Curse

Damian979 · Jul 25, 2008, 07:47 PM // 19:47

I always thought the idea of a shapeshifter would have been a nice addition. Before the "blessings" and dervish avatars, I always wondered why there wasn't a class that allowed a transformation into say, target foe, certain various animals, and the elites being some kick ass forms like dragons, stone-like behemoths, cerberus, chimeras, etc. Each form would present it's own inherent strengths and weaknesses. I know that a couple of these forms have been suggested as their own separate class, but I didn't see anything about an all encompassing shapeshifter.
Perhaps going by the implemented structure of blessing forms "caster experiences energy degeneration while in form and returns to original form when energy reaches 0"

Armor: base level should be of any caster class (60) while not in form but determinate of what form you are in

Attributes: Primary linked to the rate of energy degeneration caster experiences while in form.
Other attributes pertaining to attack rate, shape mastery (allowing the shape shifting into higher level creatures) and perhaps a line specializing in energy management skills.

Energy: mid range caster based, say 40

Koudelka · Jul 25, 2008, 07:57 PM // 19:57

Ah, like a Beastmaster? That's a good idea actually. I had thought a summoner summoning them would be enough, but after watching my sister play Twilight Princess on the Wii (can't stand the Wii so I gave up on it) with the super amazing wolf (^_^) I definately empathise. Balance wise, this would work aswell. Imagine if you had a "Signet of Capture" but for monsters... upon capturing, you could transform into them. Subject to reason of course, excluding humans, Abbadon, etc.

Siirius Black · Jul 25, 2008, 08:13 PM // 20:13

in GW2 you will have a chance to do just that with the Norn

gremlin · Jul 25, 2008, 08:18 PM // 20:18

That should be easy enough to add, even in gw.

Maybe not as a whole class but transformations skills could work, after all the groundworks already been done with the Nightfall Wurms and the Eye of the North Siege Devourers.
You already get altered skillbar for those as well as the bonus mission pack and even the winterfest snowball skills.

Would like to see something done along those lines in gw2 and maybe even gw.
As long as it isn't unbalanced.

Siirius Black · Jul 25, 2008, 08:21 PM // 20:21

well, if that's the case its doable. Look at Ursan, skills get replaced. As per the form, the tonics transform you into different characters. But I dont think they would do something like that. I would appreciate a new realm instead of that.

Spider Pig · Jul 25, 2008, 08:27 PM // 20:27

So it's basiclly just turning Ursan into a profession :P

Seriously now- it can be nice, as long as each form will do something else, like a form that focus on healing, a form that focus on protecting, and forms that focus on different things (otherwise the class will start to be boring after a few hours of playing).

bookworm438 · Jul 25, 2008, 08:34 PM // 20:34

I wouldn't mind a shapeshifter class. As long as it doesn't become like ursan version 2.

tezza151 · Jul 25, 2008, 09:34 PM // 21:34

when i first heard of mesmers i thought yea great illusions, i'll make myself appear reli big or make little beasties appear to follow me, u honestly dont know how much of a dissapointment mesmers were to me with their energy denial and health degen.

Rieden Sindefy · Jul 25, 2008, 10:19 PM // 22:19

*shrugs* just make it so that every monster has an common to extremely rare "soul" drop (depending on that monster's lever) (thinking of ffta2), and these souls can be traded for skills.

The attributes of the skills of that monster would level up as you would.

Scythe O F Glory · Jul 26, 2008, 12:52 AM // 00:52

tezza i gotta agree with you... mesmers were a disapointment. i thot i was gonna be able to like make it look like there 4 of me, and if they attack the rong one i take no damage or sumthin =(. big disappointment, mesmers dont make sense. as for the profession idea... i like it! isn't there somethin like it in WoW? i think it would be cool, like turn into a horse and ur speed increases. make it like shouts so its instant cast and u tranform, but theres aftercast. each form would give u certain skills, like speed, strength, health, stuff like that. gr8 idea

bookworm438 · Jul 26, 2008, 01:05 AM // 01:05

Yes there is something kind of like this in WoW. But it's limited, you only have a few forms.

If this was ever implemented, I would like Anet to make plenty of forms. Each form with it's own skills, benefits, advantages, disadvantages, etc. And anet can like add more forms through game updates etc. This way we would never get bored :P.

gremlin · Jul 26, 2008, 11:17 PM // 23:17

It could be set at character creation where you would choose an animal totem "think of it like a birth sign".
Then if that character chooses the metamorph skill line thats the animal they turn into.

Alternatively it could work like the ranger animal companion, the metamorph chooses an animal form in a similar way and the skills improve over time as you use them.
There may even be a class of npc that can remove the animal "spirit form" allowing a different form to be chosen.

Lots of scope for the class anyway.