02-28-2010, 11:41 AM
Hey all,
Recently I've been rereading a lot of the Lore on Demon Hunters on WoW-Wiki. They're one of the coolest types of characters I've ever come across in the Warcraft universe, and it really surprised me that no-one's tried to obtain it as a Prestige Class. As such, I've decided to try and set up a template for people who want to go on to train as a Demon Hunter. Obviously I'm in no position to apply for this class yet, as I've only been on the server a few weeks. But the Demon Hunter is a type of character I'd love to see roaming around, so if this discussion can help get things flowing for this particular Prestige Class, I'm more than happy to spend time and effort improving the format. It's open for complete discussion and input by GMs and players alike, so please do give your opinions and other input, criticism or thought for the day you may feel like posting.
The Demon Hunter
The act of becoming a Demon Hunter is largely one of self-sacrifice. It is a series of grueling trials which will leave anyone who undertakes them begging to halt. Demon Hunters do just what it sounds like- Hunt Demons. Bound by oath and pledge, they are bent on seeking out and destroying the agents of the Burning Legion, for the good of all Azeroth. Often solitary in nature, Demon Hunters are shunned by the rest of society, due to their mingling in darker energies. They ritually blind and tattoo themselves as part of their training. Much like an ordinary hunter, they must grow closer to their prey in order to understand their nature and become more efficient predators. The roots of this tradition can be traced back to Illidan Stormrage, who was blinded by Sargeras himself, only to gain Spectral Sight- the ability to see demons and the undead as vivid colors in an otherwise grey, swirling world. The binding of themselves to a portion of a Demon's spirit is also part of the initiation.
The nature of this binding means that as the Demon Hunter progresses in his or her training, they can gradually morph so that they are part-demon themselves, both mentally and physically. While this means that they can hunt more efficiently, it also wreaks havoc on the Hunter's appearance. Such physical changes can include the growth of Horns, Cloven Hooves, Wings, Tails, and other sharp protrusions from the Hunter's flesh. The transformation also deeply affects the Hunter's mind, as they slowly become that which they pledged to destroy. While it is possible for Demon Hunters to resist the corruption of their blood indefinitely, all but the most iron-willed retain enough of their individuality for more than a few centuries.
OOC Guidelines
As stated in the CoTH wiki, only Night Elves may become Demon Hunters. Although there are members of other races who have made the pledge, they are few and far between.
As with all Prestige titles, you must be a Grunt, and the character in question must be approved.
Only Warriors, Rogues, Hunters and Priests may become Demon Hunters.
The character who wishes to undergo the training must be good, or at least on the good side of neutral. You'll have to gain the master Demon Hunter's trust before you can train with them, so there's no chance they'll train an evil genius bent on world domination. Just not going to happen.
The player who wishes to train may not have any other affiliations/guild/contact with other players for the duration of the training, which will last at least ten weeks OOC.
The Demon Hunter must be trained by another Demon Hunter. If the character is the first Demon Hunter on the server, then they will spend the training with Loramus Thalipedes, in Azshara (Or another NPC created by a GM)
Demon Hunters may only train on a one-to-one basis. Although Illidan trains them in groups in Outland, this system is inefficient in producing a well-rounded Hunter.
The Training
As stated above, the training lasts ten weeks. These weeks are divided into separate portions, each pushing the pupil further and further until they may become a full fledged Hunter.
Before commencing, the pupil must swear a blood oath to the master to listen at all times, to give every ounce of his dedication, and never contradict or disagree with the master, unless asked to.
The first week will be spend learning lore, under the teachings of the Master. The pupil must learn about each type of Demon in incredible detail, and must be able to cite all of their strengths and weaknesses by the end of the week. The Master gives the student an oral test after 7 days. If the pupil is not able to answer all 30 questions correctly, they are deemed to be 'Not intelligent enough' to deal with Demons, and are not allowed to continue.
The next two weeks are spent in physical training. The pupil must be able to survive in extreme conditions with very little equipment, and no armor. They are given a pair of broad-bladed heavy swords to use, and must not let go of them while awake. These two weeks culminate in a severe feat of fitness- they must run from Tanaris to Azshara, without stopping for food or rest. During this test, they must carry both their blades at all times. The Master will be at their heels the entire time, and if the Master deems them to be running too slowly, or appear too tired, they will ask the pupil to stop and go home, deeming them 'Not in good enough condition' to continue.
The fourth week will be spent in Outland, observing and tracking the different types of demon. In ages past, this would have been undertaken in demon-infested zones of Kalimdor, but since the opening of the Dark Portal, an introduction to Outland is also vital in helping the pupil's understanding of the results of a full-scale demon invasion. The week will culminate in the sacrifice of a Demon with a special blade. The blade is dipped in the Blood of the Demon and then transferred to a hollow dagger, which is then used by the Master to engrave runic tattoos in the flesh of the pupil. This is known as the First Binding Ritual.
