Support Speculation

[Santero]

So in reading the initial introduction of Disciple I find myself starving for information. Either they are going to make healing really complicated or something that will be done as an AE ability.

So the Disciple for example is a melee support class with lifetaps and drain abilities. I love the concept as it sounds a lot like a Deathknight. My concern is if you’re building up healing pool do you then have to jump out of combat target one of your group, heal him, and then jump back into combat? You would need to be in the mix of things to heal so your enemy doesn’t need to go after you as a healer.

Unless you heal through your target as an assist? Meaning if I am fighting a player and I hit heal it heals my main assist. It also could work as an aura that just constantly pumps out small heals.

[Ayetalam]

Well I assume by dealing with Life Taps, they might get like a marking ability where your life taps heal the marked player. Secondly, I think the Disciple will work mostly on instant cast HoTs, so you won't be sitting there casting on your allies while you take a sever beating.

[Sindal]

if you've ever played DAOC I have a feeling its going to play very simlar to the Friar.

Light heals generateed through style attacks for your group, hots, and castable group healsas well as large, expensive heals. Not the most efficient healer, but a great combat healer. Possibly some of the offensive heal proc chances as well as the defensive heal proc chances.

[ravn0s]

I think it might be a mix between the Friar and Vampiir classes from DAoC.

[Dracohouston]

I can't beleive I was talking to the guy that posted that big NDA breaking ban me thread last night over MSN and asked him like 20 questions but forgot to ask how exactly the disciple and sorc work. I suck.

[Ayetalam]

lol damn lucky, he never got back to me on contacting him over msn or aim. :P he had to go for a while. then he got banned. fooy. Ill just ask someone else xD

/poke Draco "spill"

[Tarantio]

Try looking up the Disciple in Vanguard. Its possible they will use that mechanism here.

Basically, a Disciple would select a defensive target, and an offensive one. When certain moves are made against the offensive target, the defensive target would be healed.

[Aqualisk]

Try looking up the Disciple in Vanguard. Its possible they will use that mechanism here.

Basically, a Disciple would select a defensive target, and an offensive one. When certain moves are made against the offensive target, the defensive target would be healed.

Vanguard has smaller groups and slower combat though. Only having your heals directed at one target would be cumbersome. I suspect they'll have similar to the warpriest with having fast casting heals, but probably not the most efficient though.

[Stakbok]

I've played DAoC, and I have to agree, how Paul described it sort of does make me think of a combination of a Friar and a Vampiir, as someone already said. But I'm not going to draw my own conclusions, as I rather wait to find out from WarhammerOnline. It'll be easier to understand it if Paul dumbs it down for us more. Or I can just read the Disciple discription when it comes up under Armies of War. So far I don't think any of the Elven classes (Dark Elves or High Elves) have the descriptions yet; just a picture comes up when you click on the class. Might be wrong, though.

[Dracohouston]

I've played DAoC, and I have to agree, how Paul described it sort of does make me think of a combination of a Friar and a Vampiir, as someone already said. But I'm not going to draw my own conclusions, as I rather wait to find out from WarhammerOnline. It'll be easier to understand it if Paul dumbs it down for us more. Or I can just read the Disciple discription when it comes up under Armies of War. So far I don't think any of the Elven classes (Dark Elves or High Elves) have the descriptions yet; just a picture comes up when you click on the class. Might be wrong, though.
http://www.warhammeronline.com/english/gameInfo/armiesofWAR/DarkElves/Careers/Disciple.php
there you go brah

[Stakbok]

Alright, thanks.

Okay, after reading that, I agree with the idea they will be like Vampiirs and Friars from DAoC even more. I had a Vampiir, but got it only up to about level 21 before getting sick of it and switching over to me Hero. Playing as a Vampiir, hmm, I forgot how it works exactly. Either there were specific spells you used to bring up your mana, or just fighting alone brought up your mana. Either way, that's like with the Disciple, because you have to fight and I guess soul leech and give it to Khaine to get the healing stuff. Mechanics we'll have to find out when we play ourselves, or when we ask someone who has played.

[ravn0s]

Vampiir's gained mana every time they hit an enemy during combat. They were then able to use the mana to cast spells with their offhand while still attacking the enemy with their main hand.

