsmith, Stargazer, and Spirit Tamer, are also unique in that they function a little bit like subclasses. The core abilities will be the same for all classes, but the secondary abilities a hero unlocks will be different depending on their class. So in a sense, this mod doesn’t add three themes. It adds nine!


COGSMITH

Cogsmiths are inspired by Morthagi clockwork, even if disapproving of the methods they use to drive their constructs.
This theme is gained from the Useful Things event.

Common Ability: DEE-K01
The base ability for the Cogsmiths is the Distracting Engaging Emplacement Kit 01, or DEE-K01. Once per mission as a swift action, your cogsmith can place a DEE-K01 in an empty adjacent tile and it will automatically engage (taunt) any enemy that enters its range.

For more information please see the "Cogsmith" graphic in the gallery.

STARGAZER

Stargazers witness an impossible event, and are moved to help small star creatures that become stranded.
This theme is gained from the Constellations event.
Stargazer abilities are fuelled by Star Motes, which are the little star-like entities living in the stargazer’s constellation wings. Star motes are generated at the end of every turn and on a kill, and the maximum star motes is 3.

Common Ability: Glimmerstep
The stargazer teleports to a nearby tile, dealing damage to any enemies in betwee. This costs one action point, and the distance traveled determines how many star motes are used.

For more information please see the "Stargazer" graphic in the gallery.

SPIRIT TAMER

Spirit Tamers bond with a set of elemental spirits that are too weak to take care of themselves.
This theme is gained from the Wind in a Bottle event.

Common Ability: Elemental Spirits
The tamer can select a specific element. Whenever the tamer get a stunt on an attack, they get a bonus effect based on which element is selected.

Tamers unlock one element when they gain the calling, and unlock the others later through progression. Tamer abilities call upon one of their elemental spirit friends. While the spirit is active, the tamer does not gain the benefit of the stunt effects.

For more information please see the "Spirit Tamer" graphic in the gallery.

Events

This section contains technical information on the mod’s events to help trigger them. If you would prefer complete randomness, I advise skipping this section.

Theme Compatibilty
All "Calling" themes require a free wing slot, and so are incompatible with Crowtouched, Drauven Wings, Hawksoul, Mothly, and Teeny Wings.

Useful Things

This event grants the Cogsmith themes.
The event requires a Morthagi lurking threat to attack.
The party must have at least two heroes.
Hero 1 will favor:

  • Personalities: Bookish, Coward, Greedy, and Loner
  • Hooks: Creative, Curious, and Physical
  • Themes: Mortificial Enhancements

Hero 2 will favor:

  • Relationships: Anyone in a relationship or family with the first hero.

In both cases, these aspects are only preferences, not requirements.
Only Hero 1 will be offered the theme.

Constellations

This event grants the Stargazer themes.
It is triggered on a wilderness tile (no threats), but is not picky about anything else.
The party must have at least two heroes.
Hero 1 will favor:

  • Personalities: Healer, Romantic, and Poet
  • Hooks: Destiny, Dreamer, and Mysterious
  • Themes: Celestial, Spell Touched, and Ogogen

Hero 2 will favor:

  • Relationships: Anyone who is a friend, lover, or family of the first hero.

In both cases, these aspects are only preferences, not requirements.
Either hero may get the theme depending on the choice made.

Wind in a Bottle

This event grants the Spirit Tamer themes.
The event requires a Thrixl lurking threat to attack.
The party must have at least two heroes.
Both Hero 1 and Hero 2 will favor:

  • Personalities: Snark, Hothead, Leader, and Goofball
  • Hooks: Loyal and Wildheart
  • Themes: Flamesoul, Elmsoul, and Child of the Hills

As with the other two events, these are preferences, not requirements.
Either hero may get the theme depending on the choice made.

Other Events

There are three post-mission victory events that may be encountered randomly if the pre-mission event does not force a follow-up. These are "Maintenance" (Cogsmith), "A Star is a Star is a Star" (Stargazer), and "Shortcuts" (Spirit Tamer). They all require at least one hero with the corresponding Calling and one other hero additionally.
"Maintenance" requires a third hero, and "Shortcuts" requires a foothill or forest biome. They will also not trigger in the same chapter that a character gets the theme.
There are no rewards or consequences to these events. They’re just for fun.

Mod Compatibility

Two of the themes override the interfusion ability to allow for expanded functionality. It is possible there may be conflicts with other mods that also modify or enhance interfusion.

Testing!

This mod is currently in version 0.8 and is not fully released! If you are helping to test it before release, thank you! All feedback is welcome, but I am most interested in obvious glitches, things not working as described, and missing names/descriptions. On the general ‘player experience’ side, keep an eye out for anything that has a description but is still unclear how it’s supposed to work.

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Revisions:

Old revisions of this mod are available below. Click the link to download.