[Concept] Tinkerer Class

[Khrux]

With talk of 9.0 being the new class expansion based on the pattern observed with all previous expansions, plus the increased presence of Goblins/Gnomes and now Mechagon... I think the likelihood of Tinkerer becoming a new class is getting greater and greater. So I'd like to share my concept of how it could work.

Unfortunately I'm no good with photoshop and wouldn't lower myself to butcher something in MSpaint, so sadly I have no imagery to go along with this concept. I also didn't tackle talents. Instead I focused on the fundamental class design, theme and gameplay flow. Appreciate your thoughts.



Class: Tinker

Armor: Mail

Weapons: Staff & 2 handed Mace

Specialisations: Medic (Healer) / Machinist (Ranged DPS)

Primary Resource: Mana

Secondary Resource: Battery Charges



Resource Explanation:

Mana is used for healing spells & utility effects, similar to hybrid classes such as Monks, Priests or Shamans. Charge is a new resource, similar to energy/focus it starts out full but has no natural regeneration in combat. Charge must fully deplete before it begins to refill and charge cannot be used while re-charging.

The Tinkerer has 2 batteries which recharge from empty independently. Some skills require and consume partial charge amounts to activate, some skills do not require charge but will use some available charge for additional power or effects if available. Lastly some skills will not require or consume charge but will instead increase the rate of re-charge from empty.

All summons leave behind a charge mote when they expire or are destroyed, collecting these motes by any means increases the rate of re-charge.



General Theme:

Tinkerers use staves and 2 handed hammers as conduits for their skill usage, directing their technological or magitech devices and contraptions while channelling energy through their weapon. Tinkerers have access to a variety of drones, turrets and bots to assist them in combat alongside offensive energy discharges while providing a series of shields and heal over time effects to allies.



Example Summons:

Protector – summons 3 drones for <duration> near the target ally, the drones periodically apply a shield for <amount> once every <interval>. Reactivating the skill allows you to direct 1 drone to a new ally and removing 1 drone from the initial ally. Generates <number> charge motes upon expiry.

Bomber – summons a bomb bot that travels toward and explodes when reaching your target for <value> damage and <value damage> to nearby enemies. If available, <value> charge will be used to increase the speed of bomber and increase primary target damage by <%>. Generates <number> charge motes upon expiry.

Gunner – summons a stationary turret that attacks your current target, dealing <value> per <interval> for <duration>. While active, using this skill allows you to redirect the turret to a new target. Requires <%> charge to cast. Generates <number> charge motes upon expiry. Max <number> Gunners active at once.

Scorcher – summons a stationary turret that rotates spewing flames for <value> fire damage per <interval> for <duration>. While active, using this skill again causes the turret to detonate for <value> fire damage to all nearby targets and generating <number> charge motes.



Example Primary skills:

Pulse Blast – fire a condensed energy blast dealing <value> fire damage. Cast time <interval>.

Voltage Emitter – Channel for <interval> dealing <value> nature damage repeatedly to your current target. Consumes <value> charge if available to increase damage by <%> and duration by <interval>.



Example Offensive Cooldown:

Overclock - Instantly restore one full battery charge and charge is no longer consumed for <interval> seconds. While active you and your turrets receive <%> haste per <interval> seconds, stacking to <number>.



Example Defensive Cooldown:

Personal defence matrix – Activate your defence matrix, reducing damage taken by <%> for <interval> seconds and returning <value> nature damage to attackers while active. Each attacker is marked by “feedback”, lasting <interval> seconds and stacks to <number>. At <number> stacks the attack is stunned for <interval> seconds.



Example Utility skill:

Holoshield dispenser – Summon a dispenser to provide personal holoshield activators to party and raid members. The holoshield activator provides a shield to the user for <value> and is consumed on use. Shares a cooldown with Healthstones.



Example Healer skills:

Azurite Infusion – Transfer a series of Azurite powered blasts at your target, restoring <value> health over <interval> seconds. Channeled. Will consume <amount> charge if available to increase the final blast value by <%>.

