I have some thoughts on a NEW CLASS for LAST EPOCH … The PUGILIST. The PUGILIST is a melee-based class, which includes some truly hand-to-hand skillsets. In fact, I envision this base class a new weapon type: HAND WRAPS. Hand Wraps would still fill the normal weapons slots - one for each of the two weapon slots … which means the PUGILIST class can Dual-Wield Hand Wraps from level 1 onward. Hand Wraps are exclusive to the PUGILIST class, as donning them would automatically change the action-sequences of the player character’s melee combat.
As with other classes, the PUGILIST would be the BASE CLASS, with Three (3) MASTERIES:
- The BRUISER
- The MARTIAL-ARTIST
- The TWILIGHT BRAWLER
The BRUISER would be a bare-knuckle fighter that foregoes normal weapons; instead the BRUISER uses the new weapon type: Hand-Wraps. The BRUISER does NOT DODGE, but rather takes damage head-on, and shrugs it off, with thick skin and extreme stubborness.
The MARTIAL ARTIST is a monk-type class that includes punches, kicks and throws (which are basically ‘knockback’ effects). This class is all about high-speed movement, dodging and lightning-fast strikes (very high melee attack speed). Ailments can include damage-over-time (DOT) elemental types (i.e., ignite, frostbite, electrify), but maybe a new Ailment: Ki Strike (which wears down health via stacking physical DOT, similar to Bleed Ailment).
Lastly, the TWILIGHT BRAWLER has within his arsenal void-tainted melee skills, as well as some holy light-based self-healing and melee skills to balance his darker side.
Anyway … this is just a few ideas for a more melee-based hand-to-hand class that I feel would be a good addition to the already awesome class + mastery choices currently in-game.
Thank you.