Curse

Sacred Zero · Jun 14, 2006, 07:38 PM // 19:38

OK I couldn't see a class similar to this (although any spell caster is similar.) It is still *Under Construction* but I am interested in other people's idea on this as it is a difficult class to balance. This only took me about 30 minutes (and probably shows) to draw up, because if I spend too long on one thing my brain hurts.

The name "Shrink" is only temporary as I couldn't think of a better one at the time.

Shrink:

The Shrink uses magic to control the soul of others, and sometimes the person themselves. This class is really a cross between Monk, Mesmer, Ele, and Necro.
I have introduced into this build the idea of "mind control." When someone is under a mind control, they will appear as an ally to your team, and still be as a team member to your enemy. Mind control skills are enchantments, which means they cannot be removed (as they are now allied to both teams). The only way to stop them is to knock down or daze the caster. While someone is under your control they will attack whoever you are attacking (regardless of team) and you will have a secondary skill bar pop-up containing their skills. The player cannot control their character's movements, skills or weaponry while under Mind Control. You can only control one person at a time. Using another mind control skill on someone else will end the last mind control prematurely. This could take a bit of balancing to get it right. This could be a good take-down for IWAY teams.

I added the condition in that when 2 or more foes with mind control enter the foes area (making 3 total) the skill ends. The idea being that the souls will join together to remove your control. This also stops a team of Shrinks mind controlling everyone on the other team. I think that this concept is quite balanced now, but the skills will need tweaking.

Souls come from the "spirit realm". At any one time there are infinite +1 souls in this realm, awaiting a chance to "get out" and earn the right to go to a better place (or be condemned to a worse place(eg Heaven/Hell)). This means that as soon as a body becomes "soulless" but still alive, another soul will replace the one that was removed.

Usage:

Shrinks can be used as support for Monk, Mesmer, Ele or Necro. They can also be a "one man team" as they can heal and deal damage, but their low AL means they cannot take too much of a beating.

Attributes:

Soul Control:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul control become more effective with higher points.

Soul Destruction:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul destruction become more effective with higher points.

Soul Mending:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul mending become more effective with higher points.

Soul Stealing (Primary):
Adds +1 energy per level of Soul Stealing, and you steal +1...3 energy each time you cast a Shrink spell on an enemy.

Shrink Weapons And Armour Sets:

Shrinks are casters, and thus have lower health and armour levels. Shrinks have several sets of armor that they can use. The maximum allowance of armor for a Shrink is 60AL.

Armour Sets:

Armour is similar to the Mesmers.

Weapons:

Shrinks are a caster class so use staffs (two handed) and wands (one handed) with an off-hand item.

Example of a Staff

11-22 Damage.
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
1/2 Casting of Soul Control skills. (20%)
Energy +5
Enchantments last 20% longer.

Example of a Wand

11-22 Damage.
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
Energy +5 (while health is above 50%)

Example of an Off-hand

Energy +12
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
1/2 Casting of Soul Control skills. (20%)

Example Skills:

Soul Control:

Soul and Body Control {E}
(E)20 (C)2 (R)60
For 10...25 seconds you control target foe. All damage given by target foe while under your control is reduced by 33%. This skill ends prematurely if 2 or more allies under mind control enter target foe's area. If this ends prematurely you take 120...60 damage. When target foe is released, they gain 25% attack speed bonus for 10...5 seconds. This spell causes exhaustion.

Skill Control
(E)10 (C)1 (R)20
A random skill of target foes will be used on a random enemy within their area. If target foe is casting a spell, that spell is interupted to use the new skill. If all target foes skills are recharging, one random skill will take an additional 3...6 seconds to recharge.

Rebellious Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)45
For 5...15 seconds you control target foe. All damage given by target foe while under your control is reduced by 33%. This skill ends prematurely if 2 or more allies under mind control enter target foe's area. If this ends prematurely you take 100...40 damage. While controlling target foe, you take 10...6 chaos damage every second.

Soul Freeze
(E)10 (C)2 (R)30
For 2...6 seconds target foe moves 90% slower, and loses 20% of all healing given to them. This spell causes exhaustion.

Soul Destruction:

Soul Anihillation {E}
(E)5 (C)3 (R)20
Sacrifice 10% max health. Target foe is hit for 10...60 chaos damage, and all foes in their area are hit for 8...50 chaos damage.

Soul Shockwave
(E)10 (C)2 (R)25
Target foe is dazed for 1...5 seconds and any spirits in their area take 20...80 chaos damage.

Soul Eating
(E)10 (C)1 (R)20
Steal 10...60 health from target foe, and that foe is knocked down.

Soul Desctruction
(E)5 (C)1 (R)8
Sacrifice 10% max health. All foes in the area are hit for 10...60 chaos damage. This spell causes exhaustion.

Soul Explosion
(E)20 (C)3 (R)30
Explode target foe's soul hitting foe and foes adjacent to them for 10...60 air damage and setting them on fire for 1...3 seconds.

Soul Mending:

Soul Heal {E}
(E)20 (C)1 (R)40
Target ally and all nearby allies are healed for 15...80, and ally and all adjacent allies attack 25% faster for 2...6 seconds.

