Yes, yes, I know most everyone has probably thought “Lets have a dark, dragon power using class…” this is only half that.
Skippable plot stuff.
With the pact forces of Tyria having slain the first of the Elder Dragons, laying the risen dead of Orr to rest, they had earned themselves a moment of respite, however brief. Though the methods and motives differ between the Vigil, the Durmand Priory, and the Order of Whispers, one thing was agreed upon: The dragons power was far beyond that of magic, rivaling even the six gods themself.
With the Priory’s studies into the Sons of Svanir, the Branded, and the deceased corpse of the elder dragon Zhaitan, they developed an understanding of how these powers are tapped into by the dragons vile minions. The Order of Whispers, with spies among the Sons of Svanir dragon cult, learned how they controlled and channeled these powers. And the Vigil’s strongest warriors, in their moment of repose, practiced turning these powers against the dragons themself.
Through study, training, and the theft of knowledge, the Dragonknight style was devised, using elemental might in accord with physical power. Treating massive weapons as catalysts for the dragons might while leaving their flesh and minds clear to fight. The men and women who take up this style are valiant of heart, and steadfast, using their destructive might to protect those around them and lay low those before them.
The Dragonknight uses Axes, Maces, Focuses, Greatswords, Hammers, Rifles, and Longbows. Mace is mainhand only. Axes are either hand, and Focus is offhand only.
It’s profession mechanic is Draconic Might. A resource that is built up by focusing using the profession skills “Empower: Earth.” “Empower: Death” “Empower: Chaos”.
There are three slots on the Dragonknight’s Draconic Might gauge. Each can be filled by one empowerment charge. These charges alter how the Dragonknight’s skills work, without changing the fundamentals. Basically, if you were to throw an axe, with Death, it would sink itself into the target, bleeding them. With Chaos, it would gain a single bounce. And with Earth, the axe would apply a brief slow. These are not expended buffs, but small augments to the Dragonknight’s skills that alter the way it’s weapon skills work. As there are three empowerment slots, you can use one of each empowerment, or multiple. There is also a fourth skill “Purge Weapon” Which enables you to set new empowerments.
Earth focuses on area of effect destruction, sundering the ground and spreading fire and ice. Though it’s focus is on stone and rock, it is more focused on representing terrestrial elements and conditions, the fire and the world’s core, and the ice at it’s tips, as well as the land itself. It tends towards AoE and control in equal measure, instead of damage, making attacks hit multiple targets, increasing Area of Effect ranges, or slows and chills. Some skills also gain burning.
Death focuses on it’s namesake. Death empowerment is aimed at bringing an end to enemies, and playing off their own weakness. It contains a few leeching bonuses to weapons, but mostly focuses on bringing a painful end to a single target. It’s mainstays are poison, bleeding, execute style damage increase, and occasionally leeching.
Chaos focuses on support, be it through weakening the enemy or strengthening allies, as well as causing attacks to bounce from target to target. It’s generally aimed at retaliation, might, fury, weakness, daze, and confusion, with empowered ranged attacks often gaining a bouncing shot at reduced damage to spread the effect around.
These empowerments can be stacked as the player chooses. Adding additional empowerments does not add additional effects to abilities, but simply increases the effects of the empowerment.
If you fire a longbow arrow with one earth, one death, and one chaos empowerment, it will inflict a 1s burn, a 2s bleed, and a 1s confusion, as well as bounce to one extra target, doing half damage, but inflicting one of each again. If it was done with two earth, one death, it would infict a 2s burn, and a 2s bleed. Three earth = 3s burn. The ability to swap it around is to allow players to customise their abilities to fit the situation, without changing how the attacks handle.