Developer Diary: Creating a New Class: The Warden

[Clover]

Every outpost of civilization in Middle-earth contains those individuals who see it as their duty to protect hearth and home from the ravages of the Wild. These Wardens patrol the borders of civilized lands, preventing the encroachment of fell creatures in these troubled times.

Read more about the Warden and post your feedback here!

[ararax2]

Woot go Graalx2!

I'm on page 2 and I'm already thinking of a name!

[Itheral]

This class looks like a good deal of fun! I wasnt originally planning on starting a new character for Moria..since i like my champ so much.. But I think I might!

[gildhur]

Oh man, I can't wait. Awesome writeup.

[Gunnen]

definatley sounds like an awesome class can't wait to roll one!

[Synoptic]

Man, I was heavily leaning toward the Rune-Keeper as my new class when MoM released, but after reading this I'm sold on the Warden. It sounds awesome!!! Great job Turbine.

[MaxBrannan]

I am reading intermittently while I am at work, so I may have missed it: Do we know what races are eligible to become Wardens?
I don’t see any race as easily excluded.

[ararax2]

Man Hobbit Elf

no dwarves

[MataTahu]

Finally!

Can I play now?

[tabuk]

Man, I was heavily leaning toward the Rune-Keeper as my new class when MoM released, but after reading this I'm sold on the Warden. It sounds awesome!!! Great job Turbine.

+1

This dev diary really fleshed out what a warden will be able to do.....most of which I had not heard before. This sounds like it will be a lot of fun to play.

The thought of health stealing and solo travel. woo!

...and the javelin knockdown too.

[delphinius81]

After finally getting some details on the Warden, I think I might be able to struggle through those same low level areas again. This class just appears to be so damn fun! I really can't wait to see it in action.

Any chance of some video gameplay diaries showing off the warden and runekeeper in action in a battle? Basically, the video should show off how the attunement and gambit systems work in real time. They are such wonderful concepts, that I can't wait to see them. Honestly, I hope future mmo's take these gameplay ideas as well, they just sound like they add so much depth to how you play a class.

[Dundorn]

I've been planning to roll one of these since I first heard about it, but I'm much more pumped about it now. I really missed ranged damage with my captain and the javelin knockdown sounds fun. Unfortunately, the legendary weapons sounds like too much fun as well so will be leveling my main and warden at the same time. Hope my family won't miss me too much 0_o

[KainXI]

Want...now...

One thing I didn't notice in the dev diary:

As you are building up a gambit, does it get cleared if you change targets? What about when a target dies or you go out of combat?

I would see this being a problem in the Moors if it got cleared when you changed targets. One target often wouldn't be alive long enough to build up a successful gambit

[Graalx2]

The Gambit Display clears when you leave combat. Changing targets, stuns, your target dieing etc does not clear the display. Wardens do have a couple of skills that erase icons in case they make a mistake or change their mind on what Gambit they are building.

[straytext]

Have to say that knowing what a Warden is and some of its particular abilities I'm quite pumped to roll one.

Focusing on spears is great. While I have carried a spear on my hunter it was only because of some +dmg trait to orcs or something like that when I was in a heavily infested orc zone. I lament the day I finally switched to +agi daggers.

Question for confirmation, Wardens will have a fast travel ability like hunters? Meaning, they could zip to Bree or Esteldin, etc just like a hunter can? The big difference being that a Warden can't carry a group with them? Would the destinations be different from those available to the hunter? And did I read right that they will have a swift travel speed bonus? Is that a temporary buff or a permanent one like a hunters?

Ok, that turned into questions and not question but it was all about the same thing so nyah.

I love the idea of being such a great guy that we instill dread in our enemies. At least that's how I read it.

Edit for another question:

Short term stealth. Does short term mean "lasts until you enter combat" or "lasts ten seconds so you better get in position quick"?

[gildhur]

Question for confirmation, Wardens will have a fast travel ability like hunters? Meaning, they could zip to Bree or Esteldin, etc just like a hunter can? The big difference being that a Warden can't carry a group with them? Would the destinations be different from those available to the hunter?

The diary said they could travel to locations in need of defense. I'm guessing that means more remote outposts rather than Bree/Rivendell/TH type areas.

[Dougvk]

The warden does look cool. I want to try one out in a fellowship with a burglar; looks like they may work well together.

[Krozair]

Sounds fun, I would have chosen this option as my main charater before had it been available, instead of Guardian, as the class motivation is closer fit to how I "play" my character.

[swedishviking]

The first was that the new class should be able to function as a main tank in grouping situations

so.........other than heavy armour and damage mitigation, how is my guardian suppose to be worth having in group now. The warden seems like its taking over in tanking abilities

While Wardens are unable to come anywhere near the ranged damage of a Hunter, they are much better at ranged combat than both the Guardian and the Champion.

why do they have to be better than a guardian or a champion at ranged....this doesnt make sense to me

generally after reading this I feel that i basically wasted sooo much time in creating my guardian, thanks for making my class useless.

[chem_aggie]

From the sounds of it, the Warden will have a much smaller margin of error when tanking. With lower morale and armor than a Guardian, if they mess up in not keeping themselves buffed, there won't be as much time for a Mini to get them back to good health.

[elm3]

31.5 morale per 4 seconds from 8 targets is..... Delicious.

[DYMongoose]

Great stuff; I can't wait. I'm just a little afraid now that Eriador is going to be overrun with Wardens and Rune-keepers... oh well.

[montecristo143]

I really glad to finally get an idea of what the Warden is all about. Up to now all the talk and info had been about the rune-keeper. This class looks like a lot of fun. One thing I didn't see mentioned that we've heard about for the other classes is the Trait system. Will the Warden have a branched trait system similar to the updates for the old classes we've heard about?

[AgamemnonV1]

Warden sounds extremely fun. Does anyone else get the feeling that they are going to act like pseudo-Rangers as well?

[wondecr]

This sounds much more in line of what I think of as a guardian and fits better with my play style. I have to admit that when I hit lvl 33 on my grd, I got bored and quit playing him. Seemed so much "more of the same" and the repair bill, even after changes, was burdensome.

However, a Warden with med armor and shield (not heavy) I can see better repair bills, HOT making him more sustainable in a long fight, and a run buff I see myself switching from a runekeeper to a warden!

Sounds Great!

Though, like others have said, since this: "the new class should be able to function as a main tank in grouping situations" what is the future of the guardian unless you are a dwarf?