Design Notes
April 12, 2024
Arcana Invoker Class Preview
The 22 Arcana Will Be Yours to Wield!
This is not a joke (despite what you may have seen during April Fools). We are making a Darkon Class, and it arrives on April 26th!
Since it began, the Elegy of Madness Saga has been a fan-favorite, one of the most popular stories in the entire game. It took almost two years to tell due to the complex story, macabre graphics, and intense cutscenes, but it was absolutely worth the effort (and the wait). Since the ended, we've gotten a steady flood of suggestions, requests, and pleas for a unique Darkon-theme class.
For the last several years, the class team's focus has been on improving existing classes rather than releasing new ones.* That benefits everyone playing the game - new heroes and experienced ones. But to do a Darkon class justice, we were going to need to go all-out and fully embrace insanity.
We wanted to make this class a reality as much as you all did... but be warned. The line between reality and the realm of madness is a thin one. Tread carefully.
How to Obtain the Class
If you are at least level 80, Arcana Invoker can be unlocked by obtaining 22 different Arcana related items and turning in their respective quests. There are two ways to obtain these items:
- Create each one in a merge shop using new and existing items.
- Merge Darkon and/or King Drago Insignias for Arcana's Debris, which can then be used to create the Arcana items.
Each Arcana's Debris will cost either 1 Darkon or King Drago Insignia, and if you are only using Arcana's Debris to obtain the class, you will need a total of 80.
Note: The farming methods aren't mutually exclusive. If you want to get some of the Arcana items through merge shop farming but others with Arcana's Debris, go right ahead!
Arcana Invoker Details
Arcana Invoker is an endgame two target farming and solo DPS class that revolves around summoning all 22 aspects of the Arcana, starting with The Fool, then ending with The World.
Arcana Invoker will be acquired at rank 1, like other classes. Previously, we thought it could be acquired at rank 5, but an issue is currently preventing this. The class will not have a rank 4 passive in the traditional sense, but its rank 10 passive provides more effects than the average one to make up for it.
Recommended enhancement: Wizard
Stat Model: Offensive Caster
Mana Regen: The Arcana Invoker regains 15 mana when they strike a target with Arcana Invocation (affected by Mana Consumption).
Active Skill Breakdown
Anagenesis
Rank needed: 1 / Auto Attack
Target: Enemy
Max Targets: 2
Type: 60% Physical
Range: Infinite
Cooldown: 2.2 seconds
Deliver a strike with your blade of flesh. Deals physical damage based on your Spell Power.
A fairly standard Auto Attack, but this one hits two targets.
The Beginning and the End
Rank needed: 1
Target: Enemy
Max Targets: 1
Type: 222% Magical
Range: Infinite
Mana Cost: 0
Cooldown: 5 seconds
Begin the cycle anew by summoning The Fool, increasing your Damage Resistance by 80% for 45 seconds.
If Judgement is active, instead summon The World for 22 seconds, changing the effects of your other skills.
If The World is active, instead deals damage based on your stacks of End of the World.
Using this skill while Judgement isn't active will reset the cycle. Can't miss.
The start and end of your journey. The first skill you use on this class should always be this one, as summoning The Fool enables the rest of the class skills to function, while also granting you a massive defense buff. Once Judgement is summoned, use this skill again to summon The World, unleashing the full power of Arcana Invoker!
Arcana Invocation
Rank needed: 2
Target: Enemy
Max Targets: 1
Type: 100% Hybrid
Range: Infinite
Mana Cost: -15
Cooldown: 3 seconds
If The Fool is present, summon an Arcana. Arcana are summoned in a set order, with each one granting you a new effect and the effects of all previously summoned Arcana. Each time an Arcana is summoned, your Damage Resistance is reduced by 4%.
If The World is active, instead deals increased damage and applies two stacks of End of the World, stacks to 22. Recovers 15 mana on hit. Can't miss.
