Hi there!
Just browsing (I only found 1 other post regarding this right before I wanted to post mine and it was sort of just mentioned) and got some inspiration from ideas from the SW community and thought of the same few things, but thought I’d expand further in detail.
Suggestions on a New Class, The Beast Master / Beast Handler! Rooted deeply in Star Wars Lore, we first saw this sort of profession in the SW Universe in Episode VI, ROTJ, in the form of Jabba’s Rancor Handler, Malakili. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Malakili
SWG also had a Beast Master class as well, and it was a popular class, so maybe could take some key elements from there. Note, I never played SWG, when I wrote this, it was all straight from my head, so any sort of plagiarism is completely unintentional.
Just some of my ideas for this ‘wish’ class, which so far exist only in my, and other fans’ dreams. Feel free to comment(please don’t flame me or anything negative, only constructive feedback, pls! ty!) Suggestions are always welcome of course! Hope you’ll have a great read! Sorry for wall of text!
BEAST MASTER / BEAST HANDLER
Beast masters, also known as beast handlers or creature handlers, were masters who handled animals and often worked in circuses and arenas. They were also animal collectors for beautiful, dangerous and exotic animals from all over the Galaxy such as the Wampa, Nexu, Acklay, Narglatch, Rancor, Bursa, and Reek. Rare creatures collected by beas tmasters included the Gundark and the Ixzinian rock ram. Creatures such as the Wampa, Gundark, Hanadak and the Rancor were trained for the arena by beast masters. Jango Fett killed a beast master´s Borhek in a beast pit on Outland Transit Station.- Wookiepedia
The Beast Master is a suggested new class that can be Tank, Heal and DPS and will be available to both factions(to save on cost of VO and development and depending on this, might start in a higher level planet that is neutral, like say, Taris or Tattooine? and maybe start as level 30-40?), unlockable at a certain legacy.
Main Stat: Presence
Resource: Bond (The connection between the handler and his/her beast. Builds up/Depletes depending on advanced class)
Advanced Classes:
Beast Rider - Melee Tank, Melee DPS, Melee Heal
Pack Leader /Beast Herder - Ranged DPS, Range Heals
*Beast Rider*
The Beast Rider uses his uncanny abilities and faithful beasts to get into the thick of the fight, riding them to aid in their team’s victory.
Armor: Heavy
Weapons: Techstaff, Vibrosword
Beasts: Wampa, Acklay, Gundark, Kintan, Rancor(;P)..etc.(Large sized Beasts, to be specified for each talent trees?) Will work pretty much the same way as Ammo/Cylinders do, in that whichever beast you’re using or you have out will boost your stats or benefit your playstyle. Can be different for each faction(?). Possibly a 31 talent point ability.
Tech Trees:
*Behemoth (Melee Tank) - The Behemoth utilizes large beasts, riding them and using their beasts enormous size and strength to be the frontline and protect their teammates from harm.
Beasts:
Gundark/Wraid - Increases your defense chance by X% whenever you ride this beast.
Acklay/Yozusk - Increases your Shield/Absorb rating by X% whenever you ride this beast.
Terentatek - Increases your Endurance by X% and whenever you get damaged by force/elemental effects, you have a X% chance of gaining X% of your current HP back whenever you ride this beast.
Sample Talents/Skills:
Foul Spit - Fight opener, like saber throw, may be talented to deal Damage Over Time
Pounce - Your typical, standard leap or gap closer
Stampede - Your typical, standard AOE damage/aggro builder. Stuns and reduces armour
Aggressive Snarl - Single target taunt
Menacing Roar - AOE taunt
Hold You Down - Single target stun
Perfect Harmony - Both Rider and Beast in sync with each other, dealing X% more damage for next 3 attacks and taking X% less damage for X amount.
Harden Skin - Take no damage for X amount of seconds
Death Rattle - Last stand/endure pain sort of ability
Survival of The Fittest (top talent)- Your beast absorbs all incoming damage for X amount of seconds. After this time has elapsed, damage dealt to your beast during Survival of The Fittest is distributed to you and up to 3 other members of your group within a 10 yard range as health. 5 min cooldown
*Mauler (Melee DPS) - The Mauler utilizes medium sized, but fast and relentless beasts, riding them and using their beasts ferocity to leave a mangled mess of their enemy.