Stimulant – throw a mine to the target area that releases azurite infused gases in a <radius>, healing allies inside for <value> over <interval> seconds. The radius will expand over the duration. If available, <amount> charge will be consumed to form a full-sized radius instantly and increase heal by <%>.

Crowd Protection matrix – Channel for up to <interval> seconds, generating a large shield around you in a <radius> that absorbs <value> damage for you and allies inside the shield while you continue to channel. Will consume <amount> charge if available per second while channelling to return <value> nature damage to enemies that attack shielded allies.

Amplify – Neurally enhance an ally with a quick zap, restoring <value> health over <interval> seconds. The enhancement will spread to a nearby ally every <interval> seconds, increasing in strength by <%>. If enhancement reaches <number> allies, the primary target receives greater enhancement. Increasing the heal over time by <%> and refreshing its duration.

Jolt – Revive an ally with a direct jolt of electricity from your weapon, 10 second cast time. Cannot be used in combat.



Example Resource Management skill:

Magnetise – draw in up to <number> charge motes within <radius>, increasing your next re-charge rate from empty by <%> and increasing the damage of your next Voltage Emitter by <%> or healing of your next Azurite Infusion by <%>.



General gameplay loop examples:

Machinist – Summon and maintain multiple Gunner turrets, use bombers on cooldown, dump excess charge with Voltage Emitter and fill with Pulse Blast. Ideally Magnetise would be a medium cooldown you’d use as part of your rotation to actively control your charge rate and allow you to maintain turrets and cycle high power Bomber’s and Voltage Emitter’s.



Medic – Maintain Amplify at all times to keep the bounces running, ensuring to target the tank or most in need of healing person so they benefit from the greater enhancement. Spot heal with Azurite infusion and keep Protector Drones on your tank (3) or spread across allies, then group heal stacked allies with Stimulant. Crowd Protection Matrix can be used to pre-empt large group damage or to provide coverage for your HoTs to run (Amplify/Stimulant).



I'd like to think that talents would offer more "bulk" to the rotation if wanted via aditional active skills, while keeping the basic rotations quite simple. I was torn on using the healer spec as an Alchemist versus a Magitech/Azurite user but ultimately landed on the latter. Overall I tried to avoid overlapping with the Alchemy/Engineering professions and also tried avoid hard-locking to themes that suggest only Goblins/Gnomes could be the class. I'd like to expand it to be a magic/mechanical hybrid theme instead. Enjoy

[Teriz]

No tank spec? Interesting decision there considering that mech piloting and tanking mobs are integral parts of the WC3 and HotS heroes.

I think the turret aspect definitely deserves more discussion. As what happened this thread many people seem to erroneously think that a turret automatically would bring back the flawed Shaman totem system.

[Unholyground]

No tank spec? Interesting decision there considering that mech piloting and tanking mobs are integral parts of the WC3 and HotS heroes.

I think the turret aspect definitely deserves more discussion. As what happened this thread many people seem to erroneously think that a turret automatically would bring back the flawed Shaman totem system.

I think they would be medium to short cool downs that would assist you in either healing, tanking or dps. Possibly little repair bots too that will run around healing wounded allies.

[Bindanda]

Your description of a tinkerer is what I would be picturing. Something like Torb from OW. Only thing i would suggest is adding 1h maces. Have to use the mace to build your turret

[Khrux]

No tank spec? Interesting decision there considering that mech piloting and tanking mobs are integral parts of the WC3 and HotS heroes.

Yeah I think the source material lends to the idea of a tank spec very well, however I tried to focus on filling roles that we've not had much of. This is why its ranged dps and healer, with no tank or melee dps at all. (Monk had 1 melee & 1 tank & 1 healer, DK had 2 melee & 1 tank, DH had 1 melee & 1 tank). Also why I chose Mail for armor, as its the least represented armor type since release. Lastly the use of 2h melee weapons but at range, so it doesn't feel like "tech-hunter" using ranged weapons and not 1h/shield to avoid "tech-shaman" vibes either.

I think the turret aspect definitely deserves more discussion. As what happened this thread many people seem to erroneously think that a turret automatically would bring back the flawed Shaman totem system.

