Witch Doctor Class General Comments For Post

Witch Doctor Class General 0.0

Design brief and Class Concept

Create and plan a complete "hero class" for Wow capable of fulfilling two distinct ranged "dps" roles and one healing. This race ought to be available to only one race and ought to organically fit into that race's lore and feel. Balance keeping concepts and mechanics consonant with current game play and a demand the class should feel/look and act in unique fashion. Be conscious of how the class will integrate with pre-existing classes and how it will fare in multiple play scenarios such as PvP, soloing, 5-25 person PvE. Prepare a set of three "talent trees" augmenting key class roles and providing unique play styles for the three specialisations. Make suitable accommodation for developing game philosophy and ensure class mobility and utility in varied group situations. In respect of ability costs and results please assume your hero class has 100 Hit Points and 100 Mana Points, that enemy "mobs" have 500 Hit Points and that "elite" mobs have 2000 Hit Points, "Bosses" having "5000" Hit Points. Cost all abilities and spells including range, cool down and dependency mechanics. Structure your response using the following method: 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.1

General response to design brief Character Introduction Lore Character Introduction Mechanics Introductory text on character "roll" Class overview, play specifics, armour types General Class abilities/spells with concepts and analysis

General Response to design brief: The Witchdoctor class is a new "racial" hero class planned to be available to players who have levelled a horde faction character beyond 55 as the Troll racial hero class. Witchdoctors make sense as a troll class given the frequent in game appearance of troll characters harnessing forbidden and shadowy voodoo powers such as the "Sunken Temple" instance through to the "Zul'Aman" raid instance. In this sense the class tessellates with lore and feel bridging an obvious gap between the nobility of the shaman class and darkness of the shadow priest class/spec. The class has two distinct dps mechanics which unify under the headings of hexology and voodoo. Hexology can be summed up as a unique damage over time mechanic differing from available offerings with mass placement and execution mechanics. Voodoo damage is inflicted by binding an enemy to a doll and afflicting that doll at range: it represents a break from ranged magic "dps" roles offering a unique melee style dps at range. Absent a "pet" tank both dps roles feature "crowd control/snare" features, those being more Prominent in the voodoo spec in line with its suggestion of total control of a victim. Healing has received a comprehensive examination in-game and new mechanics emphasising frenetic and constant play, rather than

periods of inactivity more common in strictly reactive healing classes. Withdoctor healing is unified round the concept of healing rains and heals as a nature class spell, it is unique in particular by its variable target, channelled "rain dance" spell and nominated areas of healing benefits in the form of "tranquil waters" spell. The overall package presents, it is hoped, a class simple enough to enjoy and complex enough to enjoy mastering. 0.2

Character Introduction – Lore Troll lore places the race as a diminished people formerly finding strength in part on shadow mastery. As such the race has a general feel of decayed world prominence, a post imperial people living in the pronounced shadows of their forefather's glory. Troll lore and NPC themes often invoke the previously dominant position of the race as articulate by the Zul Gurub and Zul Aman instance, importantly, that dominance is frequently associated with the mastery of shadowy arts or worship of the forbidden. In much diminished circumstances it is now that one fractured part of a previously great empire throw their lot in with the new horde. The Class theme and concept explicitly place the Witchdoctor class within the lore suggesting a brutal and rejected pre-shamanistic existence dependant on masters of shadow. Such forgotten arts are associated with a cruel and raw point of development of the people long before they learned the wisdom of veneration of elements and truly tranquil existence of spirit and body. The class is differentiated from other shamanistic races by playing upon that darker past, explicitly suggesting that the insatiable appetite for control of life and death contained within it the seeds of empire and demise. So far as the Witchdoctor is disposed to heal his allies the concept recalls tribal prayers for fecundity and primitive dances for rain. So far as the Witchdoctor emerges from the swamps to harm he reminds his people of their brutality as he punches or twists a doll, he is their call to shadow as he revives forgotten hexes to repel their enemies.

0.3

Character Introduction The Class is a cloth wearing caster class using the existing "mana" mechanic as its ability resource. It is capable of magical damage, magical off damage, melee damage, melee off damage, off healing and healing but not tanking, off tanking, proximate melee dps. The class has three "specs" Hexology, Voodoo and Doctoring.

