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Alpha Two testing is currently taking place five days each week. More information about Phase II and Phase III testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Necromancer - Class and boss mob Idea
Shadowcrushers
Member, Alpha Two
As we know the necromancer will become a class in AoC so i thought i would come out with some ideas on how to make it unique, since i have used alot of time with different type of necromancer classes in games and such!.
(its split up into 2 parts one for the class and one for a possible necromancer-type boss)
so first of we have the archetypes summoner + cleric, basically means it should have some kind of a supportive set of skills aswell from the cleric.
Part 1: necromancer class
so we could give it a skeleton bannerlord that will buff your minions aswell as party/raid members within its buffing area.
aswell as we could give it a skeleton priest, that are able to revive players after they have been dead for a set time, with a big delay between each revive, but is also able to heal your minions aswell as party/raid members within its ability reach.
so thats almost everything for the supportive part of the necromancer, but we could also give the bannerlord some upgrades, like increased buffing area, or higher % of buffs it gives, like speed, regen, mitigation or whatever that would be decided for this.
for the more damage dealer part
we could give Skeleton warrior, with a possibility to be evolved with enough points into a Skeleton Revenant, an ''Elite Bruiser-type" summon, that maybe have some lifesteal, and a berserk-mode when it hit 50% hp, that will increase its damage and attack speed maybe not 100% sure and also a death knight aswell, but it also need some ranged minions like skeleton archer or skeleton mage, if we used skeleton mages they could be able to evolve into an skeleton archmage, with a limit of 1 summon, and if the necromancer have like 5 or so summons possible or maybe a bit more, we could make it able to also have something like a skeleton commander, that boost the base stats of the summons, aswell as a buff called ''enhance troops" that will for a short time enhance your minions even further, to be able to do harder solo content but we could also give them skeleton assassins, since they could be good in PvP if they get a stealth skill, and increase damage on backstab or something with maybe a poison DoT if they get a critical hit.
but if we could make minions have attached minions to them, that doesn't affect the player summon limit, we could have a skeleton summoner that can summon an additional like 3-5 lesser summons that are weaker than the normal summons that the player summons, like a fiend, evil spirit or something that would seem less strong than the summons the player make.
For something like siege we could make the necromancer able to use something like a bone dragon or bone golem, where they choose which to upgrade into, and only 1 summon limit with a max of 3-5 bone dragons or bone golems per side in total so the attacking party can have up to 3-5 and the defending party can have up to 3-5, that will also show the power of necromancy into the world, that they're strong but not impossible to win over, maybe the bone dragon have a bit lesser hp than a 2 or 3- starred elite mob, but have higher magic damage, but the bone golem might have higher hp than a 2 or 3-starred elite mob but lesser physical damage on player but higher on buildings and fortresses
there could also be made a special ''army syngergy tree" Like a skill tree, but each node enhances how certain units interact (e.g., Archers + Bannerlord = Fire Arrow buff).
