What about new spec is a warden with juggernaut transformation

[anduriell.6280]

It is a bit late to give more ideas about the new e-specs but here is another one. This would make the ranger to play like an elementalist type bruiser with hammer and consecrations. 

 

Just thinking we maybe got the symbols wrong and ranger ends up with the "warden" e-spec which the F5 transforms him into an (very) slow massive Juggernaut

This transformation it is mostly to cause CC and passive aura pulsing around the beast. The idea is to be a very slow (in movement and attacks) but very tanky transformation, like a wvw golem is being used. It could even have some siege effects over gates and walls in WvW. 

 

Based in Warden with hammer as weapon with something similar to Consecration as utility skills which could differ from guardian ones as it could use some totem mechanic in exchange for lasting much longer and having bigger AoE.   

It would be fun if some of the consecrations would transform the allies/foes within the AoE into different plants and swap the weapon skills into some specific skills similar to how moa morph works.  

 

Using F1 to F4 the warden could "atune" to different warden types losing access to the equipped weapons but gaining different weapon skills  as it would an elementalist  so it would transform the ranger into  Forests_Warden, Wind_Warden ,  Thorn_Warden or Spirit_Warden for example.  

 

Pets? What about the pets? 

The warden would still have the pet and the pet swap but it would lose the access to the F2 .  Also while "attuned" (F1 - F5) it would lose the pet and gain an spirit animal based on a trait or pet archetype. This would give the warden a passive buff which could be anything, from the pet casting effects over the player, friendlies or enemies. 

 

Consecrations could make the pets to behave in a certain way, like a defensive consecration would make the pet to stay within the effect, or an offensive consecration would make the pet to cast the f2, etc... 

 

As balancing mechanic that spirit pet could be dissipated by damage but it would come back automatically after a short interval. 

 

I like the ranger to have the minions hp thing, i think is a good balancing mechanic to be able to provide some siginificant effects.

Maybe too much into one spec? 

Edited August 4, 2021 by anduriell.6280

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

Cue "I'm the Juggernaut B*tch"

That said, after druid do you really want another transformation based espec?

[anduriell.6280]

3 minutes ago, Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

Cue "I'm the Juggernaut B*tch"

That said, after druid do you really want another transformation based espec?

I hope anet devs learned from their mistakes, as long as the transformations work like the soulbeast (not gated by other than the cd) it should be fine.

To compensate the F1-F5 could have hefty CDs like 30s for F1-F4 and 120s for F5. Some trait could reduce those thou.

 

I'm gessing we are getting a transfomative e-spec anyway, both druid and soulbeast already are. It is the easiest way to expand ranger without reworking core. I'm just taking that idea a notch further.

 

[Kodama.6453]

1 hour ago, anduriell.6280 said:

I hope anet devs learned from their mistakes, as long as the transformations work like the soulbeast (not gated by other than the cd) it should be fine.

To compensate the F1-F5 could have hefty CDs like 30s for F1-F4 and 120s for F5. Some trait could reduce those thou.

 

I'm gessing we are getting a transfomative e-spec anyway, both druid and soulbeast already are. It is the easiest way to expand ranger without reworking core. I'm just taking that idea a notch further.

 

I don't think that having a resource to manage is necessarily a bad thing for a transformation.

 

Holosmith is also gated by the heat mechanic, but I think it is implemented in a fun way. Having to manage heat and getting punished for not properly doing so is fun for me.

[Lazze.9870]

2 hours ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Holosmith is also gated by the heat mechanic, but I think it is implemented in a fun way. Having to manage heat and getting punished for not properly doing so is fun for me.

 

That's one of my suggestions to how they could rework druid, just that you drain celestial force as opposed to building heat.

 

Just from a transformation perspective. It doesn't need skills to vary depending on celestial force "level", that puts it back towards being clunky instead of offering reactive support.

[Kodama.6453]

4 minutes ago, Lazze.9870 said:

 

That's one of my suggestions to how they could rework druid, just that you drain celestial force as opposed to building heat.

 

Just from a transformation perspective. It doesn't need skills to vary depending on celestial force "level", that puts it back towards being clunky instead of offering reactive support.

Just so I properly understand your suggestion here: The main difference to how it currently works is that celestial force would accumulate passively instead of you building it up by dealing damage or healing allies?

