Curse

Zorian Direspell · Mar 10, 2007, 03:30 AM // 03:30

Hello, there. I usually don't independently post much, but I figured that this would be worth it. I've been doing some (light) thinking lately about how expansion classes are developed in Guild Wars, and it seems pretty clear to me that each expansion class takes three of the core classes, finds a generally unexploited area of similarity in two of the classes that could be flushed out into a full combat style and one method generally only available to one of the classes and combines them to create a new class/play style. If we look at the current expansion classes, we can see that:

Assassin = Warrior/Mesmer/Ranger = Close combat/Hex & Disabling/Movement as Defense
Ritualist = Monk/Necromancer/Ranger = Party Buffing/Minion using/Ritualist
Dervish = Warrior/Elementalist/Monk = Close combat/area damaging/self enchanting, healing
Paragon = Warrior/Ranger/Monk = heavy armor, shouts/ranged combat/party buffing

So, that leaves the following combinations unaccounted for( hopefully the abbreviations are obvious):

RME, RMMe, RMW, RNE, RNMe, RNW, RWE, REMe, WEN, WEMe, WNMe, WNM, MeEN, MeEM, MeNM, MEN

This has led me to wonder, assuming that combinations won't be reused, what type of classes might be developed in future expansions. I think I have a bead on some of them, but others remain unexplored. For example:

MEN (Monk, Elementalist, Necromancer)
Class: Warden
Attributes
Ward Mastery - Primary - Enhances the size of effect for your wards and aura enchantments. Every five ranks increases the size of a ward or aura by one range class. For every three ranks in Ward Mastery, your spells cost 1 less energy to cast (minimum 5).
Wards - Type 1 (Mostly Party Buffing)
Wards - Type 2 (Mostly Enemy Debuffing)
Aura Enchantments - (Enchantments that have adjacent range effects such as Balthazar's Aura, includes some self-defense buffs).

Special Notes: A Warden can cast a ward at the location of an ally or enemy, as appropriate. This gives the Warden better ward manipulation than the elementalist, who must cast at self's location.
Rationale: Wells (Necromancers) and Wards(Elementalists) are very similar, and generally constitute a low number of skills in both classes. This is similar to the rationale likely applied to a Ritualist (i.e. can summon more than one minion creature like a necromancer, but rooted to spot like a ranger). The aura line is consistent with the playstyle and represents a very small minority of monk spells.

RNE (Ranger, Necromancer, Elementalist)
Class: Conjurer
Attributes
Conjuration Mastery - Primary - Buffs health, damage of conjured pets
Conjure Line 1 - Specific damage type, with appropriate Pet Attacks.
Conjure Line 1 -Specific damage type with appropriate Pet Attacks
Shelter - Self Defense line for self, pets
This class has already been posted as the exhaustion limited conjuration class somewhere on these boards. I'm just representing it here to show where it falls in the triple core class theory.

MeEN (Mesmer, Elementalist, Necromancer)
Class: Warlock
Attributes
Hex Mastery - Primary - Whenever you hex a foe, that hex deals 5 damage to that foe for every three ranks in Hex Mastery. You gain 1 energy for each foe you hex, up to 1 for every three ranks in Hex Mastery.
Hex Line 1 - Primarily anti-melee
Hex Line 2 - Primarily anti-caster
Leeching - Self defense, energy management line.
Special Notes: Mass hex class. Primarily deals in large area hexes such as Shadow of Fear. Hexes generally only have one effect, almost none deal damage directly. When stacked, however, can be crippling.
Rationale: Mass hexes are the most underdeveloped area of all three classes. Having a class that specializes in such hexes makes sense. The danger of such a class is in its making the core classes obsolete. To avoid this, the Warlock has generally poor energy management skills, little defense, and all hexes are generally limited in duration and strength. The class has almost no degeneration skills in hexes themselves (although it does have some in Leeching). Leeching represents the synergistic overlay between Mesmer and Necromancer skills.

I've been working on the others, but nothing has come thus far (although WNM could well be a bare-fisted berserker class, using attacks to gain life and having high base HP, with lower armor and no shield). Anyway, feel free to post your thoughts on this, as well as any other guesses you might have on the future of expansion classes

**All of this assumes that GW will persist into Chapter 4 and beyond, rumors to the contrary notwithstanding.

actionjack · Mar 10, 2007, 05:24 AM // 05:24

Someone pointed out before that the new classes tend to come in pair, one that is more offensive and melee, another more supportive and a caster.

But I like all of the 3 CC you suggested, and think they are a good and likly choice. Are you going to develop them more? (I been wanting to write a Conjurer and a Warlock befoe... but is lazy about it....)

I think Alchemist or Engineeer type would be another possiblity. A Druid/Shaman-type might be do-able if they go with a Native American (north and south) type of theme. Martial Art type, and a Bard type are always popular around those who make Concept Classes too...