Elite spec: Technomancer

Role: Long range constant damage DPS / melee range bunker-bruiser.

Weapon - Staff

1200 range power-based weapon.Staff is an electricity based weapon that has it's own unique mechanic - Conduction.Some staff skills apply Conduction on enemies while others benefit from it. Conduction can be applied on multiple targets to create Electrical Circuit between them. Some staff attack can chain between targets in Electrical Circuit or their strength can depend on number of targets in Electrical Circuit.Examples:

• Skill #1 is main attack that damages main target with lighting, applies and refreshes Conduction and chains to other targets with Conduction.
• Skill #2 is attack that launches a ball of lighting at target and than bounces between all nearby targets with Conduction. Each time when this attack damages target it also applies Vulnerability. Can damage the same target X number of times. After final bounce from enemy the ball bounces back to Engineer and gives him stack of Might for each applied stack of Vulnerability.
• Skill #3 is main way to apply Conduction on multiple targets at once. It is a ground targeted ability with a little delay that damages multiple enemies and applies Conduction and Cripple on them.
• Skill #4 is heavy burst single target attacks, that clears all Conduction stacks on targets around main target and deals damage and immobilizes target. Damage and immobilize duration are based on number of cleared Conduction effects.
• Skill #5 is ability that teleports Engineer in targeted location, clears Conduction from all enemies and grants Engineer X amount of Absorb shield for each cleared Conduction.

New ability type - Device

Device are ground target abilities similar to Wells, but all Devices have 3 effects:

• Initial effects that activates when Device is deployed
• Persistent effect that is pulses while Device is active
• Final effect that activates when Device duration expires

Example:Gravity Polarizator: places Device in targeted location that pulls all enemies towards it after a brief delay and then pulses damage and stacks of Vulnerability. When Device duration expires it knocks all enemies away.

New class mechanic - Mech-suit

All weapon skills generate Power Charge. This Power Charge acts like a second health bar similar to Necro's Death Shroud when Mech is activated by F5 key. F5 is a 1200 range Leap, which helps to engage melee combat after fighting at long range with Staff. Power Charge depletes by taking damage.Mech-suit skills are mostly melee, but with some range options. Mech attacks are slow, powerful, most of them has fairly long CDs. A lot of skills has a CC components like knock-back or knockdown.All Toolbelt skills are changed to special Mech-suit skills called Overdrive. Each Overdrive skill has a very powerful effect, but can be used only once per Mech-suit summon. This limitation engages players to switch between normal mode and Mech mode more frequently.Engineer in Mech-suit mode is quite tanky due to second HP bar in form of Power Charge, but staying too long in this mode costs a dps loss due too long CDs.Pressing F5 key when Mech is active engages a Self-Destruction sequence and allows Engineer to leap away. Self-Destruction destroys Mech and consumes all Power Charge. Self-Destruction deals a lot of AoE damage by default, but can have more effects with special Traits. Self-Destruction effect are more powerful if more Power Charge consumed.Self-Destruction triggers automatically when all Power Charge is depleted, but with very weak effect.Self-Destruction has a short time window that allows player to choose where to leap away.

PROS:

• Reliable long range option
• Good constant damage with a little CC options
• Good sustain and bunker potential with Mech-suit
• Engaging gameplay that encourages constant switching between long range damaging and close range tanking and CCing
• No AI involved

CONS:

• Fairly long CDs
• Toolbelt skills are locked in Mech-suit mode
• Mech-suit attacks are slow and readable in PvP

seems a bit all over the place

Probably is too good to be real, but I would love something like that for the next exp x)

The "wells" thing is not my cup of tea, but the idea of range power dps with good movility (teleports) compensate it by far.

EDIT: ... and NO AI involved. 8D

Conduction sounds great. The rest is ok, but IMO, you should make Conduction the Spec Mechanic, instead of focusing it only on the weapon.

Sounds great seriously.

Thanks for feedback, everyone.

@"Ardid.7203" said:Conduction sounds great. The rest is ok, but IMO, you should make Conduction the Spec Mechanic, instead of focusing it only on the weapon.But it is already a spec mechanic. I mean, Conduction makes sense only for weapon skills, but it will not make any sense for already existing Engineer weapons because non of them uses electricity in regular basis. Because of that I tied to Spec weapon, which is a one of two core parts of this spec. All Elite Specs are defined by their weapon and something special. Just like Reaper is defined by Greatsword and Reaper Shroud, or Mirage is defined by Axe and Mirrors - Technomancer is defined by Staff and Mech.I combined both Staff and Mech because I think that Engineer lacks a self-sufficient Spec that can contains Weapon Swap Combo of Melee+Range with no need to rely on kits to make it work. So Mech is basically a second weapon, but in form similar to Necro's Death Shroud with it's second health bar, but also with some limitations like duration based on Power Charge (similar to how Death Shroud relies on Life Energy).Also, my initial concept does not include examples of Mech abilities and Traits. I mean, maybe Mech skills could also work with Conduction mechanic, but in melee range and with different effects and benefits. For example, if Staff utilizes Conduction for better damage output, Mech skills could utilize Conduction for self-sustain or stronger CC.I see Staff as a powerful weapon that is very strong at long range, but clunky and risky to use in close range combat due to long casts or animation delays. But in that case Technomancer without Mech as part of it's kit would be forced to use Kits simply to have a close range option. But with Mech as a melee "weapon" Kits are just an option, not something mandatory. I don't want this Spec to be forced to use Kits to feel complete.

You are right: the Elite Specs are defined by the Weapon and something special. That something special is THE Spec Mechanic. IMO a well constructed Elite Spec should be able to use their Spec Mechanic (The spec mechanic, the central one, not "a" spec mechanic, lateral or circumstantial) without being chained to a specific weapon. That's why Scrapper is so bad as an Elite Spec: its Spec Mechanic is incredibly irrelevant most of the time, while the weapon is always a must you are forced to use.

IMO, your idea of Conduction has much more potential for use as an Elite Spec than the mech suit. Skills can be adjusted: just look at Weaver. Lore can be adjusted: just look at Druid or Scourge, or Weaver again.

I don't think kits are bad per se. They need a rework that recognizes them as the base Engie Mechanic they are. But if you insist on fighting in melee range without kits, IMO you can use mace instead of staff, and put the melee stuff in the weapon, while the ranged mechanic is on the "special". A ranged weapon exclusive to an elite spec is not going to add any build diversity anyway. What we need is a CORE ranged weapon.