Class specific gear

[Tnem]

Back in the old days different classes geared differently. In the new age of drak there seems to be less of a focus on designed gear that suite a class and designing catch all items.

I would prefer to hark back to the old days and remove some gear (by force or by obsolescence) such as the NL plate. For a start whoever saw a barbarian, martial artists, healer (maybe this one) or mentalist in plate armour. Instead introduce custom armour for the different classes.

On an unrelated note (ish) I like items that give you primal disciplines to cast (titan helm), but could we please have an option to add it to the macro bar (without having to hack it). Also I think that this system could be taken advantage of more by adding more items with it. This is where it relates to the above suggestion, by changing "catch-all" gear to class specific gear with class specific primal disciplines in them you will highlight the advantages/disadvantages of each class more.

For instance (and these are only quick examples):

Barbarian Fur
Looks like fur
High offence adds
Thundering Rampage: All characters (enemies and allies) are knocked back, chance of primal stun, your current target is subject to a highly powered fury round, lasts 1 round, castable every 40

Paladin Armour
Looks like a set of full plate
High defence adds
Heroic Aegis: You become unhittable for 5 rounds and the defence of party members is boosted, castable every 50 rounds.

Mentalist Vestments
Looks like a fancy robe thing (imagine merlin not a bloke wearing plate)
Small defence adds
High Increase in psionic stuff (max ep, ep regen ...)
Specteral Form: You gain damage cutting (1/2) and heightened psionic abilities (ep regen, max ep ...) for 5 rounds, castabled every 25

Healer Trappings
Some ornate robe thing
Medium defence adds
Medium Increase in psionic stuff (max ep, ep regen ...)
Invigorating Radiance: Blinds, Stuns and Harms all enemies, Heals all Allies (like primal power word heal, blind stun and death in one), lasts 1 round, castable every 15

Thief Guise
Light leather armour
Small defense and offense adds
Increased sneakiness (agility)
Hide in Plain Sight: Allows the thief to hide without needing to be next to wall, lasts 15 rounds, castable every 50

Martial Artist Pyjamas
Looks like some black pyjamas
Medium defence/offence adds
I don't know mas enough to think up an ability for them but some death punch thing, I dunno.

Fighter Mentalist
Looks like a set of half plate
Medium defence/offence adds
Medium increase in psionic stuff (max ep, ep regen ...)
Ankors Tactics: Each melee hit does fire/ice/acid damage as well, lasts 10 rounds, castable every 30

These are just ideas and would need to be balanced ... its mostly to provide an idea of what could be done.

[Merlin]

loving the ideas, keep them coming, perhaps Darge could work his magic on some graphics for Brad, the most likely hood of these entering the game i think are as quriks.

since there similar stuff there now, but it would be cool to make it gear adds.

The thing about the healer? Blind? thats not gonna work, not wiht brads flee/heal code in most high end lairs.

[Quaternion]

I like the idea of class specific gear too and the examples given. It would certainly add to the variety of playing different classes which would be a good thing.

I would also like to suggest that items could be given a high level of random stats. I always enjoyed finding a new hp helm/ep helm, or finding a +2 char ring etc.

For example, taking tnems idea of thief guise and have:

random add to agility in range +2 to +4
random combat adds in range +5 to +7
random defence adds in range -3 to -1

These items could be severly weighted to lower end of drops and thus higher stat drops would become prized items.

[GenRalph]

Excellent ideas.

Along this line the item when worn could bestow a sliding (1-3) + to skill level. Ments & Healers would get psi, thiefs get thief.....

Options for the mele wheapon classes (Barbs, Pallies, FM's?) could be

1. get a + skill lvl to the wheapon in right hand
2. +skill to a specific wheapon class and the wheapon class could be random giving the opportunity for variety in build.
3. Or put the + skill and other buffs on a wheapon of each type.

I realize psi classes have some of this already, however im thinking instead of having one item type with +6 skill lvls that there would be new items in each gear type with a smaller skill bonus. Blend this in with some of the other wonderful suggestions to open up a real diversity in gear build, even within each class.