I definitely thought about how turrets could easily devolve into Totems 2.0, which is why I wanted to include drones and short lived bots also. You'll have your "totem-like" turrets acting as stationary damage dealing units with a duration, but also mobile and re-directable drones alongside short lived summons(bots) that appear do a thing and leave/explode. It should be different enough and provide enough variety so once again the class doesn't just become "tech-shaman"...

[Teriz]

I think they would be medium to short cool downs that would assist you in either healing, tanking or dps. Possibly little repair bots too that will run around healing wounded allies.

I could definitely see Pocket Factory from WC3 being utilized for that purpose.

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Pocket_Factory

[Unholyground]

I could definitely see Pocket Factory from WC3 being utilized for that purpose.

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Pocket_Factory

They could have cogs as your secondary resource and your abilities would energize them and then you could use your bot abilities when they are active.

[Teriz]

Yeah I think the source material lends to the idea of a tank spec very well, however I tried to focus on filling roles that we've not had much of. This is why its ranged dps and healer, with no tank or melee dps at all. (Monk had 1 melee & 1 tank & 1 healer, DK had 2 melee & 1 tank, DH had 1 melee & 1 tank). Also why I chose Mail for armor, as its the least represented armor type since release. Lastly the use of 2h melee weapons but at range, so it doesn't feel like "tech-hunter" using ranged weapons and not 1h/shield to avoid "tech-shaman" vibes either.

I see your points, but I definitely don't think the Tinker would be a 2 spec class. Demon Hunters wound up being 2 specs because Blizzard ran out of design space. There's so much design material for a Tinker class that you could have a 4 spec class rather easily. Hell, I've come up with 6 specs and put 5 specs in my class concept.

I definitely thought about how turrets could easily devolve into Totems 2.0, which is why I wanted to include drones and short lived bots also. You'll have your "totem-like" turrets acting as stationary damage dealing units with a duration, but also mobile and re-directable drones alongside short lived summons(bots) that appear do a thing and leave/explode. It should be different enough and provide enough variety so once again the class doesn't just become "tech-shaman"...

I think you can avoid totems 2.0 by making the turrets far more interactive and interesting than the old totem system. As you mentioned with drones and summoning bots, the mechanical theme lends itself to far higher levels of customization and interactivity than the Shaman totem system ever could.

[Traveler Voltin]

if it doesnt have 4 specs then its a failure as a concept in my eyes.

[Directionalk9]

No tank spec? Interesting decision there considering that mech piloting and tanking mobs are integral parts of the WC3 and HotS heroes.

I think the turret aspect definitely deserves more discussion. As what happened this thread many people seem to erroneously think that a turret automatically would bring back the flawed Shaman totem system.

Threads not wrong, turrets will either act like s totem or a pet.

[Teriz]

Threads not wrong, turrets will either act like s totem or a pet.

Just because a turret would behave like a totem/pet, doesn't mean that it would emulate the totem system, or bring the flaws inherent within that system back into the game.

- - - Updated - - -

if it doesnt have 4 specs then its a failure as a concept in my eyes.

Agreed. I think I'm going to add a 6th spec to my class concept in light of this turret discussion in another thread.

[arkanon]

No tank spec? Interesting decision there considering that mech piloting and tanking mobs are integral parts of the WC3 and HotS heroes.

I think the turret aspect definitely deserves more discussion. As what happened this thread many people seem to erroneously think that a turret automatically would bring back the flawed Shaman totem system.

lol look at you go, instantly trying to derail the thread and make it all about you.

[seleri]

My first question would be, why not add ranged weapons to what they use if they're a ranged spec?

I've always liked the idea of tinker being more than just traditional gnome/goblin engineering though. Magitech opens it up to pretty much every race, which I fully support.

[Directionalk9]

My first question would be, why not add ranged weapons to what they use if they're a ranged spec?

I've always liked the idea of tinker being more than just traditional gnome/goblin engineering though. Magitech opens it up to pretty much every race, which I fully support.

I wouldn't go every race, but certainly more than Goblin/Gnome.

[seleri]

I wouldn't go every race, but certainly more than Goblin/Gnome.

