1. #1

    New Class idea: Celestial

    I see a lot of new class ideas. Most of them are taken from things within the WoW lore. Other ideas are interpretations of other classes found in other games or combinations of classes already found in the game. I think that adding a class into the game that doesn't add anything new as far as game play mechanics that significantly differ from things already found in the game is just a bad move and a waste of time. In terms of their places in the lore, their core mechanics, and the new game play features they would bring to the game.


    Celestial
    The celestial is a doppelganger class. The first class in the game to be built around an advanced pet mechanic allowing you to control one part of the celestial using click to move and the other with the movement keys. The celestial is built around a resource called Ectoplasm which I will explain further below but it basically empowers one half of the Celestial as the other gets weaker causing you to constantly switch in between bodies.


    Celestial is a cloth wearing but don't assume the celestial as a caster though. One of the unique qualities of the class is that its ranged dps elements function similar to its melee elements in the sense that they are almost all instant cast.

    Talent trees are Amplitude (Melee DPS), Kinesis (Ranged DPS), Centrifuge (Hybrid Ranged/Melee DPS).

    Class Basics
    This is a class that is 2 character models at once. One half has a spectral appearance similar to the well known spectral tiger and the other a shadowy appearance similar to that of a shadowpriest. The player can swap between playing either character and control the other character with a click to move mechanic. This is part of the core mechanic of the class. Both character models have a shared health pool. Meaning 50% of the players total HP is divided between both models. To alleviate problems with moving both classes the non-controlled character model takes 50% less damage from AOE effects but in turn receives 50% less healing from AOE healing effects. Meaning you cant double stack in a healing rain and get 100% more healing. Still both models count as one player for direct heals. So in the raid menu a healer can heal you as one player and the heals are divided between the characters. Because of the complexity associated with controlling 2 characters, the rotation for this class is very simple. At the same token the toolkit for the class is vast. I would say the most important part about playing a celestial is situational awareness of the entire fight. While you are in control of one form the other will still auto attack.

    Resource
    Ectoplasm is the resource for the for the celestial. How it works is similar to how the resource for the balance druid works. Its a dual management resource with a balance point in the center

    and 5 "nodes" on either side for a total of 10 nodes per form. Only shadow nodes increase damage of shadowy abilities by 5% per node to a total of 50% same goes for spectral nodes. Shadow abilities use shadow nodes and generate spectral nodes and spectral abilities the opposite.

    Talent Trees

    Amplitude
    Amplitude is the shadowy version of the celestial. The theme for this is outer space and darkness. It focuses on enhancing damage through shadow enhanced melee abilitys. Damage is not based on weapon damage of any kind and instead is purely magical damage. Still, to take full advantage of the melee abilities you will still be required to switch to your spectral form.

    Abilities
    Quantum strike (Shadow) - A melee magic attack that cost one shadow orb. Causes the debuff [Enshadow]. This increases shadowdamage taken by the target by shadow abilities by 35% for 4 seconds.

    Quantum strike (Spectral) - A ranged attack that cost one spectral orb. Causes the debuff [Enlighten]. Enlighten increases the damage taken by the target by spectral abilities by 35% for 4 seconds.

    Heart of Darkness - Abilites used in spectral form decrease the cooldown of swap by 2 seconds.

    [Glyph of Enshadow/Enlighten] - Major Glyph - Increases the duration of enshadow or elighten by 2 seconds but decreases the damage bonus to 25%.

    Call of the Void - Increases the damage of your next ability that would regularly cost 2 shadow orbs by 20% and if the attack lands it refunds one shadow orb. Instant. 10 second cooldown.

    Dimensional Strike - A melee magic attack that does initial damage and consumes 2 shadow orbs leaving a debuff called [Blacken] that does X amount of shadow damage every 2 seconds over 26 seconds. Ticks of Blacken have a 30% chance

    Cone of darkness - A toggled ability that causes your Quantum strike to attack all targets in front of the caster. If your primary targets is affected by the Enshadow debuff it will spread enshadow to up to 3 targets.

    Convert - Instantly converts all spectral orbs to shadow orbs. 2 min cooldown.

    Tesseract - Swaps the position of shadow and spectral form removing all roots and snares. If Tesseract is perform with existing orbs they are instantly converted to their opposite form. 1 min cooldown.

