Game Mechanics: Staff of Temperate Flux

[Scalem]

Found a source showing that Flux staff should have a short cast time associated with it in our era.

Source: Allakhazam
Date: June 15, 2000 which puts it in the current timeline.
https://everquest.allakhazam.com/his...es-2000-1.html

Text from source:
“The Staff of Temperate Flux and the Rod of Insidious Glamour now have
a short casting time associated with their activatable effect (See
Below).”

“We received word a few weeks ago that some people were using these
items to "spam" other players with their spell-effect messages, causing
them to disconnect. Though /ignore will allow you to filter out text
messages caused by people on your /ignore list, it will not allow you
to filter out spell-effect messages for spells cast upon you.

The short casting time should prevent the problems associated with the
targetable and activatable effect on these weapons, however you will
have to stand still to use them now.”

[Encroaching Death]

This man just destroyed every Wizard and Enchanter on the servers...

[mcoy]

Hrm. I distinctly remember using the heck out of my staff of temp flux... I even got it in-era (note the devs have these logs already; i provided them a couple years back):

[Wed Nov 14 02:00:18 2001] Gardern says 'Well done, Qien - here is the staff of Temperate Flux. Use it with the blessings of the Temple of Solusek Ro.
[Wed Nov 14 02:00:18 2001] Your faction standing with Temple Of Sol Ro got better.
[Wed Nov 14 02:00:18 2001] Your faction standing with Shadowed Men got worse.
[Wed Nov 14 02:00:18 2001] You gain experience!!
[Wed Nov 14 02:00:22 2001] Qien saved.

(I gate to nek forest)

[Wed Nov 14 02:01:45 2001] a skeleton scowls at you, ready to attack -- You could probably win this fight.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:46 2001] A skeleton tries to hit YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:46 2001] A skeleton tries to bash YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:47 2001] A skeleton tries to hit YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:47 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:49 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:49 2001] A skeleton tries to hit YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:49 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:49 2001] You can't use that command right now...
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:49 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:50 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:50 2001] A skeleton tries to hit YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:50 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:50 2001] Your target resisted the LowerElement spell.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:50 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:51 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:51 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:51 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:51 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:51 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] A skeleton tries to hit YOU, but misses!
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] Your target resisted the LowerElement spell.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:52 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:53 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:53 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:53 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:53 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:53 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:54 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:54 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] You were hit by non-melee for 6 dmg.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] YOU were injured by falling.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] You can't use that command right now...
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:55 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:56 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:56 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.
[Wed Nov 14 02:01:56 2001] A skeleton looks uncomfortable.

Sure looks like I'm clicking it like mad on that skeleton; I even got a couple resists and was injured while falling while also clicking it. Note I'm level 51:

[Wed Nov 14 01:51:50 2001] [51 Channeler] Qien (High Elf) <Viatores Norrathae> ZONE: lavastorm

-Mcoy

[Ennewi]

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?t=356658

[mcoy]

I even found a screenshot - it's out of era though (2003 I think):

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

-Mcoy

[Ennewi]

https://web.archive.org/web/20020204...ards/flux.html

07:36:11 Feb 04, 2002 (The earliest wayback date available for the site seems to be Nov 17, 2001)

The Staff of Temperate Flux can be used while moving, and has no casting time to use, it is instant. Further, it has a very quick reset time, allowing you to run around clicking this and affecting your target. This helps to negate the problem with resistances, because if they resist it not only cost you no mana, but very little time either. It also has a slight aggro effect, which makes the monsters notice and be upset at you. Further, it has exactly the same range as your normal DD spells (shorter than bolt).

Knowing all this, you can determine a few little uses for the staff that it wasn't built for. Sorry, but to be able to compete and excel as a Wizard, you have to be creative and work every angle. Incidentally, this staff used to have an unintended side effect where it would remove fire damage shields when clicked on. Verant removed that, however, and it does not act this way any more.

