Druid - Concept Class

Class name: Druid

Energy: Similar to that of Monk, 25-35 energy range.
Armor: On par with that of caster class, around 50-60 AL range.
Weapons: Typical Caster Weapon. A staff or wand, weapons with energy plus and Nature Damage, would a good weapon that have links to its attribute. Make it look natural, like those “rain sticks” or tree branch. Also have its own offhand item as well.
Premise: a Jack-of-All trades (and master of none) type of class. Can do lots things, from melee attacker/tanker with Bestial Shapeshifting, to traps and heal with Vegetation Lore, to Minion-like and range magic with Spirit of Beast. It is one of the pros of Druid, in which it keep its enemy guessing on what it can do, making it harder to quickly react to them. However, one of the weaknesses of Druid is its lack of energy. Since many of Druid’s spells would require an Energy Degen, added to its low energy, making Druid, like Monk, hard to manage its energy. (Which probably will make Mesmer shine against Druids)

Attributes:
Earth Harmony (primary)
For each rank in attribute (3 points per rank), one gain an extra health or energy regen pip when one stands still and not move or do any action in (8-5) seconds. Also effect skills link to it.
(at 1 attribute, 1 hp pip, effect when still in 8 seconds)
(at 12 attribute, 3 hp pip, 2 energy pip, effect when still in 5 seconds)
Skills that heal you, and changing the terrain of you and your enemy to further set up attacks.
Vegetation Lore -
Trap like Seedling skills, as well as some healing and buff spells.
Bestial Shapeshifting -
Skills that allow you to shape change, boosting your melee attack power.
Spirit of Beast -
range magic spells, as well minion-like Protectors skills, and stand/enchantment-like skills

Special Concept:
Shapeshifting:
I am everyone has their own version of shapshifting. Here is mine suggestion of it. Shapeshifting is a skill. When cast, you will start the transformation, which make you immobile for 2 second and 20% weaker in AL (same apply when you transformed back). Each shape has its own HP boost, which you gain when you transformed (somewhat like that of Warrior’s Endurance) but will lost 75% of that boost when you transformed back. (in doing some math, say you have 100hp, you turn into a bear, which gives you +100hp boost, you get 80hp damage while you are a bear, and you transformed back, so now you are left with 45 hp) Transformation will last about 10-20 seconds, or whenever you want to transform back. While in a bestial shape, you cannot use any human skills or spells or weapons, and loose all bonus gain from equipped weapon and armor runes in duration, as well as 2 pip of Energy Regen. Each shape will have its own AL and Attack Power and Movement speed, and can use certain Beast skills. And here is one interesting thing I came up with. While in Bestial Shape, an ally can target you with Ranger’s beast mastery skills, giving you the buff as that of a Pet.
An alternative to shape shifting would be Bestial Spirit Possessing. Pretty much same as above, but you would still look human but with just a bestial aura cover around you.

Seedling:
Seedlings are skills in the Vegetation Lore. Somewhat like a delay trap, the caster first ”plant” them to the ground (the seedling will be visible and can be attacked). After 6-10 seconds, the Seedling will “grow” into a full life vegetation that has a hp of its own. It would than attack any nearest enemy if it is an attack type seedling. The Seedlings are immobile. They will last for sometime before they die out them self (about 45 seconds?), or when their hp runs out. All seedlings are weaker against fire type of damage.

Targetible Spirit Spells:
In the Spirit of Beast attribute, there are several spells that are labeled targetible. Thos spells function much like that of other attacking spells, but rather than a flying fireball, it will in a form of animal spirit, and is larger and can be target. They move slower than the normal spells (a bit faster than a running wolf), and will dispel if they got damage, and not do any damage or conditions to its intended target. This means one can defend them self against such spell by shooting at them from afar, quickly target them and hit them with a melee if they are close, or use aoe skills.

Protectors:
In the Spirit of Beast attribute, there are several skill that allow you to call/summon an animal spirit Protector. They are somewhat like minion or pet, in that they have their own hp and will attack your target. You can call as many Protectors as you want, however, for each protectors, you will suffer 1 pip of energy degen and receive 25% of the damage they suffer. (so having more than 1 protector would become more taxing both energy and hp, unless you keep still). When they die, it will also take out 5 of your energy. They will also dispel when: 1) you tell them to, 2) your energy reach zero, or 3) you are dead.