Beasts:
Nexu - Increases your Critical rating by X% whenever you ride this beast.
Tuk’ata - Increases your Surge rating by X% whenever you ride this beast. Also has X% to stun foes within a 5 yard range with all attacks.
Rabid Scyk - Has an X% chance of leeching HP from foes and does a bleeding damage for X amount of time. Can only occur once every X seconds. Does not stack.
Sample Talents/Skills:
Sic’em! - Your typical, standard leap or gap closer
Mean Swipe -Multiple target damage. Reduces armour, may be talented to deal Damage Over Time
Sink it Deep - Your beast sinks its fangs deep into your target, temporarily stunning your target for X seconds and dealing X amount of damage. May be talented to deal damage over time
Rallying Shriek - Increases critical chance of whole party by X% for X amount of time
Mangle - Your beast deals 3 unblockable attacks in quick succession
More than you can chew - your beast takes a big chunk out of your target, dealing X amount of damage, in exchange for 20% of your current HP
Cower - Aggro dump
Playing with food - Grants immunity for X amount of seconds. If you are taking damage during this phase. X% of damage is redirected to enemy target
Death Roll - Your beast clamps down hard on your target and performs a death roll, dealing X amount of damage over X amount of seconds that is uninterruptible. Channeled attack
Lion’s Share (top talent)- All Cooldowns are reset and your beast enters a state of bloodlust and does 300% damage over X seconds. Lion’s Share also applies bleeding over X seconds after initial damage boost. 5 min cooldown
*Den Guardian (Melee/Close Range Heals) - The Den Guardian utilizes beasts of different sizes to aid their team mates, envigorating them, protecting them from harm and preventing their comrades from falling.
Beasts:
Bormu - Increases your Bonus Healing by X% and range by X yards. Whenever you ride this beast, it reduces the pushback suffered when activating your healing abilities by 100% but your movement speed is slowed by X%.
Enhanced Chemilizard- Whenever you ride this beast, you have a 25% chance of activating X heals over X seconds on your target. Can only occur once every X seconds. Stacks.
Evolved K’lor’slug - Increases the effectiveness of your AOE heals by X% and your direct heals have a X% chance of jumping to another target within 15 yards for X% of your 1st heal.
Sample Talents/Skills:
Incapacitating Spit - Your beast spits at your target with sticky mucus, incapacitating them for X seconds
For the Den - AOE heal. Increases armour of any party member by X, within a X yard range for X amount of seconds, may be talented to deal heal over time
Protective Slime - Your beast covers your target with a protective slime that absorbs X damage for X amount of seconds.
Mother’s Cry - Reduces incoming damage by X% for X seconds for all group members within 30 yards
Healing Slime - Single target healing ability. 2.5 sec cast
Mother’s Sacrifice - You and your beast sacrifice X% of HP to regain X amount of bond
Lick Wounds - Small direct heal to your target, also dumps a small amount of aggro
Excessive Slime - Your beast sheds some of it’s excessive slime, healing evryone within a 10 yard radius. This ability is instant. After initial dump of excessive slime, you and your beast may move to any direction, while doing so, laying more slime on the ground for X seconds. Excessive slime on ground last for another X seconds, during which any member stepping on slime during this period will receive X amount of healing
Protective Instinct/Cocoon - Your beast pulls up to 3 targets closer to it within a 5 yard rangeand goes into a protective stance, absorbing X amount of damage dealt within a 5 yard range for X amount of time and healing those 3 players for X amount. After this duration, you and your beast takes X amount of damage dealt.
Smells Worst Inside - Battle Rez ability. Summons a Tauntaun for you to kill and place ally inside to resurrect fallen player (couldn’t resist! ;P)
Protect the Young (top talent)- Your beast goes into a healing trance, venting out healing mists through its pores and healing all allies within a 10 yard range and Absorbing all damage for X amount of time. No negative effects occur when this ability is used. 5 min cooldown
*Pack Leader / Beast Herder*
The Pack leader/Beast Herder utilizes his ‘status’ among his plethora of beasts to aid him and his/her team in dealing damage to enemies or supporting his/her allies through their sheer number and overwhelming power.
