Curse

Rikimaru · Jul 06, 2006, 07:38 PM // 19:38

(I Got the idea from reading Actionjack's Fencer concept class, though I consider this to be much more like a Samurai than a Fencer. I Also took some ideas from BahamutKaiser's samurai suggestions later.)

The Duelist is an extremely disciplined melee fighter that uses a large two-handed sword as a weapon. Although it is unorthodox, they apply a massive level of finesse to the use of this weapon by using subtle and accurate motions, which allows faster use of the weapon, and they combine this technique with the brute force the weapon is capable of. They are undisputed masters of one-on-one combat, and prefer to use mobility to counter an opponents attacks, rather than simply wearing heavy armor.

The class is like a hybrid of a warrior and an assassin, with a great ability to take out single targets, as well as having a decent ability to survive. They are also a little like a mesmer, in how the mesmer often counters an opponent's attacks rather than attacking directly.
The idea behind them is that they have to continually try to separate their opponent from their teammates, then beat the crap out of them with great consistent damage and counters.
With their great ability to block and counter weapon attacks, and their powerful armor-penetrating attacks, they are amazing at destroying other melee characters.

Appearance
They need to be strong to wield their weapon of choice, but they also need mobility and speed. For this reason, they should have a physique similar to that of Rangers or Dervishes.

Weapon
The Two-handed Sword has a speed equal to a hammer, and more balanced damage between the minimum and maximum. The actual damage is weaker than a hammer, but it has innate 10% armor penetration which stacks with other armor penetrating effects.

New Mechanic - Dash Attack: Attack skills with the "Dash" prefix cause you to charge at the enemy when you use them. When you dash, you run to the enemy 45% faster (if you aren't already in front of them), and you cannot cancel the action of chasing them. The only thing that will stop you is reaching the target, being knocked down/interrupted, hitting an impasse, or being slowed/crippled. The Dash effect of a Dash Attack does not take place if you are already slowed or crippled, causing you to walk toward the opponent as with an ordinary attack skill.
The dash only takes place if you are within normal spell range of the opponent as well. If you aren't, you'll move within range then dash.

Armor Stats: 60 AL, +20 while in a stance. 30 energy, +4 energy regeneration.

Attributes:
Two-handed Swordsmanship: Each point in Two-handed Swordsmanship enhances the damage you deal with two-handed swords, as well as your chance to score a critical strike with one.
Dueling: This enhances the effects of skills intended to keep a fight one-on-one, or to help you to succeed in such a fight.
Fencing: This enhances the effects of skills relating to countering an opponents actions.
Discipline (P): Each point in Discipline reduces the reset time of attack and stance skills by 4%.

Two-handed Swordsmanship:
Wide Arc: 5 energy, 10s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe and all foes adjacent to the target for +2...16 damage.
Round Strike: 5e cost, 1/2s animation, 6s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Must be used immediately after an attempted attack. When used, you kick target foe, dealing only 10...40 damage. If the last attack failed to hit, this attack cannot be blocked or dodged.
(The idea is that they follow the momentum of the swing, and perform a spinning "roundhouse"-like kick)
Handle Strike: 5e cost, 3/4s animation, 14s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe, dealing no damage but interrupting their current action. If this attack hits successfully, for 3 seconds the next attack skill that hits the target foe cannot be blocked or dodged.
Swift Slash: 5e cost, 1/2s animation, 6s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe for 20% less damage. If this attack hits, you gain 1...2 energy, but no adrenaline.
Descending Edge: 10e cost, 2s animation, 14s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe, inflicting +10...32 damage. This attack has 15% armor penetration.
Transfix: 10e cost, 16s reset.
Two-handed sword Dash attack. Strike target foe, inflicting +4...12 damage and Deep Wound for 5...10 seconds. If this attack fails to hit, you are knocked down. This attack has 15% armor penetration.
Abdominal Gash: 5e cost, 10s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe, inflicting Bleeding for 6...20 seconds. This attack has 15% armor penetration.
Deviate Momentum: 5e cost, 2s animation, 12s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Lose all enchantments and strike target foe 3 times. These attacks deal 15% less damage.
Cleave the Sky (E): 10e cost, 3s animation, 15s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Strike target foe for +12...46 damage. This attack has 20% armor penetration.
Insidious Laceration (E): 10e cost, 18s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Lose all enchantments and strike target foe 3 times. For 8 seconds, the 1st strike inflicts Bleeding, the 2nd inflicts Deep Wound, and the 3rd inflicts Weakness.
Blitz (E): 5e cost, 2s animation, 16s reset.
Two-handed sword Dash attack. Strike target foe 3 times.
Demon Pendulate (E): 15e cost, 2s animation, 14s reset.
Two-handed sword attack. Swing twice, knocking your target down with the first attack and knocking all adjacent foes down on the second.
Earth Divide: 10e cost, 1s cast, 6s reset.
Skill. Target foe takes 15...50 slashing damage.
(The idea behind the skills is that you slash upwards, slicing the ground with the beginning of the attack, and send a force of slashing wind across the ground to the target. Maybe that could be the normal casting animation for the Duelist.)