Example Skills

Vegetation Lore

Thorn Vine :
10e | 2c | 30r : Create a row of thorn vine on the ground from self to target that last for T seconds. Anyone who walks across it will be Cripple.

Entangle Root:
10e | 2c | 30r : Create a small area of entangle root around you. Anyone in it will move 66% slower.

Man-Eater Seedling:
20e | 4c | 45r : Plant a lv X Man-Eater Seedling in the ground. Man-Eater Plant has a decent hp and good short-range melee attacks.

Fume Mushroom:
20e | 4c | 60r : Plant a lv X Fume Mushroom Seedling in the ground. Fume Mushroom have a low hp, but will cause Poison to all around.

Grappling Crawler Seedling:
20e | 4c | 60r : Plant a lv X Grappling Crawler Seedling in the ground. Grappling Crawler Plant has a low hp, but will cause reduce movement speed of all around by 33% and reduce its attack target’s attack speed by 33%.

Tree of Life Seedling:
25e | 5c | 60r : Plant a lv X Tree of Life Seedling in the ground. Tree of life has a low hp and no attack, but increase hp regent have all nearby none-moving ally by X pip.

Spring Trap:
5e | 1c | 45r : For next T seconds, all your planted seedling will become invisible, once they “grow” in full, they will still remain as invisible seedling, only grow out when there are enemy (or ally) around.

Spring Time:
5e | 1c | 45r : Reduce the “growing” time of your seedling by T seconds.

Armor of Thorn:
10e | 2c | 30r : Create Armor of Thorn on Self/Ally for T seconds. Enemy within melee range of wearer will receive X damage per second. But also make the wearer take extra damage against fire attacks.

Herbal Cure:
10e | 2c | 30r : Heal target ally/self for X hp. Must be apply at touch range.

Tree Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Tree Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (around 240hp). You cannot move or attack, and is weaker against fire.

Bestial Shapeshifting

Bear Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Bear Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (around 160hp). Bear have good defense and attack power, but slower movement and attack speed.

Wolf Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Wolf Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (around 120hp). Wolf is well average all around.

Panther Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Panther Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (around 100hp). Panther has strong attack and speed, but lack defense.

Rat Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Rat Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (around 40hp). Rat is weak defense and attack, but can move faster.

Claw:
6 strikes | 0c | 0r : Only usable when transformed. Deal X extra damage, and cause Bleeding.

Rabies Bite:
8 strikes | 0c | 0r : Only usable when transformed. Deal 0 damage, but cause Disease.

Howl:
8 strike | 0c | 0r : Only usable when transformed. Increase the attack power of all near by ally animals (pet, other shape changed druids)

Roar:
10 strike | 0c | 0r : Only usable when transformed. Interupte Target’s current action. If the action is a skill, cause knockdown.

Thick Hide:
10e | 1c | 40r: Only usable when transformed. Increase Self’s AL by X for duration of transform.

Body of Beast:
10e | 1c | 45r: In next 20 seconds, when you transform, you gain extra X hp boost.

Set Form:
10e | 1c | 60r: In next 60 seconds, increase the duration of transform by T seconds.

Spirits of Beast

Soul Bird:
5e | 1c | 20r :Send flying hawk toward your target. If hit, will strike of X damage. Targetible.

Sidewinder Spirit:
10e | 1c | 30r :Send a slithering snake toward you target. If hit, will strike X damage and cause poison. Targetible.

Pouncing Wolf:
10e | 2c | 30r :Send a Running Wolf spirit toward you target. If hit, will strike X damage. Targetible.

Flocking Raven:
15e | 2c | 30r :Send a flocking raven toward you target. Will cause target and all near by enemy to suffer X damage per second and Blind for T seconds. Targetible.

Call Spirit Wolf:
15e | 4c | 45r : Call a Spirit Wolf Protector with you. Average all around. (easily interrupted when casting)

Call Spirit Hawk:
15e | 4c | 45r : Call a Spirit Hawk Protector with you. Good damage and fast movement. (easily interrupted when casting)

Infuse Spirit of Turtle:
10e | 1c | 45r : You Gain X extra AL for T seconds. Reduce 1 pip of energy regen.

Infuse Spirit of Lion:
10e | 1c | 45r : You Gain X extra Attack Power for T seconds. Reduce 1 pip of energy regen.

