Concept Class: Lupine

Lupines are people that hold a great affinity for wolves, usually from having lived with them most of their lives. They share the knowledge of a small piece of the ancient and primal druidic magics that allow one to "shapeshift", and have taken it to the next level in their specialization.
They have also trained themselves in the basics of hand-to-hand martial arts, and combined it with their own ferocity to create a unique style of fighting.
After seeing a Lupine in battle, many believe them to be barbaric or mindless beasts, but Lupines respect every aspect of the wolf, including their cunning, and so Lupines usually possess a strong intelligence.

Legend: (P) = Primary Attribute, (E) = Elite Skill, (?) = I don't really like the name, but couldn't think of another, (Note: ) = A side note on the above mentioned item, usually giving information that wouldn't be given in-game or in the description, such as how an animation would look. Also, when a skill says that the stats are ?...? the 1st number is the amount of effect at rank 1, and the 2nd number is at rank 12.

Body Type: Thin/athletic, similar to the ranger.
Appearance: They should not look excessively rough like the warrior does, but they should look cold and dangerous; kind of like the 2nd Necromancer male face, but less decayed/drained. They should have kind of spikey hair, not "sticking straight out" spikey, but sort of like the 3rd necromancer male hair, only longer (not straight up or out "longer"). The hair should have all of the natural colors most classes do (including black), but they should also have platinum/silver hair. Most of the female hair should look similar to the general style of the female rangers, though without all of the twigs and flowers.
Armor appearance: The armor should be made of leather and fur, but it should NOT look extremely rough and patched together hobo style like the ranger armor; it should look a little rough though, some types a little rougher than others. The concept of what I'm trying to describe is similar to the ranger fur armor. The leather's primary color (un-dyeable) should be black, and the fur should range in color from dark grey to white, depending on the armor. Also, most of the armor should not be as tight-fitting as most leather armor is (necros and the above mentioned ranger fur armor).
On most of the armor, the arms (except forearms or sometimes shoulders) should be exposed, and the legs definately shouldn't (except maybe sometimes on females) be skin-tight.
The armor can cover the hands, but it should never cover their fingers. Also, if there is fur near their shoulders, then it shouldn't puff out real tall (I don't mean shorter than the fur anywhere else, just don't make it puff out to their ears by making it taller there).
And I hadn't mentioned this, but the fur on the armor should be short, since it should be wolf fur. The fur, in my idea, should be placed in strips across various parts of the armor, not covering a majority of it in some creepy attempt to make it look like the Lupines have fur.
Their should obviously be differences between the sets of armor, but this is just how I imagined them as looking. There could be sets that look very barbaric, or sets with a lot of fur, or ones with almost no fur.
Also, a good secondary (dyeable) color for most of the armor sets would be a very dark brownish-red, like the color on the ranger's druid armor, only a little darker. Or some could also have a shade of grey, but either way the leather should have a dull, mostly natural shade.
Average/Basic armor stats: 70AL, +20 vs Physical. 25 energy. 3 energy regen. Extra +'s to defense (set based): +10 while shapeshifted, +10 while attacking, +energy, +health, 80AL +10 vs physical.

Attributes -
Ferocity (P): Each point in Ferocity increases your attack speed by 1%. Whenever you miss with an attack for any reason or if you are struck by a critical hit, Ferocity recovers a small amount of your energy, the amount is +1 at rank 1, +2 at rank 7, and +3 at rank 13.
Wolf Aspects(?): Wolf Aspects increases the effects of skills that grant wolf-like aspects, or of Wolf Forms.
Unarmed Mastery(?): Each point in Unarmed Mastery enhances your unarmed damage by +1. This increases the effects of skills relating to unarmed fighting, and also increases the chance of scoring a critical hit while unarmed.
Predatory: Predatory increases the effects of skills relating to the hunting of creatures, and ones that allow you to better survive while hunting.
(Note: Tracking skills in the predatory line track creatures by creating a translucent line around the lupine, similar to with enchantments, and there are small balls of light on the line around the character aimed in the directions of the creatures being tracked (sort of like a compass), and the balls are different colors depending on the type of creatures being tracked; humans are yellow, demons are blood red, undead are dark purple, beasts are green, elementals are blue, and bosses are white. This effect can only be seen by the Lupine themself. Also, Tracking skills are actually a minority skill, and take up a very, very small percentage of the Predatory skills.)


