Considering the stigma system...

[Shatterproof]

I've found that amongst the debating and the conversing on this forum, there is a refreshingly high amount of wisdom and insight. As such, lets get another topic going.

Stigma. We know very little about it so, lets consider what it may include. We know that through stigma, you can alter or add to your characteristics. If I remember right, I think it becomes available at lvl 20. Personally, I'm wondering if stigma's available at higher levels will allow for some REALLY inovated class blending (I read somewhere about sorcerors wearing plate!?). I know this has likely been covered many times but, lets get into it in detail.

What I'd like to talk about first it what alterations do you think will be included, which ones would you like to see regardless, and which ones you think would be impractical balance wise.

Example: I'm planning on making my main a spiritmaster. Aside from just modding my stats, I'd like to be able to alter my equipment to add some survivability. Wearing all plate would likely heavily impact my casting stats but, wearing priest's 'semi-robes' or some pieces of plate would contribute. If the orbs/books are one-handed, I'd like to equip a shield. Or if I'm low on Mana, I could support my summon with a bow. What about being able to stealth? Naturally, casting would force me out of stealth but, it would be nice to get in position or have some escapability.
Do you think we will be able to add specific abilities like maybe a low output healing spell or a out of combat rez?

Obviously nothing you gain would make you as proficient in a new area as another class but, still, the idea is very interesting to me. What would be your ideal character build?

Come on, all you intellectual masses, assembly and POST!

[[PhiberOpticks]]

When soloing, I'd probably spec my stigma to increase survivability, but in group activities, I would spec for my class to make sure I do my job correctly and efficiently. Perhaps if stigma affects tradeskills, there would definitely more to it.

Since stigma is so similar to materia from FF7 anyways, one concept that I really hope they adopt is the idea of leveling up stigmas to increase the effects with its use.

[birdman]

Originally Posted by Shatterproof

Example: I'm planning on making my main a spiritmaster. Aside from just modding my stats, I'd like to be able to alter my equipment to add some survivability. Wearing all plate would likely heavily impact my casting stats but, wearing priest's 'semi-robes' or some pieces of plate would contribute. If the orbs/books are one-handed, I'd like to equip a shield.

I usually do this in pretty much all games I play just for the sake of exploring different areas. In Dota I tend to tank out my int heroes more often than not. Heroes like Death Prophet or Silencer, I'll buy hp items before I buy int items.

I hope the game allows for such "mixing up" of attributes and doesn't force us to go into any specific set like others games. It's no fun being the same thing as every other player that has your class.

[Nyteraven]

a stigma that makes u wear plate armor ehh......hmm my assassin may like that since plate armor will have generally the same stats except for the obvious speed but it will make hitting me like hitting a gladiator when im puting out dmg like an assassin =D

[Shatterproof]

Thats an excellent point Nyteraven. You can sacrifice speed for durability. Combine our two comments and consider the party dynamic here. A spiritmaster that could stealth in to position with an assassin. The assassin could open up with HUGE dps and then have sustainability while the spiritmaster summons a heal bot or a tank bot to support and then cast to contribute. After all the carnage is done, they stealth out. Thats just one example. Theres a new way to take this conversation. STIGMA IMPACT ON PARTY DYNAMICS!

[arkhaal]

Hm I think that Stigma depends whether you're a Spiritmaster or Assassin. You won't be able to wear plate as a Sorcerer/spiritmaster/assassin... but have this possibility if you are a ranger or priest maybe.

This system reminds me the "skill" system in WoW : you have some opportunities to upgrade/customize your character, with different weapons or armor, but nothing really "exciting" for the moment... since we only saw armor and weapons.

Perhaps later, you will have some other classes skills available through stigma, that would add more customization than just weapon/armor. Like invisibility for Sorcerer, or some defense skill for the Chanter etc...

Another possibility would be like some RPG-paper or shadowbane, you could pick a "speciality" or "feature", like....

"Heart displaced" : your heart have been moved to another place in your body, resulting in reducing damage taken by X %, but since your blood and body isn't quite adapt to your new heart, your regeneration between combat is decreased by Y %

"Regeneration" : Your family/clan learned and acquired through ages the possibility to heal wounds while in combat, increasing your regeneration by X %, but your vulnerability to fire has strangely increased (by Y %)

"Darker than night..." : Your body is shaped to get benefits while standing in the shadows... granting you : +X% speed, +X% HP, but decreasing agility and strengh by Y% during Daylight.

"Lighter than ...." : opposite of above

"Turtle strengh" : +X% strengh, -Y% speed

etc..... with only 1 stigma of this type allowed with enough stats in it to make a difference between 2 character (not only -5%+5% but perhaps +10%/-10%...)

[Nyteraven]

i still like the idea me and shatterproof had lol

[arkhaal]

an assassin wearing plate ? ahahahaahah.
seriously. It's everything except RP(g). Assassin train for agility, speed, stealth, scout etc... wearing plate is the exact opposite of an assassin, it's like if assassin could make fireball, wield a staff and yell "YOU SHALL NOT PASS"...

If your wear plate, then your training has been modified for stronger muscle, endurance, and so, you lake of TONS of ability like being silent (stealth), speed, dodge.... And in the end, congratulations, you are a warrior/gladiator.

[Ziaku]

I just think we don't know enough info about the stuff yet to make any big speculations. I am thinking there are a lot of combinations that you can not go into if you are a certain class.. like A gladiator getting stealth abilities... then why not make an assassin and wear plate XD I dunno i'm going to be trying to dig up some more info about stigma.

[Calindor]

i dont think it should be passive skills, imo it should be maybe assassin with some bow attacks, or maybe a templar who can get cleric heals...stuff like that

[lyankyj]

Few examples can be found at:

Translation about stigmas

seems there are no class-restrictions - so far.

[IceTea-OW]

I like it that everyone can use everything! butt i think mage with plate sucks, becouse on all plate armors are much def, life, and this all for good melee fight but no mana or spell power.. so the mage is way underpaowered with low mana if usees plate.

[Robillard]

I like arkhaal's examples. With each stat or ability the stigma gives you, it should decrease the opposite stats. For the assassin wearing plate, perhaps that stigma would allow you to wear heavy armor increasing your survivability, but it would greatly decrease your damage output for obvious balancing issues. A different side affect of wearing plate could be that you are easier to detect while in stealth, I guess that makes more sense because you are trying to sneak around in such heavy armor.

[SoraNashimi]

Well this is quite interesting to me actualy, I wonder if it could be sort of like WoW's talent system, where you get a certain number of points to place into a tree to gain different skills and you can put X number of points into one skill to increase its effect, and also when you are done with these points if you will be able to reset your stigma Like in WoW where you can switch between Talent trees like Sublety to the Assassin tree for a price, where you don't have to live with one mistake that you can possibly make. So you don't end up like ZOMG I went Plate mage and I can't switch back and Now im DOOMED! I haves no INT and I'm too slow!!!!

[arkhaal]

No, stigma isn't like the wow talent tree, because there is already a tree-skill system in Aion (even if it's hard to find sshot ).

But maybe you can switch stigma stones, since you bought them, you could just place them as you want in slot and replace them anytime...