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

Ten Ton Hammer: There are a few MMOGs that unfortunately allow pet class characters to exploit the use of pets (for instance, by going AFK and having the pet do all the work for the player). Will this be a problem in Aion, and how can this exploit be guarded against?

Every class has challenges as to balance. We treat the Spiritmaster no different in striving to make all classes balanced, and we also work to make sure that Spiritmasters have an equal ability to solo and to be effective in a group. To calm your fears that Spiritmasters could reap experience points while going away from keyboard, you should know that spirits have many skills that a player must actively initiate, such as attacks, heals, or buffs. They cannot just make their spirits into “automagic experience harvesters.”

Ten Ton Hammer: Because pet classes tend to play like a mini-duo, they often end up being the class choice of soloers and are sometimes left out of forming groups. How useful are Spiritmasters included in a group, and what is their role?

In a group, a Spiritmaster weakens and wears away at monsters using the selective use of its spirits and various debuffs. Its abilities allow high burst dps classes like the Assassin and the Sorcerer to take down monsters quicker. A Spiritmaster in a group uses skills like Magic Blocking to dispel or reflect a target’s buffs. Spiritmasters also possess skills that raise a target’s item drop rate, making raids much more productive and efficient. Doesn’t every group want more and better loot?

Ten Ton Hammer: How does flight work with a pet in tow? Does the pet go with the Spiritmaster or is it bound to the ground?

A spirit does not follow a character into the sky when the character goes on the wing. Think of a spirit as a person on the ground. The Spiritmaster in flight (using its wings) and its spirit have both the benefits and challenges in this situation of being both on the ground (the spirit) and in the air (the Spiritmaster) simultaneously.

Ten Ton Hammer: Mages tend to be light on defense and hit points, which make them easy targets in PvP. How do Spiritmasters fare amongst peers in PvP combat, and what will they have in their arsenal to make them a class to be reckoned with?

The ability to debuff and weaken should throw some fear into an opponent. Spiritmasters also have the huge advantage of essentially being in two places at once. A Spiritmaster can take to the skies while leaving its spirit below to cover it from the ground. A Spiritmaster’s water spirit has a command ability unique within the game. It crashes a flying opponent from the air, causing the opponent to fall immediately to the ground. That trick seems something that would be great to take advantage of in PvP.

Ten Ton Hammer: Will the Spiritmaster be better off in the protection of a group for PvP, or will a Spiritmaster be completely capable of defending itself in a one-on-one battle without the comfort of a group?

Any class is safer in the protection of a group. The Spiritmaster, as a subclass of the Mage, does have a challenge because it has a lower HP pool. Spiritmasters will want to take advantage of the many Stigma stones, consumables, and skills that speed up HP/MP recovery. On the other hand, a Spiritmaster also has a built-in group as part of its class, since a Spiritmaster can summon a spirit to bring down the hurt with multiple attacks, making a one-on-one battle seem like a two-on-one battle.