In my opinion, that class has been screaming for a major overhaul for quite a long time now. Perhaps the following can inspire with that. These are just general guidelines, I do not claim this to be balanced, though I've tried to think about it.

--------------------

A true Shaman of the wild is mysterious and strange, at one with the wilderness and in league with the spirits that inhabit it. They work themselves into a feverish condition, that gives them knowledge and foresight into forbidden lore, unheard of by any other mortal. They are truth Sayers, prophets, healers and leaders of men, but also crazy hermits, sometimes. For that they are respected, but mostly feared, for a Shaman’s life seems very alien to anyone else, yet all come to the Shaman, when they need his help. Some Shaman’s may prefer to live in solitude, alone within their element, while other’s prefer to live out their lives as leaders and wise men, amongst those who seek to profit from their knowledge. Regardless of their personal preferences, all Shamans pray to the gods, and must be empowered by the deity they worship to gain any but the most basic abilities. Because they deal with the spirits of the wild and the souls of the long perished, they shun the Light. Because of their intimate relation with the lands they dwell in, they chose not to use any metal.

Shamans must be neutral or evil.


Skills:
1:
Staff
Spear
Dagger
Mace
Whips
Staves
Recall (100%)

4:
Quiet movement

5:
Dark vision

8:
Find food

(Using the respect people have for his abilities, a Witchdoctor demands food from the people around him. A wilderness Shaman, will forage for food in the wild)

9:
Kick

10:
Light Armor Use,
Meditation

12:
Dirt Kick

15:
Second Attack

17:
Parry

20:
Spirit Howl (like warcry, but with a slight chance of causing a minor –morale)
Trance

22:
Fast Healing

24:
Camouflage

25:
Enhanced Damage
Hand to Hand




Supps:
2:
Refresh

4:
Mend Wounds (Shaman only)
Faerie Fire

5:
Know Alignment

6:
Evil Eye (like Afflict, but with a slight chance of causing a minor –morale)

7:
Cure Poison

10:
Poison

11:
Haven

12:
Transmute metal to wood

13: Blindness

15:
Cure Blindness
Curse

18:
Faerie Fog

19:
Spirit Realm

(traversing the realm of the dead for only a moment, a Shaman can by pass physical boundaries, and go to his enemies in a straight line.)
Like gate, but within the same area only.

20:
Frenzy
Damnation

21:
Protective Shield

22:
Fatigue

24:
Translucency

(Tightening his grip on the spirit realm, the Shaman becomes incorporeal)

25:
Identify

26:
Cancellation

27:
Locate (non-metal) object

28:
Call Lightning

30:
Sanctuary

34:
Gate

(Using the Spirit realm to their fullest advantage, a Shaman can gate from on location to another.)

36:
Aristaeia
Visions of the Past

(I don’t know how a Ranger’s track skill works, exactly, but this would allow you to do the same, except it does not require you to physically be there. It can show you the last known location of the target you seek. This vision fades over time.)

38:
Spirit Host

(Spirits and the souls of the dead, that roam the wild, hang around the Shaman, haunting and teasing his foes.

They may: (ordered descending by likelihood of occurring)
1. Distract the Shaman’s foes, causing a feint.
2. Send a chill up their hearts, causing –morale
3. Strike out to the living, causing wrath damage
4. Join with the Shaman’s soul, healing him.
5. Send visions from beyond the grave to the foes, filling them with fear
6. Break free into the spirit realm. This will harm the Shaman.

They stay with him for as long as the supplication lasts.)

40:
Wither

44:
Rot

>In my opinion, that class has been screaming for a major
>overhaul for quite a long time now.

I agree with you up to this point. Everything beyond that, I don't agree with. Shamans aren't druids. Shamans aren't rangers. I have always viewed them similiarly to paladins (religious zealot), but the difference lies in that the paladins lean more towards the warrior end of the spectrum focusing on weapons, and the shamans lean towards the mage end of the spectrum focusing on damage/maladicting through communing.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

I always like change and customization so, thumbs up for the idea.

However, I think we also need a Christian class. I can think of some pretty interesting abilities for them but since I don't want to offend anyone, I'll just snicker to myself. Maybe Jewish to, oh...or even Islamic.

Just my tiny rant I tend to get on when certain key words are used. No offense and keep the ideas coming!



~There is a cure for ignorance, not stupidity.~

However, there's this little problem with Jesus getting pulled aside for a little chat about proper names.

The only somewhat and slight similar relation I can think of would be Aradia and I don't seem to remember a goddess on CF by that name. As far as Shamanism goes, it would depend on the culture. A few did have "Jesus-like" figures who someone may have created a character around and Immed.

My reply was actually more of a light-hearted poke at the use of certain words and an attempt to show that using "Shaman" is not any different from using "Christian", "Jew", or any other similar religious name.

