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Tags: Matt MacLean; Nick Carver; Obsidian Entertainment; Tyranny
Obsidian have published a new Tyranny dev diary update this week introducing yet another of the game's companions. This time it's about Eb, the white-haired rebel mage lady who was not one of the companions in the siege scenario shown at E3, but did appear at the end of it. Here's her story:
Obsidian have published a new Tyranny dev diary update this week introducing yet another of the game's companions. This time it's about Eb, the white-haired rebel mage lady who was not one of the companions in the siege scenario shown at E3, but did appear at the end of it. Here's her story:
Eb is a member of an order of mages that study manipulation of water in all its forms, as well as spells that harness the pull of the moons, or that focus the light of the moon Terratus Grave into searing rays. Though their magic makes them formidable in battle, the School of Tides devoted their efforts to the study of the arts and cornering trade along the coasts. While these efforts gave the school prestige and acceptance, they’ve also turned the school into a peaceful order, one unready for war.
Kyros’ conquest of the Tiers would take several years of war through the mountains, but the School of Tides were defeated with ease. Before the first Disfavored or Scarlet Chorus troops crossed into the Tiers, agents of Kyros sent threats to Occulted Jade, Archon of Tides and the school’s founder and guardian. Unwilling to bow and unwilling to fight, Occulted Jade fled, taking nearly all of her disciples across the sea to parts unknown. Only four Tidecasters remained behind to fight, and of them, Eb was the youngest.
Having lost her husband, children, home, school, and realm to the war, Eb’s life is now little more than battle and living on the run. With the death of her three mentors, Eb is now the last of her kind.
Proud to have been born unbowed to Kyros but unburdened by the delusion that she has any chance of winning, Eb now wages her own war against the invaders, rallying to whatever band of Tiersmen is still willing to fight against the seemingly limitless might of Graven Ashe, the Voices of Nerat, and their legions of soldiers. Though she knows true victory is impossible, that won’t stop her from slaying as many of the foreign invaders as she can on her way out.
Combat Role
Eb is designed to both take control of the battlefield and to bring wrath upon foes in number. As a Tidecaster, Eb possesses knowledge of both Gravelight and Tidecasting magic. Her talent trees compliment this by further developing deeper aspects of either of these two unique knowledges. While Eb is capable of becoming a powerful offensive spellcaster, or a crowd controlling mage, her kit is also exceptionally malleable. Her strong access to various magic and shorter range AoE abilities even make her effective at toeing the front line.
When building Eb’s talent trees, we strived to convey the mechanical and thematic differences between Tidecasting and Gravelight magic. Eb’s ‘Tidal’ tree provides a variety of effects from pushing groups of foes, or drowning enemies in globes of water, to obscuring the battlefield in a magical mist or hastening ally movement. Her ‘Gravelight’ tree focuses on calling upon Terratus Grave to lift foes into the air and slam them to the ground, siphon life from enemies, or even to warp her to different locations.
Below are some of the abilities available to Eb:
Repelling Blast: Eb raises her hand and a powerful blast of water erupts forth, pushing foes back violently and damaging them.
Mother’s Embrace: Eb summons a globe of water around the target’s head, causing them to slowly drown, dealing damage over time and silencing spellcasting.
Clear Mind: As long as Eb is not taking damage her mind calms, reducing her Recovery and allowing her to attack twice with each basic attack. (Taking damage suppresses this effect for several seconds.)
Return to the Source: Channeling her tidecasting magic, Eb summons the water from the target’s blood and tissue, erupting it out of them in a violent surge and dealing extreme damage.
Terratus’ Call: Eb raises her arms and summons a beam of moonlight to surround her target. Terratus’ magic lifts the enemy into the air and then brings them violently back to the ground, dealing Crush damage and leaving the target Prone.
Runic Barrier: While in combat, Eb begins channeling magical energy through the runes tattooed on her skin, generating a field that protects her as if she were wearing armor. (Only activates while Eb is not wearing Heavy Armor).
