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Demigod Preview: The Demon Assassin

By on August 10, 2009 12:33:21 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

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Demon Assassin

Overview and Traits

Demon Assassin is a Melee Assassin fighting for the Forces of Darkness. He wields a sword and a knife in battle, the sword being his primary weapon.

The Demon Assassin is a highly mobile character who can quickly close the gap between himself and his opponent though the use of warp attacks. His Shadow Swap ability allows him to change positions with an enemy Demigod, throwing them back into their foes. His melee attacks are fast and have a passive chance to critically strike.

While mobile and able to dodge many normal attacks, Demon Assassin is susceptible to magical damage.

The nemesis to Regulus, the Demon Assassin is extremely fast and lethal.

Abilities

Warp Strike ??? Key 1

Activated ability. Warps behind the targeted unit and performs an instant attack. Damage dealt increases as the skill increases.

Deadly Warp

Passive ability. Warp Strike has a high chance to critically strike.

Spine Attack ??? Key 2

Activated ability. Launches a barb from his tail, attacking an enemy at range. Damage dealt increases as the skill increases.

Warp Area ??? Ultimate ??? Key 3

Activated ability. For a few seconds, Demon Assassin warps to nearby enemies and attacks them. While performing this ability, he is invincible. Number of warps increases as the skill increases.

Forceful Blows

Passive Ability. Smaller enemies near targets of Warp Area are thrown into the air.

Shadow Swap ??? Key 4

Activated ability. Demon Assassin swaps places with an enemy Demigod. Distance increases as the skill increases.

Passive abilities

Elusiveness

Demon Assassin???s chance to dodge normal attacks increases.

Demon???s Speed

Demon Assassin???s movement speed increases.

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August 10, 2009 2:21:01 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

The warp swap sounds crazy, it's like the ultimate "oh, no you don't!" when people are trying to get away.

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August 10, 2009 2:31:46 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Freakin awsome. I was actually thinking the other day that the game needed something like this character. He will disturb a lot of common tactics and positioning, which will make a lot of players mad. We'll hear the usual chorus of "OP! OP! OP!" for awhile like I seem to have read on nearly every other DG... Overall I'm excited though!

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August 10, 2009 2:39:45 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Very nice DG here. Can't wait to see how it plays out in the game. That's a huge amount of mobilty and evasion but I bet it's ganna come at a large mana cost.

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August 10, 2009 3:31:30 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I can see it already 3 DA vs random 3.  Chain shadow swap yanking the other team members half way across the board into an ambush.  I just get a mental picture of someone being pulled into the shadows and being gone.  spooky.

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August 10, 2009 3:32:48 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

It might just be me, but that "switch places with opponent demigod" power looks completely unreasonable.  It appears to have no counter whatsoever.

Take for instance.... Cataract.  Enemy DG is attempting to capture center flag.  Your team has a UB stationed right next to your towers (or worse, inbetween all 4).  New DG lines himself up, swaps places.  UB grasps, towers decimate enemy while UB + New DG wail on him.  What can the target do about this?  Very little really.  Maybe pop orb of defiance, but he's still in a very bad position when he comes out of it.  I see this happening from level 5 on, assuming the swap places power is level 5.

This is just the first example that came to mind.  (Can I just coin the phrase "swapgank" now?)

The concept is fine for the DG being quick and TPing around, but when you start throwing in the ability to control where someone else's DG is going.... That just sets off all kinds of warning bells in my head.

Looks like he doesn't have a stun/inturrupt, so that's one weakness.  Being "weak against magic damage" is rather mysterious.  I didn't realise there were damage types in the game. I can only assume this means "Weak against abilities" which, to me, translates to low HP.  Of course Beast starts with low hp too.... And we see how often that matters.

I could be completely full of crap, and it turns out to be no more OP than any other DG ability (mines, spit, etc.) but I still feel it's an ability that needs to be tested quite thoroughly before it goes live.

-- Tukulis

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August 10, 2009 3:32:55 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

"Very nice DG here. Can't wait to see how it plays out in the game. That's a huge amount of mobilty and evasion but I bet it's ganna come at a large mana cost."

 

Nope, they're both passive skills.

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August 10, 2009 3:36:51 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Yet another Demi I think all will just stack hp items on it (criticals from the beggining, dodge from the beggining). If UB with 8.5k hp is annoying, what will you say with this one 8.5k hp, fast attacks, stealth, warp, criticals and evade ? Well, we have to wait till relase to see him in action before judge...

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August 10, 2009 3:42:15 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

start a 5v5 with everyone as this guy and...yeah.