Spread Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)25
Target foe loses 20...100 health which is shared equally between party members. This spell causes exhaustion.

Sacrifice Soul
(E)5 (C)0 (R)10
Sacrifice 10% max health. Your other party members are healed for 10...60 health.

Harden Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)25
For 10...18 seconds allies in the area gain +10 armour vs elemental damage and +20 armour vs chaos/dark damage.

Soul Stealing:

Soul Channeling {E}
(E)5 (C)1 (R)20
For 5...10 seconds you steal twice as much energy when you cast a Shrink spell on a foe, and steal 5...10 health.

Beating Shrinks:

The best way to stop them using their strong spells (mind control skills) is to use a skill such as Gale to knock them down, or have a hammer warrior on hand to help. Alternatively use the Ranger skills that will daze them.
Shrinks also sacrifice health for some skills so if they are careless they will do most of the damage to themselves so you merely need to finish them.
Exhaustion also means that they will lose a lot of energy when using their stronger skills.

the gud · Jun 14, 2006, 08:00 PM // 20:00

m8 i like this

lyra_song · Jun 14, 2006, 08:33 PM // 20:33

Sounds like my puppeteer idea...except leaning to much on Mesmer/Necro style skills. .-.

Sacred Zero · Jun 14, 2006, 08:35 PM // 20:35

Sorry... I can't find the thread for it - do you have a link?

actionjack · Jun 14, 2006, 08:48 PM // 20:48

The best thing I like? Your Avatar!

aside from that, mind control has been brought up few times, and its a interesting concept. While needed, I still think having restriction on how many of such skill to birng at once (to counter mass control) is a bit strange, and would see it better blance in another way. Also the long duration of control is a bit too much, turning off those who are at the receiving end from PvP play.

I would go with something like short duration (4-10 seconds), long recharge (120 seconds?) and easily interuptable, by any hits. It become more of a interuption skill than something that would really take control out of other player for long time. Might also make it where when cast, your "spirit" (like a ghost form) will float out, and must touch them to cast, but they could see it, and either aim your body or your spirit to stop from being taken over. So with this, everyone could easily counter such skill.

S. Destruction and S.Mending are just blah. Copy of Necro and Monk skills.

Jestah · Jun 14, 2006, 09:17 PM // 21:17

Nice a proffession with an entire repertoire of skills with "soul" in their name. Seriously though the word profession means to specialise in something. Having a "Monk, Mesmer, Ele, and Necro." all in one and then giving it even more overpowered skills like a non-exhausting knockdown that also steals life isn't really in keeping with the idea of balance.

Also, disabling an enemy indefinitely at the same time as doubling your skillbar is just...well...another game entirely.

What would this do to pvp? I can just see it now - r6 shrink LF shrinkway to disable the entire enemy team and pimp them with their own build. Then when it got to be fotm it'd be shrinkspike where both teams run the same build and whoever mind controls first wins.

Sacred Zero · Jun 14, 2006, 10:19 PM // 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jestah

Also, disabling an enemy indefinitely at the same time as doubling your skillbar is just...well...another game entirely.

What would this do to pvp? I can just see it now - r6 shrink LF shrinkway to disable the entire enemy team and pimp them with their own build. Then when it got to be fotm it'd be shrinkspike where both teams run the same build and whoever mind controls first wins.

Hence why I have the bit about 3+ people in the same area ends the skill prematurely (caster takes damage).

The skills in the other skill bar are used by the person you are controlling, not you. As I said at the start this profession will need balancing.

As for all the skills having "Soul" in the name... I used up all my creation ability thinking up the class and what the skills did and didn't have any left for names.

Sacred Zero · Jun 14, 2006, 10:37 PM // 22:37

OK here is a new, perhaps more balanced version based on your comments. As for the "a profession is meant to be specialised", this is no different to a monk having smiting and healing or a ritualist having the damage and healing spirits.

Shrink:

The Shrink uses magic to control the soul of others, and sometimes the person themselves. This class is really a cross between Monk, Mesmer, Ele, and Necro.
I have introduced into this build the idea of "mind control." When someone is under a mind control:

* they will appear as an ally to your team, and still be as a team member to your enemy
* they will attack whoever you are attacking (regardless of team)
* you will have a secondary skill bar pop-up containing their skills that will be used _by the controlled person_
* they cannot control their character's movements, skills or weaponry
* the casters skills are disabled
* damage dealt by the controlled foe will be reduced by 33%

Mind control skills are enchantments, which means they cannot be removed (as they are now allied to both teams). The only way to stop them is to knock down or daze the caster. You can only control one person at a time. Using another mind control skill on someone else will end the last mind control prematurely.
This could take a bit of balancing to get it right.

I added the condition in that when 2 or more foes with mind control enter the foes area (making 3 total) the skill ends. The idea being that the souls will join together to remove your control. This stops a team of Shrinks mind controlling everyone on the other team. I think that this concept is quite balanced now, but the skills will need tweaking.

