Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

"War. Huuh! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing."

Edwin Starr’s “War” is a great song, but limited in scope and vision. Why? Because Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is an absolute blast to play, that's why. Obviously, the song is far older than the more recent WAR, but hey, cut me a little slack. I've got the song stuck in my head and if I have to suffer, so do you. That's just the way it goes.

Can spell effects get much cooler?

I'm sure you already guessed, but I've been playing the ever-lovin' crap out of WAR again. I had left the game a while back not out of any dissatisfaction with it, but because I had too many other games on my plate in terms of various articles I needed to research. This week, I've returned to the unbridled champion of PvP combat, and I'm loving it. That's right, Spazimodo, I said, "unbridled champion." I'll admit there are some interesting games coming down the pipe, but until I see some proof they'll actually come to fruition [Editor’s Note: *cough* Darkfall *cough*], WAR is flying miles above the crowd. Argue with me all you like, but as it stands right now, no one has a hope in hell of knocking that crown off their head. Not only has it proven fun for PvPers around the world, but it's been converting carebears like me faster than a priest at a revival. If that doesn't scream "Winner!" then I have no idea what does.

But Mythic Entertainment hasn’t been sitting on their duffs either. They’ve been hard at work not only tweaking aspects of the game, but completing the classes that were originally scheduled to be available at release. The last of those missing classes - the Dwarf Slayer and the Orc Choppa - are quickly heading to the game with the upcoming live expansion, “Call to Arms” (read the exclusive interview!). They're both melee DPS classes, but like everything Mythic has put into WAR so far, there's a definite balancing act being played out to find the right sweet spot. The more rage they have, the more damage they do. Too much though, and they may as well be out there in their skivvies as their defense takes a total nosedive. It's this continual walk along the razor's edge that makes the game so much fun for me. I can't wait to check them out in the future.

With my return to WAR, the first thing I had to do was check out the new Blackguard class for the Dark Elves. I'm a sucker for the Dark Elf line anyway, but when I found out they were giving me the ability to finally be a tank for that race, I couldn't wait to get back in the game. After building my new rig this weekend (she's soooo pretty!), I couldn't think of a better way to honor her than to start my WAR account back up. And I'm glad I did. My body's sleeping patterns have enjoyed it about as much as a kick to the crotch, but it's been worth it. The game hasn't lost any of the fun I remember from release.

Death and destruction incarnate

I'll admit I haven't found my loving need for balance with the Blackguard yet, but I'm hopeful I will soon. Since I can't imagine anyone would take the time to literally track me down and burn me at the stake, I will risk saying one thing; unless the combat mechanics for it change as I progress in levels, the class needs a bit of a nerf. I know, I know. I can't believe I said it either, but it's true. Right now, the whole concept behind the class's combat is, "Go! Go! Go!” The more hate I build, the more abilities (including an overpowered hate shield) I can use, with a short timer on an ability to give me back those action points I've already burned. I'm not saying it's not fun to play, but it's the intricate balance I had to find with my sorceress that really put the PvP hooks into me.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again since it's important to keep in mind; Mythic has spent more time perfecting PvP combat than most teenagers have spent trying to go blind with their father’s magazines. They know what they're doing and have it down to a science, tweaking what needs to be tweaked in a timely fashion. They might hit a few bumps along the way, but rest assured they'll get there. And while a lot of time and effort gets spent on fine tuning (or flat out fixing) issues that arise, the team doesn't seem content to rest on their laurels and coast along.

One thing everyone enjoys with new content is the addition of new races and/or classes. I'm certainly no exception to that and have reactivated more accounts than I care to admit whenever something new and shiny hits a game that I may or may not have enjoyed. With my recent reintroduction to WAR and all the talk going on about the upcoming classes, I began to wonder what other races and classes might be introduced in the future.

Before the loremasters of Warhammer set fire to the contents of my underpants, keep in mind that I am not an expert on all things Warhammer. I had friends that played the table top game and painted the miniatures, so I was familiar with the basic setting, but until Warhammer Online was released, I had never played in that universe. Thus, my ideas may or may not be possible in terms of WAR's lore, but I think they'd be interesting nonetheless.

You? Bite me? As if!

For the namby-pamby whining side called Order (you heard me!), I think a nature-based race would be fitting. Perhaps a Fairy so the minions of Chaos could pluck their wings or a Centaur so the Dark Elves would have something fresh to feed their Greenskin allies. Actually, I think either of those races could make for some interesting combat situations. The Fairies could have incredible speed and evasion capabilities, much like that of a hummingbird. The Centaurs have been seen as warriors for as long as man has been telling stories and should rightfully find themselves on the front lines. Being half horse, they could have the added benefit of mounted speed, with a special ability allowing them to whisk an injured comrade away, due to the nature of their build and size. Druidic or shamanistic magic would be a staple for either race and could be put to interesting use, from various DoTs to dreaded rooting abilities.

The side of Destruction, in all its dark glory, is missing two races normally associated with evil, the Undead and Demons. World of Warcraft has done a respectable job with the Undead, giving them a minor sense of distance from their breathing brethren, but it could be taken so much further. My vision for WAR’s Undead is far more in line with Dragonlance's death knight, Lord Soth, and his skeletal warriors. Let the dead rise up in an event of ancient darkness to descend upon the world like a swarm of locusts. Cool as I think the Undead are though, the real race that would have me jumping up and down (with more fervor than a cheerleader at a pep rally!) are the Demons. Loosed upon the realm, they would be the epitome of Destruction. I'll admit I'm unsure of what class roles the two races would best be suited for that aren't already representative in the game. I just know I'd love to see either one present.

But that’s all just speculation. I'm sure the crew at Mythic is hard at work on whatever they have planned for us down the road. New races, new classes, or maybe something we can't even imagine. At this point, I wouldn't put anything past them. They may not have the insanely high subscription numbers of WoW, but I think it's safe to say that so far, WAR has been a resounding success. If they can get this die-hard carebear to love the PvP in WAR this much, I have no doubt they'll continue to amaze and delight all of us in the future.