Dueling:
"Back Off!": 10e cost, 20s reset.
Shout. Anyone other than you or target foe attacking either of you are interrupted and suffer from weakness for 10...20 seconds.
Dissension: 20e cost, 30s reset.
Skill. For 10...25 seconds, if no other foes in the area are affected by this skill you and target foe cannot be the target of spells by anyone but eachother.
Solitary Initiative: 5e cost, 18s reset.
Stance. If there are no allies and only 1 foe nearby, you attack 33% faster for 10...24 seconds. The effect is negated any time allies or more foes are nearby.
Dishonorable Foes: 5e cost, 20s reset.
Skill. If there are 2 or more foes nearby, you lose 1 condition and run 33% faster for 5...12 seconds.
Duelist's Determination: 5e cost, 1s cast, 12s reset.
Skill. Heal yourself for 50...300 health. The amount healed is reduced by 25% for each adjacent foe.
(This includes your target)
Challenge (E): 5e cost, 1s cast, 25s reset.
Skill. You and target foe become affected by Challenge for 10...30 seconds. While under the effects of this skill, all spells and skills fail to hit either of you unless they are by eachother. This cannot be used if any foes in the area are already affected by this skill.

Fencing:
Repulse: 5e cost, 10s reset.
Skill. For 5...12 seconds, any time you and target foe start an attack within 3/4 second of eachother, both you and your opponent's attacks are blocked.
Parry: 5e cost, 4s reset.
Skill. For 8 seconds, block the next melee attack against you. If you block an attack in this way, you recover 1...3 energy.
Subjugation: 10e cost, 20 second reset.
Stance. For 20 seconds, any time you block an attack, the foe you blocked takes 10...30 damage.
Divert: 5e cost, 15s reset.
Skill. For 10...20 seconds, any time an attack of yours fails to hit, you immediately attack a second time. The second attack cannot trigger a third. (This will work with attack skills.)
Mirror Assault (E): 5e cost, 10s reset.
Skill. Requires a melee weapon. For 10 seconds, you evade the next melee attack skill used against you and immediately use the same skill against them at no cost, regardless of your equipped weapon.
Thousand Slashes (E): 5e cost, 25s reset.
Stance. Requires a melee weapon. For 8...15 seconds, you have a 50% chance to block attacks while you are not moving, and attack 25% faster.
Deflect: 5e cost, 10s reset.
Skill. Requires a Two-handed Sword. for 8 seconds, deflect the next ranged attack or direct-damage projectile spell launched at you towards your target foe. If you deflect a spell, you still recieve 1/5 of the damage.

Discipline:
Art of Battle: 5e cost, 20s reset.
Skill. For 20 seconds, you gain 1...2 energy on attacks, but you gain no adrenaline from them.
Focus: 3s cast, 12s reset.
Skill. Recover +1...10 energy.
Fusillade: 5e cost, 5s reset.
Skill. For 5 seconds, you attack 33% faster, but move 100...75% slower.
Vehement Swordsman: 5e cost, 20s reset.
Stance. For 4...15 seconds, all of your Two-handed Sword skills have +1...10% armor penetration. This stacks with the innate armor penetration of the weapon, but not with attack skills.

No Attribute:
Signet of Alacrity: 5s reset.
Signet. For 5 seconds, you attack 33% faster, but you lose 1 energy every time you successfully strike a foe.

actionjack · Jul 06, 2006, 08:10 PM // 20:10

Its not bad, and very detail. Could use one or two new playing mechanism to make it more differ and stand out. Having the nitch of just between a Warrior and Assassin is a thin role to fill.

I think its funny to have 2-hand sword in there, but thats just personal choice. Also you forgot to point out which is the primary attribute. (Finesse)

Some pictures might be good. Also where are the "Build Garding Fence" and "Paint Fence" and "US-Mexico Border" skills for teh Fencing mastery?

Rikimaru · Jul 06, 2006, 08:51 PM // 20:51

I Never really thought of new mechanisms for some reason. That'd simplify a lot. I'll fix the primary attribute thing too.

-Edit- Attempting to add new mechanics didn't help as much as I thought it would have. I Probably just can't think of any good ones.

Rikimaru · Jul 06, 2006, 11:26 PM // 23:26

Ok, this post is mostly just to fix some kind of error that occurred last time I posted, causing it to say that I never made the post, even thoguh it was there.
Also, I'd really like some suggestions on new skills.

nrvllrgrs · Jul 07, 2006, 12:10 AM // 00:10

I like the concept of a finesse fighter that uses the number of adjacent foes to either your advantage or disadvantage. I'd play it.

Puebert · Jul 07, 2006, 02:47 AM // 02:47

/signed

The only thing I don't like is the increase of speed in the primary attribute.

Ing Warrior · Jul 07, 2006, 03:07 AM // 03:07

Yah, I really like this class, dude.

