Wizard101 Level 98 Spell Analysis (Shifts)

With Wizard101's release of Khrysalis Part 2, there comes three new sets of spells. The first I'll be covering will be the new shift spells. Much like crafted spells, there provide a number of unique effects along with some damage. They have the potential to be very powerful, but do they live up to our expectations upon closer review?

What are Shift Spells and Where do I Get Them?

Shift spells are essentially just attacks. To give them a creative twist, however, you will polymorph into a creature and use their natural attack instead of summoning a creature. You do not actually polymorph, then wait a round to cast it, you use the spell and will change, attack, and change back. To get these, you need to be level 98 or higher, and talk to Arkyn Moonblade in the Eclipse Tower back in the Moon Cliffs. You can train any and all that you choose, but you'll only get the one from your school for free.

The Trouble with Shifts

If these were four-pip spells, they'd be pretty appropriately powered and quite useful. The problem is, they're not. They're eight-pip spells, as no one can use power pips with Moon spells, and that decreases their usefulness almost to zero. I'm unsure if this is intended or not, as these are powered like rank four spells. If these were obtained at low levels, they might still be useful, but at this point, they are not.

Level 98 Fire Spell: Shift Grendel

Shift Grendel does 95 + 280 fire damage over three rounds, then adds a negative charm that's either -25%, -45%, or -60% accuracy. There's no real rank four spell to compare it to, as Fire's is an AoE, but their rank five spell is Phoenix, which does 515-595 damage, as compared to 375 and a ward from this spell. So if it were to change to four pips, it would be quite useful for stacking those wards while attacking to get rid of shields. Fire's eight-pip spell is Efreet, not only doing over two times the damage of Shift Grendel, but also adds a more powerful negative charm. Ultimately, this could be a very useful spell for Fire if it only cost four pips.

Level 98 Storm Spell: Shift Piscean

Shift Piscean does 350 Storm damage and steals one pip from an enemy. That makes the pip cost only seven (or potentially three), but taking that one pip won't prevent an attack the same round that uses that pip, and the lower damage is not entirely impressive. Compared to Kraken, Storm's four-pip spell doing 520-580 damage, it isn't terribly effective at such a high level. Even if it only cost four pips, I have to conclude that Storm got cheated here, and won't have an additional weapon for their arsenal with Shift Piscean. What might be more appropriate for four pips is 425 Storm damage and steal two pips. That'd be one worth using. Or perhaps, if it remained eight pips, it could be a 100 + 250 damage over three rounds and steal one pip spell.

Level 98 Balance Spell: Shift Thornpaw

Shift Thornpaw does 290 Balance damage and add a 10% accuracy charm and 10% armor piercing charm to the caster. Balance struck gold with Loremaster, and now they might have yet another spell to make use of. This is an attack with two positive charms instead of negative ones, and that alone makes the spell pretty powerful. At four pips, this would be quite useful to Balance, especially considering the fact that their other rank four spell is an AoE. However, compare it to their rank nine or ten spell (eight and seven are AoEs), and it isn't of much use. If these are changed, it may be one of Balance's new major attacks, and will be particularly useful in PvE where buffing yourself is usually more important than negative charms on enemies (Loremaster).

Level 98 Life Spell: Shift Greenoak

Shift Greenoak does 250 Life damage, adds a -25% damage to the enemy, and adds a +25% damage charm to the caster. I'm a huge fan of spells that place all kinds of things like this. Life got a good one. Compared to Seraph's 335-395 damage, this isn't any too bad, and the wards would lead me to swap the two any day. But right now, it costs eight pips, and that makes it a definite no for Life wizards. Should they be changed, however, Life will definitely have gotten one of the most powerful new Shift spells.

Level 98 Ice Spell: Shift Dread Paladin

Shift Dread Paladin does 270 Ice damage, and then places a trap that is either +15%, +30%, or +45% damage. That's something already, as this trap is universal and therefore this might be a huge, huge spell for non-Ice wizards wishing to break shields without removing blades and placing a little extra damage trap. And with these being Moon spells, they could potentially be very useful for more than just their designated school. Compared to Blizzard, this isn't bad at all, but again, for eight pips, it's not worth using.

Level 98 Myth Spell: Shift Ogre

Shift Ogre does 310 Myth damage and removes all wards and charms from the enemy. Now for eight pips, this seems to be the first spell that might actually be worth using, especially time you place a Gargantuan on it. The problem is that Myth already has Shatter, and unless you're having trouble finding Enfeebles or ways or encountering a lot of blade-stackers (which is actually quite possible), you could just use Shatter for five fewer pips. In fact, you could use Shatter and an Enfeeble treasure card for fewer pips than this guy. However, other schools don't necessary have that option, and while this might be a poor choice for PvE, it can't be that bad for PvP. If it IS changed to four pips or you can use power pips with it, I'd say you actually need to bring the damage way down or remove the effect of either removing charms or wards. Very powerful.

Level 98 Death Spell: Shift Sugar Glider

Shift Sugar Glider does 290 Death damage and places a -25% damage charm and a -50% healing charm on the enemy. Death has gotten cheated with a lot of their spells in pip cost and power, but assuming this gets changed to four pips, this won't be one of those times. At eight pips, this is again underpowered and nearly useless, but at four, it becomes the Loremaster of the Death school. Place a Gargantuan on this, and it's and incredibly useful shield-breaker (or even damage spell), and also packs the Weakness and Infection. As much as I hate to admit it, this is pretty powerful. I'd bring that damage down to 175 or 200. But then, if it remains eight pips, it won't be useful at all.

Solutions to Shifts

The way I see it, these need to cost only four pips. They're powered like four-pip spells, and they aren't going to be very useful otherwise. There are three ways to do it - first, allow each school to use power pips with their spell. This is the most complicated option, but also prevents some problems created with others. The second is to reduce the pip cost on the card to two. This is the easiest option, but also means that we can essentially use power pips with every spell, which could really shake things up, but wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. After all, we all have the same pip cost for every spell right now.

The third is to create a Moon mastery amulet. This would be interesting, as there are only a few spells it's truly be useful for (i.e. these), and it might also be difficult to farm for. If it's anything like Exalted Amulets, this choice is out for me. KingsIsle has to keep in mind that they actually want people to use these spells and add that extra layer of depth to the game, and that won't easily be accomplished (or really accomplished at all) through a Moon mastery or leaving the spells as they are.

What do you think of these new Shift spells?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral! Credits: Big thanks to flash33 for the spell card images. Published with his permission.