Ability Lore

[Ama]

<DIV>This is something that I started kicking around in my head trying to make sense of but for some reason I couldn't.  My question directly deals with three things that I am a bit perplexed about.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The first being about our master strike abilities and the lore behind those abilities.  It is said that by taking that particular race of creature as our enemy we gain special attacks/ways against them.  How is it that we are able to take them as our enemy? Do we just up and decide that allowing the ability to grow over time or is there something behind it?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second question deals directly with our abilities and the question is how do we gain those abilities?  In Desert of Flames we no longer get our spells automatically but must find them amongst the creatures or earn them through question.  What is the lore behind those abilities and the power that lies within them?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Final question or questions I should say again deals with our abilities.  One part being how do we gain quote "Master" level knowledge of those abilities which we know as Master II ranking abilities? The second part deals with a mysterious quote I saw below one of my own abilities.  Spirit of the Wolf is a handy spell that can increase the speed of the target by 20% well the question I have involves the quote below it saying "I met a lovely young woman today named Holy Windstalker."  I have seen other mysterious quotes like this under spells.  What do these quotes mean and do they have any significance to them?</DIV>

[toad-v]

Well the Holly Windstalker strikes me as a bit of a joke. She was an NPC in Qeynos Hills in EQLive, that would agro you if you attacked any of her sacred(read any animal period) animals. So SoW would be handy if evading her, <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.

[Pahya]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Amana wrote:<BR> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The first being about our master strike abilities and the lore behind those abilities.  It is said that by taking that particular race of creature as our enemy we gain special attacks/ways against them.  How is it that we are able to take them as our enemy? Do we just up and decide that allowing the ability to grow over time or is there something behind it?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Whenever I see mention of a master strike ability I always think of the favored enemy traid of the D&D rangers. Basically I take it to mean that your character has a particular dislike for that specific enemy and has taken it upon themselves to know the enemy's weak points, manners and battle style.

[Cusashorn]

<DIV>You have a valid point with the master strikes. However, I don't think it's fair to try to associate game mechanics with the lore in the game.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I mean the whole Apprentice 1 - Master 2 spell upgrade thing doesn't even qualify for any of the lore regarding the Combat Arts that Master Puab Closk ended up discovering that are now regularily used for combat in Norrath.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Gaining the ability as you naturally level up is more of a game mechanic courtesy more than anything else.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I mean from a lore point of view, there's no such thing as levels. Varsoon may only be level 30'ish, but from a lore point of view, the power that he has accumulated as a mage, and gaining immortality and stuff like that.... He could go toe to toe with the best of any dragon out there and easily win.</DIV>

[Nocturnal Aby]

<DIV>Originally (pre-release, some beta, I think) one obtained the enemy mastery abilities by completing the Lore and Legend books.  In fact, I remember that in the beginning, we actually called the books and quests "Mastery books." This would make sense, seeing as how after studying this creature type so in depth, one would then learn how to combat uch creature more effectively.  This idea was scrapped, I believe, because it gave us access to too many master abilities.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The advancement of our combat abilities makes sense as well, to some degree, if you look at it this way.  I would not be very profficient at a combat art that I just learned (apprentice), but through practice and study of the technique, I would get better at it, becoming adept, and eventually a master of the move.  This is even more applicable to spells, whereby studying a scroll or a tome specifically dedicated to the execution of a certain spell would then make one better at casting that specific spell.  It's not as strong with combat abilities, because even though studying the art of the technique from a book would give you pointers on how to improve, nothing would beat practical application, ie practive of such an art.</DIV>

[Ama]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Cusashorn wrote:<BR> <DIV>You have a valid point with the master strikes. However, I don't think it's fair to try to associate game mechanics with the lore in the game.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I mean the whole Apprentice 1 - Master 2 spell upgrade thing doesn't even qualify for any of the lore regarding the Combat Arts that Master Puab Closk ended up discovering that are now regularily used for combat in Norrath.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Gaining the ability as you naturally level up is more of a game mechanic courtesy more than anything else.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I mean from a lore point of view, there's no such thing as levels. Varsoon may only be level 30'ish, but from a lore point of view, the power that he has accumulated as a mage, and gaining immortality and stuff like that.... He could go toe to toe with the best of any dragon out there and easily win.</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Well I say Master II as a "Technical" reference more over than the app 1 thing.  I also apply a similar comparison asking about the DoF/KoS abilities where we quote "Find/Discover" them opposed to getting them like in the regular EQ2.  <BR></P> <P>The Master II i'm particularly interested in because at the top I believe it says "Through diligent studies you have gained insight about your abilities".  Be it we can only choose 4 spells but still it is rather interesting from a lore aspect because we choose from 1 of 4 abilities to quote "Master".  </P> <P>Nocturnal Abyss wrote:</P> <DIV>Originally (pre-release, some beta, I think) one obtained the enemy mastery abilities by completing the Lore and Legend books.  In fact, I remember that in the beginning, we actually called the books and quests "Mastery books." This would make sense, seeing as how after studying this creature type so in depth, one would then learn how to combat uch creature more effectively.  This idea was scrapped, I believe, because it gave us access to too many master abilities.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The advancement of our combat abilities makes sense as well, to some degree, if you look at it this way.  I would not be very profficient at a combat art that I just learned (apprentice), but through practice and study of the technique, I would get better at it, becoming adept, and eventually a master of the move.  This is even more applicable to spells, whereby studying a scroll or a tome specifically dedicated to the execution of a certain spell would then make one better at casting that specific spell.  It's not as strong with combat abilities, because even though studying the art of the technique from a book would give you pointers on how to improve, nothing would beat practical application, ie practive of such an art.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>That I have to agree with Nocturnal and that is probably how the DoF/KoS stuff actually works inlight of the Original EQ2 content from a lore standpoint.  In the original part as you progressed gainging skills, strength and what not you learned various techniques.  However as a lore aspect you can say that your quote "50th Season" is where everything culminates into a focused spell that rewards your efforts.  In order for you to advance past that "50th Season" you must scour new lands to learn more advanced techniques.  </DIV>