Skills:
Grey Wolf Form: 15 energy cost, 6 second cast, no reset.
Shapeshift. Transform into a Grey Werewolf, granting +1 health regeneration, +2...10% movement speed, +10...120 health, +4...8 damage-per-hit.
Only Lupine skills may be used while in a Wolf form, and you can only fight unarmed. Wolf Aspects.
(Note: many Lupine skills are more effective while in a wolf form, and some can only be used while in one. Also, the form is canceled in the same way as maintained enchantments.)
(Note: you automatically return to your human form on death.)
(Note: This werewolf is dark grey, all forms should have a lean muscular build and bi-ped body structure. They should have thick fur, none of that disgusting thin fur/half-bald kind you sometimes see in movies. The head should look almost if not completely like a wolf's too.)
Aspect of Claws: Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. Grants +2...8 damage per hit. If you are in a wolf form, this aspect grants +5% armor penetration on attacks as well as the additional damage.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
Aspect of Rage(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. This aspect enhances your attack speed by +6...10%. If you are in a wolf form, this also grants a 5% run speed bonus.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time.Wolf Aspects.
Aspect of Metabolism(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. Grants +1...3 health regeneration. If you are in a wolf form, then conditions inflicted on you also have the durations cut by 15%.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
Aspect of Hunger: Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. This aspect causes -1 health degeneration, but causes you to steal 2...3 health on attacks. If you are in a wolf form, you recover an additional +2 health on attacks.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
Aspect of Stamina(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. Grants +1...2 energy regeneration. If you are in a wolf form, this also causes you to gain 1 energy on attacks.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
(Note: this should work as +1 at rank 1, +2 at rank 8, +3 at rank 13.)
Aspect of Agility(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. Grants a 10...30% chance to evade melee attacks while attacking. If you are in a wolf form, then you block rather than evade, and any attacks blocked in this way cause the attacker to take 5 damage.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
(Note: the idea here isn't that the werewolf is blocking a sword with their arm or something, but that you strike the other person's arm before they finish the swing. The crazyness of how hard this would be to accomplish while surrounded by people is a good explanation as to why you only block/evade 10-30% of the time, although it was actually done for balancing, obviously.)
Aspect of Predation(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. This enhances your Predatory attribute by +2. If you are in a wolf form, then tracking skills are enhanced by +3 rather than +2.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
(The effects if this aspect do not take place with a Wolf Aspects rank of less than 5.)
Aspect of Cunning(?): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. This enhances your Unarmed Mastery attribute by +2. If you are in a wolf form, then skills inflicting a condition other than Silence or Dazed are enhanced by +3 rather than +2.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
(The effects if this aspect do not take place with a Wolf Aspects rank of less than 5.)
(Note: there shouldn't be any aspects that enhance Wolf Aspects or Ferocity.)
Aspect of Bloodlust (E): Instant cast, no cost or reset.
Aspect. This allows the effects of Ferocity which take place whenever you miss an enemy to work on any attack. If you are in a wolf form, this also causes you to recover +1...3 health any time you successfully strike a foe.
Only 2 aspects can be active at the same time. Wolf Aspects.
(Note: Aspects are canceled the same way as maintened enchantments and wolf forms.)
(Note: If some of you don't know what I mean by "aspects", the idea is that your character becomes physically or mentally more wolf-like in whatever way the skill demands by using their shapeshifting skills in a more subtle way.)

