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How in-depth do you think class combinations will be?

So there seems to be a lot of different expectations for the class combinations and how sub classes will alter the abilities of the main. 

I'll try to describe my poll options based off of what I've seen out in the community.
  1. Flavor: Small augments that change visually what your attacks will do with little-to-no change in damage. This can be seen as subbing mage adding fire effects and burn damage, ranger adding piercing damage, tank adding a shield based off damage done.
  2. Meaningful changes: This would change your attacks to showcase a lot more of your selected sub-class. This could be seen as changing your cleave on fighter to a sub-mage flaming sword that does an accompanied flame blast, a ranger would probably do a hamstring with higher crit chance, the tank-sub cleave would render their armor and generate extra threat.
  3. Selectable augments: This would give you two or more augment paths to develop your build by combining aspects of your sub into your main. A ranger could choose to sub into mage and change their abilities to fire or frost. That trap could be a medium-sized iced zone that slips enemies. That snipe could add a large burn to it. This would add meaning and flavor to their main.
  4. In-depth changes: This would highly customize how a combination would play out. A mage could sub into rogue to stealth around using burst elemental damage do quickly overwhelm their enemies. They could sub into ranger to gain increased range and piercing damage even using an elemental bow to snipe enemies. Sub fighter to wade through enemies with their elemental blade.
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Comments

  • I personally think it will be selectable augments that add a bit of flavor but nothing too redefining. If you think about it we will be able to swap out our sub-classes so how much could they really change our main? I think most augments will be thematic and allow us to develop an identity for our combination. However I find option 4 to be highly unlikely. This will add a crazy amount of work for the devs and really, when it comes to a mage-fighter and a fighter-mage, how do you really think they will play out? Do you think they will develop a distinguished playstyle around each or do you think you will mostly play as your main class with flavor, and hopefully, a chosen augment style from your sub?
  • I would hope that all 64 classes are different enough from each other. The more unique the class is the better I would say, it gives the game a considerable amount of replayability in classes alone. On the downside I know that creating 64 distinctly different classes is going to be hard and some overlap may happen but I still have high hopes that intrepid will make each class as unique as they can.
  • nagash said:
    I would hope that all 64 classes are different enough from each other. The more unique the class is the better I would say, it gives the game a considerable amount of replayability in classes alone. On the downside I know that creating 64 distinctly different classes is going to be hard and some overlap may happen but I still have high hopes that intrepid will make each class as unique as they can.
    Yeah I definitely do hope that the combos are distinguishable. My experience tells me it will mostly be flavor but I'd love to have options, that way I can govern how my class will play. Nothing would be more boring than having a sub mage just add a 10% burn effect to all attacks.
  • I completely agree I just which we could see some of the arch types as we have only seen a few of the base classes (which a great) but I would like to see more even if its just placeholders for now, any news would be great
  • @nagash I've been pining for summoner gameplay since the game was put up on kickstarter >.<
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    I think the sub-classes are all in-depth, if I understand how you are defining things.
    Some Summoner sub-classes can summon multiple minions, some can summon only one powerful minion and others will only be able to summon effects rather than minions.

    Players will be the ones who really dictate the secondary aspects of their combat roles and strategies via class augments, racial augments and social/religious augments. I'm not sure whether naval augments will affect land-based combat much.
  • All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
  • Dygz said:
    I think the sub-classes are all in-depth, if I understand how you are defining things.
    Some Summoner sub-classes can summon multiple minions, some can summon only one powerful minion and others will only be able to summon effects rather than minions.

    Players will be the ones who really dictate the secondary aspects of their combat roles and strategies via class augments, racial augments and social/religious augments. I'm not sure whether naval augments will affect land-based combat much.
    That goes in line with a flavor augment. Since summoners' summons are their spells you can see a summon/construct as just a spell. So instead of mage adding flame damage/effects you'd have the summoner sub have a short duration minion attacking the enemy. Just like you could summon a field of grasping arms as a CC instead of an ice field or caltrops. Anyways that's my opinion on summoner augments. 
  • Lots of abilities in Ashes can be seen as just spells - including Taunt and Bulwark and Impale.