[Dranex]

Vampiir's gained mana every time they hit an enemy during combat. They were then able to use the mana to cast spells with their offhand while still attacking the enemy with their main hand.

sounds like thye may use that same mechanic for the chalice...fight with the main hand weapon..and the chalice...but stop fightign with the chalice when healing and use it to heal..(just an idea)

[Kellaris]

sounds like thye may use that same mechanic for the chalice...fight with the main hand weapon..and the chalice...but stop fightign with the chalice when healing and use it to heal..(just an idea)
That would mean You cannot dual wield and heal (If You need to wield chalice). That would suck.
I think Disciple will be more similiar to Warrior Priest, than to other games characters.

[Blaze]

The description says:

"Wields twin ritual blades, or carries a single blade and ritual chalice."

So obviously the chalice grants the Disciple something in return for giving up the extra attacks from the offhand blade. At least, I don't think we'll be using the chalice to bludgeon people to death :p

My guess is that much like a tank who chooses to use a shield for better defence and give up the extra damage from a 2hander or dual-weapons, the Disciple will be able to heal and support better when using a chalice.
A dual-wielding Disciple will probably be able to heal quite well, but a chalice using Disciple will cast stronger heals or buffs. Maybe a chalice user will gather life force to heal with faster, even if he deals less damage. Or perhaps some spells will only be castable when using a chalice, but I don't like that idea too much.

Either way, my disciple will be be using a blade in one hand to poke holes in people, and gather their essence in a blood filled goblet held aloft in his other hand while chanting the name of the Bloody Handed God :twisted:

Much cooler than dual-wielding IMO :D

[Bernie]

A couple of things that Paul mentions in the pod cast -

Disciples will use DoTs...<insert warlock reference here>

Disciples will be able to life tap - drain energy from your enemy and transfer it to yourself, or target an enemy, target a friend, and use the life tap to drain your enemy and buff/heal your friend. Like when they open the Lost Arc in Indiana Jones 1, as Paul Puts it, lol.

So if that works the way it sounds, and you'll be able to dps your foes while channeling power to your friends for support and heals without having to step back and cast heals then this class will be a lot of fun, imho.

[Stakbok]

The description says:

"Wields twin ritual blades, or carries a single blade and ritual chalice."

So obviously the chalice grants the Disciple something in return for giving up the extra attacks from the offhand blade. At least, I don't think we'll be using the chalice to bludgeon people to death :p

My guess is that much like a tank who chooses to use a shield for better defence and give up the extra damage from a 2hander or dual-weapons, the Disciple will be able to heal and support better when using a chalice.
A dual-wielding Disciple will probably be able to heal quite well, but a chalice using Disciple will cast stronger heals or buffs. Maybe a chalice user will gather life force to heal with faster, even if he deals less damage. Or perhaps some spells will only be castable when using a chalice, but I don't like that idea too much.

Either way, my disciple will be be using a blade in one hand to poke holes in people, and gather their essence in a blood filled goblet held aloft in his other hand while chanting the name of the Bloody Handed God :twisted:

Much cooler than dual-wielding IMO :D

My thoughts exactly. But they might make it so that dual-wielding is better for soloing DPS, while having the chalice off-hand would be better for supporting a group in PvP. It would make a good deal of sense for dual-wielding to be better for solo PvE (and probably solo PvP, too), since the need to cast heals would not be as great, as you would only need to heal yourself.


Disciples will be able to life tap - drain energy from your enemy and transfer it to yourself, or target an enemy, target a friend, and use the life tap to drain your enemy and buff/heal your friend. Like when they open the Lost Arc in Indiana Jones 1, as Paul Puts it, lol.

So if that works the way it sounds, and you'll be able to dps your foes while channeling power to your friends for support and heals without having to step back and cast heals then this class will be a lot of fun, imho.


I've never seen Indiana Jones, but I get the gist of what you're saying. And if that is how it turns out to be, then I can't wait to play this class. It would take a bit to get used to it though, because the last class I played in an MMO was the Hero class on DAoC. It'll be a change from the heavy damage dealers I am proned to playing.