Neutral Q-Race: Faunite

A faunite is a human that has given themselves over to Gaia. Through unknown rituals, they have entered symbioses with an intelligent plant, which controls their bodies and provides them with powerful abilities with which to reclaim the old groves and once-peaceful glades.

Gaia will not accept just any human for this gift, however. Those that pledge themselves to the light or darkness are seen as unfit, for their true loyalties lie elsewhere. Only Neutrality offers the serenity found in nature, which has long been the epitome of balance.

Faunite Requirements -

Race: Human

Class: Bard, Battlemage, Berserker, Blademaster, Druid, Invoker, Ninja, Ranger, Thief, Warrior

Alignment/Faith: Neutral/Nature

Ability Ideas -

Faunites have increased combat effectiveness and hp/mana/move gains in forests, but reduced combat effectiveness and hp/mana/move gains in cities.

Root: Can't flee while rooted, but passively heals for an increasing amount each tick. Resets when roots are retracted.

Wild Growth: Turns the area into a forest. Lasts until the Faunite leaves the realm.

Vine Lash: Trip combined with weapon seize. Trips the opponent and prevents running away until the victim can wrestle free of the vine.

Naturalize: a dispel magic that removes up to 2 flags from the target. If it is good or evil, it instead removes up to 4.

Barkskin automastered.

Treeform automastered.

Entangle automastered.

I'm very interested in some neutral qclasses. This one has an interesting start, but seems a little thin. Maybe others can offer their input. The main issue I see here is that they're designed to be a force in the forest, but anyone wishing to avoid that can do so easily, leaving the faunite at a nigh-permanent disadvantage.

true volg until wild growth kicks in im going to have a drink and think this over- very ice start indeed. perhaps something of the bulding of armors or weapons like saders would be nice- herbs required instead- in a considerable more amount of course. application of starstone would be a nice point as well- seeing as they are still of a rare sort.

Perhaps some application of some elemental designs beyond the forest- such as water and fire as well- not to say be a fire faun ect- but say "kindle" could be like a camp-esque ability- or soak- allowing -aff spells ect.

as I said I wll come back to the subject after a beer

you have quite the noodle.

Considering how soon you offered an idea for the other players that wanted you to come up with something, I think it has a good foundation.

Requirements, I would prefer:

Race: Human

Class: Druid (maybe Ranger, maybe)

Align: Neutral

Faith: Nature

like Volg stated, there would be quite an obstacle to overcome... considering everyone would know their weakness and could easily use it. though, there could be skills/spells that negate some of these weaknesses (plausible weakness certainly) this may be the exact function of Wild Growth, if that is the case it would be a tad bit too powerful. I suppose it all depends on the mana cost and duration of the effect.

the abilities you've come up with are great, I would like to add a few

Photosynthesis: an auto-skill that reduces hunger, when mastered no longer needs to eat

A few selectable paths: One that focuses on poison (like the use of vermin [alternate and greater versions of insect plague]) or one that focuses on melee with creature/plant control

How about for Wild Growth....

The skill/spell would last X amount of time and whatever room your standing in or walk into suddenly grows wildly into a forest type room. Giving the class the bonuses it receives from being in a forested type area. And it could be a defense/attack. Lets say something similiar to terra shield and blades combined.

Could also give them thorn armor, where the attacker would receive a small amount of dmg for physically striking the player. Like fireshield/iceshield/steelwall etc.. It could have a small chance to say, give blood loss?

And instead of a poison or plague or insect swarm, like stated before.. They could give poison ivy or an improved version, poison oak. Just some ideas.

I'm bad with balance. Not sure how strong Q races should be. Thanks for the feedback and ideas

I think it would be more along lines of adopting the characteristics of plants that are natural to the type of terrain you are on, like a sort of hyper-evolution

I mean you see plants growing basically everywhere. And it could apply cool different effects to your plant self.

For instance, standing on water, all of the sudden you're a water plant, very hard to light one of those on fire, but also you conduct electricity VERY easily.

Could also add effects where you drench the target (lower their str, wet clothes weigh a bit more). Or you can use an ability called 'Undertow' where they are afflicted with drowning which deals progressively more damage the longer they are on water and removes flight.

For desert you could have something along the lines of weak to fire resistant to air. Have something like 'Spines' where whenever someone even swings at you they get hurt and poisoned. And an ability 'sandstorm' where you blind and disorient.

I can think of a lot more, but it would be something that would change depending on all the terrain types and would be very in depth, something that adds a lot of replayability and tactics to it. Because while you are always weak to something, you are also always strong to something.

I love that idea... it would really make you hyper-attentive to surroundings, and can pick your locations strategicially. Iiiiiinteresting.

I think it would be more along lines of adopting the characteristics of plants that are natural to the type of terrain you are on, like a sort of hyper-evolution

I mean you see plants growing basically everywhere. And it could apply cool different effects to your plant self.

For instance, standing on water, all of the sudden you're a water plant, very hard to light one of those on fire, but also you conduct electricity VERY easily.