Earth Harmony

Lava Ground:
15e | 4c | 45r : Change the ground type around your target foe to Lava. Will do fire damage when walk on top. Last for T seconds.

Rock Spikes:
10e | 4c | 45r : Change the ground type around your target foe to Rock Spikes. Will do earth damage when walk on it, and doing X extra damage when get knock down. Last for T seconds.

Higher Ground:
15e | 4c | 45r : The ground around you act as you are on higher ground for you and your ally.

Running Harmony:
10e | 2c | 45r : For T seconds, allow the Earth Harmony effect while you move.

Background Story: None so far. Many something about the Dwarfs (or some bad guys) have been damaging some ancient forest. The Druids, those who have live secretly in that forest, living in harmony with the Nature for so long, have come out of their woods and seeking revenge on those who have harm nature’s beauty. Blah.

Balancing Issue: While I do try to make it more different than that of a Ranger, there are still some similarities in between. It might be possible to see them more as a class for another race (although try to make them fit for human). As said in the beginning, they are a Jack-of-all-Trade class, design to make its opponent second guess as to what type they are. The Earth Harmony primary was thought out on fly, so not sure how well they are. Energy is probably a Druid’s biggest enemy. If not properly use, (like summoning too many protectors) would see it run out real fast. (and since many would be Energy degen, a Elm primary would suffer as well).
In some playing style, how about a all-animal Dru/Rang combo, with lots pet and protector and shapeshifting, or a “Garden of Death” Dru seedling built. (lead them to a area where you have lots seedling, and slow them down so they can’t escape) Elm/Dru might be able to call out a lot of Protectors, and dispel them only when the energy runs low. Dru/Monk would still make a good buff support class, and can stand still to get more energy or hp. Or go all melee with a Warr/Dru shapshifting combo.
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Some Notes: This is a 2nd revision of my previous Druid Class http://www.guild-hall.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3003 . Hopefully not a rip from Diablo's Druid (since I never played D2) Feel free to point out any errors or issues or changes/addon you would like to see, constructive comments are welcome.

Concept Class

why double post again.....
Mod, please delet this one... thxs

Mod Edit - To save a post I'll just edit your post.

I deleted the other thread instead since this one had a post in it already

Awesome, good idea!!!

should be an new ele line instead of a new class

uh.. what part?
If anything... some could be as new line for Ranger.. or even new Race...

I like it. Yeah if it would have to fit in a catagory though it be more ranger than ele but anyhow. Awesome idea.

The most well-revised of Druid ideas I've seen...

Lots of good ideas, though I think the seedlings might be a little too weak until you get Spring Trap/Time.. As for the Spirit attacks, definitely cool. I'd like to see them fairly translucent, and maybe they could have a weird pathing to make them harder to target. Like instead of a straight line, they'd run to the side, then other side, then the middle .. I don't know. As it is, they spirit attacks would need to be pretty dang powerful to make up for the fact of the weakness.

For the time and effort you used to make your post i can give u at least a 7 out of 10.....for ur idea prob a 8.5

actionjack, you rock! Best Druid post I've seen so far.

I like the Seeds, similar to Traps and Spirits, but with different effects.

Interesting idea on the Shapeshift, too. I like the Idea of Ally Rangers being able to buff (will make Rangers popular allies of Druids), and the idea of losing HP after the transformation ends.

Not sure about Rat Form though.... (no Rats in GW, and, do we really need Rat Runners?!?)

Mordakai you rock too!

How about a Bunny? Nice running speed, but reduce in amor and almost no attack power in duration. Good for running away and running in. (of couse, you will be partly stunned when you transform to and back with reduce in armor, which is not very good) (its rat orignally because I wast thinking of adding Disease attack to it...)

And the Targetable Spirit should move at dencely fast speed, where one would need to react fast, espcailly that of melee, to change target in order to distory it. This makes casting such spell at further range weaker. Its damage should be about that of an elem spells, some higher if it is a even slower moving sprit.
can also add skill like:

Strengthen Spirit:
5e | 2c | 30r :In T seconds, you tragetable spirit skills need extra hit to be dispell.

good job on making this game look more D2 like FTW !

Hmm.. please compare? Since I never played D2, and only read very basic brief description of its skill, so I am curious to know. (since I did try to make it more unique)

Great ideas there. I wouldn't use it as a main, but I would love to use it as my warrior's secondary profession.