Fang's Descent: 5 energy cost, 6 second reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe, dealing +2...20 damage. If target is suffering from weakness, then they are interrupted. Unarmed Mastery.
(Note: this is a kick attack, and "Fang" isn't supposed to be the name of a Lupine.)
Tear the Flesh: 5 energy cost, 6sec reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe and inflict bleeding for 4...24 seconds. Unarmed Mastery.
Razor Hand Strike: 10 energy cost, 8sec reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe for +5...34 damage. Unarmed Mastery.
Slashing Wind: 10 energy cost, 8sec reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe 3 times. Unarmed Mastery.
Throat Lunge(?): 5 energy cost, 4sec reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe, stealing 3...15 health along with dealing normal damage. Unarmed Mastery.
Feral Ripper(?)(E): 10 energy cost, 10 second reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe 2 times, dealing double damage with each if the target is below 50% health. If target is suffering from a condition then this attack cannot be blocked or dodged. Unarmed Mastery.
Slice the Throat: 10 energy cost, 12 second reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe, dealing +1...8 damage and dazing them for 2...8 seconds.
Pierce the Spine: 10 energy cost, 12 second reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe, knocking them down for 2 seconds. Unarmed Mastery.
(50% failure chance with Unarmed Mastery 4 or less.)
Sweeping Slash: 15 energy cost, 1/4 second cast, 45 second reset.
Unarmed attack. Strike target foe, crippling them for 8...16 seconds and knocking them down. Normal damage does not take place with this attack. Unarmed Mastery.
Victimize: 10 energy cost, 18 second reset.
Unarmed attack. This attack strikes knocked down foes 4 times. If you are in a wolf form, this attacks 5 times, but deals 25% less damage with each. Unarmed Mastery.

Track Humans: 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down humans by their scent for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: the range people can be tracked at is roughly as follows while not in a wolf form; at rank 1 you should be able to track people twice the distance of your radar length, at rank 10 you should be able to track things roughly the distance from the gates of Lion's Arch to the north end of the Ascalon Settlement. Wolf forms increase the range by 3 ranks. Also, Tracking DOES work on non-hostile creatures too, but it will not track teammates.)
(Note: this works on humans and anything similar such as dwarves.)
Track Demons: 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down demons by their unatural scent for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: this works on creatures such as Oni, Djinni, and... other demons I guess.)
Track Beasts: 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down beasts by their scent for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: this works on companion-type animals, Charr, Trolls, Ettins, Tengu, and other Lupines in wolf form. Things not mentioned as well.)
Track Undead: 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down undead by their scent.. often of rotting flesh, for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: this includes zombies, ghouls, liches, shadows, spirits, skeletons, necromancer minions, and other creatures not mentioned.)
Track Elementals: 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down elementals by their scent for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: this includes golems, titans, plant creatures, and... imps? Other things not mentioned as well.)
Track the Powerful(?)(E): 5/4 second cast, no cost or reset.
Skill. This skill allows you to track down boss monsters by the scent of their powerful auras for 15 seconds. The range of the tracking increases with a higher Predatory rank, and the effect is enhanced further while in a wolf form. Predatory.
Devour Flesh: 10 energy cost, 2 second cast, 15 second reset.
Skill. Exploit an adjacent corpse and heal +30...300 health. Can only be used in a wolf form. Predatory.
Schism (E): 10 energy cost, instant cast, 30 second reset.
Enchantment spell. The next time you try using a wolf form while this is in effect, rather than change, the wolf form appears next to you as a minion. The form has the same stats that it would based on your Wolf Aspects rank, 80AL, 8 base damage, and 40...100 base health. This spell lasts for 30 seconds, though the minion lasts untill it is killed. While this minion is alive you cannot use that wolf form. Predatory.
(Note: using the skill with the wolf form will still require the casting time to complete before the minion is summoned. Also, this does not leave an exploitable corpse.)
Alpha Beast: 10 energy cost, 30 second reset.
Shout. For 20 seconds, all party members gain a 5...10% run speed bonus, and +4 damage on attacks. Predatory.
(Note: I'm not sure if full-party enchantments exist, but if they do, this would be better as one.)

Howl: 5 energy cost, 12 second reset.
Shout. All party members gain +1...5 strikes of adrenaline. If you are in a wolf form, then all opponents in the area also lose 2 strikes of adrenaline. Ferocity.