Could also add effects where you drench the target (lower their str, wet clothes weigh a bit more). Or you can use an ability called 'Undertow' where they are afflicted with drowning which deals progressively more damage the longer they are on water and removes flight.

For desert you could have something along the lines of weak to fire resistant to air. Have something like 'Spines' where whenever someone even swings at you they get hurt and poisoned. And an ability 'sandstorm' where you blind and disorient.

I can think of a lot more, but it would be something that would change depending on all the terrain types and would be very in depth, something that adds a lot of replayability and tactics to it. Because while you are always weak to something, you are also always strong to something.

Very cool ideas, BUT this would be a greater downfall than you think. Your enemies would just fight in locations where they have the advantage over you. Oh, I'm a fire giant and your weak to fire in this type of area so I'm only going to hang around here. Now you stand no chance.

Or if you get water bonuses on water, good luck fighting a dwarf there. Know what I mean?

What if, instead of just getting the bonus while fighting on the terrain, if the Faunite could draw/store the essence of the area. Maybe only 1-2 essences could be stored at a time. A la Crusaders sading against a certain faction/race/class. Instead, the essences would provide whatever bonuses based on the terrain it was drawn from. Honestly, when I think of a neutral q race/class, and we're focusing on the Gaia pov(in a manner of speaking) I think of spirits. Everything living has some sort of life force, some sort of essence, some sort of spirit. The environment itself, as long as it is something common in nature(rivers, woods, deserts, volcanos, plains, etc..) could serve as a means to store the essence of that place for use somewhere else. Perhaps the faunite must perform some sort of ritual for a certain amount of ticks to receive a fully embodied essence from the said area. When it drains, he must return if he wishes to draw upon that essence again, or choose another. Due to the enormously diverse types of enemies of a neutral q race/q class, I think the ability to have a multitude of tools to help cover that large gap is paramount. Perhaps the essence could be used, or held, or worn-I really don't know. I like the idea of the terrains: after all, diverse environments are one of the masterpieces of Gaia. Something to not only utilize these, but encourage another aspect of RP that is reinforced by in game mechanics and progs, is a great idea, IMO.

I don't usually post my 2 cents when it comes to these things, but I do like this idea.

Edit: Not to mention, depending on what essence you are using at the current time, they could always have an interesting symbiosis with the surrounding environment. Very, very rough example: Being under the influence of the Essence of the Jungle, while in battle, draws forth thorny vines to help fight. The battle drags out and you find yourself fighting in the Volcano, at the Lava Flows. Suddenly, as the vines stretch forth to lash out, the are set ablaze. Viola-you now have fire vines. Make them deal fire damage, or have flaming bite, or...I dunno. Maybe the heat sears the edges and gives the vines the whisper flag.

Basically, the essences work in harmony with one another for the benefit of the Faunite.

First off race/class shouldn't be factor for application or eligibility. Druids allready have to be rangers and only a couple races. Neutrality and "dedication" should be the key. Plants do come in all shapes, sizes, and forms after all. Perhaps class before transition could determine some aspect of how the later evolves to combat the world around them. For instance a rangers barkskin become thornskin and insect swarm becomes Allergic Pollen. Wild Growth is interesting in that I can see it applied many differnt ways. Plants vary from the long growing tree rooted deep in the earth to fields of grass that spread like wild fire. Maybe paths could determine whether the being could root into the ground as stated initially or perform wild growth, each granting their own benefits. Love the idea of photosynthesis and the whole race should get it. Could see its effectiveness be based on the amount of light in a particular area. Also other than just a food advantage or instead slight hpgain/managain increase while sleeping. Entangling vines could be taken futher, make it stackable 1st use-movement drain, 2nd use-harder to land adds thunderclap like ability (lost in the woods), 3rd use-even harder but adds no recall effect on opponent. Much more in my head......most of this just feeding from what's allready been said.

I like the different terrain different abilities aspect. As long as the class gets bonuses in every area besides cities, they will be able to be balanced. There are already numerous terrain advantages/disadvantages in the game, and I rarely see stalemates where the dwarf wont' go on water to try and fight. Based on some of those abilties there would be some surprise aspect to it, and since it's build for Watcher essentially, they would have plenty of opportunity to ambush and get damage in prior to anyone getting away. I wouldn't give them any air thrash type ability if you are giving them a trip/weaponlock combo, as there are items and combo's out there to utilize that skill.

It's very interesting, the only downside I see is it's another restricted neutral quest class. Very like druid, where the RP limits what they really could do. But with a proper back story and such, I suppose you could fit them into syndi/savant no problem.

If the idea of different terrains granting different abilities and bonuses is ever implemented, I'd rather see it under the guise of a new class... like a geomancer or something. Why limit such a cool idea to just a couple of neutral q-race applicants?

I still want Blighters as a nuetral/evil class.

A couple of suggestions.

One, I would limit classes to non city dwellers. No thieves, no ninjas, bards I am on the fence.

Two, I would give them immunity to poison.

Three, I would give them the "old" ferocious perk, meaning they are undetected by aggressive mobs (forest only)

Just a couple of thoughts