Once The Fool is summoned, you can start summoning the other Arcana. Simply put, each time you use this skill, you gain a stat buff (see passives below), but you lose some of the defense granted to you by The Fool.
Arcana Revocation
Rank needed: 3
Target: Enemy
Max Targets: 2
Type: 80% Magical
Range: Infinite
Mana Cost: 40
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Channel a magical attack through your Arcana, applying a Reversed effect to your target based on your currently summoned Arcana. All effects last 15 seconds unless otherwise specified.
If The World is active, applies The World (Reversed) for 5 seconds, applying all Reversed stat debuffs at half potency.
This skill applies a debuff to your target based on the current Arcana you have active (see passives below). While this is the only skill on the class that costs mana, it costs a lot, so you may want to conserve your mana to ensure that you can apply a specific debuff at the right time.
One With the Cycle
Rank needed: 5
Target: Enemy
Max Targets: 2
Type: 100% Magical
Range: Infinite
Mana Cost: 0
Cooldown: 9 seconds
The Fool's power surges from within you. Deals more damage the longer The Fool has been summoned.
If The World is active, instead applies Erasure, a massive DoT for 5 seconds.
This skill starts off weak, but gets noticeably stronger the longer The Fool persists.
Passive Skill Breakdown
The Arcana
Rank needed: 4
Type: Passive
Applies the following effects when using Arcana Invocation:
- Magician: 22% INT
- High Priestess: 22% WIS
- Empress: HoT
- Emperor: 22% outgoing damage
- Hierophant: 22% Heal Power
- Lovers: 22% END
- Chariot: 22% Haste
- Justice: 22% Phys and Mag damage
- Hermit: 22% Dodge
- Wheel of Fortune: 22% LUCK
- Strength: 22% STR
- Hanged Man: 22% DEX
- Death: 22% Crit Damage
- Temperance: Enhanced HoT
- Devil: 22% Crit Chance
- Tower: 22% Phys and Mag Resist
- Star: MoT
- Moon: -22% Mana Costs
- Sun: 22% Hit Chance
- Judgement: Awakens The World
The Arcana (Reversed)
Rank needed: 4
Type: Passive
Applies the following effects when using Arcana Revocation:
- Magician: -22% damage
- High Priestess: -22% Dodge
- Empress: DoT
- Emperor: -22% Damage Resist
- Hierophant: -22% DoT Resist
- Lovers: Decay
- Chariot: -22% Haste
- Justice: -22% Phys and Mag damage
- Hermit: -22% Dodge
- Wheel of Fortune: -22% Hit Chance
- Strength: -22% damage
- Hanged Man: 4s stun (50%)
- Death: 5s delayed DoT
- Temperance: Ramping DoT
- Devil: -22% Crit Chance
- Tower: -22% Phys and Mag Resist
- Star: -22% DoT Resist
- Moon: -22% Haste
- Sun: -22% Hit Chance
- Judgement: Massive damage
Arcana's Blessing
Rank needed: 10
Type: Passive
Haste, Hit Chance, and Crit Chance increased by 22%.
Conclusion
Much like Darkon, your goal as an Arcana Invoker is to complete the cycle by summoning The World. To assist you in this are the other 20 Arcana, starting with The Fool which grants you a massive defense buff, then the next 19 Arcana, which grant you a new buff when summoned, but weaken the power of the Fool's defense buff.
The core gameplay of the class revolves around using Arcana Invocation as frequently as possible, while also using Arcana Revocation to apply specific debuffs, and One With the Cycle to deal damage to your opponents. Once you have reached Judgement, you can summon The World, greatly enhancing the power of your skills for a short time.
Well that's enough explanation, you've got a Primordial to serve. Now go forth, though try not to sacrifice anyone or end the world.
* Plus, when AQW Infinity releases, every class will need to be reworked. That's a hefty project. O_O With that said... *hint hint* I'm not saying Infinity won't get brand new classes in between the re-release of existing ones... OR AM I?!?!