    [Glyph of Tesseract] Your tesseract ability no longer converts orbs but it instead deals damage to targets in path of your tesseract by a % based on the amount of orbs you have when cast.

    Black Hole (Shadow) - Creates a black hole on the ground under both forms causing the next 9 enemies that enter to instantly appear out of the other hole. If 5 enemies successfully transport through the hole then it explodes dealing damage to surrounded enemies.

    Spectral Portal (Spectral) - Creates a beacon of light on the ground under both forms causing the next 9 allys that enter to instantly appear out of the other hole. If 5 players successfully transport through the hole then it explodes healing allys in the area.

    Tesla Coil - Creats a coil between your forms for 6 seconds causing damage and snaring enemies that pass through it and increasing the speed and healing allys that pass through it. Damage and healing is greater the longer the distance between your two forms.

    Swap - 18 second cooldown- Swaps control between your two forms. Swapping into shadow form causes [Shadow Quickening] increasing melee haste and movement speed by 20% for 12 seconds and causes your auto attacks to deal additional shadow damage. Swapping into spectral form causes a buff that heals you for 20% of your maximum health over 16 seconds.

    Tombstone - A snare that encases your target in shadow causing X amount of damage over 2 seconds per shadow orb (a maximum of three) and decreases movement speed by 70%.

    Mark of death (Passive) - When your targets dies it instantly refunds you one beneficial orb of your current primary form.

    Meteor Strike - 15 second cooldown- Causes a meteor to fall from the sky in the targeted area knocking back you and enemies and causing damage to enemies in the selected area. Can be used to propel the celestial forward or backward. Enemies affected by Enshadow are also slowed.

    [Glyph of meteor strike] Decreases the radius of your meteor strike no longer causes a knockback to you or enemies.

    Shadow Rush (Shadow) 1 minute cooldown - Your next swap causes shadow rush, dealing damage to anything in your path and leaving a burning trail of shadow flame on the ground for 3 seconds. If you travel over 15 yards you will cause an explosion and deal additional shadow damage to targets within 5 yards.

    Void Strike - Attack that activates below 30% health. Has the same effect as Quantum strike but generates a shadow orb instead of expending one.

    Stasis - Three minute cooldown. Absorbs your other form for 12 seconds. Causing your attacks to operate as if you have maximum orbs of your current form and cost no orbs.


    A basic summary of the Aplitude spec is to maximize the [Shadow Quickening] buff by swapping. AoE Damage is done through Cone of Darkness and additional damage through Shadow Rush, Tesla Coil, and Black Hole. Movement and control is done through Tombstone, Tesla Coil and both swapping abilities. Keeping of the debuffs from Quantum Strike is paramount which should be easy because it is one of your better damaging abilites. Keeping up Blacken on your primary target is a must. Obviously this is not a complete and full explaination of the class. Talents will modify the way this class works and add more specials.

    Kinesis
    I didnt have time to make an ability list for this spec but its works sort of like the opposite of the Amplitude spec. Some of the abilites from Amplitude are shared and there are new channeled and casted abilties. Some of the specials use the shadow dopple ganger to grab enemies trapping them in an AoE death grip type ability. Swapping back into Spectral form while in Kinesis spec also increases movement speed.

    Equilibrium
    This spec focuses more on swapping rapidly. Sometimes every 2-3 seconds. There are additonal abilites that give this spec a ton of control and confusion. Also a special abilty where the player rapidly swaps back and forth for a few seconds dealing damage to the target and targets inbetween. This spec has a buff that increases damage of the next ability after swapping and also allows near instant changing. Something that allows you to project 2 additional duplicating attacks for a short time.

    Other ideas I had.

    * A disarm.
    * Something where you can temporarily use you other form to absorb an attack for an ally.
    * Something that sacrifices for other form to heal you or an ally.
    * A move where your other form grasp and enemy and holds him in place


    Conclusion
    Obviously this is an idea that could use a ton of work and would take some real balancing for it to operate smoothly. For one managing fights with a ton of mobility would be a nightmare. Maybe something that the uncontrolled form cannot take more than a % of your maximum health from an AoE that would kill him. To keep from getting one shotted on a fight where AoEs can do that. Trying to think outside the box here though people. Not many original ideas that can be added to WoW without breaking the mold.

