Shattered Kingdoms

Yeah a sarcasm tag for the forums.

Seriously, I would love to see more shaman/tribal based items in the game, but I do not think that replacing or removing their use of staves is the way to go. Too much on the code side, too many things to break with a code change.

I'd fully support such a change. Ask anyone the average number of times I'm bringing people back to life, usually I am the only priest on when I play. The only thing I could see as a drawback for this is less people would play priests then, but that could balance itself out in the long run.

ummm shamans have call lightning and VOODOO two very effective damage spells! Making them more fighter like or taking anything like staves away would be kinda lame for them (although a good amount of the time most of the pbase never has access to nice staves save killing a vet which can prove difficult)

No offense, but the combat-related changes suggested here are pretty bad ideas. Shamans are already great tanks to begin with, and giving them three hits with a spear would be very overpowered. I suppose you didn't suggest giving them enhanced damage, which means you've still got some functioning brain cells. As for damage spells, you've obviously not heard of call lightning. It is a scary, scary spell. Imagine, for example, this new shaman in a certain crusader cabal. Three hits with that stuff, spirit aura, spirit horde, heal, and call lightning? That would be ludicrous.

Adding these combat changes and taking away staves would force shamans into a combat role. As it stands, they can feasibly go front-row or support. You take away staves, and support shamans get call lightning and heal. They have to go front row; there really isn't much more of an option.

However, I am very much in favor of an experience-loss-free variant of raise dead. If you still need the corpse, then priests still have an obvious advantage, but barbarians have a viable alternative to resurrection.

A viable alternative?

Not dying.

I'm not a fan of the melee changes for reasons others have stated. They'd be over the top crazy. Taking away staves would be devastating to the class and they should never lose that. Also, they do not need more damage related spells, what they have is already great.

However, they NEED a better raise dead spell. Albeit more restrictions than a typical rez, a non xp penalty would be key for that class and tribal rp in general.

I would like to see shamans create symbols based on certain type of spirit animals that only barbarians and shamans could wear. I wouldn't be opposed to any non-religion character able to equip it but just getting this implemented would be awesome.

Edit: Or allow a spirit doll to be tied to string and hung around the neck. Another idea would be instead of a symbol allow a shaman to shrink the skull of a corpse and wear that in a 'symbol' slot, fully equiped with 3 types of enchants like a religion symbol...just something that adds a little flavor.

Actually spirit doll is a replacement. There used to be spirit belts that you could wear. I believe the spirit doll came into being because of voodoo

rez's should cost xp's and raises shouldn't.

would make shamans and warlocks awesumo!

As well as barbarians and scouts.

Yeah, I remember those leather belts. The dolls were a great idea -props- to D for that. I think that should still be the same but if you were able to wear it around the neck instead of a hand more people would probably use it. Shields or using two handed weapons is better than holding a spirit doll in your hand.