Suggestion for Mage's 4th spec : Bloodmage.

[Gamevizier]

Blood Mage

Introduction : This is an idea for a 4th spec for Mage, Bloodmages use the old, forbidden knowledge of blood magic to manipulate the life energies arround them and keep their allies alive. while this school of magic is frowned uppon even by the mage society, Bloodmages themselves see blood magic as an powerful and misunderstood knowledge.


Backstory : Following Illidan’s unsuccessful siege of the Frozen Throne, many Blood Elves who followed Kael’Thas were slain and their bodies were reanimated as the San'layn. The San'layn were gifted by the Lich King himself, While even in undeath they needed a source of magical powers in order to sustain their thirst for magic. They were taught to use blood and vampirism as a new source of power. An old, forgotten magic which was practiced by a number of Lich King’s minions. The San'layn expanded this magic and began delving deeper into it. Becoming fearsome bloodmages that proved to be very effective against the living.

After the successful Crusade of Argent Dawn into the Northrend, The San'layn were wiped out completely. Their knowledge, however, was brought into the civilization via Kirin Tor mages that looted their books shortly after the death of Arthas. This old school of magic is forbidden by Kirin Tor, but it’s effectiveness is becoming more and more known to the community of wizards.

This spec is a healer spec, with some minor offensive abilities.

This Idea, while shares the name with Warcraft's Bloodmage hero, plays out quite different in mechanics.

Blood Mages do not use mana, but a new energy system called blood energy, which is gained by 3 ways :

1) whenever the Bloodmage or his allies get hurt near him.

2) by draining either his or his enemies life.

3) by default all Bloodmages regenerate a little amount of blood energy up to a certain percentage of their total blood pool. (say 25%)

--- Blood Energy ---

Blood Energy is the base of every Bloodmage's power, and thus every Bloodmage must create the means in order for Blood Energy to be harnessed. Before going to battle each Mage must cast a Blood Pool which creates a cloud made out of blood hovering above them, this spell removes the Mana Pool and replaces it with Bloodmage's energy pool. in addition, any blood spilled near the Bloodmage will be dragged into the cloud, thus empowering the Bloodmage's blood pool and enabling him to cast his spells. Blood Pool serves as a Mage's entry into the Bloodmage form, and uncasting it returns the Mage into his normal Mage form (with Life and Mana pool).

Bloodmages main source of energy regeneration is the blood spilled in the battlefield itself, as all Bloodmages receive a percentage of the health their allies/enemies lose as Blood Energy which is later used to heal the injured players or damage the attackers.

Bloodmages in a group can -share- their blood pool in battle, helping eachother in stressful situations like raids and battlegrounds provided that they are near eachother. A Bloodmage with a depleted blood pool can tap into his Bloodmage comrade who is stunned and incapable of casting healing spells, and heal the group...saving a group in danger.

---Skills---

Here are a few examples of abilities :

Blood Pool : Conjures a Blood Pool around the caster, allowing him to use Blood spells. (instant cast)

Blood Syphon : Drains Blood from Blood Pool, healing the caster instantly for X health. (instant cast)

Blood Armor : Conjures a blood armor around the caster. Which absorbs 10% of the damage done to the caster and drains Blood Energy
equal to the amount of Damage absorbed, up to X damage can be absorbed in each hit. (instant cast)

Unstable Vessel : Infuses a target ally with huge amounts of Blood Power, which heals him every 3 seconds for X health. If the target dies while being affected with Unstable Vessel it will explode, healing allied players around him for X health. (instant cast)

Shared Pool : When cast on a Bloodmage party member, allows you both to tap into eachothers’ blood pool in case one of you has insufficient energy to cast a spell, provided that you are less than X yards away from one another. (X second cast)

Bloodbath : An explosion occurs from your blood pool, healing your allies around your for X health. (AOE short range, similar to holy nova) (instant cast)

Draining Grasp : lifts an enemy to the air, draining X health from him every 1 seconds for a total of 5 seconds. The drained blood is added to your Blood Pool.

Clot : Stops the bloodflow in veins, causes an enemy target to be stunned for X amount of time. (X seconds cast.)

Heart Rush : Increases the movement speed of allies around the caster by 10%. (speed buff)

Blood Channel : Channels Blood into a single target, healing him for X health every 1 seconds. (channeled, basic healing skill.)

---Overview---

Bloodmages are unique healers who, unlike other healer specs, do not use holy or good means but rather an ancient, rather evil, magic to protect themselves and their allies from harm. but in order to do so they must first allow blood to be spilled around them either by hurting their enemies or by seeing their friends injured. I think it fits the Mage perfectly as they are pure DPS and bringing a healer class helps Mages expand their role and be granted other roles in battlegrounds and raids. I'm still working on some basic (concept) abilities for a demonstration.

-- Words written in brown are abilities.

[Deleted]

sounds like you just copy-pasted someone elses work, especially with that final line ("words written in brown are abilities").

[Deleted]

Mage healers? No thank you... If they were to introduce Blood Mages as a fourth spec, it should be a DPS spec, not a healing spec.

All classes doesn't have to be hybrids...

[Lynneiah]

I've always seen Warcraft Blood Mages as being regular Blood Elf mages who took that name when the entirety of their race adopted the 'Blood' part in their name.
Similarly to how Blood Knights are really just Paladins with a different names.

[Summer]

Would suit warlocks better imo. They're the dark and twisted ones :P

I hope they don't add 4th specs into he game since getting the current three to work seems a tall order, but if they did, I'd like something else... I'd say some sort of nature/earth mage but that'd go on shammy/druid turf so dunno :P Happy with the 3 we have.