    Summoning one huge Golem instead of many flying swords seems like an in-depth change to me. As does summoning a Poison Cloud. 
    We also have to see what kind of synergy is possible, like if me summoning a Shadow Cloud over nagash's undead minions would enhance their damage output.
  • nagash said:
    All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
    Sooo...you want a broad-shouldered skeletal figure, clothed in grim kingly raiment, adorned with a crown, stitting upon a throne made of steel and bone, clutching a blood-red greatsword, with floating pylons glowing with necrotic energy. All this against a backdrop, featuring a vast necropolis. 

    Duly noted.  Definitely low key.  ;)
  • I chose "meaningful", because I'm hoping that class combinations will follow the meaningful mantra, that IC has stated that will underline everything Ashes is about.

    I honestly think that all the options posted, may be how augments are introduced to players.  Anything from subtle enhancements, to larger/more substantial modifications.

    Very interested to see what the base skills will be.  Assuming that IC will want to get a solid base set, before they tackle how the varying skills interact together, via class combos, combat combo's, and such.   
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    nagash said:
    All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
    Sooo...you want a broad-shouldered skeletal figure, clothed in grim kingly raiment, adorned with a crown, stitting upon a throne made of steel and bone, clutching a blood-red greatsword, with floating pylons glowing with necrotic energy. All this against a backdrop, featuring a vast necropolis. 

    Duly noted.  Definitely low key.  ;)
    this is a post made by @Diura a while back but its one of my favourite threads 

    https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/36759/build-your-skills
  • I chose to vote on both in depth and selectable. But my reason is that it kinda falls into both categories for me. Though your description for in depth is not quite what I would have gone with but one part i do agree with is the description next to the in depth vote bar. Reason why i chose both is that one they will be selectable as in you will be able to choose what type of augment you can put on what ability but by doing this it also gives people access to playstyles of their choosing and it makes a character that you love to play!
  • nagash said:
    nagash said:
    All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
    Sooo...you want a broad-shouldered skeletal figure, clothed in grim kingly raiment, adorned with a crown, stitting upon a throne made of steel and bone, clutching a blood-red greatsword, with floating pylons glowing with necrotic energy. All this against a backdrop, featuring a vast necropolis. 

    Duly noted.  Definitely low key.  ;)
    this is a post made by @Diura a while back but its one of my favourite threads 

    https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/36759/build-your-skills
    Awww, man!  That post must have been created while I was away.  Definitely missed it, but it looks cool as #$!&*!!  Definitely gonna give it a thorough read.  Maybe even make a post, though I have no concrete character in mind, other than it's gonna be a caster.   :p  

    Thanks @nagash!
  • nagash said:
    nagash said:
    All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
    Sooo...you want a broad-shouldered skeletal figure, clothed in grim kingly raiment, adorned with a crown, stitting upon a throne made of steel and bone, clutching a blood-red greatsword, with floating pylons glowing with necrotic energy. All this against a backdrop, featuring a vast necropolis. 

    Duly noted.  Definitely low key.  ;)
    this is a post made by @Diura a while back but its one of my favourite threads 

    https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/36759/build-your-skills
    Awww, man!  That post must have been created while I was away.  Definitely missed it, but it looks cool as #$!&*!!  Definitely gonna give it a thorough read.  Maybe even make a post, though I have no concrete character in mind, other than it's gonna be a caster.   :p  

    Thanks @nagash!
    Thank the frog queen for such a great idea ^^
  • nagash said:
    nagash said:
    nagash said:
    All I want is the character I made on the forum that's all I want ^^
    Sooo...you want a broad-shouldered skeletal figure, clothed in grim kingly raiment, adorned with a crown, stitting upon a throne made of steel and bone, clutching a blood-red greatsword, with floating pylons glowing with necrotic energy. All this against a backdrop, featuring a vast necropolis. 