[Lazze.9870]

5 minutes ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Just so I properly understand your suggestion here: The main difference to how it currently works is that celestial force would accumulate passively instead of you building it up by dealing damage or healing allies?

 

The main idea would be to make it as flexible to go in and out of as holoforge.

 

Whether it would build up CF passively or actively I'm not sure of. Probably make it passive, keep a low cooldown on CA, and then balance it accordingly. Make all the skills other than the AA heal drain it CF, perhaps.

Edited August 4, 2021 by Lazze.9870

[draxynnic.3719]

I get the impression here that the main difference being proposed is that you don't lose all accumulated CF when dropping out of CA?

[anduriell.6280]

In was looking for this thread so i don't open another for the same stuff. Redefined idea: 

 

In opposition to Druids which represent the eternal change and cycle of life, Wardens represents the things that never change, they represent the immutable original state and the immovable object.

The class is designed to not provide any speed buffs or mobility in opposition to previous specs, but it has access to be more bulky. 

Hammer

* Ranger gets hammer . Hammer is not primary hard CC, instead focus in nature and have abilities thematically close to Vine_Surge  applying soft CC (crippled, weakness, daze) in different skills as preparation to be able to inflict the secondary effects. For example the Auto chain could be a 2 step chain which on the second attack inflicts cripple.

Hammer is a AoE melee weapon to epvide better cleave than the ranger has currently access to, all skills have some kind of short AoE around the attack. It has one mobility\leap skill in long CD which also provides an AoE where it lands used to get into combat.  

Hammer has a secondary effects in all the skill which triggers when the target is under specific condition (soft CC like cripple, chilled or daze ) which could be applying immobilize, knockdown, boon rips or extra damage.  

Juggernaut

* Warden gets access to permanently transform to Kurzik juggernaut with F5, this could work in the same  as Rampage with a very hefty cooldown as well but not limitation on the time the warden can be in that state.  This  F5 gives a lot of extra stats, pulsing stability, and  regeneration in exchange for moving very slowly ( something similar to the speed of golems in WvW )  and not be able to use dodges while transformed in this massive construct. 

The Juggernaut is a very powerful but with very limited mobility, with crushing punches. It increases its affinity with the plants being able to throw vines like grapples to pull a bunch of  enemies to it or can knock them down when hitting the ground with both fists by using the roots.

By using its roots The juggernaut is also able to produce an aura around it to buff friendlies (sharing the boons applied to the juggernaut with up to 5 allies)  and inflicting torment and cripple in enemies while they are within a short radius from the juggernat (something like 450)  . As nice bonus this juggernaut could be used as golem replacement in WvW and damage gates so Warden gets at least some specific use, inflicting a damage between the mount chain and the alpha golem damage to gates and structures so golems keep their funtionality.

Totems

* The utilities are totems a ground target ranged AoE called upon which provides different effects in the area around them. The Totems works in a similar fashion as spirits, having an health pool which degenerates over time. Totems are very sturdy in opposition to spirits with a big Health pool or reduced damage so they can not be destroyed easily. Totems have a long CD compared to the usual ranger skills (similar to banners) so the utilities are not spammable in opposition on how the ranger works. Totems can be taken back as such reducing the CD (similar to banners still the reduced CD could sit in 30s while normal CD would be around 60s to balance the hp bar, elite might be 60\120) . Totems are immune to their or other totems effects. 
Multiple totems can be overlapped in the same area and they create an  AoE  around it which provides different pulsing effects for example:

-  A ring of vines wall which block projectiles and repel enemies.  This might  work as Ring_of_Warding or Spectral_Ring so it can be used also to keep enemies within the area as well as blocking passage. Enemies inside the area could be affected by pulsing torment and bleeding as well. 

- While inside the area Enemies get reduced heals and can not gain new boons and friendlies get reduced (50%) strike damage and can not be inflicted by new conditions (Heal slot). This skill will not heal as it this will be provided by the celestial pets. Enemies could be inflicted by pulsing bleeds and cripple as well.

- While within the area any boon application on foes will inflict a short  random damaging condition (poison, burning, bleeding, confusion or torment)  on foes . Any condition application on friendlies will apply also apply a short random boon on friendlies. boons\conditions duration should be short to avoid overstacking so even a big burst will last just a few seconds.