I really like the Shapeshifting line but I think it's a bad idea removing all human skills. That would make other professions useless because you could only use skills from Shapeshifting line. Example: Say you're a druid/ranger. You want to transform into a bear and have a pet at your side at the same time. Cool, wouldn't work. You can only use Shapeshifting skills. The way I see it, restricting the transformed druid to only use skills from his own line, would render the whole concept of cross-class tactics useless.

I think that you should make it so that you would not be able to use ranged attacks/skills, traps or spells that target enemies. You could still use Healing Breeze or something like that on yourself, but you wouldn't be able to fire a Fireball at someone. You could still heal others and attack in melee, but not attack anything from afar. Any skills that benefit yourself directly or attack an enemy in close-quarters combat would work, but nothing else would.

That way, you could still combine a transformer-druid with other profession without making it ridiculous; like a bear swinging a staff around and winging Flares at enemies. One could say that a bear casting ANYTHING is ridiculous but remember that there's still a druid inside. But instead of swinging a staff around, the transformed druid would just... swing his arms/paws and then the spell would be cast. Perhaps add some cast-time when in animal form?

Also, I think that the weapon you're wielding would still work for you in animal form. If you were using an axe with armor-piercing properties, you would deal the weapons damage + animalistic damage increase, 10% or something + armor-pierce - attack speed. That would be if you were a bear. If you were a panther, you'd get weapons damage - animalistic damage decrease. 10% + armor-pierce + attack speed.

If you were using a bow, you would merely attack with the same damage in melee. Simple. If the weapon was a staff with elemental damage, you'd attack with elemental damage in animal form too.

Same goes for armor. Normal AL level + animalistic defence increase - movement speed, if you were a bear.

I hope you undestood what I said, it may sound a little confusing.
It's just the main changes I'd make to your idea, which is great otherwise.

Re-reading the Shapeshifting limitations, it does sound a little harsh, esp. with the immobilized for 2 seconds and -20% AL.

That said, I don't think weapon bonuses should be included in Animal form. After all, you should be getting attack bonuses + Shapeshifting attack skills. Adding bonuses from weapons would be overkill...

Oh, yeah, and one Rune should still count in beast form: Rune of Bestial Shapeshifting

Maybe you could allow all skills except spells when shapeshifted, and make up for it with another thing to shapeshift into - a golem or something of the sort, that increases your magical attack power, with absolutely no weapon usage. Just a thought.. In Neverwinter Nights, there was a different shapeshift for each element, and each one had different properties. Of course, you could also turn into a dragon and smash your enemies to death with 20x anyone else's HP, but that's a different story.

I don't see how that is overkill. A normal warrior or ranger already has attack bonuses + attack skills so that's the same as attack bonuses + Shapeshifting attack skills.

I fail to see the difference.

Also, one should remember that all the animal forms you suggested have either damage reduction or no change at all. The reduction is fine; would balance out the weapon bonuses. No change is fine too; same as without shapeshift. Increase would be bad if it wasn't because the bear form (which has increase in damage) has a decrease in speed.

It's like saying hammers are overkill compared to swords because they have alot more damage. But remember that they attack alot slower.
And also, a profession idea has to be versatile, in the sense that it has to be able to be combined with the existing professions without restricting them. Limiting shapeshifting to have stand-alone damage instead of added damage form weapons, would make the warrior/ranger professions obsolete when combined with shapeshifting, since both professions rely on equipment to succeed. Equipment would be useless for a shapeshifter if the damage from his weapons meant squat.

Lots good point about Shape Shiftings. Allowing weapons and armor is still do-ible, if taking the Animal-Aura/Spirit-surounding-you route. But, here is what I have in mind (in theory of couse)

When you change form, the form have its own AL and Attack power/speed. They are not really added or deduce of your current armor or weapon, but a number of its own (dependen of your attribute level) so a Bear form might even have better attack and more HP than that of a human warrior. A bear wielding an Axe or Wand just seem a bit funny.. unless you make a Warebear... or a Care Bear....

