New Wilder Class: Changeling

[Kurayumei]

Here's my idea... It's not fully developped but I think it could work.

Changeling (Wilder Class)
Changelings are creatures with many faces and bodies. Few know what they really look like underneath as they like to assume the appearances of other races to survive and adapt in the wild. Their main stats are Willpower and Cunning.

Class Trees:

(Changing and polymorph talents increase equilibrium.)

Changing
1. Mirror Tricks. Cooldown = 25
Activated Talent
This talent minimises your equilibrium by 10 and changes you into a random creature within a radius of 5 and within your line of sight. When you change shape your tile changes to match the creature, you gain telepathy for that race, gain 2 of their talents (chosen randomly), and gain a +5 modifier of that creature's top 2 stats. The modifiers are based on mindpower.

2. Racial Confusion. Cooldown = 25
Activated Talent
This talent changes you into a random creature within a radius of 5 and within your line of sight. When you change shape your tile changes to match the creature, you gain telepathy for that race, gain two talents of theirs (chosen randomly), and gain a +5 modifier of that creature's top 2 stats. All creatures who do not share your new race will become confused for 3 turns if they fail a save against your mindpower. The modifiers are based on mindpower.

3. Resistance Change
Activated Talent. Cooldown= 25
This talent changes you into a random creature within a radius of 5 and within your line of sight. When you change shape your tile changes to match the creature, you gain telepathy for that race, gain two talents of theirs (chosen randomly), gain a +5 modifier of that creature's top 2 stats, and gain an extra +5% resistance to two of the creature's highest resistances. The modifiers are based on mindpower.

4. Selective Avoidance
Activated Talent. Cooldown = 25
This talent changes you into a creature of your choice within a radius of 5 and within your line of sight. When you change shape your tile changes to match the creature, you gain telepathy for that race, gain two talents of theirs (chosen by you out of a random selection of 5), gain a +5 modifier of that creature's top 2 stats. When changing with Selective Avoidance, you gain a 10% evasion modifier against all creatures who do not share your race.

Polymorph Creature
1. Polymorph
Activated Talent. Cooldown, 5.
Polymorph all creatures into a different random creature within a radius of 3 if they lose against your mental save. They will change into a creature from a tier 1 or 2 dungeon. Their stats and attacks remain the same, however, you will gain attack and defense modifiers against any polymorphed creatures. These modifiers increase with your mindpower. You can "change" into polymorphed creature, though this could be risky.

2. Polly Wants a Cracker!
Activated Talent. Cooldown, 5.
Bite into a creature to do 50 damage. Bite into a polymorphed creature to do 70 damage. The damage value increases with your mindpower.

3. Destructive polymorphism
Activated Talent. Cooldown 20.
Polymorph all creatures into a differetn random creature within a radius of 3 if they lose against your mindpower. They will change into a tier 3 or 4 dungeon creature. Their stats and attacks remain the same, however, you will gain attack and defense modifiers against any polymorphed creatures. Each polymorphed creature. These modifiers increase with your mindpower. You can "change" into any polymorphed creature, though this may be risky. Each polymorphed creature loses 10% of their health and becomes blinded for 6 turns.

4. Polymorph Pandemonium
Activated Talent. Cooldown = 35
Each polymorphed creature who fails to save against your mindpower will lose their minds and begin attacking a targetted creature of your choice for 5 turns. This value increases with your mindpower.

--- For variety maybe they could learn another class tree; I just can't think of what. Perhaps a "mirror image" class tree where you can copy the talents of a particular level into empty slots of the "mirror image" tree and base their damage/modifiers off willpower or cunning. And change them as you see fit, although you can't remember previous ones you've slotted out unless you go back, find the creature, and copy its talents again. This wouldn't apply for bosses though...

General Talent Tree:

1. Natural Adaption
Passive Talent
You are able to take advantage of your changeling form's race's highest stats by basing them on Willpower (for the highest stat) and Cunning (for the lowest) with 60% adaption rate. This percentage scales with talent level. (level 2=70%, level 3=80%, level 4=90%, level 5= 100%).

2. Survival of the Fittest
Activated Talent. Cooldown = 35
When this talent is activated, if a creature with the same race as you has higher stats than you, you will mimic their stats and gain a +1 bonus stats. This value scales with talent level. If the opponent creature is higher than 2 levels in comparison to your level, you gain their stats and the modifier as if they were 2 levels higher.
At talent level 2, the bonus becomes +2, the level modifier becomes 4.
At talent level 3, the bous becomes +3, the level modifier becomes 6.
At talent level 4, the bonus becomes +4, the level modifier becomes 8.
At talent level 5, the bonus becomes +5, the level modifier becomes 10.

3. Mutual enemies
Passive Talent
You gain a +1 attack modifier against creatures who are not the same race as you.
At talent level 2, you gain a +1.5 attack modifier.
At talent level 3, you can a +2 attack modifier.
At talent level 4, you gain a +2.5 attack modifier.
At talent level 5, you gain a +3 attack modifier.

