The Elements - Part 1

The titular Elementalist is a wizard who specializes in elemental magic; specifically the four primary elements: fire, water, earth and air.  At the outset of the game the wizard has lost much of his power (I know, shock!) and must regain it by recovering the elemental gems for his wand.  This gives players a chance to gain mastery of the game systems as they progress.  For each of the four elements the wizard will eventually master four spells, bringing the total to sixteen eventually (not to mention the sixteen items currently implemented).  This may sound overwhelming at first but it becomes elemental in no time (puns are always free)!

The spells are somewhat loosely categorized as "offense" and "defense" and include both a "basic" and "strong" version.  In order to cast the "strong" version the wizard must already have attained the second (and of course larger!) gem for the given element.  Today I want to give a quick preview of the "basic" spells for the four elements.

Fireball (Attack)
Very few spells are as basic and still satisfying as the old stand-by fireball.  This no-frills spell is sure to leave your enemies hot under the collar and has the added benefit of lighting up some of the scenery in the process.  Don't leave home without it.

Bonfire (Defense)
Bonfire may technically count as a "defensive" spell but don't let that fool you, some enemies really are stupid enough to walk right into this party.  Bonfire can also pass through some semi-solid objects and be a Really Useful Engine Spell.

Iceball (Attack)
Put the lights out on your foes or just the chandelier with an ice ball.  Capable of flying long distances and landing with a wet smack, the ice-ball lets your enemies know that you can be as cold as ice (and you're willing to sacrifice).  When combined with a fireball you can keep yourself endlessly entertained*! (*not actually guaranteed)

Wave (Defense)
Nobody knows who started the wave, but we can all agree that it is hard to stop once it gets going.  This wave is good at putting out fires and pushing back the unwanted advances of shambling hordes who are all but putting a tic-tac in their mouths right now.

Rockball (Attack)
For those about to rock.  The simple rock ball attack is bound to be a hit with some of your enemies.  Also useful for hitting those out-of-the way switches that seem to be all the rage for some reason.

Stalagmite (Defense)
Erupting a stalagmite in front of you can be a handy way to stop incoming attacks or just make an obstacle for enemies interested in getting a bit too close.  And if your timing is right there are plenty of enemies who will not appreciate it bursting out of the ground to meet them.

Lightning (Attack)
Fast and furious (and amazingly rehashing the same tired formula over and over), the lightning bolt is capable of delivering a real jolt in a hurry.  I know, shocking, right!

Wind-Gust (Defense)
A brief burst of wind to propel you quickly forward and potentially over small gaps.  Wind gust really is the wind beneath your wings!

Alright, that wraps up the overview of the eight basic elemental spells.  If you are like me (god help you, I'm so sorry) you are already thinking of the many ways these could be used to overcome enemies and obstacles, solve puzzles, and generally infect your whole train of thought.  If not, I still hope you are intrigued and looking forward to seeing some of the "strong" elemental spells and additional items for the wizard to use.