Engineer: Hero Class? (Speculation / idea thread)

[Selxxa]

I was doing some thinking about what a new hero class could be. Without getting really exotic, just about every fantasy archetype has been covered by the ten classes in the game.

A growing trend in fantasy / steampunkish games is that of a mechanically-inclined class. Mechanic, Engineer, Tinkerer, whatever they're called, they have one thing in common: they fight using self-made and maintained gadgets and weaponry.

But, I hear you saying, we already have engineers! In the form of a profession. Well, maybe I'm alone in this thought, but Engineering has always kind of felt like an odd duck among the professions. It's very unique, and many people who fully level it praise the fun and variety it offers. While most professions are simply for improving one's character, or making a profit, Engineering offers numerous rewards with differing effects.

What I'm suggesting, is that Blizzard takes the profession, and turns it into a full-fledged class. I believe the class could be made in such a way as to be distinct enough from the profession that they could both exist in relative harmony.

How would the class itself work? Well, that's the purpose of this thread. I haven't given it a significant amount of thought, and there are people far more creative than I who can design their own vision of the class. However, for fun and to spark discussion I'll give a bit of detail on some ideas I've had.

Tinkerer
Mechanic / Gunslinger / Ergonomist
Tank / Ranged DPS / Healer + Support

Unique Resource: Ingenuity
Armor Type: Mail
Weapon Skills: Pistol, Gun, Maces, Swords, Fist Weapons, Staff
Races: Human, Dwarf, Gnome, Orc, Undead, Goblin ((Though, I suppose as a Hero Class it would technically be available to all races?))


Ingenuity
A new resource similar to Energy / Focus, but with a difference. It regenerates differently depending on what the Tinkerer is doing. A key aspect of the class is that he casts sustained buffs,(that is, they last forever and cannot be dispelled) or "Upgrades", but these cost a significant amount of Ingenuity and that amount spent will not regenerate until the buffs are cancelled.



Mechanic
-Walks in a Mech Suit of armor, significantly tougher than other specs.
-The Mech is larger than your character, and you sit in it. It's not an exoskeleton, rather it has more in common with the Spider Tanks seen in places such as Gnomeregan.
-The Mech functions as a mount outside of battle, it can transform itself into a faster version (like Worgen's running wild) but can't attack while shifted.
-Tanks without a shield. Can upgrade itself to improve its defences or threat generation depending on the situation.
-Crafts and upgrades own weapons. A unique, class-only profession similar to runeforging? Gunsmithing?
-Can use either Pistols (dual wielding) or a two-handed Gun. But you yourself do not attack, the Mech does with a vairety of weapons.
-Mech becomes more fearsome and complex looking every 5-10 levels, giving you a sense of progression beyond just changing your (hardly visible) gear.

Gunslinger
-Ranged DPS. Similar to hunter, but with less focus on pets and more on "sharpshooting".
-Uses varying amounts of Ingenuity to cast sustained offensive buffs on self or sustained debuffs on target.
-When moving, the Gunslinger loses Ingenuity but does more burst damage. When standing still, he gains Ingenuity and gains a stacking buff that increases damage. So ideally you want to find a spot where you don't have to move very often, to maximize your long-term dps.
-This spec in particular would need a lot of work to differentiate itself from Hunters. This is just my own personal idea, the DPS spec could be anything really.
-Also can use either Pistols (dual wielding) or a two-handed Gun.

Ergonomist
-Healer / Support spec similar to Shaman. Can place pylons that emit various buffs and effects to heal or support your allies. The pylons would be purely defensive, and would be less passive than totems. You can only have four at a time, but you're going to want to change them regularly to adapt to the situation. Pylons are your main source of healing and support, not something you cast and then forget.
-Can upgrade pylons at cost of Ingenuity. As long as the ugraded pylons are placed, you will not regenerate the Ingenuity cost you spent to upgrade them.
-All your heals are channeled, and cost continuous Ingenuity.


Other thoughts:
-I'm aware there are "Tinkerers" in lore and the RPG, but I know nothing about that expanded-universe stuff, and for the sake of discussion I'm ignoring it. Those who are aware of the details of such things can better design the class's aesthetics or abilities.
-Other idea for the DPS spec, is a slimmer version of the Mechanic's Mech: a powered exoskeleton of sorts that can morph itself during combat? We have enough ranged dps, perhaps it would work better as Melee.

Guess that's it for now. I'll edit this if I get more ideas.

Discuss!

[Deleted]

no. there is alrdy a profession called engineering.

[Selxxa]

no. there is alrdy a profession called engineering.

Good lord man, you're a genius! It's like you didn't even read anything I'd written! Bless us some more with your brilliant insight.

[Deleted]

well thought out but no man, no, hero class wouldnt be a reskinned profession..

[Selxxa]

well thought out but no man, no, hero class wouldnt be a reskinned profession..

I admit it's unlikely, and given the existence of the Engineering profession there would be numerous obstacles to overcome. But most of the ideas I see for Hero Classes are pure fantasy stuff, people are forgetting that Warcraft has always been a steampunk universe, and there is room for science in the raid group.