One primary use is to check your range on a creature. The range of the staff is exactly the same as your blasts, which means it will tell you exactly when a monster is in or out of range. This is a good way check how far you are from a monster you are kiting, and it also lets you know if that monster is close enough to shoot or not when its running up. This use in kiting has another effect, it constantly aggros the monster to keep it on your tail, and it also makes it fairly clear you aren't running from the monster nor unaware of it. That red squiggly glow is a good sign you are fighting the monster and well aware of its existence.

Speaking of Aggro, the staff has a low aggro effect that builds as you use it over and over. Since this is so fast, you can actually get monsters mad at you (and not, for example, the enchanter trying to mes or the cleric who is trying to heal) by using the staff and no mana. It also works to pull with, a fairly simple system. When you see the monster, you click on the staff, and if its in range, the monster will run at you without using any mana up.

https://web.archive.org/web/20040622...php?t=3252&amp

Razzial
Lurker No More!
Lurker No More!
Location: Norrath
Gender: Female
PostPosted: Wed May 12, 2004 12:20 pm Post subject: mobs warping Reply with quote
I apologize for making this my first venture out of lurkdom on this forum. However, as this is a place where I know the problem will be seen by Brenlo or his staff eventually, I feel I should add my experiences and information to this post.

As a wizard, I typically quad kite, and lately, it has become even more difficult. I accept that I will die, often, while doing something like quad kiting. It is a dangerous method of xping. However, the warping error has made it truly deadly. And it sounds like it is not just a problem for me, but for anyone trying to kite, pull, charm or just in general keep their distance from a mob.

On to the data: My wizard has a staff of temperate flux, a low level cold/fire debuff. Because it is a clicky, I can run while mobs are chasing me and use it to gauge distance before attempting to AoE snare or nuke. Due to this, I can EASILY see the warping. I cannot post actual screen shots in this forum, but here is a glimpse of what the text looks like as i run away (using numlock, so no variation in speed) from an Ulthork in Eastern Wastes (so typically flat land) constantly clicking my staff.

Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target is too far away
Your Target is too far away
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target is too far away
Your Target is too far away
Your Target is too far away
Your Target is too far away
Your Target looks uncomfortable
Your Target is too far away

Now, I am moving at a constant rate of speed (J-boot speed), there are few trees/hills/obstacles where i fight (on the north side of the zone) and somehow, these mobs are still "jumping" in and out of range. I can actually see it happening if i shift to 3rd person view while rounding up the quad, I can also see it when i turn around (while in first person view) to deliver the nuke or snare.

Now, if the mob is snared, the little warps aren't usually a problem. But unsnared, it's a whole different ball game. The warps are much larger and more difficult to predict. For an enchanter trying to mez a pull or control a charm break without snare, the difficulty is surely compounded! I hope that this post gets some attention and that the developers are able to get the information they need to attempt a fix.

~Razzial 39 Wizard

[Kirdan]

I played a wizard during velious era on live and it was definitely instant. If it was ever actually changed, then it must have been temporary and changed back.

[Tunabros]

bro is trying to destroy the vulak kite meta for everyone

[Chortles Snortles]

it was ABSOLUTELY instant cast for sure, it's how we detected mob range for quad kiting

https://www.angelfire.com/or2/Wizards/flux.html

Using the Staff

The Staff of Temperate Flux can be used while moving, and has no casting time to use, it is instant. Further, it has a very quick reset time, allowing you to run around clicking this and affecting your target. This helps to negate the problem with resistances, because if they resist it not only cost you no mana, but very little time either. It also has a slight aggro effect, which makes the monsters notice and be upset at you. Further, it has exactly the same range as your normal DD spells (shorter than bolt).

[Kich867]

Is it possible the "short cast time" added to it is just an internal cooldown to reduce the spam? My read on the "you could use this so often you would DC people" is like, you used to be able to bind it to mousewheel and completely blast someone with it and the fix was to put a very short internal cooldown so you can't spam it fully at will.

I can't imagine the current rate a player can mash on a flux staff would ever break someone's client, far more spell effects are flying in raids, so my assumption is that you used to be able to spam it unbounded.