The fifth week is spent in recovery, as the pupil will certainly fall ill. If the pupil is unable to survive the results of the First Binding, then they may not be resurrected, as their revived form will likely be that of a Demon. If they do survive, they will find that they have the following abilities:
If the pupil has not recovered by the sixth week, they are deemed 'Not tolerant enough' to continue. They may not continue the training, and will be slain by the Master, in order to prevent them from using their powers for personal gain. If they can continue, they are sent to hunt down a Void Terror. They are not told anywhere to go, and must use their own intuition and skill to track and slay one. They must bring back one of its eyes as proof. If they are successful, they may continue to the Second Binding Ritual. If They take longer than seven days, they are deemed 'Not intuitive enough'.
Once the pupil has secured the eye and brought it back to the Master, the Second Binding may begin. The Demon Hunter must pierce the Void Terror's eye with the same blade that was used to tattoo him/her. Once they have dipped the blade in the fluid of the demon's eye, they must proceed to cut their own eyes out, without crying out or showing weakness in front of their Master. The fluid burns the inside of the Demon Hunter's eye sockets, causing little blood to be shed. If they falter, if they are unable to continue, or if they show signs of weakness, they are slain by the Master, and may, of course, not be resurrected. If they are successful, they are rewarded with Cursed Vision of Sargeras
If the Second Binding is successful, the Demon Hunter will have gained the following abilities:
By the eight week, the pupil will likely have been changed by the Binding rituals. They may be growing horns, their feet may be buckling into hooves, perhaps a tail has started to form. Their skin and blood may be darker, and their eye sockets may begin to give off a glow. It depends on each person.
The final three weeks will be spent in combat training. They are given a pair of Warglaives to use, and spend a full three weeks in the heart of Outland, living off the land and seeking out and killing as many demons as possible. The Master closely supervises the pupil's progress, and will not help should the pupil be overpowered or in serious danger. If the pupil survives this ordeal, he/she is given one final task- to slay a Demon Hunter gone rogue and absorb their demonic power. This task ensures that the pupil understands the dangers of meddling with such chaotic powers, and is able to cope with the fact that he/she will be hunted down and killed if they are unable to resist the taint flowing in their veins.
If the pupil is successful in slaying the rogue Demon Hunter, they may undertake what is known as the Third Binding. In this ritual the pupil must cut out the heart of the Demon Hunter and swallow some blood from its core. In this process the pupil is ingesting some corrupted blood, and must resist the temptation to fall into darkness. If they can retain their personality, they will find that they now have control over the following abilities-
If the pupil survives, they undertake the Demon Hunter's blood oath, which makes them promise to spend every waking hour fighting the Burning Legion and preventing their takeover of Azeroth. They must slit both their wrists and allow their blood to train for ten minutes before they are allowed to bandage themselves up. If they survive (It's likely they're made of hardy stuff if they've made it this far), they are awarded the title of Demon Hunter, and may take on their own apprentice.
Before attempting this...
There are some things you should note before you attempt the trials of the Demon Hunter. First of all is that you have to spend ten weeks with no IC contact with anyone but your master. That's two and a half months. If you're not prepared to make the commitment, you won't progress any further.
If you fail before the First Binding, you may leave in peace, but you won't be able to attempt at this title again with the same character. EVER.
If you fail after the first binding, your character will be killed. There won't be any IC fighting, you'll just be permanently killed. No resurrection. Capiche?
You will be an outcast from much of society. Only in the neutral towns and the largest cities will you be able to travel without getting hassled, and that's only probably. Illidan got locked up for 10,000 years just for meddling with Demons. Night Elves won't trust you at all. Other races may be more understanding, but only barely.
You've sworn an oath to spend all your time either killing demons or instructing others on how to kill demons. So no pint in the Lion's Pride after your pupil goes to sleep.
But that's all the cons. The pros are that Demon Hunters are awesome. While you won't be able to have that good 'ole tavern RP anymore, you'll be a Demon Hunter. 'nuff said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Criticism/Input/Feedback?
Recently I've been rereading a lot of the Lore on Demon Hunters on WoW-Wiki. They're one of the coolest types of characters I've ever come across in the Warcraft universe, and it really surprised me that no-one's tried to obtain it as a Prestige Class. As such, I've decided to try and set up a template for people who want to go on to train as a Demon Hunter. Obviously I'm in no position to apply for this class yet, as I've only been on the server a few weeks. But the Demon Hunter is a type of character I'd love to see roaming around, so if this discussion can help get things flowing for this particular Prestige Class, I'm more than happy to spend time and effort improving the format. It's open for complete discussion and input by GMs and players alike, so please do give your opinions and other input, criticism or thought for the day you may feel like posting.
