Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Updated Q&A - The Warrior Priest Class and the Empire Faction
When Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning launches later this year, it will bring the rich universe of the Warhammer Fantasy setting to life as a massively multiplayer role-playing game for the first time. Players will create their own characters and adventure and battle in huge virtual worlds populated by monsters and thousands of other player characters. The battle lines are drawn between a number of colorful and memorable factions. The one that we might relate to the most is the human-based Empire faction, with its horse-mounted knights and medieval-like warriors. And one of the most unique units in the Empire faction is the warrior priest, a warrior that combines melee combat with holy-power abilities, such as healing injured teammates and strengthening them with magical spells that "buff" their abilities. The warrior priests can easily be identified on the battlefield thanks to their long robes and vestments, as well as their signature war hammer. To answer our questions about the warrior priest class and the Empire faction, we turned to senior designer Steve Marvin and content manager Doug Woolsey.
GameSpot: The big reveal this time around is the warrior priest class. Give us an overview of this character and its abilities.
Steve Marvin: The warrior priest is a follower of Sigmar and comes of age in the Empire, the human lands savagely beset by the forces of Chaos. He is part churchman, part soldier, part healer, and part justiciar. His realm, his race, and most importantly his faith are all in danger of extinction at the hands of a ravening evil flood of appalling monstrosities. He is the levee that will hold back that dark tide. This is no Friar Tuck; the warrior priest strides to the front line, singing the praises of Sigmar and inspiring his fellow soldiers to hold fast. His is a grim responsibility, and the only times he smiles is as his hammer slams a creature of Chaos to the ground.
Warrior priests revel in combat, with their blessed hammers sanctifying each blow to the greater glory of Sigmar and his inevitable triumph over darkness. As his faith and righteous fury rises within him, his god fills him with the power to heal and bless those who join him in his struggle. There is no sight like that of a warrior priest in the thick of combat, dispensing death to his foes and life to his allies.
His blessings deliver health, morale, and strength to all of those within range of his voice, which seldom halts in its righteous soliloquy. Any who stand close to a warrior priest for even a few moments feel their bodies refreshed and their faith renewed. In the height of his faith and fury, he can call upon Sigmar to heal the injured, purge taint and poison from the faithful, or even return life to the newly dead. He can also call holy power to his hammer to deliver devastating blows, or channel Sigmar's wrath directly into the hearts of his foes.
The warrior priest kicks butt and takes names. He wades into combat and smashes things left and right, building up his righteous fury ability with every blow. He then releases that pent-up power with heals, cures, and devastating attacks. Just being near a warrior priest buffs you.
GS: We understand that even though the warrior priest is the "healer" class for the Empire faction, the profession isn't about quietly sitting in the back of the adventuring party, casting healing spells. It's much more warlike and able to fight in the frontlines. Just how strong of a fighter will this character be, and why was this direction chosen?
Now, will the warrior priest be among the strongest fighters? No, of course not. Though, he will be very difficult to kill because he can rebound from damage and purge debuffs. Since he can buff everyone in his party with his continuous blessings, he is likely to be a rallying point for his group. However, his most damaging blows come only when he has built up a reserve of righteous fury through combat and chosen not to spend it on his party's health. It is a trade-off the warrior priest must constantly assess based on the needs of his group.
;){kind=link}