Concept Class: Hollow

The Hollow are an Order of strict Martial Artist's who train themselves to channel and manipulate demonic energies into and out of their own bodies. Before they are allowed to learn the Hollow arts of demonic manipulations, they are forced to flawlessly master the ability to resist the corruption of these energies, which is a very difficult and dangerous process. Even after this, it is possible for anyone so close to demonic energies to succumb to corruption, so they are very strict and disciplined. They call themselves "Hollows" as a constant reminder of the thin path they walk; how easily they could become a souless monster. They train in Martial arts both as a way to enhance their fighting abilities, and to give themselves greater control of their bodies to both resist the corruption and to manipulate the demonic energy they absorb into themselves. They train in this dangerous art as a means to gain the power to destroy powerful and evil creatures.

I have the concept picture drawn now, here it is. Yeah, the drawing kinda sucks.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...n/concept4.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...n/concept3.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...n/concept2.jpg
For those of you who can't make out the notes scattered across it, they say:
"Tribal tattoo headpiece, 'Mark'".
"Black Conflageration" (Out-dated)
"Thin build, like an ele, but very fit"
"Loose robe-style clothes, not modern"
and "No undershirt"

Armor: 70AL, +10 vs elements (Thick cloth), 30 energy, 4 energy regen.

Weapons: Infernal Essence. This weapon is basically energy. It does 5-15 Shadow damage. It appears as energy that surrounds the Hollow's hands, ranging in appearance from black flames to a silver wispy energy (depending on the weapon's skin). The speed should be around 1.10s
Attributes-
Intransigence(P): Every point in Intransigence gives you a +1% chance to "resist" conditions and increases your energy by +1.
(Note: the concept of this is that raising it enhances their ability to resist "corruption", which also allows them to maintain more demonic energy in themselves without being corrupted by it.)
Demonic Evocation: This increases the effects of skills relating to the channeling of demonic energies outward, usually as attacks.
Martial Arts: This increases the damage you deal with Infernal Essences, and your chance to score a critical hit with them. It also adds +1 Blunt damage at rank 1 and every 3 ranks after to your Infernal Essence damage.
Discipline(?): This increases the effects of skills relating to the internal manipulation of demonic energy, as well as their natural training.

Skills-
Demonic Evocation:
Hellfire: 15 energy, 3 second cast, 15 second reset.
Channeled Spell. Once this is cast, you are immobile and unable to attack for 4 seconds while the spell is in effect. While it is in effect, every foe in the area is struck for 6...20 fire damage every second, and set on fire for 1 second.
Dark Matter: 5 energy, 1 second cast, 5 second reset.
Spell. Launch a ball of shadow at target foe, dealing 5...36 damage, and causing the next source of shadow damage that strikes them to deal +3...10 shadow damage. This spell has half the normal range.
Shadow Aura: 15 energy, 2 second cast, 30 second reset.
Enchantment spell. For 20 seconds, all foes adjacent to you are struck for 4...12 shadow damage each second.
Burning Aura (E): 15 energy, 1 second cast.
Maintained enchantment. While you maintain this enchantment you are set on fire, but you recieve +1 health regeneration, and any foes adjacent to you are struck for 6...34 fire damage each second. For each Monk enchantment on you, the damage you deal with this skill is reduced by 1/3.
(Note: curing the burning condition will just cause you to immediately be set on fire again as long as the enchantment is on you.)
Infernal Pyre: 10 energy, 2 second cast, 15 second reset.
Spell. Strike the ground, causing a pillar of flames to rise beneath target foe, setting them on fire for 1...5 seconds. If the target dies from this attack, then their corpse is immediately exploited to recover +3...15 of your energy. This spell has half the normal range.
Dark Agony: 15 energy, 1 second cast, 20 second reset.
Hex spell. For 15 seconds, any time target foe is struck by a shadow-damage attack, they are set on fire for 1 second, and adjacent foes take 1...8 fire damage.
Black Conflageration: 10 energy cost, 2 second cast, 25 second reset.
Enchantment spell. For 10...24 seconds, your melee attacks deals +2...9 shadow damage.
Gate: 20 energy, 4 second cast, 15 second reset.
Spell. Teleport target foe or ally to you. This spell causes exaustion, and you suffer from weakness for 10...4 seconds.
Reality Shift (E): 5 energy, 5 second cast, 45 second reset.
Hex Spell. All foes in the area are teleported directly next to you and dazed for 5 seconds. After this time, all foes are moved back to their origional locations and suffer 5...20 chaos damage and you sacrifice 80...40% health.
(Note: this is meant to be used to pull off a couple of your AoE's on nearly every opponent at once.)
Impel: 5 energy, 3/4 second cast, 20 second reset.
Spell. Target foe is knocked back 10...50'. If target foe hits an obstruction, they recieve 10...40 damage.
Siphon Soul: 5 energy, 1 second cast, 12 second reset.
Hex Spell. For 10...20 seconds, target foe suffers from 1...2 energy degeneration, which you gain as regeneration. When the effect ends, all of the target's hexes are placed on you instead, and they recieve 10...30 fire damage.