More than anything, I just wrote this for fun and to see what other ideas would be contributed. Blizzard's made up their mind about the next hero class, I'm sure they've been working on it since at least the beginning of Wrath, so nothing I write is going to impact what the new one is.

[Deleted]

Would that whole look more cool over levels make other classes QQ for something like that aswell like warriors look like they have more muscles over time and Paladins look more uhh holy like just saying other than that a class based on tech seems cool.
Also were is my Glam Rock star class =/

[Selxxa]

Would that whole look more cool over levels make other classes QQ for something like that aswell like warriors look like they have more muscles over time and Paladins look more uhh holy like just saying other than that a class based on tech seems cool.
Also were is my Glam Rock star class =/

Hero classes are supposed to be a little "special". That's why Death Knights look so unique.

http://www.wowwiki.com/Bard
Here's your glam-rock class.

[ophion1990]

Mm although i like the idea of a tech class sitting in that vehicle might be kinda annoying?

Other then that the idea's are kinda cool, the healing idea sounds really nice and the ingenuity to. The pistolcrafting or w/e would be nice to change like a 1h gun into 2pistols or change your crossbow into a full automatic or just use it to change 1 handers into pistols or something and let them use relics, dunno

The class mechanics sound kinda nice to me like losing engenuity while moving but gaining it while standing still etc. And the healing, i guess they like zap ppl to heal them or something kinda like tesla coils or w/e

[Togarox]

Personally, I dont think we need anymore classes in this game but I think they should add onto the engineering profession the ability to make machines that fight with you (permanently).

[Mrkew]

I like the idea. You wouldn't be able to use yourself in an arena, though.

[Selxxa]

I like the idea. You wouldn't be able to use yourself in an arena, though.

What makes you say that?

(I haven't given any thought to PvP, though, as I'm not big into PvPing.)

[daluur]

well, I must say that I do kinda like the idea... it could be awesome, and it could fail big time
I don't see this happening but I sure would like to, it would be a class I would most definately roll, if done correctly of course
I do love engi as a proffesion, but I'm sure that the class if it would be called tinker could be different enough from the proff that both could exist.. maybe they could even get a +5/10 to engi?

but it does seem like a class that takes several things from other classes and combines it, kinda like a druid when tanking (changing form), reminds a bit on a hunter as ranged (not very much though) and it sounds like a mix between disc priest (shields from pylons) and a shaman (pylons), I do actually like that, because that is what a tinker/engineer whatever would do.. take some ideas from others and use them for themselves, and taking the best from every class and combine it, you would not get the full strength of a disc priest nor the full strength of a shamans totems, but a little of both, if you get what I mean
all in all I do like the idea, it has alot of potential and could turn out great

I would like to see it happen, but as I said at the beggining; I think it will either turn out awesome and it could be a very skill dependend class (wouldn't mind that) or it would just tottaly suck and just be a class for someone who doesn't know what class to play, so you could decide to play em all

[TheKingofBears]

I've still yet to see a reasonable speculation as to what the next class could be, all of them are either dumb ideas or just flat out wouldn't work. This falls under the dumb idea category.

[Silentshank]

this class should be like heimerdinger in league of legends. and gnomes and goblins only.

[Selxxa]

I've still yet to see a reasonable speculation as to what the next class could be, all of them are either dumb ideas or just flat out wouldn't work. This falls under the dumb idea category.

Please, let's hear your brilliant ideas, your Majesty. Or tell me why this is a dumb idea, I have no issue with criticism as long as it's constructive. Otherwise you're contributing nothing and your post is worthless.

[blazzin]

this could be a whole new game !

[Nanaboostme]

I was also thinking of a class called Technicians. I think its better than engineering, leave that for the profession. As for the talent trees, it would have a healing role called Support, one tree that focuses on traps and the other focusing on gadgets. It would use steam as resource.

[Vozzek]

I'll bet that if you hadn't called the class 'Engineer', but rather something like Tech Savant, or Keanu Reeves, you wouldn't have gotten the dumb engineering responses. There's very little about this class that interferes with the profession.

[Khallynos]

I like this idea, maybe change the name to Tinkerer though, since that is already an existing lore class, but not a profession. This would also be a good place to have another unit that uses spell-plate. Also, you could make your resource kind of like runic power, but it acts differently based in what spec you're in.

[Ligaments]

It's a creative enough idea, but adding a tri-spec hero class would be very tough to balance, and as you've said, difficult to implement due to the existence of engi as a profession. At this point there aren't many additional class styles left to take advantage of.

Melee Physical (Rogues, Warriors)
Ranged Physical (Hunters)
Melee Spell (DKs, Enhance)
Ranged Spell (Multiple)
Direct Healing (Pally, Shaman)
Heals Over Time (Druid, Priest)

Really the only thing missing is a true spellcasting tank (or maybe a plate caster dps,) though DKs are close.