Eb’s wrath upon the battlefield is like no other. Her Terratus’ Call and Mother’s Embrace abilities can shut down problem units, allowing the party to take them down with greater ease. While Eb’s Repelling Blast can be used offensively, if the tides of battle aren’t in her favor, it can also allow for a window of escape. Many of Eb’s abilities can serve a dual purpose, making her combat offensive mostly about reading the battle and reacting to the situation. However, her kit also possesses a few purely offensive abilities, such as Return to the Source, which serves situations where you just want to obliterate someone.
With her battlefield control, aptitude for spellcasting, and extremely violent ensemble of abilities, Eb should present players with a wrathful companion to unleash upon their foes.
Oh, I get it now. Well, better an Eb than a Flo I suppose.Kyros’ conquest of the Tiers would take several years of war through the mountains, but the School of Tides were defeated with ease. Before the first Disfavored or Scarlet Chorus troops crossed into the Tiers, agents of Kyros sent threats to Occulted Jade, Archon of Tides and the school’s founder and guardian. Unwilling to bow and unwilling to fight, Occulted Jade fled, taking nearly all of her disciples across the sea to parts unknown. Only four Tidecasters remained behind to fight, and of them, Eb was the youngest.
Having lost her husband, children, home, school, and realm to the war, Eb’s life is now little more than battle and living on the run. With the death of her three mentors, Eb is now the last of her kind.
Proud to have been born unbowed to Kyros but unburdened by the delusion that she has any chance of winning, Eb now wages her own war against the invaders, rallying to whatever band of Tiersmen is still willing to fight against the seemingly limitless might of Graven Ashe, the Voices of Nerat, and their legions of soldiers. Though she knows true victory is impossible, that won’t stop her from slaying as many of the foreign invaders as she can on her way out.
Combat Role
Eb is designed to both take control of the battlefield and to bring wrath upon foes in number. As a Tidecaster, Eb possesses knowledge of both Gravelight and Tidecasting magic. Her talent trees compliment this by further developing deeper aspects of either of these two unique knowledges. While Eb is capable of becoming a powerful offensive spellcaster, or a crowd controlling mage, her kit is also exceptionally malleable. Her strong access to various magic and shorter range AoE abilities even make her effective at toeing the front line.
When building Eb’s talent trees, we strived to convey the mechanical and thematic differences between Tidecasting and Gravelight magic. Eb’s ‘Tidal’ tree provides a variety of effects from pushing groups of foes, or drowning enemies in globes of water, to obscuring the battlefield in a magical mist or hastening ally movement. Her ‘Gravelight’ tree focuses on calling upon Terratus Grave to lift foes into the air and slam them to the ground, siphon life from enemies, or even to warp her to different locations.
Below are some of the abilities available to Eb:
Repelling Blast: Eb raises her hand and a powerful blast of water erupts forth, pushing foes back violently and damaging them.
Mother’s Embrace: Eb summons a globe of water around the target’s head, causing them to slowly drown, dealing damage over time and silencing spellcasting.
Clear Mind: As long as Eb is not taking damage her mind calms, reducing her Recovery and allowing her to attack twice with each basic attack. (Taking damage suppresses this effect for several seconds.)
Return to the Source: Channeling her tidecasting magic, Eb summons the water from the target’s blood and tissue, erupting it out of them in a violent surge and dealing extreme damage.
Terratus’ Call: Eb raises her arms and summons a beam of moonlight to surround her target. Terratus’ magic lifts the enemy into the air and then brings them violently back to the ground, dealing Crush damage and leaving the target Prone.
Runic Barrier: While in combat, Eb begins channeling magical energy through the runes tattooed on her skin, generating a field that protects her as if she were wearing armor. (Only activates while Eb is not wearing Heavy Armor).
Eb’s wrath upon the battlefield is like no other. Her Terratus’ Call and Mother’s Embrace abilities can shut down problem units, allowing the party to take them down with greater ease. While Eb’s Repelling Blast can be used offensively, if the tides of battle aren’t in her favor, it can also allow for a window of escape. Many of Eb’s abilities can serve a dual purpose, making her combat offensive mostly about reading the battle and reacting to the situation. However, her kit also possesses a few purely offensive abilities, such as Return to the Source, which serves situations where you just want to obliterate someone.
With her battlefield control, aptitude for spellcasting, and extremely violent ensemble of abilities, Eb should present players with a wrathful companion to unleash upon their foes.
