Demon Snakes for All!

[Geras]

Could each element except air be given some sort of equivalent of the demon snakes spell? Maybe of varrying degrees of strengths and sophistication.

I think they're fun spells that can generate RP in a better way than the old debuff-from-afar trolling. I think in general area-denial spells are a good direction for magic to go in general (over direct confrontation) too.

Why not air?

Well... air is pretty damned strong already, and I don't think we need every element to have exactly the same tools.

Thoughts?

[LANS]

Void snakes are already very, very powerful. Certain configurations can be stronger than the entire, combined fighting force of the Knights. They are also a staple, a reason for witches to choose Lunare over other moons. More mages casting snakes everywhere seems un-fun.
I have actually been advocating for a nerf of them, but it seems unlikely to happen.

[Taunya]

[Geras]

Void snakes are already very, very powerful. Certain configurations can be stronger than the entire, combined fighting force of the Knights. They are also a staple, a reason for witches to choose Lunare over other moons. More mages casting snakes everywhere seems un-fun.
I have actually been advocating for a nerf of them, but it seems unlikely to happen.

It would give you more to do and hunt Lans! Don't you want to fight lava bears and stone pangolins and water jellyfish?

[wimple]

It would give you more to do and hunt Lans! Don't you want to fight lava bears and stone pangolins and water jellyfish?

I mean, when you put it like that...

[galaxgal]

If I had my way I'd honestly rather That One Spell Literally Everyone Gets From Air be toned down in exchange for broadening the element's wheelhouse but pets probably aren't the way to go. But that's unrelated to demon snakes.

(I'm trying to avoid spoilers rather than be paggro; In the know people know which one it is.)

[plague]

I feel like this suggestion would negate a lot of the point of there being different elements. They all serve a thematic purpose and, while I'm sure there's overlap, I feel like most magic should be special ("ah yes, fire soft serve and void fudge!") instead of "the fire/earth/air/water/void-flavored sundae."

[Geras]

You all make good points. Maybe the snakes could at least have different mobprog options and who and how they attack? And ones that stay hidden waiting for their prey?

[Geras]

Does that make sense to every one? What I'm trying to get at is having area-denial spells like the snakes that you can use a bit more subtly. So for example, setting a redlist that the snakes attack (while ignoring everyone else), or a whitelist that the snakes ignore (while attacking everyone else), or a timer that they go into hiding for a set period before attacking people. Stuff like that. Maybe that functionality could be incorporated into one spell, or split between multiple spells (there are a few area denial spells out there which I won't get into), but I think this would be a good way to add value and subtlety to magic without adding raw power.

[Kuzco]

There are already area denial spells for all moons. Fire walls, wyrds, ice walls, snakes, and other that I won't mention.
I think the snakes are primal and dumb because that's the way they were intended to be. if you want better servants, get a demon or bodyguard, is my humble suggestion.