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August 10, 2009 3:43:31 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I don't think generals are gonna appreciate being warped into 3 assassins . Maybe minion masters will have somethin to fear now haha

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August 10, 2009 3:54:02 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

You people need to at least wait until he's in the game to discuss balance issues.

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August 10, 2009 3:54:22 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Yeah, I'd just like to pile on with two thoughts:

1) Another Reg counter?  Reg had better be getting a buff.

2) I'm hesitant about the switch places ability also.  It just seems to be open to all kinds of frustrating laming (onto mines, into a tower farm plus chain stun etc).  I suppose that things can be done about that (like including a stun/grasp immunity for a few seconds after warp) but its going to be tricky.

I like the general thoughts behind that new DG though.  An assassin that actually plays quite a bit like an assassin (highly mobile, does damage).  Should be fun.  Hopefully its good at assassinating some of the generals.

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August 10, 2009 3:56:18 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Sounds like a cross between Erebus and UB.

Only big issue I see is that this could potentially further unbalance Pantheon because the Force of Darkness already has a runspeed advantage and this just adds to that.

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August 10, 2009 4:02:13 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Looks very cool, but i hope shadow swap range isnt very long, because it would be instant kill if you swap places with an enemy and he ends up in the middle of 2or3 enemys.

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August 10, 2009 4:03:31 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Let's hoop for a good light character aswell then

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August 10, 2009 4:04:37 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Thanks for the update, it's a good idea to not introduce both at the same time.

However, this one is gonna be hard to balance with passive crits, passive movement speed and passive dodge (and no real need for mana, it seems). I'd rather like that they introduce him too weak than too strong so that not everybody plays him, which would make the game unbearable.

GPG, Stardock: Please think also of balancing the existing Demigods. Imho the game is 97% balanced, but since it's very competitive and rather small the last 3% count more and sooner than in other games. Three balance changes (Bite, HoL and priests) in 4 months is not much, and if you look various stats (Number of games played; Wins/Losses) you clearly see a need for further balancing.

Uhm, sorry for the rant.

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August 10, 2009 4:06:26 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I also agree that the swap equals insta gank... but ... how long is the cool down? how much mana? Ya know all of this could be changed to make him balanced. Say the port only takes u about as far as a towers range at max? I mean who really knows how useful or op the gank will be until the game releases. Also, we haven't seen the new light side assassin yet either. Which if I remember correctly there were going to be two new demigods for each side, and that they were going to both be assassins based on popularity. Can't remember which post that was but I thought I remembered seeing it somewhere.

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August 10, 2009 4:09:09 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

"Shadow Swap – Key 4

Activated ability. Demon Assassin swaps places with an enemy Demigod. Distance increases as the skill increases."

Wow!  Game changing.  Looking forward to this one. 

 

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August 10, 2009 4:16:24 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

An interesting concept.

A few things concern me about the mechanics.  Tukulis ilustrated my thoughts about how swapping position could lead to some very overpowering (unsurvivable) circumstances.  In a game that usually ends up being mostly about positioning and knowing when to push (or pull out), the ability to control an opponents footing seems pretty powerful.  Even if they know when to retreat or back off, a simple key press puts them back behind enemy lines.  Its basically a gank on a timer for any teamate assigned to capping flags or a solitary lane camper.  I know it would be cool, and definitley fun to use.  I suggest (at the least) to make the swap count toward the same timer as stuns, so that he can't be lured backward into a waiting stun.  The idea is too fun not to want to play with, so I can't condemn it. 

The passive crit ability.  There won't be much room for any sort of buggy implementation there.  It could be game breaking if it releases with odd buggs that cause the crit to effect all skills/attacks, or not align with other crit buffs properly, etc.  On that note, how much or a crit/overall damage are we talking about here?  As well as its expected proc rate?  I don't think there is any ability in the game that has a crit chance at all so far, so this could be pretty interesting.  But it also sounds like it could be too powerful, unless respectable damage is dependent entirely on whether or not it crits, and its otherwise negligible.  That would add a lot of tug rope play to the character, if its assault more or less depended on whether its opening strike was a crit, which could be pretty fun.  Still I can immagine how annoying a crit fireball, snipe, etc would be.  Adding a chance factor into skill usage is interesting, but could lead to some balance issues down the road.  Especially since demigods that focus on auto attacks already stack good ammounts of crit.  Is this going to be a Demigod that is capable of teleing on an opponent and staying on him with auto attacks until hes dead?  Like an Erebus/UB hybrid, perhaps.  That sounds pretty potent.  If hes going to be as able to do that as beast, with better tele in/out (opener/survivability) than previously available in game, I think it would be too powerful.  I have some ideas on how to remedy power imba, if its even there.  Pointless to go into it here where its theory based on a demigod proposal.