Other information:
If you haven't noticed by now, I've been refering to the wolf forms as plural. My idea is that there should probably be more than one wolf form of different colors, which grant different bonuses, or the bonuses are stronger and weaker in different areas. If there should be only one wolf form, then I still think something should differentiate Lupine's in wolf forms from eachother with their appearance, like having hair color effect the werewolf's color.
I was thinking that maybe Lupines should use gauntlet/glove weapons, but that wouldn't go very well with the fact that characters already have gloves as a piece of armor, and artificial finger claws or something sound really stupid to me, especially since theres a skill that's supposed to give them real claws (even if they aren't actually visible).
It may seem strange that their attack skills often rely on slashing the enemy, but the idea is that the Lupines should have somewhat long nails (about an inch from back to end), which they file/sharpen into claw-like points. This doesn't really have to be made actually visible on the character in my oppinion. If you think that's a strange thing to do, the idea is that they do it to make themselves more like the wolves they emulate, and for use in their fighting style; the Aspect of Claws skill is supposed to make them into real claws. Also, with the auto-attacks, I think that they should not do slashing motions (atleast not with all of them); they're trained in basic martial arts, not cat fighting .
Also, I keep saying "basic martial arts" because if they were masters of martial arts, that would completely ruin the chances of their being a Martial Artist class, which some people want. If there isn't any chance of there ever being a Martial Artist, then I don't care, they could be as crazy skilled of a martial artists as you want, but they should still make their own style from their ferocity and wolf-like nature.
And, when I say that they trained in basic martial arts and created their own unique style, I mean that they trained in the basics of how to fight bare-handed, and then created their own unarmed martial art unique to them which they then became very skilled in. As you can tell from the skills, their fighting style is very feral and vicious, often relying on their claws to cut their opponent.
I really can't find this classes place in a group other than a tracker or a warrior with a little less defense and a little more offense. I can't really see how any new class would have it's own completely unique area in a group though, and it's kindof a stupid thing to ask for. If I remember right, the idea of every new class being completely unique in it's role is so ridiculous that it was decided that the "Core" classes would remain like that, and any new ones would pretty much end up as variations filling the same general roles (damage, tank, healer, minions, hexer, enchanter etc..) So, this is pretty much a more offensive warrior, sort of like a "bunny thumper" (less offense than an assassin, but more defense. More offense than a warrior, but less defense.) Looking at it more closely, I just realized that this class has almost no spike damage, but pretty good consistant damage, that's something that barely exists right now, atleast in melee classes. But.. that's probably for a reason, maybe melee characters can't stay on someone easily enouph for consistant damage? I guess that makes the Lupines possible perma-light-sprint thing valuable to them.

Background:
An idea behind the class is that they can shapeshift. I don't know what the story should be on how they learned some of the ancient druid magic; but the idea is that they had discovered enouph of the druid magic ability of shapeshifting to make themselves wolf-like, shunning any further shapeshifting knowledge that would allow them to become anything else. They trained with this very basic knowledge of shapeshifting that they had gained untill they had actually surpassed what the typical druid was capable of when it came to shapeshifting into a certain form, becuase they had focused solely and fanatically on learning to shapeshift into a wolf. But their knowledge of it was incomplete, so they couldn't actually become an ordinary wolf, and they no longer cared to after learning to grant permenant wolf-like abilities (aspects) on themselves, and learning to become the powerful Werewolf, and decided it was best to combine the greatest aspects of both the human and the wolf, rather than simply being another wolf. Lupines are legendary hunters, and their knowledge of how great a hunter humans can be was one of the reasons they decided to retain a human form. As with many things, the main reason they are hunters is because wolfs are, but the fact that the wolf is such a great hunter is also one of their many reasons for their desire to be more like them. In hunting or fighting, they prefer to rely exclusively on their bodies, refusing to use tools such as weapons, not because the wolf does not, as they realize it is more intelligent to use tools, but because they don't feel they can fully "enjoy" it any other way, though there are a few who do. They are not crazed murderers though, they prefer to avoid any unnecessary fights, as it is usually difficult for them to hold back from killing once they are in one, and any meaningless death is something they often frown upon. Of course, if there is any decent reason for the fight, then they reeeaally enjoy it.
Lupines are not a society. It was a fairly long time ago that a group of people had discovered and perfected the art of Lupine shapeshifting, and Lupines are people with similar ideals that had been trained in the Lupine arts by Lupines. People are trained as Lupines in much the same way as anything else, such as Elementalists or Warriors. The people that want to be trained as a Lupine often share those similar ideals or personalities, and are required to have a very strong affinity and respect for wolves.