Why though? There's nothing about any race that would keep them from picking up technology. After all, every race can be an engineer and a tinker class is taking that to the next level. All of the races have been intermingling with one another for long enough that it's easily explainable. Tinker should be the next warrior and hunter, let everyone be one. Even vulpera, if they're added, can be justified by those that joined the Bilge Rats and were exposed to technology by sailing the seas.

If people really want goblin and gnome engineers to shine, then give them unique mechs/robots/turrets/whatever tinkers end up using and let the rest share generic models.

[Directionalk9]

Why though?

Honestly, personal preference. Warriors and Hunters being unanimous among all races is fine, they're a somewhat generic class fantasy, needed but generic. Tinker feels more specialized and or cultural, like druids. You make a fine point, one that I find hard to argue, but ultimately at the end of the day, I just prefer that races only have access to specific classes If I had my way, class/race combos would be tuned down from where they currently are.

[Teriz]

Why though? There's nothing about any race that would keep them from picking up technology. After all, every race can be an engineer and a tinker class is taking that to the next level. All of the races have been intermingling with one another for long enough that it's easily explainable. Tinker should be the next warrior and hunter, let everyone be one. Even vulpera, if they're added, can be justified by those that joined the Bilge Rats and were exposed to technology by sailing the seas.

Engineering is like you going to college and becoming an engineer. Tinker is like Tony Stark who was building advanced robots and AI when he was in elementary school.

Thus far only Goblins and Gnomes have shown the ability to both build Warframes and advanced mechanical technology and utilize them for everyday use and combat. Lightforged Draenei have done so as well, but that's a completely different type of technology.

There's a lore reason behind it as well: Goblins and Gnomes build warframes/mechs to make up for their short stature and weak physical strength. Thus it makes no sense for an Orc, Draenei, or Dwarf to use a mech because they're physically strong races. IMO, it is Warframe piloting that makes the Tinker a unique class. If it's just a Gnome or Goblin with a gun shooting things and dropping random robots, then it becomes a derivative of the Hunter class. That's when you can start adding more races to the idea because shooting a gun and plopping down random robots isn't very unique.

Piloting a warframe SEVERELY limits the number of races that can be a Tinker, but it's a stronger and more unique concept that actually works with the original concepts of the WC3 and HotS heroes. I say go the more limited route race-wise, and make a more interesting and unique class that is based around piloting warframes/mechs loaded with advanced weaponry.

[seleri]

There's a lore reason behind it as well: Goblins and Gnomes build warframes/mechs to make up for their short stature and weak physical strength. Thus it makes no sense for an Orc, Draenei, or Dwarf to use a mech because they're physically strong races. IMO, it is Warframe piloting that makes the Tinker a unique class. If it's just a Gnome or Goblin with a gun shooting things and dropping random robots, then it becomes a derivative of the Hunter class. That's when you can start adding more races to the idea because shooting a gun and plopping down random robots isn't very unique.

Piloting a warframe SEVERELY limits the number of races that can be a Tinker, but it's a stronger and more unique concept that actually works with the original concepts of the WC3 and HotS heroes. I say go the more limited route race-wise, and make a more interesting and unique class that is based around piloting warframes/mechs loaded with advanced weaponry.

You're right, I forgot that only goblins and gnomes can use the Sky Golem, Mechanized Lumber Extractor, and G.M.O.D. mounts, my bad.

Gameplay > Lore has always been Blizzard's stance for WoW. Gnomes and goblins seem to be just fine as warriors despite their "weak physical strength". All of the other races will be just fine as tinkers.

[Teriz]

You're right, I forgot that only goblins and gnomes can use the Sky Golem, Mechanized Lumber Extractor, and G.M.O.D. mounts, my bad.

The warframes piloted by Gazlowe, Mekkatorque, Blackfuse, etc. aren't mounts. They dont vanish indoors, and you can actually fight inside them.

[seleri]

The warframes piloted by Gazlowe, Mekkatorque, Blackfuse, etc. aren't mounts. They dont vanish indoors, and you can actually fight inside them.

There's no need to be deliberately obtuse.

Every race fits in those mounts just fine. Those mounts are, presumably, similar to the kind of mech tinkers would use. The alternative is the "backpack mech" Gazlowe uses in HotS, which would also work for every race.