ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/Chronomancer profession

(Discussion)
Chronomancer – The Profession time forgot.

I. The Chronomancer - For the skimmer: a quick explanation of the basic concept, attributes, strengths, weaknesses and originality.

II. Tactics - For those with some time on their hands, a brief illustration of a few battle strategies.

III. Skills - For the ambitious reader, a tentative list of skills.

I. THE CHRONOMANCER

Background:

Chronomancers are an elite corps of ‘battle mages’. In combat, these warrior wizards rely upon martial and magical arts to expertly dispatch enemy soldiers. Protected by powerful armour, they are moving fortresses in combat. Chronomancers study the arcane and learn to manipulate the temporal plane. When entering the frenzy, their presence disrupts the very fabric of time; nearby enemies are paralyzed and allies move with bizarre quickness.

Function:

The Chronomancer is a melee class that warps time to his team’s advantage. He enters the fray and acts as a moving ward, affecting all characters around him. He is powerfully protected behind sturdy armour. At the expense of energy, he may bash adjacent opponents with magically charged attacks.

Attributes:

1) Temporality (primary) – Augments auras' effects by 0…25%.

2) Acceleration – Improves spells which speed up time.

3) Detention – Affects skills that slow and reverse time.

4) 'Was yet to be announced?'

Strengths:

1) Next to the warrior, the Chronomancer has the strongest armour in the game.

2) The Chronomancer has powerful auras which affect ALL surrounding players.

Weaknesses:

1) He does little damage. Truly effective attacks require lots of Energy.

2) The Chronomancer may only use one aura at a time.

3) Quick to fall fool to energy bankruptcy.

Originality:

Time Control

The Chronomancer’s first major innovation is time control. He may establish one aura at a time (essentially a self-targeted enchantment that is uninterruptible once in effect). Alternatively, he has a vast array of single-targeted skills. It is a powerful aspect of the class, and if used effectively, can wreak havoc on the battlefield. Although impressive, time manipulation has its costs. Auras are extremely expensive, require slow preparation, and affect ALL nearby players, including the Chronomancer himself!

TACTICS:

Pariah

The Chronomancer's most valuable role is that of a pariah. In group situations where his team is losing the fight, the Chronomancer is skilled at clearing out crowds so that his allies may regroup. He enters the fray until he is situated in the opponents' midst. At this point the Chronomancer casts Time Sink, Bystander and Repeat. All nearby players are slowed while the Chronomancer moves and attacks at normal speed, dealing double damage to his opponents. Melee fighters will try to escape the area, and if enemy ranged players decide to pummel the area with projectiles, the Chronomancer switches his aura to Stop or Reverse Flight, nullifying the incoming barrage.

Backline Support

Alternatively, the Chronomancer may stay back with the ranged and magic-using characters, greatly increasing their effectiveness. Although highly energy-consuming to the Chronomancer, simultaneously activating Augmented Regeneration, Instantaneous Magic, and Déjà Vu is well worth the cost. Mages and Monks are able to cast much more quickly. Spell Stagger could be thrown in to the mix, compounding the rapid succession of an ally's spell effects into one extremely powerful punch. Another option would be to stand directly in the middle of ally spellcasters and cast Revert, which returns their energy back to prior levels.

Disruptor

Yet another tactic is that of a disruptor. The Chronomancer can effectively nullify enemy spellcasters, particularly when they are grouped together. Once nearby, he casts Detained Minds, hindering the enemy mages' effectiveness. In order to avoid suffering the aura's effects, the targets will try to retreat rather than fight back. While some may be able to flee, a selected target has no chance of escape. Unfortunately for the victim, the Chronomancer is adept at pursuit. By simply casting Time Sink and Timewalker, the foe is now hopelessly slow. Easily catching up to his prey, the Chronomancer will incapacitate the target with powerful spells.

SKILLS:

Temporality

Timewalker – Elite Aura. For the next 1...8 seconds, you and nearby allies are immune to time-related effects.

Chronological Attunement – Enchantment. For the next 5…25 seconds, auras' time-related effects on you are increased by 110%...200%.

Bystander – Enchantment. For the next 4…16 seconds, you are impervious to auras’ effects.

Temporal Vigor - Enchantment. For 60 seconds, whenever one of your auras ends, you gain 2...7 energy.

Acceleration

Time Vortex – Aura. For the next 3…10 seconds, you and all nearby allies move and attack 25% faster.

Swift Thoughts – Aura. For the next 2…8 seconds, you and all nearby allies’ casting times are 25% faster.

Augmented Regeneration – Aura. For the next 10 seconds, you and all nearby allies’ health and energy regenerate 25%...100% faster than normal.

Instantaneous Magic – Enchantment. For the next 5 seconds, target ally casts spells 25%...100% faster.

Swift Shooting – Enchantment. For the next 2…7 seconds, target ally’s projectiles are twice as fast.

Déjà Vu – Elite Enchantment. For 1...6 seconds, target ally’s next spell is cast twice and costs 5...10 less energy.

Time Loop – Hex. For 5… 10 seconds, target enemy casts his next spell twice instead of once. Afterwards, all skills with the same attribute are disabled for 5… 10 seconds.

Repeat - Aura. For 5...17 seconds, whenever an adjacent enemy takes damage, he is hit twice.

Regression

Lapse – Enchantment. In 3…10 seconds, target ally’s health and energy will revert to their current levels unless he or she is killed.

Revert – Elite Enchantment. In 3...10 seconds, the health and energy of you and all nearby players reverts back its current status unless player is killed.

Stop – Enchantment. For the next 4…12 seconds, all nearby projectiles in the area, even those of your allies, are nullified.

Reverse Flight - Enchantment. For the next 3...10 seconds, all nearby projectiles in the area, even those of your allies, return and deal damage to their source.

Instant Aging – Aura. For the next 5…17 seconds you and all nearby enemies’ health and energy regenerate 25% slower.

Detained Minds – Aura. For the next 3…10 seconds, you and all nearby enemies’ skills recharge and casting times are 25% slower.

Time Sink – Aura. For the next 4…14 seconds, you and all nearby enemies move and attack 25% slower.

Return to Youth - Elite Aura. For the next 10 seconds, the primary attribute of you and all adjacent enemies drops 1...5 levels.

Spell Stagger – Enchantment. For the next 5…10 seconds, target ally's spells have no effect. When this enchantment ends, all spells' effects occur simultaneously.

Temporal Prison – Elite Spell. For 5…10 seconds, target other player moves and attack 75% slower but evades all attacks and spells.


 * Why this is a good idea
 * Chronomaster had already been partially developed for the 4th chapter, Guild wars: Utopia, which was abandoned in favor of GW:EN and GW2.


 * Why it may not work out
 * The game is already complicated enough without adding an extra level of complication through the addition of an extra profession.
 * Spell example are kinda pointless as we dont know what form PvE/PvP play is going to take. We dont even know if their will be elite spells and Chants and enchantments etc....


 * Would need some serious balancing, some of those skills just scream exploit <-- Skills will be reworked and redone in GW2, skill examples are rather pointless aside for getting a feel of the profession, ANet won't clone unbalancedness.