4. Dance of Nature
Passive Talent
This talent allows you to befriend any creature within a radius of 6 and within your line of sight with your same race or subclass. (ie If you are a lich, you can befriend any liches in the area that lose against your mental save). They will gain your level, will fight for you until they die, you change form, accidentally hit one, or if they leave your line of sight. The modifiers are based on mindpower. Note that subclasses are less reliable and have to save against 75% of your mindpower, not 100% like that of your same form.

----

Possible other general trees: Any of the wild gifts and the one including meditation??

I'm not sure how well this would work in practice, but it might be able to work in theory if it had a few extra offensive talents to learn. What do you guys think? If they weren't a wilder class they could probably be a psionic class. Obviously, I don't think it would be fair if you were allowed to polymorph or change into bosses, so that wouldn't be allowed, of course. Also sorry in advance for butchering the difference between mental save and mindpower. I'm not sure which should be used at this point. But yes, criticisms are highly welcome. I'm not darkgod by any means, but this is just an idea for a class I've had for awhile and it seems like a good idea (from a biased opinion).

I'm also pretty sure I've made some mistakes and things I need to reconsider. Perhaps others have better ideas? I just think the idea of a changeling, a class that could recruit friends based on a changed form, change others or themselves would make a unique twist on summoner classes, especially if the changelings can change their tileset constantly which I think would be rather amusing.

[Infinitum]

It'd be very difficult trying to balance a player turning into monster races though. Say you face down a dragon and shapechange into one of the accompanying hatchlings instead? What if the monster outlevels you vastly (happens a lot)? What about Uniques? What about the non-sentient creatures not sharing the various humanoid subtypes? Also, the numbers seem off by a fair bit (50 set damage is nothing for an instance).

There's also the thematic problem of using Equilibrium to actually turn into Undead/Horrors/Demons (and gaining their abilities). Not very nature imo. If it were up to me I'd design a couple of class skill trees related to a few different niched forms (Damage, Tanking, Ranged, Support, Mobility etc) and then have a Generic tree that encourages swapping form often and tactically to give players an incentive not to overspecialize in one form.

That said, the idea of a wilder shapechanger class is a good one. Not very keen on it as presented though.

[nate]

There are a lot of things I don't understand with your suggestion.

To begin with, though, the power level seems off. Consider Mirror Tricks. It gives you ESP with one creature type, +10 total stats, and two talents. Either ESP or +10 stats alone would be worth a talent point! Especially when available at level 1, +10 to stats is way out of line with other talents. (+5 str at level 1 might mean +50% melee damage.) Being able to grab two talents, all on its own, is probably worth more than two talent points (because you can adapt your shape to what talents you need for a particular situation).

Blind all in radius x and confuse all in radius x are also particularly powerful. Dance of Nature trivializes most difficult encounters in the game.

Here's a list of things that need clarification:
a) For talents with unspecified scaling (eg Mirror Tricks) how do they scale with additional talent levels?
b) What level are the talents that you gain from Mirror Tricks?
c) With Racial Confusion, what do you mean by "all creatures"? All creatures on the level? All creatures in LOS?
d) With Polymorph, if stats remain the same, what is the functional result of them being polymorphed? Do they remain the same, other than getting a new sprite, and other than your attack and defense modifiers? What is the significance, then, of being polymorphed into lower or higher tiers?
e) With Natural Adaptation, are you suggesting that the player use WP to replace the highest stat of the creature it is polymorphed into, and Cunning to replace the second highest stat of the creature it is polymorphed into? Or rather, the best of 60% player willpower, 100% relevant stat? If so, that's crazy powerful.
f) With Survival of the Fittest, I assume by "stats" you mean WP, dex, etc? I'm afraid I don't get this at all; if I, at level 40, use this ability on a lvl 60 greater wyrm, all of my stats raise to become equal to their stats, plus a bonus for them being higher level, plus a bonus for my mastery of Survival of the Fittest? Again, if I'm understanding this correctly, this is ridiculously powerful.
g) With Mutual Enemies, what do you mean by "attack modifier"? Do you mean a flat bonus to Accuracy? If so, this is really under-powered. Do you mean a multiplier to damage? If so, this is super over-powered.

Tone it down by a whole bunch, I would think. Talents that improve survivability/damage about 10% with the first point invested seem to work well.

[Kurayumei]

Yes, I agree with the comments so far that the way the shapeshifter class is presented is not the best, and could do with some serious tweaking. I kind of made a lot of those talents up on the spot but I really just wanted to present a basic outline of how it might work (or not work, as the case may be).

I'll think about your comments for the moment. Even if the shapeshifter I have presented so far isn't really good, implementing it as is would not be the best idea since the talent trees are really dodgy right now. That said, if people have entirely new ideas for trees I'm happy to hear suggestions. If darkgod ever wanted to implement a shapeshifter class it would be a good discussion to have.

a) For talents with unspecified scaling (eg Mirror Tricks) how do they scale with additional talent levels?

I was thinking the radius would improve and would allow you to restore more equilibrium per use. The number of talents you could adapt from the monster you changed into would probably add up by 1 per talent level maybe...

b) What level are the talents that you gain from Mirror Tricks?