Souls come from the "spirit realm". At any one time there are infinite +1 souls in this realm, awaiting a chance to "get out" and earn the right to go to a better place (or be condemned to a worse place(eg Heaven/Hell)). This means that as soon as a body becomes "soulless" but still alive, another soul will replace the one that was removed.

Usage:

Shrinks can be used as support for Monk, Mesmer, Ele or Necro. They can also be a "one man team" as they can heal and deal damage, but their low AL means they cannot take too much of a beating.

Attributes:

Soul Control:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul control become more effective with higher points.

Soul Destruction:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul destruction become more effective with higher points.

Soul Mending:
No inherent effect, but certain skills regarding soul mending become more effective with higher points.

Soul Stealing (Primary):
Adds +1 energy per level of Soul Stealing, and you steal +1...3 energy each time you cast a Shrink spell on an enemy.

Shrink Weapons And Armour Sets:

Shrinks are casters, and thus have lower health and armour levels. Shrinks have several sets of armor that they can use. The maximum allowance of armor for a Shrink is 60AL.

Armour Sets:

Armour is similar to the Mesmers.

Weapons:

Shrinks are a caster class so use staffs (two handed) and wands (one handed) with an off-hand item.

Example of a Staff

11-22 Damage.
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
1/2 Casting of Soul Control skills. (20%)
Energy +5
Enchantments last 20% longer.

Example of a Wand

11-22 Damage.
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
Energy +5 (while health is above 50%)

Example of an Off-hand~

Energy +12
1/2 Recharge of Soul Control skills. (20%)
1/2 Casting of Soul Control skills. (20%)

Example Skills:

Soul Control:

Soul and Body Control {E}
(E)20 (C)2 (R)60
For 6...15 seconds you control target foe. All damage given by target foe while under your control is reduced by 33%. This skill ends prematurely if 2 or more allies under mind control enter target foe's area. If this ends prematurely you take 120...60 damage. When target foe is released, they gain 25% attack speed bonus for 10...5 seconds. This spell causes exhaustion.

Skill Control
(E)10 (C)1 (R)20
A random skill of target foes will be used on a random enemy within their area. If target foe is casting a spell, that spell is interupted to use the new skill. If all target foes skills are recharging, one random skill will take an additional 3...6 seconds to recharge.

Rebellious Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)45
For 4...10 seconds you control target foe. All damage given by target foe while under your control is reduced by 33%. This skill ends prematurely if 2 or more allies under mind control enter target foe's area. If this ends prematurely you take 100...40 damage. While controlling target foe, you take 10...6 chaos damage every second.

Soul Freeze
(E)10 (C)2 (R)30
For 2...6 seconds target foe moves 90% slower, and loses 20% of all healing given to them. This spell causes exhaustion.

Soul Destruction:

Soul Anihillation {E}
(E)5 (C)3 (R)20
Sacrifice 10% max health. Target foe is hit for 10...60 chaos damage, and all foes in their area are hit for 8...50 chaos damage.

Soul Shockwave
(E)10 (C)2 (R)25
Target foe is dazed for 1...5 seconds and any spirits in their area take 20...80 chaos damage.

Soul Eating
(E)10 (C)1 (R)20
Steal 10...60 health from target foe, and that foe suffers from weakness for 4...10 seconds.

Soul Desctruction
(E)5 (C)1 (R)8
Sacrifice 10% max health. All foes in the area are hit for 10...60 chaos damage. This spell causes exhaustion.

Soul Explosion
(E)20 (C)3 (R)30
Explode target foe's soul hitting foe and foes adjacent to them for 10...60 air damage and setting them on fire for 1...3 seconds.

Soul Mending:

Soul Heal {E}
(E)20 (C)1 (R)40
Target ally and all nearby allies are healed for 15...80, and ally and all adjacent allies attack 25% faster for 2...6 seconds.

Spread Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)25
Target foe loses 20...100 health which is shared equally between party members. This spell causes exhaustion.

Sacrifice Soul
(E)5 (C)0 (R)10
Sacrifice 10% max health. Your other party members are healed for 10...60 health.

Harden Soul
(E)15 (C)2 (R)25
For 10...18 seconds allies in the area gain +10 armour vs elemental damage and +20 armour vs chaos/dark damage.

Soul Stealing:

Soul Channeling {E}
(E)5 (C)1 (R)20
For 5...10 seconds you steal twice as much energy when you cast a Shrink spell on a foe, and steal 5...8 health.

Beating Shrinks:

The best way to stop them using their strong spells (mind control skills) is to use a skill such as Gale to knock them down, or have a hammer warrior on hand to help. Alternatively use the Ranger skills that will daze them.
Shrinks also sacrifice health for some skills so if they are careless they will do most of the damage to themselves so you merely need to finish them.
Exhaustion also means that they will lose a lot of energy when using their stronger skills.

BeowulfKamdas · Jun 15, 2006, 07:54 AM // 07:54

where did you get the name? :3

are you referring to, like, psychogists?

Sacred Zero · Jun 15, 2006, 10:15 AM // 10:15

As I said at the start, this is only a temporary name as I couldn't think of a better one, but yes - Shrink refers to psychologists.