Comments:
Long.. so very, very long...

Totally my style. Completely and utterly. My character IS a Lupine, if that profession existed, yet now he's a W/A with daggers. Anyway, the point is that this would totally be the profession for me.
I even made up a profession like this once, though without the tracking stuff. Pretty much the same thing, even the armor ideas are the same as mine! Not saying you stole it, saying it's incredible how we have the same ideas. Even the HAIR ideas are like mine. Marvelous...

On another note... Very nice idea, but this may be because I'd like it for my character. I think it's a little too specific and not original enough to be implemented. The cosmetic ideas are original, but basically isn't it just an assassin that can shapeshift?
I mean, it doesn't add a new dimension to the battlefield really does it?

I'd love it, but I doubt a large player base would even like it, because it's so... non-innovative. We have warriors and we have assassins. Hard to come up with more melee classes, and if it isn't a warrior or an assassin, it's more of a melee-druid, which isn't very original either.

Also, tracking? What would be the point? We have a minimap, a large map and a radar. What do we need a compass for? I say the whole idea of tracking skills is useless, atleast judging from the skill examples.

However, I'm thrilled about the wolf-shifting and especially the unarmed-fighting line. Lose the tracking skills, the rest rocks.

Seriously though, this is exactly how I thought of my main character (he's an RP character). Crazy, I want this class just to make my main like I always wanted him.

Conclusion: Not very original, won't bring in many new aspects; However, I think it's awesome and I wish Anet would make this. Atleast it's a new melee class, and we need that. We have Tank-melee, we have Spike-melee... Perhaps Lupines could be changed to be the "AoE-melee"? That would be new.

PS: "Slice the Throat" - Silenced? You mean Dazed, right?

PPS: Nice work you've done. You put time into it, and I love that, aswell as the idea itself. Keep it up!

It's about as origional as any new melee class can be, and there aren't a lot of areas that ranged or magic classes could be origional in either though, with that logic.
And now that you mention it, the tracking skills don't have a lot of use. But they could be used for finding a certain enemy or enemies for quests, or for farming (although Anet hates that), and the boss tracking skill was meant to aid skill capturing.
Also, I don't own the expansion yet, os I'm not sure, but I thought I remembered the assassins having a skill that caused "Silence".
-Edit- Thanks for the compliments.

For all the shapeshifter class concepts, Lupine is the most original term and for a wolf shapeshifter, it is probably the best.

I came across a shapeshifter called Feral recently, and it was rather well done, but there are barriers to making any shapeshifting class, may as well recap.

First and formost, these classes arn't just used by humans, demihumans arn't useable players so far, but they still use the same classes, and from a demihuman standpoint, morphing into a were beast for added power is totaly useless. Unless it is a werebeast which is part super beast, like dragon, no demihuman would realisticly gain power and effectiveness by using this. Could you imagine a Charr using Lupine class?

That being said there are ways it could work, even for demihuman, and shapeshifting is cool. There are other issues, but with enough work something of this nature could be a good addition, and in the end, laying interest and proposing it, repeatedly, is the only thing us players need to do to promote things to Anet. If you actually interested in reading more about shapeshifter difficulties, you can go the the recent feral thread and read me there, but I don't feel like repeating the subject, primarily, I just see a serious flaw in a Char ever needing to be any bigger and monstorous then a Char Warrior..... I mean what does a Were wolf have that they don't?, they even have horns.

a shapeshifter would be pretty nice... gj dude
/signed

PUrrrrrr?