but ofc the necromancer should also have skills outside of summons
we could give them something like
- "bone armor" gives higher resistances or mitigation,
- "despair" a curse/debuff,
- "Aegis Of Death" gives a barrier/shield that reflect a portion of the damage dealt to the mob or player while affect by it,
- "withering touch" affected mobs or player get drained their life over X seconds, and heal player for 70% of drained amount
- "blight burst" unleashes corruption on the ground in the designated area, slowing, decreasing defenses and a small DoT to the mob or player in the affected area
- "fear of nightmare" makes a mob or player get affected by a fear debuff making them run in the oppeside way away from you
- "death seal" when a player or mob is affected by this seal they will get slowed, get a DoT and when the mob or player gets to 5 or 10% hp they will die BUT if a player is affected and died and the necromancer dies, the player would get revived as a 2nd chance
- "soul scythe" a big soul scythe dealing damage in a swinging area infront of you dealing massive damage to mobs or players hit
The necromancer is mostly meant to be using its summons so thats also why, everything is mainly either defensive or a form of curse/debuff or DoT and not a actual physical attack like soul scythe that deal magic damage
and ofc All summons scale with INT + CON, and also maybe add a formation system for the minions
formation system like this
*Place summons in “Formations” that grant bonuses:
- Shield Wall (Warriors + Bannerlord): Bonus mitigation
- Hellfire Line (Mages + Archers): Fire AoE
- Phalanx (Commander in center): Quick reposition & cleanse
- Hollow Bastion (Skeleton Priest + Skeleton Warriors) Sustain and aggro
- Deathguard Formation (Death Knight + Commander) higher CC and reflective defense
- Revenant Rush (Skeleton Revenants + Assassin) leap attack and crit stacking debuff (doom: +5% damage taken (5s max stack: 3))
- Bone Storm (Archmage + Commander) Pulsing AoE and higher cast speed
- Echo Legion (Skeleton Summoner + 2 of any type) chance to summon temp minion (only if skeleton summoner gonna be a thing)
- Commander's Circle (Skeleton Commander + any 3 units) Formation skill access based on active units (warriors - shield slam, archers - arrow rain, mages - soul nova)
- Pale Choir (Skeleton Priest + Mage) Bonus AoE DoT every 6th spell (necrotic echo) and healing apply Wane (enemy healing debuff)
and ofc more could be added, and it also make some unique setups of the minions that make it so players need to change between setups depending on content and more
Part 2: Possible boss mob
*Legendary Raid Boss – Vharon, Bone Sovereign of the Hollow Court
Location: Deep within a Node's dungeon, Vharon guards an ancient crypt-city where knowledge of life, death, and undeath was hoarded.
*Encounter Mechanics:
- Players fight waves of his undead army first.
- Vharon changes summoning “formations” mid-fight.
- Bone Dragon is summoned at phase 3 (flying mechanic + AoE fire).
- Killing his Skeleton Commander weakens the army’s morale (debuffs).
- He can resurrect dead players into temporary undead who fight against their allies (until cleansed or defeated).
*Rewards that could be dropped from only the boss
- Bone Sovereign’s Crown (light helmet)
- Tactical Summoner's Grimoire (spellbook)
- Vharon's Staff Of The Hollow (scepter or new item staff)
- Sword Of The Unholy Knight (great sword/spellsword)
- Bow Of The Legendary Undead Hunter Kalaphian (short bow/spellbow)
(more items can be added)
*possible set item to get called "Regalia of the Hollow Court"
- Crown of the Sovereign (head)
- Mantle of the Deathmarch (shoulder)
- Vestments of Command (chest)
- Grips of the Revenant (hands)
- Tassets of the Hollow Guard (pants)
- Boots of Silent Dominion (boots)
*Set bonuses
- 2-Piece – Court Presence (+5% summon health and resistances)
- 3-Piece – Battlefield Pact (When 3+ summons are active, gain a personal aura: nearby allies receive 2% reduced damage)
- 4-Piece – Death’s Rally (Every time you cast a spell that damages an enemy, your summons gain +10% haste and movement speed for 5 seconds)
- 5-Piece – Vharon’s Authority (Death of a summon triggers a small AoE fear or slow around its location)
- 6-Piece – Crown of the Bone Sovereign (Unyielding March or Throne of Dread)
*either one of these as the 6-piece bonus
name: "Unyielding March"
(While your ultimate summon is active:
All your summons gain +10% lifesteal
You generate Grave Momentum every second (stacking buff up to 10 stacks)
On reaching 10 stacks, your next basic spell causes all active summons to leap and strike, dealing bonus damage.)
or
name: ''Throne of Dread''
(When you summon your ultimate, a Necrotic Throne forms at your feet for 12 seconds:
While standing within its radius (10m), you gain:
+20% summon speed and damage
+50% health regen for your summons
Enemies within the throne’s radius have reduced cooldown recovery and reduced healing)
(its split up into 2 parts one for the class and one for a possible necromancer-type boss)
so first of we have the archetypes summoner + cleric, basically means it should have some kind of a supportive set of skills aswell from the cleric.
