Curse

Beelzebuddy · Aug 14, 2006, 08:04 PM // 20:04

I mentioned this a few days ago, and since then the idea has grown on me. With the release of expansion after expansion featuring new classes and additional skills for the current core set, ANet is facing two problems. The more serious one is that core classes are becoming too powerful; they offer too many tempting options that the single-shot expansion classes cannot compete with. The second problem is that with additional expansions adding even more skills to the core classes and none to older expansion classes the first problem will only exacerbate. Rangers already can spike, dps, interrupt, spread conditions, trap, drop spirits, touch, and probably others I'm forgetting. Assassins, on the other hand, can stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, or if they get really bored, stab.

The solution I envision is the current expansion classes becoming the new core classes from Chapter Four onwards. Four should be a "consolidation" expansion, offering the last two new classes and a metric ton of skills for the expansion classes, to round them out and shape them into a real team. As usual, with just Four you'd be able to make one of the new classes with another secondary, but you would need Factions and Nightfall to make other primary characters.

But here I am, wittering on. Let's look at what we have so far, what they can become, and what is still needed:

Dervish - W/E - The dervish is already a very well-rounded character, capable of excellent tanking as well as aoe and spike damage. He probably does not need many more skills. Any new ones may work to separate the aoe from the spike, or to enhance his melee damage through conditionals like "while you are in a form" and "if you have at least X enchantments on you."

Assassin - W/Me - The notable thing about the assassin is that he has inherited all of the special W tactics: knockdown, stance removal, interruption, condition application; as well as several utility skills from necro and mesmer classes: energy gain, enchant stripping, degen hexes. Notice that the Assassin and Dervish synergize very well: Ds love close, tightly clustered groups, As prey on lone, horns-of-the-oxable opponents. In a party with As and Ds, the only predictable thing is that someone will get to do what they're best at. The Assassin certainly needs some new skill love - at the moment any anti-melee hex will shut him down for the duration. I would like to see more Deadly Arts skills (Yes, it exists. It's the skill line between Dagger Mastery and Shadow Arts. Look it up.) to allow the assassin to ply his trade without having to run up and stab someone. Additional teleport and damage evasion skills would be great as well, and more disruptive Me/N like skills.

Paragon - R/Mo - A frontline support character, the Paragon already has a good number of damage and support skills. It's impossible to say before the release of Nightfall what exactly they require, but from the general inefficiency of healing paragons I observed during the PvP event it seems likely their healing abilities may need a boost, or a stronger emphasis on protection skills. In any case, the Paragon is already a good start toward a ranged damage/frontline healer.

Ritualist - E/Mo - Equipped with adequate spike damage and excellent protection abilities, Ritualists make great backline casters. Communing, which has already made its way into established builds on the strength of Shelter, Union, and Displacement, is ample proof that Ritualists can be the equal of any protection monk (though their healing abilities are lacking). What Rits need most is a boost to Channeling, and perhaps a few more damage spirits (a copy of Pain would be nice) to assist Painful Bond spikers.

So, that's all the expansion classes at this point. Let's see how they'd work to form a "balanced" PvE party:

2 D - tanking and nuking
1 A - hitting the caster in the back, spot interruption
1 P - heals the three frontliners, assists A in damage.
1 Rt - drops Shelter and Union, uses Restoration spells to heal
3 others - at least one healer and 1-2 offensive casters

Now, what important Prophecies capabilites aren't effectively covered by existing classes?

Healing
Hex removal
Ranged interruption
Mesmer Domination-like skills
Anti-warrior skills
Effective degen
Health stealing
Global effect skills (like Ranger spirits)
Attack speed increases
Help me out here

I believe these needs can be covered by a caster/support and caster/ranger character. One of those casters will be mostly monk (likely monk/ranger - see the "Bokor" concept class thread I'll eventually make on this) and the other will be part mesmer, part necromancer and part offensive buffbot ("For x seconds, target other ally attacks 25% faster," "If target ally's next spell targets a foe, that foe takes X damage," etc. Focus on weapon spells for this).

With this party, the biggest deviation from current PvE playstyle is healing. Rather than rely on 2 dedicated monks to do all of the damage mitigation for the entire party, most of the party will have some healing, be it self- or others, and will help out wherever they are most effective. The Dervs should each pack self-heals to keep them alive in most situations, the Paragon should be able to heal them when they can't save themselves and heal the Assassin (kinda) too, with the as-yet undefined monkish class healing everyone when they need it and the Rit providing protective spells and condition mitigation.

Anyway, that's my idea for a new set of core classes that doesn't ignore the expansion classes we already have. Thank you to those who've read this far and/or put some actual thought into this - I'd like your input if at all possible, and for those that haven't, I hope your favorite build gets nerfed.