When I first started EQ and was told about the research skill. I thought
"Wow! Cool I'll be able to find new spells". But low and behold what a
dismal dissapointment this skill is. It is a skill that you NEED to be of
any use at high lvls. More and more of your "Main Spells" become research
only, the skill is TEDIOUS AS HELL to raise, finding runes can be hard.
Finding the ones you need is the worst and finding enough of the ones you
need to get to a descent skill level is HELL.

So what do I suggest for this skill? A few things

(A) Have 2 spell components per rank buyable at guilds. So you can buy the
runes/components you need at that lvl to get to a descent skill to make your
other spells.

(B) Make all of the "Main Spells" buyable. So for

- Wizards : Direct damage, Gates
- Magi : Direct damage, pets
- Encs : ???? Buffs and Debuffs ???
- Necros : Pets and DoTs

These would be the "basic spells" for those ranks. Things like area effect,
buffs/debuffs for some class's. Root, util spells, etc would be research
only. Then, have some nice "upgraded" DDs, DOTs, Buffs, etc that are rare
research runes. And verant could constatnly be adding new combos, etc. ie)

lvl 29 wiz spell does 240 dmg. Make it buyable (which it is), Have another
lvl 29 wiz spell that is harder to get, research only, etc, but have it do
like.. 270 dmg for only a few more mana.

If verant was to be constantly adding componet combos/etc to the game it
would add alot to it.

So for example, a wizard would get every DD and every teleport buyable. But
any of his other spells would need to be researched, etc.

Or a magi could buy every "basic pets" he would need. But he could be lucky
and manage to research a pet at the same lvl that has more hp and hits for
more damage then his standard one would.

(C) In certian areas in the game, you should be able to invoke the research
skill to digup components. Much like the forage skill. ie) Wizard is putsing
about in Befallen, in the library he uses his research skill, he may dig up
a rune from the shelf that could be used for a spellt aht he needs. This
would also provide an alternative way to raise your skill.

(D) Have various components that change the effect of your spells. And the
mana/dmg/cast time.

(btw: I play a wizard so all my examples will use wizards, this does not
mean I want to "buff up the class" since this would effect all the other
casters in this game aswell)

So, lets say I find rune Hot and rune Bolt, which would make the Inferno
Shock spell. I dont want to have the "standard" look of the inferno shock
spell. I'd like it to look like a healing spell but just do a pallet swap so
it looks like fire not the cool-healing blue it is. I'd also like to incrase
its mana efficeny by sacraficing it's casting time ( so it takes longer to
cast ). So while researching the spell, I toss in the componets and pop out
the inferno shock spell. Then, I put the scrool back into the wizards
lexcion, then mix/match combos etc untill I get the new desired effect that
I want.

I think this would add ALOT of diversity to all of the magic casters. Every
other magi looks like the next, every wizard looks like the next when
casting. Not a whole lot sets them apart.

Wizard (A) May have a fast casting inferno shock that is less manna
efficent, but he can pop them off faster then wizard (B), whos inferno shock
does more damage but takes alot longer to cast.

Comments ?