Curse

Plague · Aug 19, 2005, 04:51 PM // 16:51

This will sound silly, but bear with me. Some spells may need balancing; I tried to anyway.

This is a class dedicated to ignore-armor damage or healing/effects via calculations based on a variety of conditions. Rather than deal out brute force or directly weaken the enemy with hexes directly, the calculator uses numerically-based spells to damage or weaken enemies or heal or enchant allies as a result.

Doesn't sound impressive? Sounds like it does something that another class can do? That's the point. What's a Ranger but a long range Warrior, or an Elementalist but a smiter by a different name? "But they're not the same, they all do damage but in different ways, in addition to other skills." Exactly. This is what the Calculator is, a variation in means to an end.

The Attributes:

*Summation
-spells that are ally-oriented, used to heal or enchant allies
*Deduction
-spells that damage enemies directly or apply hexes
*Distribution
-spells that even out damage incurred over time or doubly transmit effects
*Aggregation
-spells that multiply, stack or spike damage incurred
**Factoring
-primary-only attribute; calculation's performed last longer with higher levels

Spell Examples:

*Summation
Safety in Numbers, 15 energy, 2 CT
-Every 2 seconds for (4...12) seconds, target ally and all adjacent allies are healed 25% of the amount of damage incurred by that ally in the past (2...4) seconds.

Symbiotic Sum, 10 energy, 1/4 CT
-A base calculation of 1 is performed for 15 seconds. For every ally Symbiotic Sum is cast upon, Symbiotic Sum is increased by (1...5). Every time that ally hits with a physical attack, 1 is added to Symbiotic Sum. When Symbiotic Sum ends, all affected allies are healed for that amount.

*Deduction
Trainer's Warning, 20 energy, 1 CT
-For 10 seconds, every time target enemy causes physical damage that is less than (8...25), that enemy is damaged for (200...350)% of that amount.

Snake Eyes, 10 energy, 1/2 CT
-For (5...10) seconds, if target enemy's current health becomes a multiple of 2, that enemy suffers from Weakness and experiences health degeneration of 1 for (5...15) seconds.

*Distribution
Apprehensible Aura, 10 energy, 3 CT
-A base calculation of 100 is peformed for target ally for 12 seconds. 25% of damage incurred to that ally is received as health, while 25% is incurred as damage to its source. For each (20...100) damage incurred to target ally, the base calculation is divided by 2. Apprehensible Aura can also end when calculation reaches 0.

Wrought Sins, 15 energy, 1/4 CT
-A base calculation of 0 is performed for 5 seconds. For each hex on target ally or incurred in that time, the calculation is increased by 5. If the final calculation is divisible by 2, all sources of each hex are damaged for twice the final calculation's amount and those hexes are removed. If not, ally is healed for (2...5) times the final calculation's amount.

*Aggregation
Broken Shackles, 5 energy, 1 CT
-For (5...15) seconds, target enemy's damaging attacks are not incurred until 15 seconds. That damage is reduced by 50%.

Multiple Hits, 15 energy, 1/4 CT
-A base calculation of 1 is performed for 5 seconds. For every (30...10) units of health lost from target enemy, the calculation is multiplied by 2. After 5 seconds, target enemy is damaged for the final calculation's amount.

**Factoring
Rewarding Thought, 15 energy, 1/4 CT
-For 120 seconds, you are healed for (150...300)% of the cost of each calculation you perform.

Inspired Concept, 5 energy, 1 CT
-Your next calculation will last (10...25)% longer.

Hope someone enjoyed this... For the right reasons.

Yen-lo-wang · Aug 19, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Actually... that's not a a totally unfeasable class. Some of the skills are in need of some balancing (Broken Shackles immediately leaps to mind!), but overall it's very well-thought-out. Reminds me of a Mesmer with one helluvan attitude

Great work!

thesecondrei · Aug 19, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Reminds me of FF tactics, very creative imo.

ZD_kusanagi · Aug 19, 2005, 04:57 PM // 16:57

I know people mean well and try hard and think for long hous into the night to make these classes that they think would be cool..But come on! a Math Teacher!? people play games to get AWAY from real life.. I can see it now...
(Advertisement on a billboard) "Come play Guild Wars Everyone!
It's the one game Where you Hack an
Opponent Apart and still learn your
Multiplication Tables!!"