Martial Arts:
Shadow Laceration: 10 energy cost, 4 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe and all adjacent foes, dealing +1...22 damage.
Descending Darkness: 5 energy, 10 second reset.
Unarmed kick attack. If target foe is suffering from exaustion, then they are knocked down for 3 seconds.
Malign Birr: 10 energy, 12 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe's chest, causing exaustion.
(Note: it's random which piece of armor an attack normally hits, but this strikes the chest piece automatically.)
Sweeping Shadows: 5 energy, 10 second reset.
Unarmed kick attack. Strike all adjacent foes in the feet, interrupting them.
(Note: just saying it one more time, this hits the foot armor automatically.)
Unholy Rift(E): 5 energy, 14 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe, stealing 1...15 energy.
Un-Hallow Palm: 10 energy, 8 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe, dealing +4...34 damage.
Dire Torment: 10 energy, 8 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe in the chest, inflicting Weakness for 6...16 seconds.
Meteoric Strike: 5 energy, 2 second cast (Attack animation), 10 second reset.
Unarmed fist attack. Strike target foe for +2...24 fire damage, knocking them down.
Myopic Frenzy: 5 energy, 10 second reset.
Stance. for 10 seconds, you attack 33% faster. When Myopic Frenzy ends, you suffer from weakness for 6...2 seconds.

Discipline:
Meditation: 10 energy, 3 second cast.
Maintained enchantment. While you maintain this enchantment you are immobile and unable to attack or cast spells, but you recieve +1...4 energy regeneration, +1...6 health regeneration, and conditions have their durations cut by 33%. When Meditation is ended, you suffer from weakness for 8 seconds.
Demonic Augmentation: 10 energy cost, -1 energy regen, 2 second cast.
Maintained enchantment. While you maintain this enchantment, you gain +1...10 armor, and +1...5 damage on attacks.
Expel Corruption: 10 energy, 1 second cast, 15 second reset.
Skill. Remove all conditions from yourself, and for each condition you remove, you lose 1 energy. Any adjacent foes or allies will recieve these conditions with the remaining durations.
Demonic Regeneration: 5 energy, 1 second cast, 10 second reset.
Skill. for 4 seconds, you gain +6...15 health regeneration, but suffer -3 energy regeneration.
Blood Fire: 10 energy, 2 second cast, 30 second reset.
Enchantment Spell. For 8...15 seconds, any time you are struck by slashing or piercing damage, all adjacent foes take 4...12 fire damage. If you are bleeding, this damage is also dealt every second.
Demonic Hide: 10 energy, 1 second cast, 20 second reset.
Enchantment Spell. For 20 seconds you recieve +10...30 armor, but you take double damage from Holy damage attacks.

