Overhaul of classes

[Tschady]

Greetings community,

first of all, my english isn't very good so please excuse me for not describing this suggestion flawlessly and feel free to ask questions.

I am playing this game for years and actually gave a go to play on the multiplayer server a year or longer ago. I love the idea to have classes, as they give this game a greater depth. However, playing on an online server for this long, I am really struggling to see the "vision" that was involved with the implementation of some classes.

Shortly said: class traits are imbalanced and lack vision in the endgame specifically in a multiplayer enviroment. Therefore I'd like to maybe give some ideas into which direction classes should be implemented to give every class some kind of basis of existence and interaction options to other classes. And also would like to show you the imbalance of the traits with the comparison of the classes Malefactor and Blackguard.

Every class needs traits that enable them to:

1. take actively part in the global economics, as they have a craftmanship specialization (Explanation: current implementation of serverwide trading is great but saldy barely used as there is a severe codependence to missing craftmanship specializations here as there is currently only one class that can fill into this role: Tailor) 
2. allow them to fill into a certain role in combat (Explanation: Some classes currently have only combat maluses for the exchange of "discovery traits", best example to name here would be Malefactor, while other classes have very powerful combat bonuses for the exchange of having bad "discovery traits" read point 3 please as this is higly relevant)
3. have a certain role in the discovery of the map (Explanation: In the lategame some traits do not really matter, the best example would the be Malefactors Pilferer trait which is badly utilizeable in areas of high discovery vs Blackguards Heavyhanded trait - at the same time Malefactor suffers a heavy combat malus while Blackguard is one of the best classes overall.
4. gather specific ressources better/be able to interact with animals (selfexplaning)

Quote

Malefactor:

Forager (+10% loot from foraging¹, +20% wild crop drop rate)

Pilferer (+15% drop rate, +10% rusty gear drop rate, 10% chance to collect cracked vessels)

Furtive (-35% animal seeking range)

Improviser (Exclusive craftable sling)

Frail (-2.5 health points, -25% bow drawing strength)

Nervous (-15% weapons damage)

Quote

Blackguard:

Additional Positive and Negative Traits

Soldier (+30% melee damage, +15% armor durability, +25% movement speed)

Hardy (+10% mining speed, +5 health points)

" Merciless (Exclusive craftable Blackguard Shortsword and Shield)

Ravenous (+30% hunger rate)

Nearsighted (-15% ranged damage)

Heavyhanded (-10% loot from cracked vessels, -15% loot from foraging¹, -20% wild crop drop rate)

In addition to the above some ideas:

Classes should be overhauled entirely so picking a class enables you to spec into trait trees rather than static traits. So for example a blackguard should not have flat +25% speed (which is lets be very honest here a huge bonus in the lategame in comparison to the Malefactor bonuses) but be able to specialize into a tree which gives +5 %, +10%, +15% etc. speed for the cost of not beeing able to specialize into other bonuses.

There is a severe need for discovery traits that are actually utilizeable in the "lategame" of a multiplayer server. Having a bit more loot from foraging or wild crops - these traits really do matter only in the very early game. The current situation on a multiplayer server is: if an area gets overpopulated, or a new patch is released people move into another area to ensure to have new ressources in undiscovered chunks and the cycle goes on. An idea would here be giving certain classes traits to enable them to track certain occurences that are vital for a multiplayer server - best example here are Translocators. And idea here would be a craftable compass (involving precious materials) that for example reacts if a translocator is near... 

 

Please let me know what you think of these ideas, post overall. Thank you, Aluviya.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Tschady

[Dizuki]

I feel the same way, I really like hunter as a all around good class. It has a damage boost that scalers well, a early game crafting recipe and a late game recipe. Extra animal loot helps a lot early game. Walk speed also is really strong throughout the entire game. None of its bonuses really ever become useless or are useless in a certain part of the game. 

