I for one would love to see some Kind of Hydra skill, as its been my favourite Concept of all time for mage-classes. Here`s an more or less highly alternated Version, that includes a core Concept beyond Hyra, and adds in one Concept for each element within the core Concept - which also stands all by itself. One skill, 4 possible choices.
Mastery of all Things
Description: The sorcerer has achieved total mastery of his art and is now able to funnel all the magic from the deep void at one Point of causation. This Point is highly unstable and reacts to his Environment, enabling it to channel multiple Sources of ultimate Power according to the Elements that dare to possess it.
Functionality:
Creates a void at the target Location that is highly unstable, does not attack and cannot be destroyed. The void is corrupted after 4 seconds, because it cannot be sustained for any longer, and pulls the life force of all enemys around it with it back to the void, where all Elements, hence all of life originated from, applying âconvergenceâ. Afficted enemys experience a near death experience for 1 second, making them incapable of any action. They are then slowly brought back to life, decreasing their movement, attack and cast Speed from -50% to 0% within 1,5 seconds.
Skills cooldown: 3 seconds. Can hold up to 2 charges.
Skill-mechanic: When the void comes into contact with an element cast by the Sorcerer, it`s powers are then aligned with that element, creating a funnel for its force and preventing it from collapsing. It is instead transformed:
Upon contact with a fire spell:
Creates a Hydra that is stationary and lasts for 5 seconds. The Hydra attacks enemys in close range with a blazing fire that has a high Chance to ignite. Enemys in distant range are attacked by mini-Meteors, dealing Damage in a small AoE. (close enemys = more single-target-Damage, farer away = more AoE Damage. So it Pays off well if positioning is good against single targeted Monsters, and does decent with packs from farer away). The range is not too far as to make it overpowered. Close range means a bit more than melee - so anything coming in contact with it gets blazed.
Upon contact with an ice spell:
The void`s immense intensity manifests as an ice phoenix, comming to aid the Sorcerer for 5 seconds. To be sustained, he Needs to stay close to the Sorcerer, as he fuels his power. The phoenix Comes to use two abilities:
âShriek from beyondâ - the phoenix shrieks with such an intensity, that enemys that hear it have their Cold protection reduced by X and are x% more akin to be chilled or frozen by Cold abilities (basically, making the mage using Cold abilities stronger).
âIce spikeâ - the phoenix casts Spikes of Razor-sharp ice at the enemy target closest to him as Auto attack, dealing medium Damage to the foe.
Upon contact with a Lightning Spell:
The void discharges in utmost electricity. The sorcerer is able to funnel the electricity coming from the end of All Things into a loaded storm which emenates from his very core for 7 seconds. The storm frequently strucks enemys nearby with a Lightning-strike, dealing significant Damage to them. If there is one or more enemy nearby the struck enemy, the Lightning discharges upon them as well, but it`s Damage is lessened thereby. (Meaning, deals massive Damage to a single target alone (100%). If there are 2 Targets total, it deals lesser Damage to both of them (70% each). If there are 3 Targets, it deals even lesser damge to all of them (50% each), ad infinitum. If there are 10 enemys close to each other, it deals 30% to all of them. Note: the initial hit is high in Damage.
The frequency can be adjusted (e.g. all 2 seconds with high Damage - or once very second, with lower Damage. This will also determine the way it feels and Plays).
The storm may be stackable, up to 3-5 stacks. Each stack deepens the storms grace and the Sorcerers power, wielding more power (more frequent and/or more powerful lightnings).
Skill-tree-specialization:
The idea is to choose an element, or path. You cannot have multiple paths at once. Since it is the ultimate mastery of the art of the Sorcerer, there is limited resource as to its ultimate path. You can only master the pure Energy of the void, or one of it`s possible manifestations (fire, Lightning, ice) to which it is funneled and transformed.
Void specialization:
Node: The void ceases to be controllable by an element. The void now collapses after 2,5 seconds, having 5% increased radius. (1/5, 5% per nod up to 25% increased radius)
Node: When two voids are nearby, they instead collaps into eachother, creating a magnet in the midst of the two, pulling enemys toward it to collaps there with 40% more Impact (= 40% more incapability and 40% prolonged Regeneration-Duration from the incapability). The void now collapes after 3,5 seconds if there is no second void nearby. The mergings Duration and pull effect lasts for 3 seconds.
Node: When two voids are merging, the cooldown recovery is put on hold for the Duration of the merging (3,5 seconds), but the void deals significant Damage to its foes before during the merging. - additional nodes to this mastery:
- can hold up to 1 additional stack, but reduces Damage by 20%.
- increases cooldown recovery Speed by x%
Node: adds a 10% Chance for collapsed voids (whether merged or not) to create a new void for no cost at the same place. (1/5, 10% Chance per nod). Additional nodes:
- the sorcerer can now walk over or nearby the additional nodes created by this effect to regain a stack, but consumes the void before its collaps.