    Duly noted.  Definitely low key.  ;)
    this is a post made by @Diura a while back but its one of my favourite threads 

    https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/36759/build-your-skills
    Awww, man!  That post must have been created while I was away.  Definitely missed it, but it looks cool as #$!&*!!  Definitely gonna give it a thorough read.  Maybe even make a post, though I have no concrete character in mind, other than it's gonna be a caster.   :p  

    Thanks @nagash!
    Thank the frog queen for such a great idea ^^
    Thank you, oh great Frog-Queen @Diura!!  *bows*
  • My little froggo cheeks are blushing :3333 

    @nagash much appreciated I spent a looooong time on that post xD

    @freespiryt Please do if you get a chance so @nagash and I don't look like the only crazy two xD
  • Diura said:
    My little froggo cheeks are blushing :3333 

    @nagash much appreciated I spent a looooong time on that post xD

    @freespiryt Please do if you get a chance so @nagash and I don't look like the only crazy two xD
    Like I said it's my favourite post on the forums so its about time it got some recognition ^^
  • It's a lot of fun developing how you want your character to look/feel/act   having a combat system that can make you fight how you want and feel unique would be a great thing. I'm just wondering how much you can really do with 64 combinations...
  • Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that commented and voted in this thread. Was hoping to get more votes so I can see a better sample of the community but I'll take what I can get. I'm hoping we'll get a better taste of class combo feel in the upcoming alphas.
  • Loyheta said:
    Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that commented and voted in this thread. Was hoping to get more votes so I can see a better sample of the community but I'll take what I can get. I'm hoping we'll get a better taste of class combo feel in the upcoming alphas.
    To get large amount of people talking on a thread you must include why pvp in the game is the best/worst only then will everyone vote ^^
  • nagash said:
    Loyheta said:
    Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that commented and voted in this thread. Was hoping to get more votes so I can see a better sample of the community but I'll take what I can get. I'm hoping we'll get a better taste of class combo feel in the upcoming alphas.
    To get large amount of people talking on a thread you must include why pvp in the game is the best/worst only then will everyone vote ^^
    lmao yeah you are right.
  • Loyheta said:
    nagash said:
    Loyheta said:
    Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that commented and voted in this thread. Was hoping to get more votes so I can see a better sample of the community but I'll take what I can get. I'm hoping we'll get a better taste of class combo feel in the upcoming alphas.
    To get large amount of people talking on a thread you must include why pvp in the game is the best/worst only then will everyone vote ^^
    lmao yeah you are right.
    it's depressing when I made it as a joke yet it's the truth *sigh* people need to relax more
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    I'm expecting that if you take away the animations and hp bars the movement, positioning, and combat rotations of the various subclasses will probably feel almost exactly the same.

    That said, minor animation, damage type, attack/projectile speed, and AoE size/damage changes between those subclasses will likely make them all feel different enough that the subclass flavor isnt just ticking the "This Attack Does Magic Damage Now" box
  • Am I wrong in remembering I read somewhere that every single abilities will have it's name and effect basically redesigned based on choice of secondary spec? I'd say that's meaningful and beyond the realm of selectable augments.
  • lol guess I could have just checked the wiki first but looks like it is a bit of a combination.

    According to the wiki each skill in the primary tree has a minimum of four augment choices from the secondary tree and in terms of skill progression, players can choose to go "wide" and get a number of different abilities, or go "deep" into a few specific abilities. Plus we'll have a bunch of different sources of augmentation such as class, race, religion, and social sources.

    I still don't know how impactful this will be (greatly affecting damage calculation and type or more thematic) but it seems to some extent we can go 'deeper' into the augmentation to have more of an effect.
  • I think we are going to see many unique builds with this system and am greatly looking forward to it.   
  • Won't be anything major. Too much work for devs and impossible to balance. Also if they are unique most classes will be very weird and/or to specialized. 64 "Unique" classes is way too much. 

    Most likely some abilities will change and new  visuals
  • I want it to be #4...
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    it's unreasonable to think that they can get the classes relatively balanced if the changes are in depth, assuming 30 skills/class complete change would cause 1020 individual skills to create, which is a ludicrous amount. I want big changes so bad though. 

    Realistically, I imagine each secondary class will have 3-4 effects, mage might add AOE size, fire DOT, chance to chill/freeze, teleports to movement abilities and those get stacked on the primary class skills.  So for example, mage picks mage, fireball gets a bigger aoe and more burn damage. If a fighter picks mage, now his heavy blow skill causes a burn DOT on hit, or a slowdown/freeze for 1 second, shield charge now instantly appears at target etc.  This will be difficult but possible to balance.

    Ideally, I'd also want to be able to pick a few signature skills/spells from the new tree, but I think this would break balance.  Fighter/mage could cast blink so enemies couldn't escape, summoner/rogue could have minions fight while they go stealthed and drop aggro, etc.

    I do not think this will happen but I can hope.
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