Shaman’s are thematically tied in other mythos to spirits and such. Would you guys ever consider putting some stuff into the Shaman subclass and/or a couple skills for Shaman that give synergy with necrotic damage or conversion? They have a bit for fire. I’m not suggesting giving more than that. Just enough so that something weird/unique might be possible there.
There’s boots that convert Maelstrom to necrotic and give your minions flat necrotic damage per stack of Maelstrom. In LE, Shaman are more nature casters than spiritual.
As Llama pointed out there already is something like that with Yulra’s Path Unique Boots.I really enjoyed building around them.
I am also a big fan of having some oddball builds on some Masteries.
Next best example would be Void focused Uniques that can primarily used as a Mage.
Just to be clear, I was talking about the subclass specifically and not main class abilities. While I also think it’s great that things can be made possible through uniques, I was asking a very specific question for a very specific reason: That I thought it fit the theme present in the game of having some “dark” side splash available in certain areas of a subclass. It’s usually in the skills, themselves, but still. Onto the statement about Shaman’s being more nature casters than spiritual in Last Epoch. I fail to see how that means it cannot have something very small that only broadens it a tiny bit. There’s certainly no “slippery slope” (there never is, it’s a fallacy), so the only real reason I can think of (other than not being worth the development time) would be personal preference of the designers…Which they are welcome to have and would essentially be an answer to my question if such a preference were made known. I just don’t believe it really has been made known. Although, if I were to make an argument myself, it would be that they have chosen to apply the “spiritual connection” side of the Primalist to the Druid, since it literally has spirits and spirit thorns from the Spriggan Form, albeit only a slight connection.
I strongly suspect Shaman is going to get some things in the coming future, as it is one of the subclasses most in need of…something, in my opinion and that of others which have been shared. I figured a suggestion like this offers an opening for a sort of alternate-timeline Shaman, who maybe embraced the Immortal Empire’s teachings rather than fighting them after a certain point from being too weak to stop it and just giving in to it. Also fits in with the Theory (which at this point seems most likely) that Grael becomes the Immortal Emperor. In some timeline, our character could have aligned with this. I kind of visualize the strange alternative playstyles within the classes/subclasses as reflections of dead timelines like this possible one. To me, this makes such a thing fit perfectly into it. Especially with the meta-text of that subclass being a bit weaker of a pick on average, and therefore more likely to succumb to the Immortal Empire’s machinations.
To me, I can see shaman having the theme of contact with spirits.
But I dont think it would be necrotic even if he had such a theme.
Generally fantasy has two approaches to contacting the dead/spirits. There is necromancy which uses dark magic to forcefully bring back spirits/force them to speak.
However there is also generally ancestral magic, in where people with ancient ancestral bonds can contact their ancestors or nature spirits. These types of communication are not necrotic in nature and thus shouldnt envoke necrotic damage/themes. They should be physical/elemental in nature instead.
Death is also a strong nature theme found among shamans/druids. Life in the cycle etc. Which is also most often removed from necrotic/negative energy types. instead death is worshiped in aspects of respect and acceptance of death as a concept rather then when mages/holy men mess with death, in where it becomes twisted and thus necrotic.
Call me crazy but “Necrotic Spirit Shaman” = Acolythe?
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Maybe, “Shamlich”?
Would be cool to have some kind of ghost raptor you can summon or something.
Well that’s…now you mention it that sounds interesting, too. I think in my mind I was picturing Earthquake rupturing the ground to release grasping arms through the fissures that slow and damage enemies or a Tornado of wailing spirits. Dunno if I can imagine Avalanche really fitting into anything, though.
That sounds like D3’s Grasp of the Dead for Witch Doctor.
I’d say that necrotic seems more fitting for a witch doctor than a shaman. Witch doctors are the ones that mess around with zombies and stuff (traditionally, in terms of lore, anyway). I view shamans as more nature oriented.
Basically, when I think of shaman I think of native americans, connected to nature and spirits. When I think of necrotic damage I think of either necromancers or witch doctors of voodoo-like religions in Africa, or New Orleans.
That’s not to say that you can’t come up with lore to make shamans necrotic. But it’s not what I picture when I think of them.
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