Node: Ultimate Void. Casting a void upon two merging voids creates an ultimate void, which is so heavy in substance that it ceases to collaps, but simply vanishes after the merging. The merging now lasts 5 seconds, is bigger in AoE than the merging voids AoE, and slows all enemys movement, attack and cast Speed within by 40% during the totality of Duration. Additional node:
- Unstable Ultimate Void: Casting a void upon an Ultimate Void makes the Forces within uncontrollable to the Sorcerer because it powers are too heavy to dare to Control. The ultimate void explodes when a 4th void is cast upon it. Affected enemys within the Explosion take massive amount of Damage and are affected by âI have seen deathâ. âI have seen deathâ makes them 30% more vulnerable to all sorts of Incoming Damage for 2,5 seconds. You cannot cast a void for 3 (or 4) seconds after the Explosion (but the cooldown keeps recovering).
Node: When a void collapses, it is then split into 3 smaller voids, split in all 3 directions. The voids collaps after 2 seconds with 40% their initial impactness. (so all the effects -60%, or something). The smaller voids cannot be merged, and merged voids cannot collaps.
Additional nods can built upon what the smaller voids may be capable of (make them more CC, make them deal Damage, etc.)
Node: The void now collapses upon contact with an enemy, instead of at the end of its Duration. Reduces collapse effects by 30% Additional nods:
make it add Damage, etc. for variable playstyles, or Change other Dynamics⌠more AoE, more effect %, longer Duration, something. 
Fire specialization:
The void ceases to be controllable by and in itself, as well is now unaffected by Lightning or ice Elements that come in contact with it. (locks the void nods, the Lightning nods, and the ice nods)
Nodes:
- increase Damage, Duration, range, AoE Impact of hydras (basically, making it stronger and more viable). E.g. make it a more stronger closed-up Hydra, or more AoE capable.
- The Hydra stops using blazing fire, but Meteors Damage and radius is increased by x%. Additional nods could be- increased cast rate, increased Damage against single enemys in the area, etc.
- The Hydra stops using Meteors, but blazing fire is stronger, reaches further, adds bigger AoE, etc. This node and the priior orientate for more melee/close contact play-styles or more kite-specialized fire-mages.
- Change Dynamics of the void (more stacks, increased cooldown recovery - Always with the downside of reducing Damage of Hydra and the voidscollapse effect (e.g. 10% less Damage, 20% less collapse effect per node, adds 1 stack and 20% incr. recovery 1/5 nods) = more Hydra fun all over the place!
- decrease cooldown recovery Speed but Hydra is bigger, faster, and deals more Damage.
- increase Duration of Hydra (and adjust initial duration to balance it)
etc
Ice Specialization:
The void ceases to be controllable by and in itself, as well is now unaffected by Lightning or fire Elements that come in contact with it. (locks the void nods, the Lightning nods, and the fire nods)
Nodes:
- Upon casting a Phoenix, the void collaps and freezes enemys for 2 seconds. . Additional nods increase Duration, AoE, etc.
- Creates 2 lesser phoenixes instead for each void - reduced Damage.
- Increase passive numbers of phoenix (more Cold protection reduction for enemys, etc., higher AoE of shriek,etc.)
- Shriek now also has a Chance to Freeze/chill the enemy. (each nod increases the Chance).
- Ice Spikes now pierce - increase Damage, cast Speed, etc. = make phoenix stronger
- Each new phoenix melts with the last phoenix, creating a stronger phoenix and renewing its Duration. Max of 3 meltings. Each new melt renews the Duration. = permanent strong phoenix (stronger shriek, stronger Spikes. Downside: less AoE, less regular shriek).
- When phoenix dies, explodes in a circle of Spikes. (more smaller phoenix = more AoE when they die).
- each active phoenix increases e.g. elemental protection, elemental pierce, Cold Damage deatl by sorcerer skills, something else. But having it increase only defensive abilities would make it more of a âclose upâ orientated choice!
- When phoenix expires, grants X ward to the sorcerer. (bigger phoenix bigger ward, smaller phoenix smaller ward).
- When phoenix dies, it has a Chance to resurrect from its ashes for half the Duration.
- When you have 3 or more phoenix active, they all together summon an ice storm around you, chilling nearby enemys (or having a Chance to), or/and slowing / having Chance to Freeze
etc
Lightning Specialization
Disables void/fire/ice skilltreespecifications.
Nodes:
- increase frequency / Damage of initial Impact or additional Impacts after first hit or Overall Damage of all hits
- increase Damage of intiial Impact according to how many additional enemys are also hit (e.g. +10% Damage for every additional enemy to the initial hit Damage⌠so 8 enemys, the first takes 70% additional Damage. etcâŚ)
- shock Chance in AoE around you. Closer enemys = higher shock Chance! Eye of the storm like
- raging thunder: at max stack, the thunder rages, reaching ultimate climax after 5 seconds of having full stack, unleashing enourmus thunder and power. Removes all stacks after that (e.g. 2 seconds of 300% increased frequency, then expires completly).
- being hit while having a stack Releases a Combo bolt. More stacks = more bolts, e.g. 4 stacks = 4 bolts at a time. or a shock aoe nova⌠or make 2 nodes, one for distant Gameplay (bolts) and one for more melee orientated - nova).
- immproves movement Speed, cast Speed with each stack by x%
All for now. Could be or should be an ultimate ability, high in the passive nod, unlocked very late.
Have fun! 