It was not a complaint or anything along those lines.

It was all in fun, for the most part.

Cheers!

As a side note, Amaranthe's(sp) religion was a lot like a real one and everyone seemed fine with it but I remember a few people being outspoken about Muhadin(sp) because of its similarity to yet another religion. I wouldn't be surprised if both (and maybe others) were based off of real religions. Just an amusing observation.

And would thus make cheesy, far-fetched class name. AFAIK, you don't call every follower of a shamanistic religion a shaman, just the priest.

Also, term shaman is used more broadly, used to refer to priests of multiple local religions, as there is no English word for their native word and shaman is used as a translation. Thus, shaman is a much better choise for a class name than rabbi, for example, which is only used to refer to a priest of one religion. General concepts like priest and cleric cannot be used as they refer to empowerment classes as whole.

In my opinion, the best alternative for shaman I can think of is inquisitor, but I do wonder if people think that it is too christian.

PS. It was al in fun in my post too.

.

nt

Having two of the four empowerment classes being based in the wilds is a terrible idea to begin with. And you have to take into account you're viewing shamans in your own perspective.When I think of shamans, I think of like some tribal witchdoctor.

I agree a revamp for them would be nice, and you're format and ideas are great.. but putting a wildnernessy focus on them isn't the way to go. Especially from an Imperial perspective, what shaman can be about civilization and then go hide in the woods where his "strengths" are? Just dosen't work.

You'll notice that he has lost all nature related skills/sups. He only gains herbal medicine, because he's also the village/towns medicine man and healer.

You know, like those Inca/Mayan sacrificial rituals guys.

Sacrifice of something worthy for something worthy. Keeping up the momentum.

The most powerful spirits are those who sacrificed and were sacrificed. The most powerful medicines come with a curse assuring death one way or another. And the greatest source of mana is blood.

Furthermore, I think Seantryn Modan must be destroyed.

Totemic Shaman

Standing close to the Spirit Realm, a Totemic Shaman can quickly summon forth extra-natural beings and find strength within the spirits of the wild. They are revered as wisemen, and talk with the Undead

Lose Enhanced Damage, Spear and Staff

1:
Scrolls

9:
The Spirits’ Embrace

Works like Chill Touch, but with a minor chance of a -morale

14:
Find Totem

A ‘random’ chance to get one of the more mundane looking familiars.
Coyote, Owl, …

25:
Mystical Armor Use

28:
Speak with Spirits

38:
Spirit Guardian

42:
Spirit Howl

Hermit

The Hermit is an alienated loner. He spents all of his time alone, thinking about things other people would never contemplate. The exact opposite of a Witchdoctor, he has rejected the rules of the city, and went deep into the wild. More occupied with self-reflection than his fellows Shamans, he has lost his connection to the Spirit Realm entirely.

Loses: Light Armor Use, Whip and Dagger, Spirit Realm, Translucency, Gate and Spirit Host

Terrain Options:
Caverndweller, Marshdweller, Mountaineer, Plainsrunner

(Wilderness Shaman lose what Rangers would lose, for that terrain option. If the Hermit has the skill, ofcourse)

1:
Axe

12:
Pathfinding

16;
Pugil

20:
Dual Wield

24:
Third Attack

28:
Control Weather

30:
Creep

40:
Snare

Witchdoctor

Having turned his back to the wild, a Witchdoctor has chosen to remain close to the villages and towns of the world, to be a leader among men. He only goes out to the border of the wild, to gather the herbs he needs.

Loses Mace, Camouflage and Call Lightning

1:
Flail

4:
Herbal Medicine

13:
Haunt

(Replaces Blindness. Blinds the Witchdoctor’s foes, with a chance of causing –morale)

24:
Demoralizing Laughter

Haunted by voices of the spirits, a Witchdoctor’s laughter may cause panic in the hearts of even the bravest of his foes

(Works like an Orcs Demoralize)

32:
Call Minions

A group of his followers show up, and start to beat on their leader’s foes. They come because their fear there master’s wrath, but they fear death more, and do not seek it. They will flee at the first sign of real danger.

(Their wimpy is fixed to 50%, if they flee they blend into the crowd and vanish. Civilized terrain only)

38:
Voodoo Doll

Sapping into his foes soul deeper than any other Shaman, he is now connected to that person’s soul. Focusing his power on an rapidly constructed doll, which resembles his victim, a Witchdoctor can use his damnation to full effect. It’s duration is longer, and the Witchdoctor can inflict pain to the victim from a distance, once every two hours, as long as the damnation lasts.

(The pain can vary from scratches to EVISCERATES, based on target’s int and svs. Only on people damned by the Witchdoctor himself)