0.3.1

Character Introduction – Hexology Hexology Spec focuses on ranged magical damage and is unique in its employment of "hexing" and "consumption" mechanics. A Hex is a charged spell afflicting a target with multiple modifiers (Debuffs) or DoT mechanics. By way of example, an unmodified Burning Hex (charge 1.5 seconds) on completion applies two DoT mechanics on point of aggro to an enemy target. A "consumption" is a charged spell consuming multiple DoTs causing an instant damage/healing

or modifying effect. Each hex can be consumed by once again casting the hex spell, or one of the three consumptions. Hexing is unique in game as current DoT mechanics require individual placements (See Warlock or Shadow Priest) and the majority of charged spells result in direct damage with DoTs as after effects or talented upgrades (See Fire/Frostbolt for talent modifications). The Witchdoctor class balances utility and control by placing available hexes in a "pet bar" called a hex bag and selecting the nature, fire or shadow hexes to be applied by the three corresponding hex commands. A Witchdoctor applies up to 3 hexes at once using "Shadow Hex" (Shadow Damage and modifiers), "Burning Hex" (Fire Damage) or "Swamp Hex" (Nature Damage). Control and subtlety of play is maintained by player control of the Hex bag allowing for direct cast from the toolbar of particular hexes. The design expectation is that Classic Hexes will be player preferred for sheer DPS allowing for mass application following charge at point of aggro. Individual application of hexes is likely to be prominent for utility/healing/high end dps-management. Consumptions as a general DPS and Healing effect concept are not new in game, the Warlock's "conflagrate" and Druid's "Switmend" being analogous. Where Consumptions differ is in respect of number of DoTs/Modifiers consumed (unique) and translation of DoT to direct heal or HoT (unique). By way of example, an unmodified Swamp Hex will apply the first two nature hexes selected in the hex bag. Should the witchdoctor wish to apply additional hexes at this point he may by selection from the bag or toolbar, should he wish to consume one hex, he clicks again on the key applying that hex, should he wish to consume multiple hexes he casts consumption. Hexology Witchdoctors have access to direct damage mechanics (Evil Eye, Three Terrors and Hex Lord's Barrage at full spec etc.) augmenting their "Hex" and "Consumption" mechanics. It is open to Hexology Witchdoctors to specialise in such mechanics offering a direct damage play option. Hexology specced Witchdoctors benefit from more effective DoTs, number of DoTs consumed on Consumption, quicker consumptions and available Hexes. Having regard to the cloth wearing nature of the class, they compensate in PvE for long damage times with both direct damage mechanics (Both consumptions and general skills) and CC mechanics (Grim Stare, Dreamtime and Bat Storm). In line with developing expectations of flexible play and multiple role fulfilment the Hexology tree offers quicker access to the Voodoo damage mechanic with the talent "Surgical Incisions" and several damage modifying talents. Cast time modifications and Healing Spell Power talents also feature in an effort to balance flexibility and specialisation. High End play is characterised by raid quality spell damage with the rapid application and consumption of DoT mechanics with talents such as "Grand Hex", "Hex Lord's Barrage" and "Cremation Hex". It

will attract players engaged by the complexity of mastering specific hex and consumption effects and by emphasis on +Spell Power will allow for successful off healing. 0.3.2

