Project Eternity - Post-Funding Update #56, Paladins

Myrthos

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Josh Sawyer talks about the Paladin class in Project Eternity.
In Project Eternity, we wanted paladins to maintain their sense of selfless passion and zeal without being bound to concepts like "alignment" or a universal moral code. We also wanted their mechanics to be distinctive from the other classes while reinforcing their role in the world. Area designer Bobby Null has always liked the marshal class from D&D 3.5, which is conceptually similar to the warlord in 4E: combat leaders who are at their best when they are augmenting their teammates. This is the approach that I took when developing Project Eternity's paladins. They have persistent modal auras, strong single-target healing and buff abilities (contrasting the broad AoE effects of clerics), and can passively grant bonuses to teammates in close proximity.

In the game's lore, paladins are zealous champions of a cause that may be religious, philosophical, or cultural in nature. The "foundational" paladins in this part of the world were the legendary elite guards of Darcozzi Palace in the Grand Empire of Vailia (now Old Vailia). They set standards for selfless dedication, unwavering loyalty, and inspiring leadership that have become the pillars for similar orders that have sprung up in the two millennia since they were founded. Even among orders where the chosen cause is perceived as bleak or malevolent, paladins always place the cause ahead of their own personal interests.
And he also shows what Wild Orlans look like.
Though we've previously shown one concept of a hearth orlan (the "orlan detective"), many people have asked and speculated about what the other orlans, the so-called wild orlans, look like. Wild orlans have the same general range of stature and build as hearth orlans, but are almost entirely covered with hair.
More information.
 
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I've always tried to if possible kick paladins out of my party completely. And I never played paladin class myself if it was an option.

A tank/support partymember seems nice to have, because as hard to kill the focus of any decent AI won't be on him and aura he emits makes him practically OP. Never wanted to walk into that direction.

One can argue that somewhat easy to kill cleric types with AoE crowd control (stuns, slows, debuffs) are more OP than paladins, but as they die quickly if focused, I can't agree on that.
 
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I've always tried to if possible kick paladins out of my party completely. And I never played paladin class myself if it was an option.

Paladins are easily my most favourite character class or build. I always play CRPGs as paladins or as paladin like characters. Even if there are only warriors in the game I LARP them as Paladins im my actions.

Paladins are the most versatile party members that are available. Tank, damage dealer and healer at the same time w/o being a jack of no trades like the silly bards. Who doesn't like that?
 
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Paladins or Paladin-like characters are usually my first choice as well. PE doesn't sound like an exception.
 
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A paladin and elf update. Oh joy. How about some orcs and goblins for the next update?

I'm really hating myself for pledging $150 for this homogenized fantasy rubbish. The gameplay had better be off the charts to make up for all this recycled tripe.
 
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I've always found D&D paladins, if built pure, quite underwhelming for some reason. A few levels for some useful feats then multiclassing early seems necessary for the character to be useful. In LoL, however, while there are no paladins as we know them I lean towards playing the tank/support for the team so this sounds nice to me as well.
 
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A paladin and elf update. Oh joy. How about some orcs and goblins for the next update?

I'm really hating myself for pledging $150 for this homogenized fantasy rubbish. The gameplay had better be off the charts to make up for all this recycled tripe.

Heh, the vague and somewhat generic fantasy setting and story were the reasons why I didn't pledge to PE at the time. I have to say though that what they have shown in the updates since then has been quite well done, and shows dedication to find new and interesting aspects within the framework of classic fantasy and attention to detail. So to me it sounds better now than it did back then.
 
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I think the only way to be truly different is to go the Torment route, otherwise you're getting a Baldur's Gate circa 2015. I knew that going in, and I'm totally OK with that.

I love the concept of Paladins and always play borderline LG anyway, so it fits my typical RPG preference. I just don't like how, in most RPG games, they're nerfed in combat in favor of nearly useless buffs. They should be more than a support class/off tank.
 
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I think the only way to be truly different is to go the Torment route, otherwise you're getting a Baldur's Gate circa 2015. I knew that going in, and I'm totally OK with that.

I think saying P:E will be BG circa 2015 is like saying BG was a Goldbox game circa 1998.
 
I love the concept of Paladins and always play borderline LG anyway, so it fits my typical RPG preference. I just don't like how, in most RPG games, they're nerfed in combat in favor of nearly useless buffs. They should be more than a support class/off tank.

It's hard to tell since game hasn't been released yet but paladin in PE looks lot more useful than D&D paladin.Revive+attack/cast speed incising aura already sounds more powerful than anything D&D paladin has.

Paladin is my most played class in D&D since it fits my play style(I always play either tanks or back line supports), so I am glad he is in PE.
 
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Huh. Can't say that ever met a paladin that I liked, but I'll try to keep an open mind.
 
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In spirit, not in scope.

granted, BG introduced RtwP combat and NPC's that had a resemblance of independence. I don't know if the leap from BG to P:E will be quite as big. But from their updates and dropped info it seems that the gameplay will be refined enough to make any CRPG fan happy.

To those who complain about "recycling"... I'm sort of curious about that, when it comes from CRPG players talking about the staples of the genre. Traditional fantasy novels still sell, as does edition X of any traditional PnP franchise. As I said in another thread, fantasy can never be overdone... but it can be done badly.
 
To those who complain about "recycling"… I'm sort of curious about that, when it comes from CRPG players talking about the staples of the genre. Traditional fantasy novels still sell, as does edition X of any traditional PnP franchise. As I said in another thread, fantasy can never be overdone… but it can be done badly.

For each player that has bored of traditional fantasy gaming tropes, there are probably several new players for whom it is fresh and intriguing. The game developers can't always rely on the feedback of older gamers to determine what will sell.
 
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For every veteran player who is bored of traditional fantasy gaming tropes, there are probably several new players for whom it is fresh and intriguing. The game developers can't always rely on the feedback of older gamers to determine what will sell.

So traditional novels/ PnP games are only bought by newcomers? Nice theory, but I don't think it holds up under scrutiny.
 
I have accepted the fact that I will always be a sucker for traditional fantasy. Show me a dwarf swinging an axe or a magic user casting a spell, and I'll be drawn to it til the day I die. Just wired that way, I guess…
 
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A paladin and elf update. Oh joy. How about some orcs and goblins for the next update?

I'm really hating myself for pledging $150 for this homogenized fantasy rubbish. The gameplay had better be off the charts to make up for all this recycled tripe.

I thought from their kickstarter campaign that it was pretty obvious that this would be the same old fantasy setting with a little polish on it.

Incidentally, that's exactly why I pledged. Never seem to get sick of the tried and true fantasy setting.

I can understand if someone is tired of it as its often used but then why pledge? I don't think their kickstarter was disingenuous or misleading.
 
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