Part 1: necromancer class
so we could give it a skeleton bannerlord that will buff your minions aswell as party/raid members within its buffing area.
aswell as we could give it a skeleton priest, that are able to revive players after they have been dead for a set time, with a big delay between each revive, but is also able to heal your minions aswell as party/raid members within its ability reach.
so thats almost everything for the supportive part of the necromancer, but we could also give the bannerlord some upgrades, like increased buffing area, or higher % of buffs it gives, like speed, regen, mitigation or whatever that would be decided for this.
for the more damage dealer part
we could give Skeleton warrior, with a possibility to be evolved with enough points into a Skeleton Revenant, an ''Elite Bruiser-type" summon, that maybe have some lifesteal, and a berserk-mode when it hit 50% hp, that will increase its damage and attack speed maybe not 100% sure and also a death knight aswell, but it also need some ranged minions like skeleton archer or skeleton mage, if we used skeleton mages they could be able to evolve into an skeleton archmage, with a limit of 1 summon, and if the necromancer have like 5 or so summons possible or maybe a bit more, we could make it able to also have something like a skeleton commander, that boost the base stats of the summons, aswell as a buff called ''enhance troops" that will for a short time enhance your minions even further, to be able to do harder solo content but we could also give them skeleton assassins, since they could be good in PvP if they get a stealth skill, and increase damage on backstab or something with maybe a poison DoT if they get a critical hit.
but if we could make minions have attached minions to them, that doesn't affect the player summon limit, we could have a skeleton summoner that can summon an additional like 3-5 lesser summons that are weaker than the normal summons that the player summons, like a fiend, evil spirit or something that would seem less strong than the summons the player make.
For something like siege we could make the necromancer able to use something like a bone dragon or bone golem, where they choose which to upgrade into, and only 1 summon limit with a max of 3-5 bone dragons or bone golems per side in total so the attacking party can have up to 3-5 and the defending party can have up to 3-5, that will also show the power of necromancy into the world, that they're strong but not impossible to win over, maybe the bone dragon have a bit lesser hp than a 2 or 3- starred elite mob, but have higher magic damage, but the bone golem might have higher hp than a 2 or 3-starred elite mob but lesser physical damage on player but higher on buildings and fortresses
there could also be made a special ''army syngergy tree" Like a skill tree, but each node enhances how certain units interact (e.g., Archers + Bannerlord = Fire Arrow buff).
but ofc the necromancer should also have skills outside of summons
we could give them something like
- "bone armor" gives higher resistances or mitigation,
- "despair" a curse/debuff,
- "Aegis Of Death" gives a barrier/shield that reflect a portion of the damage dealt to the mob or player while affect by it,
- "withering touch" affected mobs or player get drained their life over X seconds, and heal player for 70% of drained amount
- "blight burst" unleashes corruption on the ground in the designated area, slowing, decreasing defenses and a small DoT to the mob or player in the affected area
- "fear of nightmare" makes a mob or player get affected by a fear debuff making them run in the oppeside way away from you
- "death seal" when a player or mob is affected by this seal they will get slowed, get a DoT and when the mob or player gets to 5 or 10% hp they will die BUT if a player is affected and died and the necromancer dies, the player would get revived as a 2nd chance
- "soul scythe" a big soul scythe dealing damage in a swinging area infront of you dealing massive damage to mobs or players hit