The Demon Hunter
The act of becoming a Demon Hunter is largely one of self-sacrifice. It is a series of grueling trials which will leave anyone who undertakes them begging to halt. Demon Hunters do just what it sounds like- Hunt Demons. Bound by oath and pledge, they are bent on seeking out and destroying the agents of the Burning Legion, for the good of all Azeroth. Often solitary in nature, Demon Hunters are shunned by the rest of society, due to their mingling in darker energies. They ritually blind and tattoo themselves as part of their training. Much like an ordinary hunter, they must grow closer to their prey in order to understand their nature and become more efficient predators. The roots of this tradition can be traced back to Illidan Stormrage, who was blinded by Sargeras himself, only to gain Spectral Sight- the ability to see demons and the undead as vivid colors in an otherwise grey, swirling world. The binding of themselves to a portion of a Demon's spirit is also part of the initiation.
The nature of this binding means that as the Demon Hunter progresses in his or her training, they can gradually morph so that they are part-demon themselves, both mentally and physically. While this means that they can hunt more efficiently, it also wreaks havoc on the Hunter's appearance. Such physical changes can include the growth of Horns, Cloven Hooves, Wings, Tails, and other sharp protrusions from the Hunter's flesh. The transformation also deeply affects the Hunter's mind, as they slowly become that which they pledged to destroy. While it is possible for Demon Hunters to resist the corruption of their blood indefinitely, all but the most iron-willed retain enough of their individuality for more than a few centuries.
OOC Guidelines
As stated in the CoTH wiki, only Night Elves may become Demon Hunters. Although there are members of other races who have made the pledge, they are few and far between.
As with all Prestige titles, you must be a Grunt, and the character in question must be approved.
Only Warriors, Rogues, Hunters and Priests may become Demon Hunters.
The character who wishes to undergo the training must be good, or at least on the good side of neutral. You'll have to gain the master Demon Hunter's trust before you can train with them, so there's no chance they'll train an evil genius bent on world domination. Just not going to happen.
The player who wishes to train may not have any other affiliations/guild/contact with other players for the duration of the training, which will last at least ten weeks OOC.
The Demon Hunter must be trained by another Demon Hunter. If the character is the first Demon Hunter on the server, then they will spend the training with Loramus Thalipedes, in Azshara (Or another NPC created by a GM)
Demon Hunters may only train on a one-to-one basis. Although Illidan trains them in groups in Outland, this system is inefficient in producing a well-rounded Hunter.
The Training
As stated above, the training lasts ten weeks. These weeks are divided into separate portions, each pushing the pupil further and further until they may become a full fledged Hunter.
Before commencing, the pupil must swear a blood oath to the master to listen at all times, to give every ounce of his dedication, and never contradict or disagree with the master, unless asked to.
The first week will be spend learning lore, under the teachings of the Master. The pupil must learn about each type of Demon in incredible detail, and must be able to cite all of their strengths and weaknesses by the end of the week. The Master gives the student an oral test after 7 days. If the pupil is not able to answer all 30 questions correctly, they are deemed to be 'Not intelligent enough' to deal with Demons, and are not allowed to continue.
The next two weeks are spent in physical training. The pupil must be able to survive in extreme conditions with very little equipment, and no armor. They are given a pair of broad-bladed heavy swords to use, and must not let go of them while awake. These two weeks culminate in a severe feat of fitness- they must run from Tanaris to Azshara, without stopping for food or rest. During this test, they must carry both their blades at all times. The Master will be at their heels the entire time, and if the Master deems them to be running too slowly, or appear too tired, they will ask the pupil to stop and go home, deeming them 'Not in good enough condition' to continue.
The fourth week will be spent in Outland, observing and tracking the different types of demon. In ages past, this would have been undertaken in demon-infested zones of Kalimdor, but since the opening of the Dark Portal, an introduction to Outland is also vital in helping the pupil's understanding of the results of a full-scale demon invasion. The week will culminate in the sacrifice of a Demon with a special blade. The blade is dipped in the Blood of the Demon and then transferred to a hollow dagger, which is then used by the Master to engrave runic tattoos in the flesh of the pupil. This is known as the First Binding Ritual.
The fifth week is spent in recovery, as the pupil will certainly fall ill. If the pupil is unable to survive the results of the First Binding, then they may not be resurrected, as their revived form will likely be that of a Demon. If they do survive, they will find that they have the following abilities:
- Immolate- The Demon Hunter is surrounded by a wreath of flames, damaging all targets within 5 yards.