Lupin or Feral? Would be good to see them fight (in a battle of concept ideas, of couse)

Its good overall. Highly detail, lots infomation, very nicely put, great use of words, and organized, all make it a very well done Concept class. Gj.

I like the name Aspects, and the tracking sound very innovated.

Now, some point of concern....
-I think it is a bit too limiting to just shape shift to Wolfs. Other animals (with differnt bonus) could be use, like bears, tigers, etc (yes, I want Neko Ears)

-Need additional way to counter Transformations. As it stand now, transformation look way too powerful, with no way to counter it. (not counting my Inquisitor's skill) There need to be negative ascept to it. Same goes for Aspect skills (why 0 energy and instant cost?)

- Tracking, for most part, seem a bit usless.

- Would change unarm mastery to claw mastery, and have claw type of weapon as equipments.

- The primary seem a bit too good with its energy bonus.

- Don't fall into one of the common trap when making concept classes, of where it would be design to be "better and more powerful" than the exisiting. Don't be afriad to kill it (or think of ways to kill it), and leave room for weakness and counters.

- Its role still seem cloudy to me. It function too much like an alternative Warrior or Assassin. Many list some possible ideas for builds, and differnt combo that you could get when taking other prof as primary or secondary.

Overall, a good effort. But I still would like to see more improvments before it can win in a cat fight against arcanemacabre's Feral or laserlight's Pitfighter

They're free and instant cast because they're basically permanant, you select them and they stay either untill you cancel them or untill you enter an outpost/town.

And you're right, Bahamut; I don't know how I never thought of it, but a hydra boss or something turning into a little werewolf and becoming stronger is really odd. But, I think they choose what bosses have what classes and skills, so they could make any non-fitting lupine bosses not have a wolf form. Lupines can work completely fine without them.

And the drawback of the werewolf forms is that you can't use any of the skills or weapons from your other class, and you can't really cast it mid-fight because of the casting time. And if you die in a fight, and are rezzed during it, then you'll be human again and not easily able to turn back.

-Edit- If a physically powerful normal enemy has Lupine skills, then they could also not give them a wolf form.

Somebody's been playing too much diabloII.

Oooohhh, and I bet all of those movies with werewolves in them are ripoffs of Diablo II too, aren't they?

Copyright infringement!!!

Ya it also read to me a bit Druidish.

Druids as in spirits of nature? Druids are spirits of the forest, just cause D&D shaped them into shapeshifters doesn't mean they are the halmark for it, and has nothing to do with whether it would be a good idea. See Monk, for accurate title examples, Druid is also depicted accurately based on mythical aspects rather than other game fantasies, in this game they are something else.

See Melundrus representation, depicted as a Dryad (female Druid), which shows the body of a woman growing out of a tree. Identity based on this game aside, lupine is a great title, and shapeshifting would be very cool.

I wasn't realy refering to every and any monster in the game which would turn into a lupine, naturally, if it is only available in one expansion, they could make a new race or creature which is already wolf like, and simply "uses" his wolf "aspect" when he is using lupine skills. That is a possible and viable solution for realistic story purposes, but in the occurance of any other kind of demihuman using this class (and demihumans tend to use the full diversity of classes just like humans) this class would be very out of place.

If new classes are never used by enemies in chapters besides the one they originate in, then they may be albe to craft a host of enemies which shapeshifting does work with, like Demi Wolf people, but still, it seems kind of unusual at the best. If a few more types of shapeshifting were added, then they could use this shape shifting class along with a few kinds of demihuman, still, that is a patch job explaination rather then a good resolution.

And in the spirit of originality, I think that a WereCat class or at least attirbute would be better then a WereWolf, Wild cats are naturally stronger, and more versatile, Tiger Vs Wolf, Lion Vs Wolf, Jaguar Vs Wolf, Cats are alot stronger, aside from being able to climb trees, and such.

