- Nov 8, 2020
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While I was working through the liche wishlist some stuff came up I think might be appropriate for banshees.
From a cosmetic perspetive I traditionally imagined banshees as a sort of wraith with a rude scream, but given the lore makes them more physical I've been thinking this over and 2 things strike me as appropriately thematic for physical magic artistic influence. The first being Voo Doo (or various alternate spellings) and the second being cenobites from hellraiser. Also the model for the character for LoK Dead Sun (Gein) also keeps jumping out at me as kind of a hybrid of these things for visual inspiration. Traditionally banshees also pull from Fae lore, but I'm not sure that's thematically appropriate as the game goes more in the undeath direction.
For power sets I'm imagining obviously first, a sonic scream cone (that could be upgraded to a radial PBAoE) that applies a massive debuff and possibly slows/stuns/damages the living. This should also apply increased damage from banshees to affected enemy targets beyond whatever global debuffs they have, meaning the ability supports the team, but also is inherently better for this class. This is to annotate that banshees are considered to herald the death of a family member, ie, gives them a sort of reaper aspect.
Additionally having a good amount of hexes/curses to debuff enemies, particularly bosses stands out as this fits both the voo doo notions and the notion of traditional Irish cursed banshee legends. Because suffering and banshees are pretty much siblings, some self mutilation mechanics for the spells seems also appropriate, ie, you expend both mana and physical to cast certain effects.
Also chains. Lots of summoned, cenobite, fast moving, hooked and barbed chains. The notion of banshee's and chains resonates strongly. Having an entangle spell and a damage spell for this seems necessary. Importantly, these should not be spectral chains like you might seen on a wraith, but very physical and very real chains. This should be upgradable to include more targets affected and more range.
Traditionally Voo Doo also has raising the dead as well, but that's something that's already put on the liche. I'd suggest considering that they might be able to summon zombies as a type of spec they can go into, but that their top tier summoning is minimal by comparison to a liche that specializes in this.
Thematically betrayal is also a common theme with banshee lore, usually what causes them to take this form. I'm not certain I can come up with a good mechanic for this though, since using an ability that hampers the party will make other players dislike you, and not using it makes it a non choice.
Draining enemies via touch is likely a good animation set for them as this A) keeps them towards the front of the battlefiend and B) is thematically appropriate.
A standard fear spell is likely appropriate as well, but that's probably baseline to wraiths, banshees and liches.
Hatred of the living could make a good passive ability (or set of abilities) in that they gain X bonuses against all mortal humanoids, this wouldn't apply to other meta creatures such as beasts, werewolves, other undead, dragons and other identity tags that may show up later.
In short this sets the banshee apart from the revenant by focusing on battlefield control and debuffing and more or less being a front line spellblade sort, which the revenant is more likely to be more focused on shredding armor, generating threat, and other traditional warrior-type abilities whereas wraiths are likely to be more support DPS casters.
edit: Banshee's feed from the suffering they inflict, banshee mana is restored by damage they inflict including damage over time effects. Consequently abilities that ignore pain like the revenant design I have up, don't trigger this regen.
edit: Banshee movement uses their chains as a speedy grappling hook style traversal. They can spec into levitation if they wish.
Edit: Mist/fog powers should accompany the chains, some kind of AoE summon effect
Edit quick mock ups: (Legal: I do not own the assets, just edited them for personal use)
From a cosmetic perspetive I traditionally imagined banshees as a sort of wraith with a rude scream, but given the lore makes them more physical I've been thinking this over and 2 things strike me as appropriately thematic for physical magic artistic influence. The first being Voo Doo (or various alternate spellings) and the second being cenobites from hellraiser. Also the model for the character for LoK Dead Sun (Gein) also keeps jumping out at me as kind of a hybrid of these things for visual inspiration. Traditionally banshees also pull from Fae lore, but I'm not sure that's thematically appropriate as the game goes more in the undeath direction.
For power sets I'm imagining obviously first, a sonic scream cone (that could be upgraded to a radial PBAoE) that applies a massive debuff and possibly slows/stuns/damages the living. This should also apply increased damage from banshees to affected enemy targets beyond whatever global debuffs they have, meaning the ability supports the team, but also is inherently better for this class. This is to annotate that banshees are considered to herald the death of a family member, ie, gives them a sort of reaper aspect.
Additionally having a good amount of hexes/curses to debuff enemies, particularly bosses stands out as this fits both the voo doo notions and the notion of traditional Irish cursed banshee legends. Because suffering and banshees are pretty much siblings, some self mutilation mechanics for the spells seems also appropriate, ie, you expend both mana and physical to cast certain effects.
Also chains. Lots of summoned, cenobite, fast moving, hooked and barbed chains. The notion of banshee's and chains resonates strongly. Having an entangle spell and a damage spell for this seems necessary. Importantly, these should not be spectral chains like you might seen on a wraith, but very physical and very real chains. This should be upgradable to include more targets affected and more range.
Traditionally Voo Doo also has raising the dead as well, but that's something that's already put on the liche. I'd suggest considering that they might be able to summon zombies as a type of spec they can go into, but that their top tier summoning is minimal by comparison to a liche that specializes in this.
Thematically betrayal is also a common theme with banshee lore, usually what causes them to take this form. I'm not certain I can come up with a good mechanic for this though, since using an ability that hampers the party will make other players dislike you, and not using it makes it a non choice.
Draining enemies via touch is likely a good animation set for them as this A) keeps them towards the front of the battlefiend and B) is thematically appropriate.
A standard fear spell is likely appropriate as well, but that's probably baseline to wraiths, banshees and liches.
Hatred of the living could make a good passive ability (or set of abilities) in that they gain X bonuses against all mortal humanoids, this wouldn't apply to other meta creatures such as beasts, werewolves, other undead, dragons and other identity tags that may show up later.
In short this sets the banshee apart from the revenant by focusing on battlefield control and debuffing and more or less being a front line spellblade sort, which the revenant is more likely to be more focused on shredding armor, generating threat, and other traditional warrior-type abilities whereas wraiths are likely to be more support DPS casters.
edit: Banshee's feed from the suffering they inflict, banshee mana is restored by damage they inflict including damage over time effects. Consequently abilities that ignore pain like the revenant design I have up, don't trigger this regen.
edit: Banshee movement uses their chains as a speedy grappling hook style traversal. They can spec into levitation if they wish.
Edit: Mist/fog powers should accompany the chains, some kind of AoE summon effect
Edit quick mock ups: (Legal: I do not own the assets, just edited them for personal use)
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