[Deleted]

Would suit warlocks better imo. They're the dark and twisted ones :P

I hope they don't add 4th specs into he game since getting the current three to work seems a tall order, but if they did, I'd like something else... I'd say some sort of nature/earth mage but that'd go on shammy/druid turf so dunno :P Happy with the 3 we have.

If anything, I would much rather see a combat-mage spec, melee arcane warrior using spells and physical attacks. Yeah Enhancement Shaman is pretty much an Arcane Mage, but they are Shamans and use elemental powers, not Arcane magic.

[Gamevizier]

sounds like you just copy-pasted someone elses work, especially with that final line ("words written in brown are abilities").

I was rewriting the abilities, they were a little confusing. but now they are , lets say less confusing.

and why would I copy/paste an incomplete work?

Mage healers? No thank you... If they were to introduce Blood Mages as a fourth spec, it should be a DPS spec, not a healing spec.

All classes doesn't have to be hybrids...

Arcance Warrior has potential to become Tanks because of the shields they use.

so you despise healer-mages and say mages should be purely dps ... but support a plate-wearing counterpart with high probability of becoming a tank?

---------- Post added 2013-05-24 at 12:01 PM ----------

Would suit warlocks better imo. They're the dark and twisted ones :P

Warlocks use demons and fel magic. if they used anything else they wouldn't be warlocks now would they? :P

[ati87]

So a class that uses his health as resource....sounds like the warlock class in WoW to me

[Deleted]

Arcance Warrior has potential to become Tanks because of the shields they use.

so you despise healer-mages and say mages should be purely dps ... but support a plate-wearing counterpart with high probability of becoming a tank?

An Arcane Warrior would protect themselves through magic, not actual armor. They would still wear cloth... They would also not be using a shield, and I wouldn't want them to tank either. Think, melee mage that uses a weapon in one hand, spells in the other, and shields himself from physical harm with spells.

Our current Mages already do this to a point, only they don't specialize in it so they don't engage in close combat.

[Lynneiah]

Warlocks use demons and fel magic. if they used anything else they wouldn't be warlocks now would they? :P

And mages use arcane magic.

---------- Post added 2013-05-24 at 02:26 PM ----------

If anything, I would much rather see a combat-mage spec, melee arcane warrior using spells and physical attacks. Yeah Enhancement Shaman is pretty much an Arcane Mage, but they are Shamans and use elemental powers, not Arcane magic.

Maybe a Spirit Healer? How about a Shapeshifter? Forcemage?
Maybe Warriors should have Reaver and Berserker specs?

[Deleted]

Maybe a Spirit Healer? How about a Shapeshifter? Forcemage?
Maybe Warriors should have Reaver and Berserker specs?

You got me, I'm a big fan of Dragon Age Origins.

[Gamevizier]

An Arcane Warrior would protect themselves through magic, not actual armor. They would still wear cloth... They would also not be using a shield, and I wouldn't want them to tank either. Think, melee mage that uses a weapon in one hand, spells in the other, and shields himself from physical harm with spells.

Our current Mages already do this to a point, only they don't specialize in it so they don't engage in close combat.

I thought by arcane warriors you meant Spell-breakers. :P my bad then.

still.

adding a 4th DPS spec to a mage seems more like an overwork. why introduce a 4th DPS role when the current 3 do the job?

[Lynneiah]

You got me, I'm a big fan of Dragon Age Origins.

And rightfully so.

[Cairhiin]

It is very unlikely that Blizzard will add a 4th spec to all current classes, simply because the amount of development time required, and the balancing nightmare that would be the result.

[Deleted]

It is very unlikely that Blizzard will add a 4th spec to all current classes, simply because the amount of development time required, and the balancing nightmare that would be the result.

It's possible they will do it over time, add a couple of 4th specs per expansion. When it comes to balancing, they are already adding new classes with new specs that requires balance, I don't really see the difference in trying to balance that vs already existing classes, to new specs.

I would agree with that they are already struggling with balancing what they already have (mainly thinking of the DPS differences between DPS specs in PvE), and adding more would only make that more difficult. But at the same time, they have to add more specs/classes in order to make things feel fresh, at least a lot of players think so, and Blizzard seems to agree considering the DK and Monk classes.

[Gamevizier]

It is very unlikely that Blizzard will add a 4th spec to all current classes, simply because the amount of development time required, and the balancing nightmare that would be the result.

likely. but balancing a new class is even harder. a 4th spec is easier to design and execute.

[Talen]

I've always seen Warcraft Blood Mages as being regular Blood Elf mages who took that name when the entirety of their race adopted the 'Blood' part in their name.
Similarly to how Blood Knights are really just Paladins with a different names.

WC3 Blood Mages are essentially Fire spec. However, it seems as if Blizzard is moving them into their own branch of magic.

EJL

[Thimagryn]

Fun Fact: Originally in Warcraft 3 TFT beta, the Blood Mage's ultimate was Mark of Fire, a spell that turns an allied unit into a hulking demon for a period of time.

Also, out of WoWpedia:

Verdant Sphere
Verdant Spheres seem to be orbs of magical fire that revolve around the head of some blood mages. Rumour has it that they siphon the life essence of the demons slain by the blood mage, further empowering especially their fire spells

Blood Mages are more Warlock than Mage. They were kept in the Mage theme to fit being an Alliance hero.

[Hyde]

No. Lorewise, Bloodmages in wow are Mages that uses fire magic aka FIRE SPECED Mages.

[Thimagryn]

No. Lorewise, Bloodmages in wow are Mages that uses fire magic aka FIRE SPECED Mages.

And that's why Warlocks have Banish and Mana Drain right?