Are you going to release some sort of test version, or just straight up release it in a patch?  I'd definitley be in line to help out with any issues that may be there.  I do like, at first glance, how you left off snares/interrupts/stuns.  Even as just a concept, those added abilities would be way too powerful (as he is) which is no doubt why they arnt there.  So props for an eye to good balance, to whoever was responsible for the idea internally. 

 

On an aesthetic note....  It does look insanely Giger-esque.  Whether intentional or not.  I'd have to wait to see better concept images or 3d rendering, but in your concept art I think the sword and dagger look very.....well un-appealing.  If hes going to look like some boss demon with a beastial carapace and lots of sharp points on stacked plates of armor, it would seem to be better fitted with claws or perhaps katar type weapons (maybe even actually attatched to his armor/carapace as a built in weapon, but still independent from his hands).  Alternatively, he could be more humanized to look better with weapons.  Just a thought.  And totally just my oppinion, unrelated to the above

 

Can't wait to play him and see for myself..

 

EDIT: P.S.  A demigod with passive evasion.  I was really hoping one of the new ones would have this.  I can't wait to try out the itemization combos I've envisioned with this ability.

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August 10, 2009 4:17:37 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I'm still trying to figure out what this guy is, it's a demon, i get it. But to me looks like a lizard with a fox face, wearing a smooth version of the standard" sproket" armor of the minotaurs and Oak. Also the tail, something new, so that the Catapultasaurus don't fell so lonely with theirs.

I'm guessing this Demigod will pack everything the originals had, like a voice pack, .bik videos, background history, AI support, etc. Right?

Thanks for the preview!

 

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August 10, 2009 4:36:53 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

love the idea... but one point to make:

Warp Strike is Blink Strike from Stealth Assassin

Spine Attack is Hellfire Blast from Skeleton king

Warp Area is Omnislash from Juggernaught

Shadow Swap is Nether Swap from Vengeful Spirit

now all of these DotA characters share a very similar weakness that prevents them from being OP... and that a very low base HP and regen (except Skeleton King but whatever).  i'm thinking that with inicial nerfing and such to make it balances this character is going to have to have very low armour and HP to make up for his manoverability and dodge.

other than that can't wait to see him in the digital flesh (as well as the preview fo the general).

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August 10, 2009 4:38:17 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

looks like a lizard with a fox face
Wut?

 

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August 10, 2009 4:45:40 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

I too hope they playtest this guy a lot. He sounds way over powered...

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August 10, 2009 4:49:14 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

OMG that sound awesome.

BUT, in order to be balanced this demigod must have low hp and mana. and thats it really.

think about this AWESOME thing u can do with it: 3 DA standing in line, first in line swap a demigod, than the one behind him, than the third one and u get the enemy in your base ready to die.

I cant wait to see the next demigod, nice work.

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August 10, 2009 5:00:15 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Warp Area – Ultimate – Key 3

Activated ability. For a few seconds, Demon Assassin warps to nearby enemies and attacks them. While performing this ability, he is invincible. Number of warps increases as the skill increases.

 

Pretty much sounds like his AoE lane farming ability. Probably no better or worse than Erebus' mist form.

Elusiveness

Demon Assassin’s chance to dodge normal attacks increases.

I wonder why other demigods haven't gotten abilities like this so far. Perhaps the other new demigod will have a passive abilitiy that raises his armor rating.

While mobile and able to dodge many normal attacks, Demon Assassin is susceptible to magical damage.

The only way you can consider a demigod "susceptible" to magic damage in this game would be to have a VERY low amount of health, while this passive dodge needs to be VERY high to make up for the differnce when it comes to auto attacks. I'm just kinda doubtful of that atribute. I mean the Unclean Beast has "Relies on Health" and "Limited Range" as weakness...and we all know how that turned out.

 

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August 10, 2009 5:28:19 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

holy shizznaty sh*t piles! alien lookin guy with a sword sweet!....im curious is there going to be 2 new DG's or is this one it  , cuz i always assumed they would be out in pairs to keep a balance between light and dark......also a lot of wether this new DG is awesome or not depends on the other new god...maybe the new od has ability that fuckes up this warping beast of doom!......switching places with oher dg's i think is a stroke of genius (we will see how well it works) but i can think of plenty of ways to utilize a skill like that.....

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