I'm not sure what you mean. What I was thinking was that you'd start with rather low beginning modifiers and they'd just increase by increments of 1 or 2 per talent level. That's the general trend I've seen in Tome, anyway.

c) With Racial Confusion, what do you mean by "all creatures"? All creatures on the level? All creatures in LOS?

Ah, I meant in the radius of the "shapeshifting" and within LOS.

d) With Polymorph, if stats remain the same, what is the functional result of them being polymorphed? Do they remain the same, other than getting a new sprite, and other than your attack and defense modifiers? What is the significance, then, of being polymorphed into lower or higher tiers?

Hmm. The significance might be that they'd have different attacks or abilities. So say you have a level 35 wight, it might turn into a level 35 gravity worm or something... I suppose for the polymorphing to be worth if their resistances might change as well... As I mentioned before I kind of made the trees up on the spot as a starting point for discussion.

e) With Natural Adaptation, are you suggesting that the player use WP to replace the highest stat of the creature it is polymorphed into, and Cunning to replace the second highest stat of the creature it is polymorphed into? Or rather, the best of 60% player willpower, 100% relevant stat? If so, that's crazy powerful.

I'll give an example to illustrate what I mean. Say you are fighting a bunch of thieves and change into one of them. You would gain their highest two stats (let's say Dex and Cun) at the equilivant of 60% or whatever of your willpower. So say their Dex (main stat, let's say) is 40, and your willpower is 50, then at the highest talent level your Dex would change to 50 for the duration of the transformation, though your cunning and willpower may drop for the duration of the change (to make it a bit more "even").

f) With Survival of the Fittest, I assume by "stats" you mean WP, dex, etc? I'm afraid I don't get this at all; if I, at level 40, use this ability on a lvl 60 greater wyrm, all of my stats raise to become equal to their stats, plus a bonus for them being higher level, plus a bonus for my mastery of Survival of the Fittest? Again, if I'm understanding this correctly, this is ridiculously powerful.

I was trying to balance the trees a little. I can see now that they're either too bad or too good, so yes, they do need tweaking. I'm not a hundred per cent sure how to tweak them, though. The difficulty of the changeling (in my mind) is that they have to constantly adapt to fight new enemies, sometimes in mellee, sometimes in ranged, sometimes in stealth depending on what creature you've changed into. So to me at least, changing into another creature would have its disadvantages, especially if the one you turn into has higher levels than you and you're expected to fight it with its own abilities.

g) With Mutual Enemies, what do you mean by "attack modifier"? Do you mean a flat bonus to Accuracy? If so, this is really under-powered. Do you mean a multiplier to damage? If so, this is super over-powered.

To be honest I wasn't entirely sure what I mean when I wrote that, but I was thinking along the lines of the Cursed tree where they can gain modifiers against enemies depending on whether they're being stalked or something like that. Since as a shapeshifter you might be attacking everything that doesn't share your creature type (ie you're a mouse fighting a bug) you might be able to do a little extra damage against that creature as I imagine mice aren't the strongest of creatures in the game and would put you at a disadvantage. The difficulty is making the changing balanced, I think...

It'd be very difficult trying to balance a player turning into monster races though. Say you face down a dragon and shapechange into one of the accompanying hatchlings instead? What if the monster outlevels you vastly (happens a lot)? What about Uniques? What about the non-sentient creatures not sharing the various humanoid subtypes? Also, the numbers seem off by a fair bit (50 set damage is nothing for an instance).

Yeah, I wasn't thinking too much of the set damage, obviously it needs to be changed. I just wanted to illustrate a way you might be able to do more damage against some creatures than others. Yes, there is the risk of turning into a hatchling if you're fighting a dragon. The reason I wanted to put bonuses against the creature's own race was so that if you do turn into a hatchling then a dragon (which I think might be a subclass?) you might still gain some bonuses against it. There is a tree the Cursed have when I was thinking of the race and subclass of creatures. I'm not a hundred per cent sure how it works, but it's called Predator or something like that. I thought the bonuses might work a little like that. What do you think? If you're in the Prides for instance (the one with all the dragons) you could potentially turn into one of the orc classes and gain bonuses against the dragons. As per uniques, for fairness you probably shouldn't be able to change into them, or polymorph them. Same goes for bosses.

There's also the thematic problem of using Equilibrium to actually turn into Undead/Horrors/Demons (and gaining their abilities). Not very nature imo. If it were up to me I'd design a couple of class skill trees related to a few different niched forms (Damage, Tanking, Ranged, Support, Mobility etc)

Perhaps changelings might not be able to turn into undead. I know you can't play as wilders as undead. That might make Dreadfell rather difficult, unless you can polymorph the undead and then change into whatever they've turned into.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback! The idea of shapeshifter is cool, IMO, but yeah, I kind of threw a lot of talents together over night so we at least had a general idea of how it could work (or not work) and we would have something concrete to work with when it came to discussing it. The tricky thing is making it balanced...