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This isn't all of them, but...have to go out today and thus, i'll start here. Please, feel free to add on to this and expand it, kill it if it's a bad idea, and discuss!
1. Alchemist- should be moved away from being a class and into a being a profession which does the same thing as said class. Brew potions, salves, bombs, and so on. Allow for the creation of elixirs which would have some magical properties, such as a short burst in stats, immunity to a specific damage type for X-number of rounds or minutes, additional room traps (think snares and traps, but add in a chemical component, IED, acid splash, etc….nothing too powerful)
Since classes are changing anyway, and I think this one was on the block, not sure if we need to replace it with anything else or not.
2. Blacksmithing – no distinction between armor and weaponsmiths, though…specialization could be something for later. Could reinforce armor for additional AC or benefits, though limit the times/effect to keep it from being OP. Allow for weapons to be bolstered, add additional fixes (1 time only), add specific properties like sharp, vorpal, etc. Possibly crafting armor or weapons, though there would need to be a method of creating such works, which….might be tough to work into the game at present, but much farther down the road. Could reduce repair costs, reforge items which are broken without penalty, or create smaller items , like throwable weapons and so forth. Specific materials would be needed to fix or make items, which could be searchable or gained through mining, a vendor, and so forth.
Another possibility…carving sockets into items, a la Diablo2…or having socketed items, etc
3. (title unknown…but don’t want it to be gem/jewelcrafting) Profession that can make gems, jewelry items such as rings and necklaces, maybe even treasure items for extra gold with the proper materials. Mats for the profession could come from specific sources (a gemology kit-type item from a boss drop), random drops throughout the world, mined from sources or extracted, and so on. Another possibility would be to allow high levels of this profession to add a single spell into the gem with a limited number of charges, which shatters and disappears after the charges are depleted (and cannot be recharged, or…maybe with limited success). Also, perhaps the ability to create socket gems that have specific spells (in an even more limited fashion…or not…..could open a huge array of options!) or stats on them such as strength, dexterity, or the Bless spell, and so on.
4. Cooking, as a kind of normal profession. Totally thinking like WoW or ESO…food buffs, etc. Same concept. Ingredients could come from vendors, random drops, etc. Pretty basic.
5. Bowyer/Fletcher. Nice addon for archery, creating specific bows or arrows with different effects. Since everyone can use those kinds of weapons, without having to cross over into having the Archery skill or being a ranger, it would help everyone…but the better benefits would still belong to Rangers and Elves, in this case. Bows/Crossbows could be made to shoot 2 arrows, hit 2 targets, etc…or shoot faster, do more damage than already established, and so on. Arrows could be made with sharp flags, explosive tips, poisoned, shatter on impact for bleed damage, and so on.
6. Carpentry/Woodworking? Not sure how this would apply, since there’s no current application for it at this point…..maybe with the Wars items, could help build siege engines, fortifications, and so forth? Maybe even be used to make staves, quarterstaff/bo items, and the like? Couple of uses there, but would need to be fleshed out a bit more.
More later!
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To continue, or conclude, on professions…
Enchanting: Remove it from the game as a class selection spell and make it purely a profession choice. Could use some of the same parameters as what's already there, but shifting it from a Druid spell (which has pros and cons, as a whole already) to being a stand-alone would make it more valuable.
Clothier/Leatherworking: not sure about this one, since armor is basically relative in the game, along with the stats for it. Maybe something that can make bags and specific containers, or that works into some other profession (such as rare cloth mats needed to help for padding in armor, or a specifically enchanted piece of silk for completing an enchant armor spell. Few ways to go with it, would need to be fleshed out a bit more, but....a few good starting points.
Botany: Goes along with Alchemy, for finding plants, herbs, roots, and other such items for making potions. Could also be ground into pastes for a First Aid kind of thing....though first aid in a game where everyone has magic is kind of redundant.....unless...
First aid: If we're switching to a new system and not everyone has magic out the wazoo, then maybe we need to think about adding first aid to the list? Bandages, tourniquets, triage, etc?
Fishing...i love fishing in other games, but...cant see it being a real profession, except to assist with Cooking.
Hunting: As in game animals and prey, for use in cooking or even for specific items, like a stag heart for a Witch spell, or other component needs.
All i can think of for now.....but feel free to expand or kill ideas that don't work...i'm sure i've missed more things that could be actual professions.