Hedge Wizard Class Idea (work in progress)

[edge2054]

In fantasy literature, a hedge wizard or hedge magician is a wizard of low ability, generally self-taught or with a low education background as opposed to the common examples of being apprenticed to a mentor or studying though a structured educational system.

So the idea is to build a crappy wizard, okay not really. The idea is to build a character class that's not an archmage that players can play from the beginning without an unlock so new players that love mage classes can play one from the start.

The class name is quite intentional and shows that the class isn't a studied wizard but does use magic. It says Wizard in the name so hopefully new players will say, "Ahh... there's my wizard class."

This is very much a work in progress but here's what I'm thinking so far for tree ideas (note that this idea hasn't even gotten to the talent idea stage really).

Class talents
Hypnotism - From Grey's illusionist class
Phantasm - Archmage tree
Investitures - Sustains that activate when you use another talent. Similar to how jumpgate works.
Poultices - Potion making basically but not alchemy. Needs some more thought.
Runesmithing - Advanced Tree, create and use runes.
Hedge Magic - A mismash of self taught spells. Probably borrowing from offensive rune effects to go along with the runesmithing talent.

Generic Talents
Nature
Staff Mastery
Divination

[Grey]

Could be good, though I'm not sure rune-smithing would work very well. One only dedicates a couple of slots to runes, so any creation of runes would just be scumming for better versions of an existing one or two runes. Some sort of rune-combat system could be good though - slapping enemies with runes in your inventory to cause their effects on the enemy. Would have to not destroy the rune to be worth using (rune would drop down on enemy's square), but also must be limited in strength.

They should have the Cunning/Survival tree as well, I think.

And in general they must be a playable class that offers a different experience to the other magey classes. They shouldn't be something that's suddenly ignored once the player unlocks Archmages.

[edge2054]

I agree Grey on all accounts.

Runesmithing I wanted to be something that modified existing runes and give you pseudo rune slots that would basically let you double up on your hedge magic. Beyond that I'm not sure.

[Sirrocco]

Having a true-mage class built partially around getting more out of runes/infusions than everyone else might be kind of cool. It's important to start with a theme, though. We already have the alchemist, who's basically the "blasty stuff and a pet" and "kludging up magic with things" form of sub-archmage true mage, and last I heard, someone was working on the illusionist (though I haven't heard anything for a while) for the "I don't have the full archmage schtick, really, but I make up for it with trickery and cunning." schtick. So... what's left?

- well, as I said, "really exploiting runes/infusions" is definitely there as an option. Have a tree or two worth of this, which would give you extra slots for runes (possibl limiting which types of runes you could use with some of the free slots) buffing damage on the damage runes, possibly improving cooldown, and so forth.
- you'd definitely want the alchemist's staff use tree. Everyone needs a go-to default attack, and it works really well as go-to default attack for sub-archmage mage types.
- Possibly give them a tree that would let them play around with Sus's rune-crafting ideas from back when we were starting the rune/infusion plan. (ie, taking two runes and merging them into one, letting you get the affixes you want on the runes that you want and in general get better control and better quality on your runes)
- Possibly give them an equilibrium bar, hand them a few fairly basic wilder trees, and let them get in on infusion-hacking as well.

So at that point, you have someone with staff blast for basic attack, buffed-up infusions and runes for utility, buffed up attack runes for additional attacks (in slots that they can't put any non-attack investments in) and a few utility trees on the side (cunning, for example). It's getting there, but it's still missing something. Possibly give him a tree or two worth of utility summons out of the summoner's stuff and/or the nature tree out of the mage's stuff (with its own summon). Also, since he's going to be pumping wisdom for the equilibrium side, and most of his attack powers are either cheap or free, give him a few abilities that really hog the mana. Actually having his starting spell be an attack that consumes all remaining mana, but becomes more powerful the more mana you have to consume could be pretty cool. Alternately/additionally, have a nice, juicy sustain that (say) seriously pumps his runes/infusions while it's on, but draings mana at a constant and fairly high rate.

[edge2054]

I debated the wilder hybrid idea as well as summons but it doesn't fit with the setting really and since we're aiming for a base class with no unlocks I don't think it really fits with that. Otherwise some interesting ideas Sirrocco.

[Sirrocco]

Yeah, it's a point. wilder/mage hybrid is something of a no-go.

[darkgod]

I agree this should be a mana only class. It is the mage type people will see, needs to be .. magish!

[Grey]

Well here's some talent tree ideas:

Runic Combat
Apply the power of runes against your foes without equipping them. Runes used in this way have the following effect:
Damage runes - inflict their regular effect
Manasurge rune - dazes target
Shield rune - knocks target back
Teleport - teleports target
Phase door - phases target

1. Slap Rune
Slap a rune on an enemy's forehead, inflicting its effects at x% effectivity. The rune is not destroyed, and will be stuck to the target (ie enter their inventory).
Damage runes would do x% damage. Others would have x% chance to take effect.

2. Throw Rune
Fling a rune at an enemy up to x squares away, inflicting its effects at x% effectivity. The rune is not destroyed, and will be stuck to the target.
Range starts at 3, increases to 8. Effectivity should be about half that of Slap, and the projectile should be somewhat dodgeable.

3. Energy Surge
Smash two runes together, releasing a chaotic maelstrom and inflicting their powers on all enemies in radius x at effectivity y%.

