What makes a skill?

First topic message reminder :

This discussion was birthed from an argument, so the first few posts may appear somewhat harsher toned.

Much of the discussion is based around whether or not "Demonology" should be an independent skill or an expansion to Summoning: the heat of the debate being what defines the core of a skill.

So what do you think makes a skill?

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3mpty: Recently split.

I think we disagree on a fundamental level of what a skill is then. For me, different components are enough to make a skill. This is why Ancient Magicks is an additional spellbook, whilst Ranged is a different skill. If you ignore the fact that you require runes for one, and arrows for the other, both Ranged and Magic are the same skill. This is why Crafting, Fletching and Smithing are different skills.

I'm not against umbrella skills, like Combat level, but the umbrella skill cannot be trainable by itself. Otherwise the subsets will make other aspects pointless (like Ruy said). I mean: "yes, if it's only a small addition", such as Crafting having things like weaving, tailoring, etc.

Summoning (something out of nothing)
- - Divination (formally Summoning)
- - Demonology

Mysticism (puppetry)
- - Necromancy
- - Voodoo

Let's just agree to disagree. I'll suggest it, and say "This can either be a skill in it's own right" with the reasons, and "This can be an expanse to summoning" due to similarities in end-goal.

E'yeeahhh, I'm so not sure anymore.

Demonology isn't dissimilar from the Attack skill. You train it by using it, and at milestones you unlock the ability to use better stuff. Like Construction and Dungeoneering, it's "ability to use better stuff" also has a lot of other-skill requirements. At level 1 Demonology you can cite flesh and tier-1 armoured demons; at level 10 you can cite tier-2 armoured demons; and so on. A different skin will have different effects on a demon like armour. You wouldn't use metal-skin for magic-demons, but you can if you feel like it. At less frequent milestones, you also unlock additional forms. Different forms are like different weapons... pilots are swords, wulfs are daggers and djinns are staffs (sort of). These change some base-stats of a demon (including their combat style). At each level, the demon's base stats increase. So at level 2 Demonology your demon is stronger than at level 1, similar to having a little player following you.

I guess my main concern is that I don't see how this would benefit Summoning to be added to Summoning. But then again, now I think of it, not adding to Summoning would probably hurt summoning more. Added to Summoning, it would mean players are still training the Summoning skill even if not using familiars.

Haha, it's a quest I wrote. It's like smithing, but instead of ore you use runes and instead of melee weapons you create magic weapons.

Well that sounds quite intresting : ) continue please we could need a quest/skill which grant you the ability to forge runes and create magical weapons (:

Haha, I should have the skill somewhere. I think it's on here somewhere, actually.

Since both Necromancy and Conjuring have been brought up, I will explain the difference between them.

Conjuring is magically creating stuff to be use.

Summoning is calling among stuff in hopes that they will do as you command.

Hence why creatures are summoned and objects usually conjured.

Now, Necromancy is the art of changing the living status of stuff without simply overwhelping the target(s) to said point(s) nor as a side effect of some other action.

As far as I know the only living statuses are Alive, Dead, Undead, and Inanimate Object.

I see that as meaning that Necromancy will bring a minimal of 52 unique living status options (12 different target individual from 1 state to another, 12 target group from 1 state to another, and 28 status exchanges between individuals and groups) with it.

I have to say Necromancy went right over my head right there.