  2. #2
    This is incredibly unique and seems like it could be fun. I am not sure I would personally enjoy playing something like that because I'd get frustrated swapping back and forth - but I know a ton of people would! If you could play it right, this class seems like it would be a beast to play. It'd be very awesome to see this in the game, more creative than 90% of the things we've seen in the past few years. Kudos!

  3. #3
    Could be interesting, but personally I'd rather see classes more grounded in the Warcraft universe. There's so many classes from Warcraft 3 that haven't even been touched and would likely fit the spectrum. For me, the biggest draw of a new class isn't its mechanics or gameplay, but the theme and familiarity of classic heroes and archetypes in the Warcraft universe. Mechanics and gameplay come second, because I always trust Blizzard to make it fresh and interesting no matter what the class idea.

  4. #4

  5. #5
    I think I've been watching too much Deadwood, 'cus when I read the thread title I thought of something else completely.

    My first thought: "We already have monks."

  6. #6
    Merely a Setback Teriz's Avatar
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    The abilities are pretty tame considering what the class is called. A Celestial class should have more "eye candy" abilities, and more abilities that deal with Stars, planets, and space-time.

    Also why no celestial form like we see with Elegon?

  7. #7
    Eh, interesting but way too different gameplay wise to actually become a reality.

    Quote Originally Posted by Thimagryn View Post
    Could be interesting, but personally I'd rather see classes more grounded in the Warcraft universe. There's so many classes from Warcraft 3 that haven't even been touched and would likely fit the spectrum. For me, the biggest draw of a new class isn't its mechanics or gameplay, but the theme and familiarity of classic heroes and archetypes in the Warcraft universe. Mechanics and gameplay come second, because I always trust Blizzard to make it fresh and interesting no matter what the class idea.
    Actually I think almost every hero class in WC3 is represented in a WoW class. The thing is the WC3 classes are race-specific whereas WoW classes are across all races. For example a Blademaster and a Mountain King are both Warriors in WoW terms. A Demon Hunter is a Night Elf Warlock. A Warden is a Night Elf Rogue. They don't fit perfectly ability-wise, but essentially that's how it works.
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  8. #8
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    If anything, this at least sounds way more unique and original than 99% of the ideas that have been popping up. Seems interesting.

  9. #9
    I'm going to come back and re-read this once I've settled down and gotten over all the Ghostbusters flashbacks conjured up by repeated use of the word "ectoplasm."

  10. #10
    Scarab Lord DEATHETERNAL's Avatar
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    If nothing else, you have shown that the people who say there are no possible new classes just aren't thinking hard enough. Nice creativity.
    And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
    Revelation 6:8

  11. #11
    Bloodsail Admiral The_Butcher's Avatar
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    unique concept... but idk about permanently having 2 character models at once.
    Perhaps thats a bit bias, because I'm not used to paying attention to where y pet is, what its doing, or how my abilities are going to affect it (aside from Bm hunters/Demo Locks) If they could merge when you'd like them to, I'd approve.

    Overall very intriguing concept, I'm concerned if it would be a "Hero" class, or a normal class like the monks.
    on top of that, how would it fit in with the lore?
    Quote Originally Posted by Naphta
    The tank is the driver, healer is the fuel. And the DPS are the kids sitting in the back crying about if they're there yet. And this is coming from a DPS.

  12. #12
    Queen of Cake Splenda's Avatar
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    Pretty interesting idea, if anything. I dunno how'd you fit it into the lore, though. Though Blizzard seems pretty good at pulling random reasoning out of their hats :P
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  13. #13
    Deleted
    Yh looks decent so far =). I like the main concept and I would like to play it, interesting as it seems. But I think the name/background of a celestial being type of class is too evocative of an overpowered class and that my send people on the wrong way. At least as a first impression, I would think that. Maybe change the name to silver surfer or smthing =P.

    But keep it up! Also if u feel like it I would love if you took a look at my class concepts =).

    cheers
    Last edited by mmoc4874008d12; 2013-05-14 at 08:41 PM.

  14. #14
    I personally dislike anything "celestial", especially when half of it is covered by Balance moonkins and the other half covered by Arcane mages.

    Also being a star sprinkle is kinda lame, you would sparkle like that teen vampire.

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