4. Rune Storm
Send all of the runes in your inventory swirling through the air, randomly inflicting their powers on all enemies in the vicitiny at effectivity x% for y turns. At the end of the storm the runes float back to your inventory.


Runesmithing
Become a master in the application and creation of runes.

1. Rune Master
Increase the effects of all your runes by x%. At raw talent levels 3 and 5 you gain additional slots which may be used solely for runes.

2. Runed Staff
Attach a rune to your staff. When the staff hits in combat or is channelled there is a x% chance of the rune effect being triggered too. Only one rune may be equipped on a staff at a time.

3. Meld Runes
Join two runes together to create a double-rune that applies x% of both of their effects when used. Double-runes cannot be melded.

4. Forge Rune
Fashion a new rune from the elements. You can only create a rune of a type you currently have applied to yourself.
(High cooldown, high magic cost, increasing power with talent level.)

[Postman]

Manasurge rune use would be more logical if it do something with mana. For example drain/reduce opponent mana if it has it.

[shwqa]

I like the idea! Here is a random talent tree. The idea is the Hedge wizard will use magic of a staff to cast magic. You must have a staff to use these talents. Not very exiting but necessary spells for arch-mage survival so I thought I would get them out of the way.

Staff Magic mastery 1.30

-Staff Bolt
Low magic cost, Low cool down (2 or 3 turns), Range 20
Cast a bolt of magic for X (beginning game around 50 end game about 300) damage. Element is the same as staff you currently wield. At talent level 3 becomes a beam. Damage is based on Magic

-Staff Blast
High cost, high cool down (15ish), Radius of 3 increase to 4 or 5 with talent levels
Cast an explosion of magic around the caster dealing X (starting 100 end game about 500) damage. Element is the same as staff you currently wield. Knocks back enemies

-Staff Shock
Same a flameshock but with staff element

-Staff Mastery
Similar to Shadowblast on anorithil. A medium distance, large hit radius, some instant damage but mostly deals damage over time. Cooldown allows for constant effect. Same element as staff.

[edge2054]

I really like the idea of the Staff Magic tree.

I'm thinking Runemastery should be an artifice tree.

Artifice
- Imbuement: Active. Allows the player to recharge wands and artifacts for X% of their maximum power. You may also overcharge wands and artifacts up to half this amount. Exceeding the maximum overcharge on a wand will cause it to explode.
- Empowerment: Increases the power of all your wands and runes by X%. Sustained.
- Runemastery: Passive. Reduces the cooldown on all your runes by X%. At TL 3 and 5 it grants an additional rune slot.
- Artificing: You've learned to create Runes and Wands. Doing so requires you take materials from 2 runes or 2 wands in your inventory. The power of the runes and wands you create will improve with talent level. At tl 4 you only need the materials from a single rune or wand.

[Sirrocco]

I'll note that the alchemist staff mastery skill (and associated passive boost to staff-based damage) is available to everyone via escort quest, and that you'd really want to think about interactions between that and any staff magic tree you put out.

I'm also noting that this is turning into a sort of not-quite-alchemist. He's a true mage but not an archmage, and intended to be available from the beginning of the game. He uses staff magic (but not quite the same way) and item-based magic (but runes instead of gems)... I understand the reasoning behind wanting to make it a different class - specifically, not having the alchemist's golem to work with means that you can afford to let the character be more powerful in other ways without being massively overpowered - but the thematic connection is strong here. Seems like this could do with some tweaking, to make that connection smoother.

I'd suggest giving him access to the alchemist staff tree, in addition to this new staff magic tree. That way, rather than having two completely different ways to do staff magic, we have just one way, and the new guy happens to be better at it. It also lets us balance the new staff magic tree, knowing that the (originally alchemist) staff mastery passive is in full effect. That actually cleans up a fair amount of the oddity. It would likely mean wanting a skill to replace staff bolt (since it becomes somewhat redundant) and wanting a new name for the new tree and its final spell. Also consider renaming the old class Artificer (to account for the golem more cleanly).

[darkgod]

I concur.
Actually the staff is the "iconic" mage item. This class should probably be very focused on it. Should be fun and flavorful.
Maybe they can attach runes to their staves ?

[Sirrocco]

Actually, that could be cool as a replacement for the first skill in the tree - a skill that would let you affix an attack rune to your staff, and then cast it from mana, possibly with some bonuses to effect.

[Luap]

From a storyline point of view, I liked not having a traditional mage in the initial class set. It really hit home the idea that magic brought devastation to this world and was cleansed from view.

Perhaps try to play up the lack of formal training in the hedge mage class, then? This is a character born with natural aptitude for magic, but who had to learn this for themselves. Rather than manifesting the magic through spells, like a trained archmage, they were exposed to magic in the forms that had not been eradicated: enchanted weaponry, runes, etc. It seems like a lot of the skill suggestions are already pointing this way, maybe go all out and remove any traditional spells from their repertoire?

Being able to cast runes either from inventory or off of a staff, at a mp cost, should provide the basic skills a magic user needs (phase door, detection, attacks). Staff mastery a la the alchemist could also give a reliable basic attack mediated through magical items. To give this class a unique flavor, they could have a tree that heightens the effects of magical equipment. Things like resistances operating at 110%. Then they'd lose the versatility of a full blown archmage, but with better survivability in return. That seems like a good tradeoff for an opening class anyways, as the mage ideally has more options at their disposable, at the cost of less margin of error.