Armor: Medium
Weapons: Techstaff, Vibrosword
Beasts: Womp rats, Akk Dogs, Wingmaws, Flutterplumes, Lobels, Nerfs..etc(Small to Medium sized Beasts, usually pack animals, to be specified for each talent trees?) Will work pretty much the same way as Ammo/Cylinders do, in that whichever beast pack you’re using or you have out will boost your stats or benefit your playstyle. (A group of certain beast, around 3-4 will follow you around) Can be different for each faction(?). Possibly a 31 talent point ability.
Tech Trees:
*Alpha Beast (Ranged DPS, Burst) - The Alpha Beast commands utmost respect from his beasts and follows the Alpha into any battle obediently and with much fervor, attacking in large numbers.
Beast Packs:
Womp Rats - Has Rabid Bite buff which has X% chance of dealing X amount of damage over time for X seconds. Stackable.
Akk Dogs - Has Grievious Bite buff which increases your Critcal chance by X%
Wingmaws/Swoopstrikers - Has Harrowing Flap buff which increases attack power by X amount
Sample Talents/Skills:
Take ‘em Down - Your beasts charge your target and deal X damage
Tear It Apart - Your beasts attacks the target 3 times in quick succession
Kill Zone - AOE damage that also stuns and reduces armour to up to 4 targets.
Bite a Chunk Off - Your beasts deals a massive damage to target, single attack(from 3 beasts)
Corner It - Your beasts ’corners’ your ‘prey’ and prevents it from attacking. CC ability
Stay Down - Aggro dump
Beast Blitz - Your beast moves X% faster, deals X% more damage for X amount of seconds. Unblockable and uninterruptible
Cry for Help - Your beasts cry for help, increasing the critical chance of all party members within a 15 yard range
Leave a Mark - Your beasts bite down hard, leaving a ’scar’ on your target, dealing X amount of damage over time continuously until cured(in PVP. in PVE, there’s set amount of time) after initial damage
Feeding Frenzy (top talent)- All Cooldowns are reset and your beasts enters a state of bloodlust and does 300% damage over X seconds. Feeding frenzy also applies bleeding over X seconds after initial damage boost. 5 min cooldown
*Swarm Commander (Hybrid, AOE Range DPS, Utility?) - The Swarm Commander excels in utilizing his beasts to gain control of the fight zone, turning the tide to his/her party’s favor, while doing a decent amount of damage and adding to the carnage.
Beast Packs: (shares the same beasts with Hive Mind)
K’lor’slugs - Increases your Critical rating/Bonus healing by X% whenever you have this beast out.
Shyracks - Increases your Surge rating by X% whenever you have this beast out. Also lowers your targets accuracy by X%, causing them to miss with their attacks more.
Lobels - Has an X% chance of leeching HP from foes and distribute it among party members. Stackable
Sample Talents/Skills:
Sandworms Grip - Sandworms emerge from underneath your targets and incapacitates them in a death-like grip. May be talented to incapacitate up to 4 targets and deal damage over time
Swarm Barrage - You call out to more of your beasts(maybe all of them) to aid, dealing X damage to target and absorbing X amount of damage for X seconds. Swarm shifts focus of target to them and after duration, goes back to player with highest threat(in this case, Tank)
Swarm Slime - Your beasts covers up to 4 enemy targets within 15 yards in a coat of slime, rendering them unable to attack for X amount of seconds
Strength in Numbers - Increases endurance, critical chance and power rating of whole party by X% for X amount of time
Infestation - Your beasts infect target enemies with body parasites that burrow and attack your targets from the inside, causing them to ‘panic’. When targets are in ‘Panic’ state, they take damage over time for X seconds and after that duration, receive X damage when parasites burst out of targets.