Mana Burn- The Demon Hunter channels Demonic energy within themselves which causes Spellcasters to take damage from their own mana reserves, burning them internally.
Engulf Blade- The Demon Hunter channels their Immolate ability, which causes their weapon(s) to become engulfed in flames, causing fire damage to enemies.
If the pupil has not recovered by the sixth week, they are deemed 'Not tolerant enough' to continue. They may not continue the training, and will be slain by the Master, in order to prevent them from using their powers for personal gain. If they can continue, they are sent to hunt down a Void Terror. They are not told anywhere to go, and must use their own intuition and skill to track and slay one. They must bring back one of its eyes as proof. If they are successful, they may continue to the Second Binding Ritual. If They take longer than seven days, they are deemed 'Not intuitive enough'.
Once the pupil has secured the eye and brought it back to the Master, the Second Binding may begin. The Demon Hunter must pierce the Void Terror's eye with the same blade that was used to tattoo him/her. Once they have dipped the blade in the fluid of the demon's eye, they must proceed to cut their own eyes out, without crying out or showing weakness in front of their Master. The fluid burns the inside of the Demon Hunter's eye sockets, causing little blood to be shed. If they falter, if they are unable to continue, or if they show signs of weakness, they are slain by the Master, and may, of course, not be resurrected. If they are successful, they are rewarded with Cursed Vision of Sargeras
If the Second Binding is successful, the Demon Hunter will have gained the following abilities:
- Spectral Sight- The Demon Hunter now sees ordinary things as whirling shadows, while Demons and the Undead now stand out in brilliant colors. This allows them to see demons in disguise, as well as spot them from great distances away, through obstacles like walls, trees, and rocks.
Drain Demon Soul- The Demon Hunter may channel the lifeblood of a Demon to heal themselves and restore energy/mana/rage.
By the eight week, the pupil will likely have been changed by the Binding rituals. They may be growing horns, their feet may be buckling into hooves, perhaps a tail has started to form. Their skin and blood may be darker, and their eye sockets may begin to give off a glow. It depends on each person.
The final three weeks will be spent in combat training. They are given a pair of Warglaives to use, and spend a full three weeks in the heart of Outland, living off the land and seeking out and killing as many demons as possible. The Master closely supervises the pupil's progress, and will not help should the pupil be overpowered or in serious danger. If the pupil survives this ordeal, he/she is given one final task- to slay a Demon Hunter gone rogue and absorb their demonic power. This task ensures that the pupil understands the dangers of meddling with such chaotic powers, and is able to cope with the fact that he/she will be hunted down and killed if they are unable to resist the taint flowing in their veins.
If the pupil is successful in slaying the rogue Demon Hunter, they may undertake what is known as the Third Binding. In this ritual the pupil must cut out the heart of the Demon Hunter and swallow some blood from its core. In this process the pupil is ingesting some corrupted blood, and must resist the temptation to fall into darkness. If they can retain their personality, they will find that they now have control over the following abilities-
- Metamorphosis- The Demon Hunter may temporarily transform themselves into a Demon, allowing them to inflict far greater damage.
Tainted Fireball- The Demon Hunter may hurl a fireball at his/her target, inflicting lots of fire damage and some shadow damage.
If the pupil survives, they undertake the Demon Hunter's blood oath, which makes them promise to spend every waking hour fighting the Burning Legion and preventing their takeover of Azeroth. They must slit both their wrists and allow their blood to train for ten minutes before they are allowed to bandage themselves up. If they survive (It's likely they're made of hardy stuff if they've made it this far), they are awarded the title of Demon Hunter, and may take on their own apprentice.
Before attempting this...
There are some things you should note before you attempt the trials of the Demon Hunter. First of all is that you have to spend ten weeks with no IC contact with anyone but your master. That's two and a half months. If you're not prepared to make the commitment, you won't progress any further.
If you fail before the First Binding, you may leave in peace, but you won't be able to attempt at this title again with the same character. EVER.
If you fail after the first binding, your character will be killed. There won't be any IC fighting, you'll just be permanently killed. No resurrection. Capiche?
You will be an outcast from much of society. Only in the neutral towns and the largest cities will you be able to travel without getting hassled, and that's only probably. Illidan got locked up for 10,000 years just for meddling with Demons. Night Elves won't trust you at all. Other races may be more understanding, but only barely.
You've sworn an oath to spend all your time either killing demons or instructing others on how to kill demons. So no pint in the Lion's Pride after your pupil goes to sleep.
But that's all the cons. The pros are that Demon Hunters are awesome. While you won't be able to have that good 'ole tavern RP anymore, you'll be a Demon Hunter. 'nuff said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Criticism/Input/Feedback?