And as stated, I really don't like the increase of speed as the main attribute...kind of makes it sound a little like a Mesmer (Fast casting), but other then that, I like your skills and what not, dude. Keep it up.

Farin · Jul 07, 2006, 03:20 AM // 03:20

The skills need work, Insidious Laceration followed by Deviate Momentum is, uhm, too good. That's 6 hits in a very short amount on time, not to mention there's a 5 second recharge on the non elite one plus deep wound.

The primary attribute is probably too good. Try something like a move or attack speed bost with chance on hit.

Rikimaru · Jul 07, 2006, 04:05 AM // 04:05

Ok, I fixed Deviate Momentum to be a little weaker, and to not work as well using it right next to Insidious Laceration. I Also changed Finesse, I'm not sure if it's as useful as before though. Does everyone like it better with that effect than the old one?

Rikimaru · Jul 07, 2006, 03:25 PM // 15:25

Does anyone have any ideas on what else I can fix, or what skills I can add?

Rikimaru · Jul 22, 2006, 09:33 PM // 21:33

I've made a decent number of changes, so I might as well bump this.

actionjack · Jul 23, 2006, 05:28 AM // 05:28

I will bump it too.

Sadly, I am one of those lazy people who don't like to read into detail of the skills (I focus on the concept more, and the uniquenss and potential funness) So would be good to give us some Example of Builds that could be done with your Duelist, that way I will go read into the skills more.

Rikimaru · Jul 23, 2006, 06:43 AM // 06:43

Ok, here's a build:

Two-handed Swordsmanship 15 (11+3+1)
Discipline 12 (10+2)
Fencing 9 (8+1)
Dueling 9 (8+1)
I Think that's a possible amount spent..

Blitz (E)
Subtle Shift
Transfix
Repulse
Subjugation
Art of Battle
Signet of Alacrity
Dissension

Use Art of Battle + Signet of Alacrity for 1 energy gain on every hit and +33% attack speed.
Use Repulse + Subjugation and the attack speed buff from the last combo and the many multi-strikes in this build to block most of your target's attacks, and cause damage every time you do.
When you find a melee-type target to take out, use Dissension to single them out, then rush at them with Blitz, inflict Deep Wound + a lot of damage with Transfix, then use Subtle Shift every chance you get for extra damage and extra swings through the ones you lose to Repulse.

WNxMeteora · Jul 23, 2006, 07:11 AM // 07:11

i love this idea for a build...i just think it might completely replace wars...is seems skills like dissension, while being the ones i like the most, are too powerful, 2 of these guys targetting both boon prots with dissension or worse...challenge = gg.

i also think the skill Deulist's determination has the heals backwards...being healed for 141 in a 1v1 seems too high, but if the foes are being dishonorable, the duelist would get even more determined to slay the cheaters and gain more health!

Rikimaru · Jul 23, 2006, 04:24 PM // 16:24

You are right about Duelist's Determination, but if I made it like you said then it'd make it easier for the Duelist to takeout multiple people. I'm sure I can find a middle ground for the skill though, so I'll work on it.
I'll try to make Dissension and Challenge more balanced too.

Ok, I've fixed those 3 skills.

Rikimaru · Jul 28, 2006, 05:29 PM // 17:29

I've made a lot of changes to this, so I might as well bump it...
No point in all of those changes being there if this is way back in page 30 or wherever it was.

Rikimaru · Aug 15, 2006, 08:33 PM // 20:33

I've altered a few skills, made some balances, added a new Two-handed Swordmanship skill, and added an example of how the class should look.
I've also fixed some of the descriptions of the class.

A Small Cat · Sep 01, 2006, 07:07 AM // 07:07

I'm really impressed with the detail you put into this new class idea (clearly a lot of time spent here, also liked your warlock idea a lot). However, the dueling attribute seems like it could never be useful and balanced at the same time. If you could functionally keep yourself and one enemy player out of the fight, every guild would bring one of these guys along in a gvg and hit the other teams monk right as the battle started. They wouldn't need another duelist, since a shutdown mes could hold the other monk down long enough to destroy any soft targets the other team had. As i see it, any skill like dissension of challenge would be imba, and removing them would make dueling attribute a little pointless. Also, it seems this character would simply be a less functional version of a warrior in a PvE setting. The attribute i really liked about this class was actually the fencing attribute, as their hasn't really been a class up to this point with an attribute wholly devoted to frustrating physical attacks (at least not to the degree that a mes's dom is for spellcasting). In my opinion, it would be really interesting to see this class as a sort of anti-physical char, with a ton of skills that punished enemies for attacking and a lot of self-preservation, and then damage skills in the two-handed sword attribute so that he wouldn't be completely useless against casters.

All in all, though, a very well thought-out class and it's nice to see someone trying to make a class that would be balanced instead of a "I pwn everyone with my 1337 skillz" class.

Soldat · Sep 05, 2006, 01:54 AM // 01:54

/signed
great ideas man.. glad to see someone actually put time into a class idea b4 posting it.

lilleville · Oct 02, 2006, 06:41 PM // 18:41

very nice