Rain of Spit - Your beasts rain spit on the battlefield, dealing damage to multiple enemy targets
Back to the Den - Aggro dump
Parasitic Bond - Your beasts infects a target with a parasite that allows you to take over their target and use them against your enemy for X amount of time or until controlled target dies(control mind ability). May be talented to infect up to 3 targets
Slime Trail - Your beast lays down slippery slime over an area. Targets within 10 yards of this area have difficulty standing up. Last for X amount of time before Slime dries up.
Clean to the Bone (top talent)- Your beasts ‘devour’ your target, dealing Massive X amount of damage which is unblockable. May only be used on targets with HP 20% or below. After you use this ability, you feel a sense of ‘satisfaction’, gaining X amount of Heals (Killing Blow type of ability)
*Swarm Guardian/ Hive Mind (Range Heals) - The Swarm Guardian/ Hive Mind is truly unique among Beast Masters as they have accepted themselves as being one with their beasts and share almost everything with them. They utilize this unique bond to gain victory over their enemies and empower their allies to achieve this as well.
Beast Packs: (shares the same beasts with Swarm Commander)
K’lor’slugs - Increases your Critical rating/Bonus healing by X% whenever you have this beast out.
Shyracks - Increases your Surge rating by X% whenever you have this beast out. Also lowers your targets accuracy by X%, causing them to miss with their attacks more.
Lobels - Has an X% chance of leeching HP from foes and distribute it among party members. Stackable
Sample Talents/Skills:
Slug Pack - Places an enhanced K’lor’slug on the back of your party members that heals you for X amount of time. (Katsuyu-like ;P) Shows up as buff on your buff bar, when you click it, Slug will explode and heal player for remaining amount not consumed and gain immunity from all damage for 3 secs
Defensive Circle - Hive Mind summons a herd of Nerfs/Banthas that form a defensive circle around the Hive mind and all party members within 15 yards. Once inside the defensive circle, all party members inside this circle take 75% less damage for X amount of seconds and gains X amount of health. All enemies within 5 yards of the Hive Mind when Defensive Circle is cast are knocked back out of the circle.
Stampede - Summons a Herd of Nerfs/Banthas to stampede on an area, damaging multiple targets
Hive Cocoon - Your beast covers your target with a protective slime that absorbs X damage for X amount of seconds. May be talented to target up to 4 allies. Once in Hive Cocoon, targets are unable to move for X seconds until ability has finished. If cancelled prematurely, Hive cocoon heals that player for X amount
Protect the Hive - Hive mind summons a swarm of insect drones to surround the party, reduces incoming damage by X% for X seconds for all group members within 30 yards
Healing Spit - Single target healing ability. 2.5 sec cast
Life for the Hive - You and your beast sacrifice X% of HP to regain X amount of bond
Nurture - Small direct heal to your target, also dumps a small amount of aggro
Smells Worst Inside - Battle Rez ability. Summons a Tauntaun for you to kill and place ally inside to resurrect fallen player (couldn’t resist! ;P)
The Hive Provides - A hive worm emerges from the ground and consumes/swallows enemy target. Once enemy is consumed/swallowed, hive worm becomes attackable to allies and susceptible to damage and stays out for unlimited time until any member of the party kills this hive worm. Once hive worm dies, it heals all friendly players within a 15 yard radius for X amount over X time. Hive Mind may only use The Hive Provides on enemy targets with less than 20% HP and only 5 Hive Worms may be active at one time.
One Hive, One Mind (top talent)- Instant, when activated, boosts/doubles all(certain) abilities casted by all members of the party for 6 secs. I.e., for Tanks, endure pain type ability lasts twice as long or reflect types reflect twice the amount, for DPS classes, DPS boosts type of abilities twice as long or dishes out twice the amount of damage, and for Healing classes, heals twice the amount or HOTs last twice as long and heals everyone in the Ops group. 10min cooldown
There you have it, ideas for Beast Master, hope you had a good read! Ty again!
*I know a Rancor Pet/mount should be there, but I sort of thought of these things in here are sort of more feasible in terms of what’s already in game and just needs a little modification. I just felt rancors are a bit too big to be implemented as part of a new class. Imagine the mayhem and lag and FPS loss or smoething, if the Beast Rider had a rancor... ;P