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The future of hero classes after Archon Prophecy / the Griffon update

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Diovidius

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Mar 28, 2023
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Now that we know what the rework of the magic classes entails and now that we have the Battlesaint on its way, I thought this would be a good time to discuss what you all think about the future of hero classes.

Do you feel there is space and/or a need for more hero classes or do you feel that we have enough. If the former what classes do you feel are missing from the current roster?

I asked the same question on Reddit and was somewhat surprised by the results:

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Well, I don't know if there's a "need" necessarily, but I don't think there's anyone playing the game that would say no if asked do they "want" more Hero classes! (aside from the 21 that voted XD)

I'm personally hoping to get a dedicated Rogue/Assassin class someday... that get the throwing blades as a starting weapon choice and not have to build them in the Forge! (personal gripe). Oh, and wrist-mounted mini-crossbows instead of lugging around the big ones on their back (so damn cool).

I know some folks are really keen on seeing the Ranger class tweaked to include some kind of optional animal companion that you can improve through a branch in their skill tree. Or something like the "Favored Enemy" mechanic from D&D, where you choose an enemy type (Animal, Fiend, Dragon, Giant, etc.) and do massive damage against those unit types.

I've seen a suggestion about a Druid class with a big focus on summoning and supporting animal, plant, and fey units, that can also shapeshift into an animal form during combat or something. That could neat.

Bard I could actually see working using mechanics already in the game, and could end up bring kinda' fun! Perhaps it has no direct damage attacks, but its skill tree could have a Chaos branch that inflicts debuffs like Misfortune, Demoralized, and Insanity on enemy units (like a Hero-version of the Skald), and an Order branch that buffs allies with increased Morale, Status Resistance, maybe refreshes their action points, etc.

An Engineer class would be also be pretty cool - it's actually a gripe of mine that I can't make a proper support hero for my Reaver factions that are all about supporting contructs and machines. It might be a tad too specific and situational though, but then again, it might work perfectly fine.
 
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Engineer class could alternatively be called Artificer or Tinker instead. Maybe have a split between engineering/construct support and summons, and something more alchemy, lava and/or transmutation related.
 
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Blanch Warren said:
Unless it's released as a freebie, or in a subsequent season, I doubt that engineer would fit into the next DLC season. Rogue theoretically could.
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On the contrary, i think more gunpodwer and engineers fit like a glove on the Vampire DLC.

We all know Dracula, and what is Dracula without Van Hellsing?

The archetypical Vampire is from the Victorian England, and the silver bullet hunter reflects that, the Vampire DLC is the perfect place for gunpodwer anti-magic.
 
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An engineer-like class is what I would like to see. It could focus around summonning and buffing/repearing constructs, throwing grenades and using firearms. The key features might be something like this:
  • Summon combat constructs, starting with the one, the only, the legendary Iron Golem Assisstant, then upgrading it to the Iron/Bronze Golems, all with diffirent skills to empower the summons (make the summon tireless, explode on death, etc)
  • Summon stationary ranged constructs aka turrets. Something like a mortar pit or tesla tower firing chaining bolts of lightning would be cool.
  • Grenades could be separated into the damage tree (bombs) and debuffing (flashbang). Bombs deal more damage and may inflict bleed, fire, leave fire or gas hazard, while Flashbangs deal less damage, but can blind, knock out of the defense mode and stun on high levels.
  • Firearms could be used regadless of the equipped weapon: it may start as a pistol shot with a short cooldown, then it could be upgraded into blunderbuss that fires in a cone/penetrates two hexes (like in AoW3) or quickdraw pistol that is a free action.
  • Extra stuff like repearing and buffing constructs, deploying mines, cover (like Planetfall Dvar), obstactles like barbed wire, sabotage (heavy damage to walls and enemy constructs).
 
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Yeah Engineer might be cool, I am not entirely sure what the class secondary gimmick would be other than construct summons. (is it melee, range or mage)

I personally would like to see Hunter.
Range/Animal Summons hybrid, essentially Houndmaster but in a hero class. (with different animals, probably something like the Warlock has with Bone Wyvern/Zombies)

Second one would be Shapeshifter.
Probably Skirmisher/Shapeshifting branch that gives specialization be it melee or range on a cooldown. Also visually there is a lot of potential there be it werewolf, werebear, etc.
 
"Artificer" would definitely be a better idea. You could then have a branch in its skill tree (which would be enough I think) that's themed around "Engineering" and focuses on supporting constructs and machines.

It's own offensive skills could be themed around gunpowder and alchemy; flashbangs and grenades as Enforest said.

And then maybe another branch that focues on something like "battlefield control"? Placing static traps on the battlemap that immobilize enemies, barricades to block off paths of movement, mobile cover for allies, etc? There's not a whole lot else that does that apart from mages and AOE attacks that set the ground on fire or something, and those are really secondary/after effects that you have little control over.
 
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Whiskeyjack-5691 said:
And then maybe another branch that focues on something like "battlefield control"? Placing static traps on the battlemap that immobilize enemies, barricades to block off paths of movement, mobile cover for allies, etc? There's not a whole lot else that does that apart from mages and AOE attacks that set the ground on fire or something, and those are really secondary/after effects that you have little control over.
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We do at least have the Ritualist that can create areas of cover for allies or hostile thorns for enemies. Granted, I suppose it is kind of overshadowed by their healing and cleansing side.
 
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For now I think it would be a good idea to rework the Spellblade and Death Knight Classes. Because I do like the concept behind them, but I feel like their implementation was a bit rushed.

The Melee Mage Skill should be something that you learn earlier, and DK could have a Skill that grant them Lifesteal.
 
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FerrokenFibrous said:
Engineer class could alternatively be called Artificer or Tinker instead. Maybe have a split between engineering/construct support and summons, and something more alchemy, lava and/or transmutation related.
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There's Engineer/Artificer/Tinker, which would do the combat summons or "building" of constructs and seige weapons, and I think Gunslinger might be the more combat oriented version of the technomagical variety. But if 2 classes are unable to be done, then Artificer/Engineer with at least 2 different paths of mastery would be nice to see.

Ranger, Spellblade, and Death Knight are too powerful to be considered basic classes. If there was a way to "evolve" basic classes into advanced classes, Hunter would be a great basic class that could evolve into the Ranger class or other similar culture-related class. In that same train of thought, ritualists are a great basic class for every fantasy support archetype like dark or light clerics, druids, and necromancers. There's so much that can be done to take the game to the next level using such a system and would provide more opportunities for content up to at least season 5!
 
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