The necromancer is mostly meant to be using its summons so thats also why, everything is mainly either defensive or a form of curse/debuff or DoT and not a actual physical attack like soul scythe that deal magic damage
and ofc All summons scale with INT + CON, and also maybe add a formation system for the minions
formation system like this
*Place summons in “Formations” that grant bonuses:
- Shield Wall (Warriors + Bannerlord): Bonus mitigation
- Hellfire Line (Mages + Archers): Fire AoE
- Phalanx (Commander in center): Quick reposition & cleanse
- Hollow Bastion (Skeleton Priest + Skeleton Warriors) Sustain and aggro
- Deathguard Formation (Death Knight + Commander) higher CC and reflective defense
- Revenant Rush (Skeleton Revenants + Assassin) leap attack and crit stacking debuff (doom: +5% damage taken (5s max stack: 3))
- Bone Storm (Archmage + Commander) Pulsing AoE and higher cast speed
- Echo Legion (Skeleton Summoner + 2 of any type) chance to summon temp minion (only if skeleton summoner gonna be a thing)
- Commander's Circle (Skeleton Commander + any 3 units) Formation skill access based on active units (warriors - shield slam, archers - arrow rain, mages - soul nova)
- Pale Choir (Skeleton Priest + Mage) Bonus AoE DoT every 6th spell (necrotic echo) and healing apply Wane (enemy healing debuff)
and ofc more could be added, and it also make some unique setups of the minions that make it so players need to change between setups depending on content and more
Part 2: Possible boss mob
*Legendary Raid Boss – Vharon, Bone Sovereign of the Hollow Court
Location: Deep within a Node's dungeon, Vharon guards an ancient crypt-city where knowledge of life, death, and undeath was hoarded.
*Encounter Mechanics:
- Players fight waves of his undead army first.
- Vharon changes summoning “formations” mid-fight.
- Bone Dragon is summoned at phase 3 (flying mechanic + AoE fire).
- Killing his Skeleton Commander weakens the army’s morale (debuffs).
- He can resurrect dead players into temporary undead who fight against their allies (until cleansed or defeated).
*Rewards that could be dropped from only the boss
- Bone Sovereign’s Crown (light helmet)
- Tactical Summoner's Grimoire (spellbook)
- Vharon's Staff Of The Hollow (scepter or new item staff)
- Sword Of The Unholy Knight (great sword/spellsword)
- Bow Of The Legendary Undead Hunter Kalaphian (short bow/spellbow)
(more items can be added)
*possible set item to get called "Regalia of the Hollow Court"
- Crown of the Sovereign (head)
- Mantle of the Deathmarch (shoulder)
- Vestments of Command (chest)
- Grips of the Revenant (hands)
- Tassets of the Hollow Guard (pants)
- Boots of Silent Dominion (boots)
*Set bonuses
- 2-Piece – Court Presence (+5% summon health and resistances)
- 3-Piece – Battlefield Pact (When 3+ summons are active, gain a personal aura: nearby allies receive 2% reduced damage)
- 4-Piece – Death’s Rally (Every time you cast a spell that damages an enemy, your summons gain +10% haste and movement speed for 5 seconds)
- 5-Piece – Vharon’s Authority (Death of a summon triggers a small AoE fear or slow around its location)
- 6-Piece – Crown of the Bone Sovereign (Unyielding March or Throne of Dread)
*either one of these as the 6-piece bonus
name: "Unyielding March"
(While your ultimate summon is active:
All your summons gain +10% lifesteal
You generate Grave Momentum every second (stacking buff up to 10 stacks)
On reaching 10 stacks, your next basic spell causes all active summons to leap and strike, dealing bonus damage.)
or
name: ''Throne of Dread''
(When you summon your ultimate, a Necrotic Throne forms at your feet for 12 seconds:
While standing within its radius (10m), you gain:
+20% summon speed and damage
+50% health regen for your summons
Enemies within the throne’s radius have reduced cooldown recovery and reduced healing)
2
Comments
where can i find the suggestions forum?
there is countless and i really mean COUNTLESS potential for Undead Mobs. EVERY - SINGLE - BEING - in Verra, which is something else than an Elemental or moving Armor/Weaponry moved by a Spirit/Ghost,
can "technically" also even have an undead Variant of itself.
