For the longest time in MMORPGs, the ability to use magic and wreak devastating damage with it has never really had any obvious consequences on your character. Sure, you're a bit weaker than most character builds, but it's never really had that sort of impact where you really felt like you deserved that ability, rather than just being a class feature. Now, we catch wind of what the developers of Funcom's Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (PC, Xbox 360) have done for that aspect of magic-wielding in the game.

So, what did they do, then? Instead of magic being just a skill you just click and wait for to take effect, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures makes the art into something akin to a stance. Specifically, Spellweaving. The Soldier-type classes have their defensive and offensive stances to switch back and forth into, so the magic-capable classes should have a stance they can also shift to and from whenever they need it.

This makes the choice of whether to tough it out or simply let loose with magic a strategic option, rather than just guessing if you'll have enough points for it - as your resistance to damage (as well as damage output) changes dramatically whenever you do go into Spellweaving, along with positive and negative effects.

Here's an example: for the Necromancer, the positive effects of Spellweaving is an eight-second buff that causes you to gain a parasitic soul pet whenever you actually pull off a spell. There's also the Arcane Surge buff that causes you to inflict maximum damage.

Now for the negatives. When in Spellweaving, the Necromancer will be infested with grave-worms that inflict unholy damage over time. Arcane Drought is the opposite of Arcane Surge, and will have your spells doing piddling damage to any enemy. Finally, Frailty makes you very vulnerable to physical attacks. It will hurt.

Of course, they don't naturally happen right away. Spellweaving has six stages, and the longer you stay in that stance, the more chances these buffs (and penalties) will happen to you. Not to worry, though, because as it's all dependent on chance, you're not going to get the short end of the stick all the time.

Definitely a great update for Funcom's Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. Updates as we get them, and enjoy the video!