Character Introduction – Voodoo Voodoo Speced Witchdoctors play in a unique way in game. Play begins with a Witchdoctor binding an enemy target to a voodoo doll and then inflicting high melee/shadow damage on the doll/target enemy. Damage is inflicted at range and combines the high damage potential of a Rogue with the "kiting" and ranged dps survival of Mages, Warlocks etc. The class achieves balance with managed cool downs on snare/stun abilities, an expectation of damage at around 70-80% of that of a Combat Specced Rogue and the fact the class is cloth based. Voodoo as a spec features the majority of the Witchdoctor's "utility" abilities designed to stand out in PvP and PvE play such as the unique "Good Mojo" causing DoTs/Modifiers to transfer to the Witchdoctor and "Hex of futility" causing damaging enemy attacks to heal a friendly target for damage caused. Voodoo Doll based damage is based on Soulbind, a spell creating the bind between Enemy Target and Doll. On successful execution the spell triggers the loading of a key bar (populated by the player in downtime in the same vein as a stealth or Shadow form toolbar) granting a series of abilities specific to the soulbind condition. In recognition of balance demands this state prohibits the player from casting new Hexes other than those talented into and restricts the range of available healing options. Those seemingly drastic restrictions were added in redraft in acknowledgment of the potentially problematic balance issues of a "hybrid healing ranged rogue". The centrality of Soulbind requires the unique hit chances offered by the talent "Shadow Economy" (80% hit chance at full talent") and the multiple augments offered in the tree. Soulbound targets become subject to a number of physical and magical abilities causing melee damage modified by spell damage. Multiple applications of abilities cast during the soulbound phase cause a target to gain the debuff "vulnerable". The "vulnerable" debuff allows the use of a number of "finisher" abilities causing more damage than the abilities used to generate the debuff. "Finishers" will typically terminate the soul link and inflict magical damage. This mechanic was preferred as maintaining a spell casting/mana characteristics and feel of the class with a melee "opener/finisher" concept (ie. Vulnerability). Low to Mid tree offer Soulbind and vulnerability damage augments, cross over healing and hex talents. Higher to Top of the tree offers a specific hex, an opener causing immediate vulnerability and multiple target damage. High end play is characterised by huge damage spikes available with talents such as "phantom pains" and "Skewer" and survivability

offered by "hex of futility" and "grim stare". Voodoo Witchdoctors are designed to competitively play in PvP and Arenas and, with appropriate talents, offer end-game unique and competitive DPS in PvE. 0.3.3

Character Introduction – Doctoring A Doctoring specced Witchdoctors is designed to offer a unique healing experience (particularly to experienced healers) both with new mechanics such as "Raindance", "Improved Death Ward" and "Tranquil Waters" and the use of spec crossover abilities such as Consumption of Nature. Raindance is a channelled ability available at Level 20 that heals unmodified at a rate of 10 per second over 6 seconds. The Doctoring tree offers multiple healing, target and effect modifiers with the expectation that the spell will become the mainstay of group healing for the class. Importantly, the Witchdoctor does not commit to one target on cast and may switch targets. At mid to high talents the raindance will last 10 seconds, heal more, heal over time on critical hit and importantly, heal a "deselected" target for a further 2 seconds on selection of a new target with the talent "storm season", (likely to become a spec defining skill). Other new mechanics feature, from those emphasising utility and class uniqueness such as an out of combat mass resurrection spell to those emphasising player mobility and area awareness in the form of "Tranquil Waters" (Tranquil Waters flow for 10 yards around the player remaining at that place for 10 seconds, during that time players standing in the affected area receive 2% increasing healing). Mobility and awareness of player location are again emphasised with "Rainmake" (Heal the first 3 friendly targets furthest from the witchdoctor for 10). Allowing for character development and flexibility, the Witchdoctor retains a formidable arsenal of direct heals, an emergency aoe heal, a HoT and shorter direct heal. Endgame experience will be dominated by raindance healing, the placement of death wards and bringing to a raid a full complement of healing mechanics. Withdoctors are likely to be regarded as powerful healers offering distinctive utility.

0.4

Introductory text on character "roll" "For years your kind contemplated and connived in the forgotten heat of the swamp perfecting your dark enterprises. In that verdant humidity you mastered the forbidden secrets of turning the rains to redemption, Hexes to destruction and the ancient voodoo arts of consigning the spirits of enemies to idols. While the world beyond the swamp spun between peace and war you watched with anger from the tangled mangroves as your people forgot your dark spiritual guidance in favour of the new shamans. As your kind always knew, such bright, new futures contain within them the

certainty of darkness opposed. And so it is now, as the world stands on the brink of chaos and destruction, do your people desperately turn to you with fear and anxious hope. Risking the retribution of your forgotten aptitudes now they call upon you, at this darkest hour, to ready your darkest hexes and protect your kind once again as their champion of spirit and shadow, their Witch Doctor."