Yes.
Even Dragons.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Maybe i look after a Guild sometime soon
the dragons, can be mostly 2 things a bone dragon or zombie dragon
Everything in a world can and often have an undead version of itself, like a tree can turn into a tree of death for example, when people touch it they begin to decay overtime from the "eternal decay" curse it maybe will give, that only high tier holy beings can cure or something.
i have used ALOT of my time researching different types of necromancers, what they can summon, what curses fit them best and alot more, i even try to study ''REAL'' necromancy that is alot different than what is shown in games lol
seems already - at least partially - overtaken by for Example -> the Necromancer Class in Diablo. x'D no Idea if this here is Diablo III or Diablo Four,
because i left that franchise behind me, after Diablo II - - - > but this here looks ABSOLUTELY gorgeous.
I as the huge Undead-Fan that i am - found this Picture on a Website - which i in turn found by Google-Searching the "Avatar" of dear Blaspherian here in the forum -> who uses something like a bloody Wraith-like Undead Picture. Looks pretty badass.
https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/profile/discussions/Blaspherian
The huge, hulking - towering Summon -> i wonder if Sir Steven and his Crew would make such huge and rather powerful Summons possible,
-> under the Conditions that it is for Example a Summon that the likes of not fewer than " TEN " Necromancer-Summoners can summon this only once per Day/24 Hours - or even up once only every Three Days or in a full Week or so.
Something huge, hulking -> that could technically even work in a City Siege. Or Castle Siege.
Something like -> when a "single Necromancer" uses such a bigger Summon -> then it is a slow, weakened and tinier Form of something like this -> and the Necromancer has to sacrifice all of his Three "normal" Summons for it -> to be able to control a bigger, hulking Summon for like half an Hour once in a Day or so.
( A really colossal Siege-styled Summon should however be able to be used without a Timer that it falls apart and until it is finished/it's HP Points down to Zero. Okay maybe a Maximum of a single Hour or so ? lol )
Should be an Option for the Players to "choose" which Necromancer should control the really huge, colossal One, in Case it is like a +10 Players Summon,
or simply the One who starts that Ritual is the Necromancer then who controls it -> i know Sir Steven and his Crew would be able to easily programm it anyway.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Maybe i look after a Guild sometime soon
It could be very well be, that for Example both "good", or "evil" Necromancers - will be able to choose if they want to have "Spirits" as their Summons -> or rotting Corpses which are either Zombies or Skeletons or whatever.
Why ? Well because that Idea seems to absolutely "old" with the Summons depending on which Gods to choose. Plus and also,
i can see People who want to play their Necromancers for example as good Guys. But they want to use the moving Bones and shuffling Zombies.
What will they do ? Well they WILL most likely all run to the Places and/or Questlines which mark them officially as Followers of some "evil" God or Religion - but then play their Character as your friendly Neighbourhood Necromancer anyway. (lol)
While others may choose to use the Ghosts/Spirits, but then play their Necromancers as complete Bastards anyway.
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Maybe i look after a Guild sometime soon
You can use this too or https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/categories/Alpha-Two-General-Discussion
well the difference is that, someone that uses spirits is a ''spirit master'' or ''spiritmancer", necro in itself relate to corpses so it wouldn't really work if you think logically about it, but again a game is a game and everything is possible, its just sometimes people do inovative stuff that doesn't really fit with the class in the end, i do think its a unique way to do a necromancer, but i just personally cant see why they would waste time on it instead of having another class have the spirits like summoner + cleric or summoner + ranger or something
A Necromancer can have several weak servants, a few large strong servants, a mix, or put the points into magic strength making the Necromancer a near pure casting mage with few or no servants.
A very flexible system.
That sounds AWESOME actually !!
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Maybe i look after a Guild sometime soon