Another good way to make this shapeshifting class more viable for other creatures to use without using the shapeshifting "Aspect", is to increase the originality and usefulness of his other attributes. In this way, shapeshifting can be like beast mastery, most Ranger enemies don't use pets, likewise most enemy Lupine or shapeshifter don't have to shapeshift, they can use the prevalent skills which are available with his other attributes, and only have Lupine shapeshifting used by certain enemies which it would be appropriate with. I know you mentioned it, but the key to this would be making effective skills and attirbute lines for this class which doesn't require shapeshifting, and develope the primary attribute and other attirbutes well enough so they can be effectively used without bothering with shapeshifting, thus making it simular to beast mastery, an extra attribute only utilized by some Lupines.

I like it. Except the name. Lupines are plants. Only as an adjective does it mean 'wolflike'.

No, BahamutKaiser shouldn't take things so critical. If you played Diablo 2 LOD it was druidish. He can transfrom into a wolf/bear, have sprits, and command nature.

Just read this thread, I really feel someone played Diablo 2 too much.... and damn I want to recreate my druid. But in other way, why not.

Already, being a Shapeshifter is rare in online games. Well, if we put a profession, we must know about the skills, the tactics behind it and the monsters of the same profession we can encounter (cap elite skills ), etc.

We already have Rit for Grenth and Ass for Lyssa/Grenth to worship. Why not trying for the other gods. Lupine will be with Melandru.

I always thought a lack of melee profession instead of range.

I'm critical of suggestions and additions which are imposed from other games, this isn't a byproduct or a sequel to that game, and it has an expectation of originality. Furthermore, as I have mention in many threads past, perspective identity based on narrow fictional sources are not the primary identity of a name or character type.

Just because monks are fighters in some games, and druids are shape shifters, doesn't mean they are accurate descriptions nor definitions of the phrase. But most importantly, for this game Druids are identified as beings accended into nature, as plant type guardians, this games storyline and background overrule any outside content, including actual definitions.

Trying to draw identities based on other games is taboo, this isn't another D&D title, and should not mimic it.

Some people are actually involved and thoughtful about suggestion concepts, and actually take the time to refine better material. I am free to be as exacting as I like. You do not have the authority nor the justification to say whether I should be critical or not, but since I tire of your mindless interjection, I will just add you to the ignore list.

Maybe Druids are shape shifter in other games but Druid in GW stay as a Druid of GW, not like D2 or something else. They're talking about about Druid in D2 for example, not making them in GW. They're all dead, only the spirits remains.

Anyway, back to topic. So, I look about the armor and I can say one thing: Fur Square will be at high price when they come out. Same thing like Plant Fiber and more now. But I presume the main material will be Tanned Hide square in Common and Fur Square as Rare material.

I thought to put bones jewelry for decoration to look in another barbaric style. So Tanned and Bones

I think most of you are just jumping on the "they're a druid" bandwagon because someone else posted it. The only things this class has is common with a D2 druid is that it can turn into a werewolf (which wouldn't even look much like the werewolf from D2), and that they wear fur. Warriors wear fur too with one of their armors.
Nothing else about this is anything like the D2 druid.

But I like a Druid. With the theme of Ch3, I think it could be one of the new class.

On your class... Its role still seem cloudy to me. It function too much like an alternative Warrior or Assassin. Maybe list some possible ideas for builds, and differnt combo that you could get when taking other prof as primary or secondary.

Also state some of the balance factor for shapechanging and ascepts (pro and con) They still seem too powerful to me (like an everlasting Enchantment)

r/w ftw

Yay! The same idiot has decided to run around the Concept Classes claiming the same thing, that they're all exactly like another combination of classes.
Flaming is against the forum rules, Jackass.

Oh man, I might've been flaming again...
I'd like to see you try explaining for once 'why' the classes are just like a combination of a couple others.

They claimed Assassin is Ranger/Warrior too, anything that is melee is going to be copped off for another R/W, A/W, or W/whatever.

Fact is, people who spit off baseless statement without justification should be banned, it isn't constructive or tolerable.

Whats funny though is that this thread has been dead for 16 days, and he just brought it back up with his ignorant denial, when it would have been forgotten if he had simply not said anything. Just shows how ignorant he is. Even if he had an opinion, it would be a pathetic one, no reason for him to further insult himself.

