Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard Interview
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GB: Is there a limit to the number of Champions a player can create or to what level they can attain? If so, and although they might change during beta testing, what limits do you currently have in place? Charley: As it stands, a player can only have one Champion at any given time, and they cannot be leveled-up, given their immense starting power. In D&D terms, they are essentially so high-level to begin with, the amount of experience accumulated through gameplay would not be enough to grant them another level.
Captains, on the other hand, start at level 1, and can be leveled up to level 5 via the Experience resource. A level 5 captain and a champion are roughly equivalent in terms of basic abilities, but Champions grant a global buff to all units in their army, have powerful charge-up abilities, and are among the only units that deal damage that ignores resistances, thus making them a very valuable asset both in early and late game scenarios.
GB: How many different Dungeons & Dragons character classes will be available in Dragonshard? We've read about Wizards, Rangers, Rogues, and Clerics, but will we see standard Fighters, Sorcerers, or even Bards? Could you give us an example of a skill or feat each of these classes will have access to?
Charley: Almost every D&D class will be represented by one or more characters in Dragonshard. As mentioned earlier, Barbarians have a Rage ability which functions in a similar fashion to Barbarian Rage in the sourcebook, Rangers have Animal Companions they can use to scout, Rogues deal bonus Sneak Attack damage when attacking a target from being cloaked, Clerics cast the whole Cure Wounds line of spells, Sorcerers have Fireball and Hold Person, the list goes on and on.
In terms of feats, Paladins can Trample using their steeds, some Fighter-based champions can use Whirlwind Attack, and in terms of skills, Rogues are the most obvious, using Search, Hide, Disable Device, and Open Lock to sneak around, detect/disarm traps, and open locked chests. Needless to say, the D&D player will find plenty of familiar spells and abilities as they play through the game.
GB: In our last interview, it was mentioned that you are planning on having "special" buildings available on the map for players to use or possibly even control. Can you tell us what sort of buildings you have in mind and what purpose they will serve?
Charley: Places of Power are found throughout single- and multi-player, and function in a variety of different ways. For example, we have a Crystal Fountain which increases the health regeneration of units nearby, and then we have the Elder Brain which, when acquired, grants the player control over all Illithids (or Mind Flayers, whichever term you prefer) in the nearby area. Both provide unique and interesting gameplay dynamics, especially in multiplayer.
GB: Can you provide some examples of non-faction creatures that players will encounter in the game's underground sections?
Charley: There are countless monsters in Dragonshard: Zombies, Duergar, Minotaurs, Mind Flayers, Elementals, Gelatinous Cubes, various Golems, Dire Snakes and Wasps, Yuan-Ti, Thri-kreen (Mantis creatures), Medusas, the list goes on and on. We really wanted to make the underworld experience feel like a D&D dungeon crawl come to life.
GB: What sort of armor, weapons, or miscellaneous items will players find while exploring such underground areas and what effect will some of them have on the Champion and/or nearby armies? Do you intend on adding any custom items that are not found in the DMG?
Charley: We have all sorts of items for the player to acquire as they explore the underworld. These include simple healing potions, masterwork weapons and armor, and various powerful scrolls (Summon Monster, Meteor Swarm, Finger of Death, etc). Very rarely, usually only after defeating a huge (boss) monster, the player can acquire an epic item, such as the Abyssal Gauntlets of Khyber, which, when equipped, provide a massive damage boost, but prevent natural health regeneration, or a Vorpal Blade that has a chance to decimate an opponent with one blow, causing a bloody explosion of crimson mist and bits of flesh.