- While inside the area allies can not go into downstate. Enemies that go into downstate are instantly finished. Allies recharge all equipped skills by 1 seconds upon killing an enemy while staying in the area (no iCD). (elite) 

Celestials

* Wardens as keepers of the Echovald Forest and bringers of what it was they have created strong links with the Celestial who live there. Whenever a totem is cast the pet is replaced by a celestial representing that totem and stays with the Warden as long as there is a totem active. 

The celestials are replaced for each totem is call upon, staying the last what was it used. Each totem brings forward a celestial which provides different effects and follows the Warden like a pet in passive. Celestials are immune to damage (because they depend on the totem)  but not to movement impairing effects and provide a passive effect as well as replaces the utilities from F1-F2-F3 providing the Warden an additional 3 skills to be used. Fx skills may have long CD to represent important effects and should be designed as ground target ranged AoE as means to support and deploy ranged damage. 

* As such the heal slot could bring forward a healing celestial cast a pulsing small healing around the celestial, while the Fx could apply a ground target ranged AoE cleanses, strong heals and a AoE revive. 

* The CC totem (the  vine wall) could bring forward a  celestial  which can provide pulsing short stability and the Fx could be used a break stun or knockback a group of enemies.

* There could be one of the celestials focused in damage  wich provides ranged AoE damage so Warden does not feel too limited by the short hammer range. 

* There could be a celestial which could improve mobility which could have some access to some damage and have access to shadowstep and something similar to a Portal, and be able provide superspeed to allies. 

Traits could reduce the CD for the juggernaut and increase it's passive bonuses, increase hp for totems and reduce it's hp loss, improve celestials by improving the passive pulsing effect, improving  hammer by increasing the AoE reach and reduce CDs. 

Additionally there could a trait which could cause cripple on specific conditions (when casting a totem, on hammer crits, etc..)  so the secondary effects from the hammer can be utilized better. Another trait could provide pulsing protection while the warden is not moving. 

As bonus there could be a trait which will make the active celestial to cast the F3 ability over the Warden if the Warden goes into downstate. Those skills would be very long CDs (90-120s) with very powerful effects. For example the the heal celestial could have the AoE revive on F3 and cast that skill when the warden goes down. Same for the CC celestial it could cause a long AoE knock back around the downed warden. The mobility celestial could portal the warden to another position. This would be a reminiscence of Nature's Vengeance original design of spirits casting the actives when destroyed. 
Even having the potential to become very strong this can be easily balanced by the fact the correct celestial has to be active ( so the right totem has to be cast ) and that specific skill can't be on CD ( as such the trait could even increase the CD of those specific skills by a 50% ) . 

Design points. 

I think something like this could work, the spec would be on the same level as bladeworn or catalyst and it's own mechanics are balanced by the totem and the static focus of the spec. While using totems the warden would need to keep in mind the last totem limits the current active celestial. 

Sustain may be a problem thou, as such a minor trait could provide a passive pulsing small  healing while a totem is active. Another minor could apply protection and resolution to the warden when is not moving. That mixed with the core traits should provide enough sustain to play as bruiser,

Celestials could be an answer to the limitations from pets in grand scale combat, totems and hammer would be a solution for the rest of rangers toolkit. Having them linked to totems makes them as addition and a tradeoff to current pets at the same time.   The spec does not need to do big dps with it's toolkit but be designed to tank by mitigating damage to offer a bruiser type.

The juggernaut although powerfull will be very limited  in mobility and no evades  thus would be played more as point defense than a mobile option. It should provide the tools for that. A mobility celestial could be used with the juggernaut to move around with the celetial's Fx abilities so the Warden would not need to go into cooldown  to reposition while in juggernaut form (which would make the transformation very clunky and unfun) . 

Because Hammer should  have a limited mobility skill the swap will be more focused in weapons which can provide that missing mobility like greatsword or sword, as such effectively pushing the class to a more melee role without actually limiting the access to ranged weapons by rewarding playing with specific sets. 

 

But let's see on October what Anet has in store for us thou.

Edited September 21, 2021 by anduriell.6280
added the nature's vengeance Warden version. Totem smol change in CDs