Not every class can be like that, but every class should have some early and some late game utility. Like I feel like the clockmaker needs a huge rework. They are just bad except in one very specific situation. Their big boost is a combat ability, and all their negatives are anti combat. Then you have the bad, but good class the tailor. The better gambeson is really really good. Repair kits are good early game when flax is in short supply. But as far as day to day activity is concerned they are weak. However the balance of the class comes from its good crafting recipe's. 

If I had to order them from strongest to weakest I would go Blackguard, Hunter, Malefactor, Tailor, Commoner, Clockmaker. 

Blackguard- strong combat boosts back up good mining boosts. Negatives are really bad early game, but quickly fall off as the game progresses. 10/10

Hunter- Early game they can easily hunt with throwing spears and run down hunt. Late game their higher damage bow/range damage boost makes them strong in combat. Movement speed is good throughout the entire game letting you explore and trade easier. Negatives are also negligible as game progresses. Lower ore drop rate sort of canceled out by faster exploration. 8.5/10 IMO This should be the point of balance. 

Malefactor -  A really good early game class, but falls off late game. Sling is fun to use and is the range weapon of choice for a lot of my group. Lower animal seeking range does a lot of counter its low HP. Foraging boost does give double drops on resin, mushrooms, and extra berries which is nice with the new alcohol system.  Could definitely use another advantage though that carries through the late game. I really wish they would switch out the weapon damage debuff with something else, too many classes have damage debuffs and Malefactors already take a really big hit to bows. the fact that they have the -2.5 health already discourages melee, and being bad at bows discourages ranged, they don't need a flat -15% damage. 6/10

Tailor - A pretty weak class at first glance, Low health, slow mining, lower animal loot, in exchange for a little extra armor durability, a boost blackguards get better (10% vs 15%). Their real strength is their crafting recipes like their upgraded gambesons. The fact that they can make the best armor that has no downside, can craft winter clothes and make repair kits for cheaper clothe repair makes them really strong in multiplayer. They would just really struggle on their own. 5.1/10 

Commoner - Kind of boring, I get having a no upside, no downside class, but most classes come out to some net positive. So having one net 0 class will naturally make it rather weak. I kind of wish they at least had some extra crafting recipes to add some flavor even if they are not a strong or even useful. 5/10

Clockmaker- So I said most classes are a net positive. This is the one class I don't see the point of. Lets give them a flat -15% damage but then give them a +25% against a small group of enemies, locus. Now that wouldn't be too bad, but lasts also give them -2.5 health and a pretty heavy bow defuff to force them into melee. Its like the one thing they are suppose to be good at they are worst at then blackguards and hunters. The hacking spear is really cool and is a really big step in the right direction but I still don't think its enough yet. 2/10 (was 1/10 before the hacking spear was added). Also one last thought, if it requires black bronze it should at least be as good as a black bronze spear. 

[Domkrats]

As for me classes should if not be removed at all, they should only give some specific tree as Aluviya mentioned.

On 2/11/2022 at 5:45 PM, Aluviya said:

Classes should be overhauled entirely so picking a class enables you to spec into trait trees rather than static traits.

Specific class is only good in true cooperative multiplayer game or PVP games. Also then they should be even more different one from each other. This game does not look a coop game to me. As this game is playable in single player mode, i feel that game is punishing you for picking wrong class. Keep in mind that there are many starting players that don't even know which trait will they need to feel comfortable - they don't know anything about that game in the beginning. So forcing them to choose class, which will later not let them do things they might like is wrong i think.

I could compare my idea of classes like this: You are born into Blackguards family, so it is clear that you will have some traits whether have in you or will learn. But then you feel like living different life style, so you start learning other things (traits) too. That way you go into direction you want, instead of sticking only to one class.

I understad the meaning of classes in multiplayer where it could force players to cooperate and trade. But it doesn't work that way now. Players now stick together only to feel more comfortable with grind and dangers in game from my experience. And only few stick to some role in the game.

I would like to see some character progression according to my play style, so i can choose what to become according to situations, player traits around me and my needs in game. So i would want to see some skill tree instead of classes as it is now.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Domkrats