Intransigence:
Indomitable Will: 10 energy, 15 second reset.
Stance. For each condition or hex you are suffering, you gain +1 health regeneration for 8...15 seconds.

This is meant to be a melee damage-dealing class. While they don't deal as much as the assassin, they are meant to have a decent number of AoE attacks, both from their martial arts and Demonic Evocation. They are also a kind of melee interruptor with their knockdowns, though not nearly as good as the ranger. They also have have a little less defence than a ranger, but close to the level of one with their skills.

Something to keep in mind:

Knockdowns are very powerful - after all, unless the enemy benefits from one of three specific skills (Dolyak, Balanced Stance or Ward of Stability), you've interrupted their action regardless of whatever abilities you have. Most knockdowns are either situational, very expensive (in terms of energy, adrenaline, adrenaline loss, exhaustion, skill disabling, and/or any other cost there may be out there), elite, or a combination of the above. This is especially true for area knockdowns.

If you're working towards a dedicated melee interrupter (which seems to be your general gist) I wouldn't concentrate on the knockdowns - consider the other things you can inflict. Daze would probably be another good condition, although that's also expensive, and you could also have a few standard 'interrupt target foe's action' skills. Looking at warrior hate, weakness (hitting a pressure point) and blind (eye gouge) could also be good conditions to inflict.

Apart from that - I'll make my usual comment of saying that skills that give a capability like a capability of another class are a little redundant. I'd rather see a more generic martial artist that can be combined with an elementalist secondary to achieve the capability you're aiming for - that way another player could combine it with monk instead to create a holy warrior, and so on. (This would only require the replacement of the demonic evocation line - the discipline skills can be kept with a change of name, and that change may not even be necassary - consider the number of skills other professions have that invoke the names of other creatures.)

It seems like an interesting class, but as draxxynic said, it might be that you cut down on the Demonic Evocation and focus more on the physical.

Overall I can see where you got the Idea from, Definately a Shinigami. Watch a fair bit of Bleach eh

very interesting class, i would love to see something like this in the game. Some of the spells that inflict conditions upon the caster give the game more dynamics as well.

to abusable, 70 AL, hmm... lets do this:

Hollow/CasterX

15 {P} = 85AL, 45energy with 4 regen, +15 energy staff = 60 energy... hmm thisll work well

Damn, I was hoping no one would catch on to where I got the name from. Lol.
For anyone who doesn't know, Hollows are the name of evil spirits/demons in the anime "Bleach"..

You're right about knockdowns being too strong, so I'll change some to interrupts. You're also kind of right about the Demonic Evocation line being too much like ellies, so I'll add a couple more skills that play off the fire elly thing more. Also, if it had more shadow damage attacks than fire, it wouldn't seem as much like one, and nearly all of the skills in that line would either be single target short range, or player-centered AoE. None of the elly style "Nuke targets area and kill everything around it".
Not only does having the single target spells short range and the AoE's player-centered work to make them less like an elementalist (atleast as different from one as a ritualist is from a monk), but it also forces the Hollow to stay more in melee range, since they are a melee class.

I think it sounds pretty cool, and I like how this is "disruption"-melee. I mean, we have spiker, DoT, AoE and disruption casters; It's about time we get those on melee, too...

On another note, I don't like bringing in demons all of a sudden. Demons just aren't original, and the whole "punish the user with demonic spirits and give him dark power!"-idea is sorta old.
However, that's just a problem I have with the theme. The actual skills and idea behind the profession sounds good to me. I just don't like demons much; overused.

Skills overpowered? Burning Aura caught my eye...

Imagine a Mo/H with 16 Healing and 12 Demonic Evocation. Mending +4 HP regen, +1 regen from Burning Aura and -7 from Burning Aura again... That adds up to a -2 regen in health, for a maintained 34 damage each second.
And think, if you could live with only 1 energy regen, you could throw up Watchful Spirit too! That's no hp degen and maintained fire damage.