I see Transformation as like the Pet skills. In which a whole line of it is tie to one skill (in ranger's case, charm, in Druid's case, any of transforming skill) Thus in order to make your Transfrom perform even better, you have to sacrifise some of your "human" skills, or a blance in between. The arguement there is that you are changing from one type of class (like a caster) to a different one (a melee fighter) as form of attack or defending, but you can't have the best of each world. Thus, transformed cann't use human skills. (just like alot of stands will end if you use any other skills)

Well, or could take the Alternative, where casting any spells or stands or shout, will take 3 time extra long. (or even 200% more energy cost)

For the disadvange of 2 second immoblize and -20% AL, the idea is that you want to use it before battle (like Ranger's Trap) and not in the mids of it. Give enemy a little time to react. And you would want to be out of the battle when you change back. This is to add on more strategy consideration when transforming. But also remember the HP Boost when transform. (but could also take the -AL out... or add a skill that allow you to transform even when moving, etc)

Feel free to write any concern, always good to get constructive comments.

still should be a new line, not a new class

all this new class stuff should mostly be new lines - it would be far easier to keep the game balanced and stop the possibiltiy of excluding class lines in gorups that are limited to 8.

And if you start the old chestnut of having groups bigger than 8, well that's screw the whole game up because everyone would just be a spike team

Just a question... a new class does not mean new character spot in a team.

It could fall into a new attribute line for an exisiting class, but than you have to pick 1 of attribute (or combin) to add, as well as adding new attribute to all other classes.

Very cool Druid ideas. I'd love to see this in the expansion

just like d2
but i like to see a druid in the expansion

Glenn, A-net's going to have more Professions in Chapter 2 (and in further expansions).

There WILL be more than 8 Profs. And I'm willing to bet a Black Dye that one eventually will be a Shapeshifting type class. They're too popular not to include.

Better deal with it sooner or later....

This was my thinking as well. After all, it's a temporary condition, it should be more powerful than your normal attack.

Of course, there could be items that add to your damage in Shapeshifted form, but they would be effects of items (ie, +15% damage while Shapeshifted, while health is > 50%), not the weapon itself doing damage.

It would look really silly to see a bear holding a weapon!

Kinda like Char with Axes, when you look at them up close they look really funny!

When Shifting to animal form, Mindset: Your switching so you can exploit the power and abilities of certain animals. As animals use their claws and teeth to tear their enemies to shreds, whats the point of having a weapon? --Arguement: they arnt actually using the weapon, they are just getting attack rating from a weapon equiped. -- Counter: Once again, if you can use a wepon in animal form, then the weapons dmg should overpower the animals dmg bonus from shifting forms. (in english please: If you want to use a weapon for its dmg, stay a human. You shift to an animal to attack like an animal-- Hanvt seen a wolf using daggers to kill a dear in RL yet)

This is the best Druid Proffession suggestion Ive seen so far... (way better than D2 anyday).

I was gonna post something similar, but got beat to it, lol.

Though, Ited be cool if there was an addition to Bestial Shapeshifting:

Similar to the Charm Animal and Comfort Animal of the Ranger;
This is a two-part skill, meaning After you use the

Capture Monster Form :
10e | 6c : Works (like a Signet of Capture) or like Charm Animal, however once youve captured the monster shape (from a dead monster of course) the skill then becomes this:

Monster Shape:
15e | 2c | 60r : You Shapeshift into a Monster Shape for T seconds with + X hp boost (depending on your character lvl and what type monster it is). Monster is equal to another monster of the same type and level.


Then you say "Hey man, I dont want to be stuck as the same monster forever!" -In that case, there would have to be one of those NPCs inconviently placed where you go to to reset the skill back to capture, or make it a Purchasable skill like a Sig of Capture. Either way its one of those important decisions you make in the game, not to be taken lightly!

Similar to the Ranger, if you pick a bad pet, you have to start over again! Or if you waste your Cap on a skill that you'll never use, you wasted ur gold. So dont throw this skill away, unless of course, you have alot of gold!

(pardon me, if this post doesnt make much since, its late, im not at home, and the ideas are just swirlling around in my head)

It's not me that will have the problem, I'm a PvPer, so I stay flexible, it's all the PvE people that start running through with a class that eventually find that their class is excluded from parties because people come up with a party formula like tanks, nukers, battery necro, monks (I feel sorry for mesmers in PvE - great class, but they have no friends)
More classes sees the possibility of this widen considerably.
That's why additional lines to exisiting classes would be better, and I would think far easier to keep a balanced game