ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/The Shapeshifter

Shapeshifter (Discussion)===

I think a shapeshifter would be a very fun and versatile profession. They would be able to shape shift into different creatures, that have there own set of skills and specially abilities. Kinda like a cross between the Dervish Elite Avatar Forms and the Norn Ursan/Raven/Wolfen spirit Elites.

This would be good cause you could remain in that shape until either the time runs out (like 10mins to an hour), death, getting on a mount (if GW2 has them), talking to a Merchant/NPC/trading with players, or you wish to change back. (Or you could have a similar system to the Norn Animal Spirit skills, and you change back when you run out of energy).

You could have a different form, with different abilities for each occasion i.e a Raptor or Cheetah for running faster, a Naga or Fishy thing for swimming better, a mini dragon or giant bear for power, a fox or large cat for better stealth, fire Djinn for fire damage & fire skills & Burning, Shirokin for Slashing damage & conditions like bleeding cripple deep wound, Ice elemental for Cold damage & Slow/miss hexes, One for earth,air,blunt,tanking,speed, bit of team support etc etc. Each form would have pros and cons, boosts and balancers.

You could have up to, lets say, 4 forms in your Skillbar at one time, and maybe some enchants, skills or shouts that lengthen or enhance their effects. But obviously, could only be in one form at once. the recharge of each form would have to be relatively slow, or else switching from one to another and back again too quickly could unbalance the profession. As you get further in the game, the forms available would increase in number, and be stronger. The Elite ones (if elites are in GW2) could be very awesome indeed.

You could be able to use any weapon you wanted when not in a form, as "Striking power" could make that stronger, or you could fight with fists when not in a form, or you could use a staff or wand set. But as each form is, if you like, your weapon...you would only need one-like a staff- for combat when your level 1 or w/e and for when casting the buff enchants, skills or shouts.

The Attributes could be (please excuse crappy names! got an essay to finish)...

Shapeshifting- Increases the power of and the length of each form. Most forms dedicated to this attribute.

SOMETHING- Increases length and power of enchants that buff forms/player. enchantment skills that buff player dedicated to this attribute.

Striking Power- Increases Damage output of each form AND your weapon. Some- more damage orientated forms- could be dedicated to this attribute

Survivability- (PRIMARY) Increases Energy and Health a little, and gives you a bit of a health regen boost for 6 seconds, +3 seconds per rank in Survivability, when a form ends. Some forms, like healing or buffing ones, could be dedicated to this attribute.

SOMETHING ELSE- Increases forms chance to gain health or energy when they hit a target (like critical strikes but for health/energy instead of extra damage). Skills and shouts that buff player are dedicated to this attribute.

Suggestion
I don't think you should be able to have loads of forms available in one skill bar. You could easily swap form depending on your enemy and this would be unfair. I love the idea, but maybe keep it to 2 forms at once and if GW2 has elites, only 1 elite and no other form skills.

This is a good idea but it could also be called a druid
 * Why this is an awesome idea!
 * Cause it is very versatile
 * It would be great to be able to play and look like lots of different animals that arent a playable race
 * Not many other games have Shapeshifting as a proffession
 * It would be great fun
 * Would make players more adaptable to different environments-- if they have to correct skill
 * Why ever not?
 * I came up with this in about 15mins...imagine how good this could be if a professional improved on it
 * Would give GW2 some more competetive value (WoW druids are getting pissed and want a change = many have promised to buy GW2 if it offers something similar to a feral druid)
 * If shapeshifting has been promised to us, why make it some lame bear form for warrior norns that just adds hundreds of health and some armor?
 * Easily bored players (like me) get something they can REALLY alter from the fly
 * For balancing, keep shapeshifting as the main and ONLY thing for the class, adding possibility for a healer and a caster will most likely screw things up - could do with a basic 'Healing sig' type healing skill though, or self-enchants that can increase form duration etc :)


 * Why it may not work out
 * Could be slightly unbalanced, if not very careful
 * Armour and weapons may not be visable for alot of the time...could be annoying (but i think having different forms would be better to look at than the same old armour all the time)
 * Is a teeny bit similar to God Avatars...only animal based and has own set of skills and uses.
 * Enormous amount of programming if not using existing monsters' model. You could use already existing creature/enemy skins - that suit the attributes/ bonus' the skills give. (e.g.Firebased skinned creature for the Form that uses fire damage i.e. Flame Djinn)
 * Travel forms might not be necessary (map travel?) - people still need to walk places-- could be useful to get to an NPC/quest in the middle of no-where faster (i.e. villany of galrath quest in the middle of kryta) or for sneaking/Taxi/Running...if thats possible in GW2
 * a water form might give way too much of an advantage (wouldn't be the first time someone drowns a noob warrior into the ocean <_< ) - then thats the noob war's fault isnt it :P -- Yes but you know how warriors get when they get owned, and sins too *faint*
 * Most likely would only be availabe for Norn (lore) which might piss some people off (then again, I don't see Night Elf or Tauren druids of WoW whining) - well norn race isnt too bad, you get to be a large blonde with height issues ^^
 * Other than for the animal blessings, the forms would make no sense -- yeah they do, you use the special abilities/characteristics of another form to your advantage... -> Which is not logical lore wise or any other wise. Why would you suddenly be able to shapshift into a fire elemental? This is not Neverwinter Nights. -> well i have never played Neverwinter Nights.. nor heard of it lol, but you could have that view with any profession...why and how did ppl gain the power to lets say, raise the dead, or control the elements- without blaming gods because gods could bestow this ability too...but any way it doesnt have to make perfect sense its just an idea to make the game more interesting and fun. Who wouldnt want to suddenly turn into a burning djinn when the person next to you in a lift decides to press the buttons for all 35 floors -.-' ;P -- Yeah well people have different views but usually game industry just doesn't work that way, but we'll see I guess. And by the way: Necromancers can raise the dead cos' they worship Grenth ;)

Suggestion
This is a great idea and I love it, but i just taught it would be cool if you could change/transform just one body part with one skill (i am saying it would be nice and cool if you could have the arm like flesh golem or something like that :D).

And you could have skills like:

"stone skin" for higher DEF.

"dragon breath" spell... doing fire DMG

"genes of strength" bonus DMG

"bloody roar" if you have less then ... health you are healer for .....

"thorny skin" every time you take DMG by physical atack your atacker take .... DMG.

"full moon night" your transformatin skills least .... longer.

"brutal chop" atack skill....

"killing pulse" increase atack spead..

"instinct moves" evade enemy atacks for ... sec

"glowing eyes" next time you atack (melee, atack skill, spell) you make a critical hit...

This could be the perfect mix of atack skills and spells.


 * Why this is an awesome idea!

- i always wanted to have that big arm of flesh golem :P

- great mix of atack skills and spells (like dervish but different :P)

- exciting to play

- something new


 * Why it may not work out:

- hard to conect them with other Professions (wepons and skills)

- you could look strange whit tahat big arms, legs, heds...

- Would be much harder to animate/model/program than an actual shapeshifter

- Again, does it make sense when connected to lore?