Granted, enchantments can be stripped but none of these skills take long to recast, and even another monk could toss up a cover enchantment. Fire damage is often a bad element, because of common resistance, but constant 34 damage? Sounds a little overpowered to me... For farming, atleast.

That could potentially work, if you're careful - although if you're not, you could just end up stepping on the Necromancer's toes just as much. Keep in mind that the ele does have plenty of point-blank area-of-effect spells as well, so having a bunch of those will be raining on their parade a little - Gwenyth would rather not be made obsolete, after all .

Looking at individual skills:
Hellfire: 'In the area' is an area about the size of a Ward (check the concentric circles at the Isle of the Nameless for 'in the area', 'nearby' and 'adjacent' sizes) - Elementalists would probably be jealous of this as a cut-down, larger area Rodgort's. Overall, too close to Rodgort's for my liking.
Demon Sphere: Looks a lot like Ice Spear to me. Might work better with a considerably longer recharge (at least around the 10s range) and with the infliction of a condition such as Weakness and in increase in cost to 10 energy - basically, make it something you shoot off occasionally before running in rather than being spammable. (The condition may also help underscore the 'corrupted' nature of the flame as opposed to what an Elementalist may use - even if this is sounding like a fire version of Enervating Charge or something)
Shadow Aura: Makes me think of Balthazar's Aura - however, that isn't exactly the focus of a Monk. Just be aware of what it'll do to the monster AI these days ;-).
Burning Aura: This one reminds me a lot of Burning Speed. Otherwise... I have an irrational dislike of this one. It still 'feels' too Elementalist, even though I can't really see a real Ele using it.
Immolating Pyre: Too close to Immolate for my liking, even with the shorter range.
Dark Agony: I liked this one, until I remembered about the Mark of Rodgort. Possibly get rid of the 'on fire' condition and just leave the area shadow damage.
Black Conflagration: This one looks like it would work well.

Also, another poster brought the effect of the primary attribute. It does look a little overpowered. I'd probably change it entirely - considering it's supposed to represent mental resistance, possibly a small reduction in hex durations would be appropriate?

Thanks for your comments, everyone.
I'm going to take your advice to make another revision to the class and make the Demonic Evocation line more unique and balanced.

I've posted the concept art now!
I'm posting that I have because no one would have any way of knowing any change like this has taken place otherwise without viewing a thread that says it's still the same from last time they looked.

Bump

I'd like some more suggestions for this class. If no one else posts, then.. I guess that means it's finished.

lol dude youve been watching too much bleach. Great show though.

I like the class idea, and I support it, however, I think the name should be changed, or all of the little bleach fanboys are gonna be OMGWTFBBQROFFLEWAFFLESTFUHAXKTHXBAI and fan-gasm all over their selves.

QFT. Too much Bleach makes your brain hurt. I think it would be appropriate for them to call themselves as a constant reminder of the narrow path they walk "streakers"

Nice concept, I like it. Kinda plays along the ritualist line a little, with the channeling. The thing about unarmed though, You need to make them have a "weapon" of some kind whether it be gloves or what not. Either that or make their damage WAY low (im talking 2-10). The reason i say this is because buying weapons is a huge part of this game. They keep the market alive. With a nonweapon user, there will be a loss in a chance to create a new boost in the economy, especially because i believe if they make this class it will be very popular. I mean who doesnt like channeling demon spirits and giving people bloody noses.

I know. I really want them to have a weapon, like the steel knuckled gloves I mentioned, but even though the Hollows themselves could have just wristbands or something other classes using this as a secondary would have something really wierd going on with overlapping gloves. I would really hate to see this class with any type of weapon other than gloves/gauntlets/knuckles though.

I just had an idea, though I'm not sure if it could work. Their weapons could be metal plates that cover the knuckles, and they could have their positions shifted around a little to properly cover the characters gloves, depending on the gloves they're wearing. Some types could even have little spikes or studs on the plates.

Final bump.

I don't think this class is finished yet; does anyone have some suggestions on how to make the gloves/knuckles work, or any changes to the skills that should be made?

