Meet the Grovewalker

Dear friends!
Recently we visited the developers in order to learn more about the new class - the Grovewalker. Lead Game Designer Dmitry Borodin answered our questions.

The idea

From the start of the OBT, our players wanted us to increase the number of available classes in Skyforge. Dozens of users came up with hundreds of new specializations for their immortal characters.

Later, after adding our old concepts (Outlaw and Revenant) to the game, we asked our players. Some of the options were based on own preferences, others were often mentioned by the community. The results made it clear that we were making a shapeshifter mage - the Grovewalker.

GREAT POWER - GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

Players had been asking for a new support or tank class for some time, so our choice was limited. Still, we wanted to make something all-round and not as straightforward as Paladin or Knight. We decided that the new class would be more interesting to play and will have a large arsenal of ranged attacks. That was how we created this “mage of nature who turns into a forest monster”. Of course, it required an appropriate set of skills that would corroborate the image.

Human Form

Of course, the new class should be effective and useful for a group even in human form. We thought of another popular mechanics - “turrets”, but in our case, “cute carnivorous flowers that spit acid”.

	Name	Description
	Blooming	Launches a projectile in the selected direction. Speed is 20 yd/sec, range is 40 yards. When hitting an enemy, an obstacle, or when reaching the maximum flight range, it explodes in a 7 yard radius, dealing damage to enemies and turning nearby acorns into flowers. It also spawns flowers in a 2 yard radius as it flies. Flowers attack nearby enemies, spitting at them. The maximum number of flowers at any time is 4. Flowers’ lifespan is 10 seconds. Designer’s commentary: “To ensure maximum efficiency, the character must be within the flowers’ area of effect and keep the enemy from leaving it. Correct positioning is the key to success!”
	Breath of the Forest	The Grovewalker sends a wind wave with leaves and acorns in the selected direction. The wind blows from the point behind the Grovewalker so it hits enemies behind them as well. The wind deals damage and slightly pushes enemies back, leaving acorns along the way.
	Tessa’s Call	Boosts all flowers in a big radius. Boosted flowers inflict more damage. Using the ability again detonates the flowers, inflicting great damage in a 8 yard radius of each flower and leaving damaging pools with the same radius.
	Nature’s Grip	Launches a wave of roots/lianas (6-8 yards wide) at a speed of 15 yd/sec. Inflicts damage and roots enemies, lifting humans with lianas. Basic attacks can reset the cooldown and increase damage.
	Ether Form	Turns into a swarm of fireflies. As a swarm of fireflies, moves quickly, becomes immune to control and cannot be targeted. Can be used when under control effects. Cooldown is 25 seconds. Designer’s commentary: “We needed to emphasize the uniqueness and flexibility of this class, so we gave it this unusual protective ability."

Living Armor Form

	Name	Description
	Shield of Thorns	Sprouts thorns that reflect damage at enemies in a small radius and reduce damage to the Grovewalker for ~6 seconds. Can be used during Living Missile, increasing its damage. Designer’s commentary: “In the defensive stance, the Grovewalker has to hold off powerful enemies, so the ability turned out to be quite useful.”
	Touch of Life	Heals itself for 6 seconds. The amount of healing depends on how much damage the Grovewalker has taken.
	Living Missile	Coils into a ball, spinning, then rolls forward at a speed of 13 yd/sec. When it hits an enemy or an obstacle, it uncoils, dealing great damage to nearby enemies, knocking them off their feet. When reaching the maximum distance, it uncoils less aggressively. Designer’s commentary: “The Kinetic has a similar skill. But this time it’s aimed at large groups of enemies.”
	Reverse Living Armor	Turning back into human form.

That’s all! In the next part, we will tell you how the Grovewalker’s visual appearance and skills were created. The Overgrowth update is coming on April 11! Pre-order now and be one of the first to play the Grovewalker!