He's not ignorant, just needy. He craves any form of attention he can get, even if he has to manufacture ill will towards himself.

And for you, "TheoneandonlyX," I'd like to point out that, assuming you live in a civilized country, there are certain requirements needed to validate an argument (as codified by the Modern Language Association), even a personal opinion. "Because I say so" is NEVER good enough. Provide facts, figures, conjecture, assumptions, SOMETHING to support your intelectually stunted one-liners. Not doing so brands you as a forum troll.
So, I put the question to you: HOW is this "Lupine" concept class identical to a R/W?

ANet will think its a great idea because they came up with it for d2.... somewhat like the assassin. All we need next is a bear form to go with it, and you will be right on track.

This character type would fit right into campaign 3, as from what we have heard so far its set in the wilds of africa in a gloomy/dark forest and such surroundings, this character would fit right in, from what you described your character would look like and armors it would wear, i was browsing through deviant art as a regulary do and i came across a picture someone done, and i thought to myself... this would fit this character perfectly.

From what you said i think if he was a shapeshifter his face should be shadowed with only his eyes showing, this picture was not yet coloured in so i done it to the colours i though would suit the character, anyway to stop me rambling on about this awesome idea xD here it is

Aside from the moderness and the excessively bulky muscles I really like that.
I realized a while ago that I never mentioned a head-piece, but a hood sounds good.
And you guys can ignore any of those many references in the lore to their personalities, I have no idea what I was thinking when I said how most of them would act . The classes have nothing to do with the character's personalities in all of the videos and lore.

Besides, if you skipped the rambling of those little lore sections I decided to make, here's all that matters: The Lupine arts are derived from a combination of a small fraction of the ancient druidic arts, and hand-to-hand fighting.

Definately overpowered as is.... those aspects are rediculous right now. Even having just 1 active is insane. But I do love your idea. Just lower some of the bonus's from the aspects.

And let me get this straight, their hands become 12+(4/2)=14-14 damage at 16 weapon mastery? Thats a very good balance drop actually, I would like to see that you get same bonus after 12 though or everybody would dump 16for ferocity instead.

I Added the drop in damage gain after 12 because I started adding in many multi-strike skills, and those would have been a little overpowered with 16-16 damage... wait, maybe my logic was that it was better than daggers that way? But I would have forgotten about the dagger double strikes... I'll remove that, atleast untill I remember what I was trying to balance by doing that. Also, I've known for a little while that the Aspects were overpowered, but didn't feel like changing them, lol. I Guess I'll do that now.

I would like to know how those Multi-Strike skills actually work, because if they actually hit several times, they would bring into light a serious imbalance with hexes like barbs, mark of pain, and a few other necromancer damage improvement buffs, can you say Order of Pain or Order of the Vampire X 3+ hits = broken. If they tabulate the damge of "several hits" into 1 or 2 hits, maybe 3 at most, it may be balanced, but flinging out several hits per second wouldn't be balanced.

As I've said before, and again, I like the idea for this class, the overall concept is good. There may be many issues with what you proposed and the concept as a whole, but an interesting (hopefully unique) "beast" man type class would be great.

And your fans are right, this kind of class fits squarely into an African theme. Shamen are often renoun for shapeshifting into beasts, a very fitting class type for that theme, although mythos of shapeshifting are widespread, and making an original context to a known archtype isn't a bad idea either, rather original actually....... Please no WereBear.... something better please.....WereTiger.....WereBeast.......

I like the ideah... does need tweaqing, but I'm confident Anet would take care of that.

/Signed

I like this idea myself as i am a huge fan of wolves and in most every story i write the main char can shapeshift into a wolf ^^;;

yeah this idea is cool, i would love to chance into a wolf

I love the concept, but unfortunately I don't think it fits with Campaign 3 that is supposed to be based in a fantastic North Africa.

I would definitely support this idea for another campaign, but for Campaign 3, sorry but I gotta...

/not sign

I think this is a nice concept. If it was well balanced it would be a good addition.