P.S. the class looks really well thought out and balanced.. except for one or 2 skills ned fixing, but i don't see this having a place in GW.. sorry.

Plague · Aug 19, 2005, 04:59 PM // 16:59

Really I thought making calculations longer would be more imbalanced. I probably stewed over Multiple Hits for a good 15 minutes.

[edit]: I tried to make the skills as "thoughtless" as possible, so the theme was calculations, but you wouldn't actually have to think much of any when you used them, as far as situations go. The only real one I can think of is the skill that is more beneficial if there are hexes that are a multiple of 2. (Are there 2 hexes, or are there 1? Are there 4, or 3? Is my brain smoking?)

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 19, 2005, 05:06 PM // 17:06

How about:
Clear Memory - a Calculator counterskill - resets his/her base values (damage, healing etc) to zero

Plague · Aug 19, 2005, 05:16 PM // 17:16

A little too basic. Could be a line of things like that, mainly no attribute spells, or signets.

Memory Drain - Halves target's current calculations.
Amnesic Fog - Any enemies in the area performing calculations with multiples of 2 have their calculations reset to their original values.
Stolen Idea - The next calculation performed by an enemy is broken, and the value's benefits are added to your party.

etc

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 19, 2005, 05:32 PM // 17:32

Reverse Polish Notation - Calculator counterskill - wrecks havoc with their calculations by applying RPN

Jigs · Aug 19, 2005, 05:48 PM // 17:48

very original, but I think there would have problems in adding more skilz for this profession. A single profession has about 75 skills. Giving more mathematical named skills on this profession may sound ridiculous. May that is my opinion for now. But who knows, it might work.

Lampshade · Aug 19, 2005, 09:36 PM // 21:36

how about instead of calculator:

Mathmetician
Professor
Scientist
Sharpie

johnnylange · Aug 19, 2005, 10:33 PM // 22:33

sounds like a Mesmer/Monk.

Shayul · Aug 19, 2005, 10:38 PM // 22:38

Don't forget to utilize Integrals. A vital part of any Calculator's repertoire!

BigTru · Aug 19, 2005, 10:41 PM // 22:41

idk... I think FFT is the only game to ever use Calculators as a serious class... It would be a huge rip-off to copy it. That's like adding Bahamaut to the game and making him a summonable dragon.

Plague · Aug 19, 2005, 11:22 PM // 23:22

FFT used... EVERYTHING as a serious class. It had, what? About 25?

zehly · Aug 20, 2005, 12:50 AM // 00:50

By FFT do you mean... Fast Fourier Transform? I like FFT, it's nice doing things like solving n-dimensional simultaneous equations. Guild Wars uses FFT-based algorithms for certain "operations"

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 20, 2005, 01:00 AM // 01:00

Fast Fourier Transforms - I thought I'd never hear that term again -
You're either a Physicist/physics major, math major, EE, or in Telecommunications (ok I looked at your profile).
I had to do Fourier Transforms by hand as a Physics Undergrad. As I recall Fast Fourier Transforms are just a programming algorithm that approximates the same.

Arcanis Imperium · Aug 20, 2005, 01:43 AM // 01:43

A better name for this class would be

Gambler or Maverick

weapons would be tricky for this though, daggers and short weapons.

armor should be somewhere between Warrior and Ranger.

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 20, 2005, 02:51 AM // 02:51

what would his armor be like - labcoat or tweed jacket?

Plague · Aug 20, 2005, 04:06 AM // 04:06

...More like old noble attire.

I could make about 50 additional skills for this class, but meh. It's not as though any of these have a chance of making it. I gave the ones you see as really basic ideas of the types of spells you'd find in each class. Also remember how many times you see the same effect from a spell in the same attribute or even cross-class; they're mostly all duplicates of one another. Interrupts, degens, heals, direct damage.

ZD_kusanagi · Aug 20, 2005, 05:56 PM // 17:56

So you want him to look like a math wiz? with an overcoat and a pointed hat?
So THAT'S what happened to gandalf after the books ended... he went to college and learned to pop out some FFT in record time...