Possibly have the 'weapon' be represented by fields of energy around the hands instead of an actual physical weapon? In the inventory, they'd be represented by a ring or set of brass knuckles that acts as the source, but isn't incorporated into the skin. Different shapes of this nexus of energy could serve as different skins - for instance, you could have one that looks like energy claws, one that takes the form of a glow around the hands, and so on.

Ah, or they could have the name and icon of something like Gloves/Steel Knuckles and not actually show up on the character at all, but the Hollow's normal gloves could look like these. Every class aside from the monk has gloves, don't they? I guess this could work.
However it's done, I'm going to update the class to mention their weapons in the skills/attributes now.
Wait, if I made it so that the weapon is supposedly steel plates strapped to the knuckles and feet, what should the name be?

i like draxy's idea for the weapons.

I'd just be happy as long as it's possible for them to have this as a weapon at all, however it would end up looking.

I like the idea. Reminds me of The Hollowed from White Wolf's Mage rpg.

One problem: Demons. It's ok to show them, and kill them. What happens when the religious nutjobs hear about a game that encourages friendly dealings with them? Yeah, that. I'd love to sign on the idea, but there's just too much that could upset the sheep.

All is not lost, however. Consider changing the background away from the standard judeo-christian concept of "demons". Are you familiar with Lovecraft's mythos? (If you aren't you should be ashamed of yourself.) Making the hollowed a servant/cultist of the Great Old Ones or a priest of the Elder Gods would remove some of the religious stigmatism.

Just a thought.

This wasn't based on christian demons, it's based on mythological demons.
The was that they absorb the ambient energy released from the unatural presence of demons, not channeling spirit ones. Supposedly, they'd absorb demonic energy left behind when they find it wherever, or sometimes even force it to them through magic/rituals.
I suppose the idea that some people thought it was using, that you channel demonic spirits, is completely fine too; but it isn't a christian thing, and they certainly aren't playing nice.

A/me ftw

You're not even trying anymore.
Comeon, why don't you try explaining to us how this is like an A/Me?

Yeah, he's realy stupid, apparently he has revived all your posts with completely unjustified denials. Chances are you, or someone, shot down one of his pathetic ideas and he thought he would get you back by trash talking on others ideas, ignorantly bumping them all to the front page, seeing as he isn't content to make just one idiotic statement, it is time for everyone to add "TheOneAndOnlyX" to our ignore lists.

Although a good moderator would ban him permentantly and remove his immaturity from these threads.

Nice try but I never have posted an idea it takes time unless you guys who keep spitting out professions that are so closely related to the current

Ummm... OK. Did anyone understand that nonsense he just spouted? And he STILL hasn't explained his original (invalid) denial. **Troll alert: Orange** And (I think, I can't completely tell through his mutilation of the english language) he just admited that he doesn't contribute anything meaningful to the forums.

Back to the topic at hand, I do like the class. If themed correctly and fit into the background/society of an upcoming expansion, it would make a nice addition to the overall mythos of the Guild Wars world.
If you get any more ideas for viable skills, be sure to post them.

Since the only in-game demons I have to compare to, the Oni, love to teleport in and out of reality and screw with it, I decided to give this class a limited ability to screw with reality in that way, without infringing on the Assassin.

-Edit- I've figured out the story behind the Oni, and now that I know that stuff, I've played down the whole teleporting thing this class was given. I've also added a new skill, Blood Fire.

The only problem I see is that you affect allies. It's one thing to add health regeneration, but to actually move them around and add Conditions to them is bad, partly because Teleporting interupts Skills, and drops Items, so your ally might have just used Attuned Was Songkai, and you have just destroyed their Elite skill. IMO they should have some enchantments that can be deactivated by the target, like a "Recall" where they teleport to you, but you maintain the enchantment. Just a thought.

this class sounds kick ass
lol to be honest the first thing that came to mind about the prof name was Bleach... o__o but i love this idea. a more mystical fighter