The custom animations are really sweet. I really love the axe attacks and the custom art. The "Heal Me!" skill is really thematic and cool. I love it!

Mechanically, though, the class is kind of lacking. It's really hard to utilize the Enrage mechanic, and the reward isn't very significant. The extra effects below 25% Hp are mostly weak, with the exception of the axe throw freeze, which is really cool, but not really as strong as I thought it'd be. I alson don't understand the purpose of "Suffering Desire," which more often than not almost seems to be a worse move than passing.

There are trinkets that try to make the Enrage buff worthwhile, but a class really shouldn't be dependent on a trinket to be useful.

I think he'd would work better as a transformation class. Have the Axe attacks and "Heal Me!" skills in normal mode, and the rest in rage mode. Spartan Rage would switch you to Rage mode and offer extra damage, but reduce healing received. A 2-battle cooldown for the transformation skill would disallow transforming in every battle and make the choice to transform more significant.


Spartan Rage
♥♥♥♥
In Normal mode:
Transform into Rage mode
Self:
+2/3/4/5/6 SPD (until end of combat, only while in Rage mode)
+5/6/7/8/10% Deathblow resist (until end of combat, only while in Rage mode)
-100% Healing received (until end of combat, only while in Rage mode)
In Rage mode:
Transform into Normal mode
Self:
Clear all Rage mode buffs
Disable Spartan Rage (2 battles)

Leviathan's Bite
♥♥♥♥ - 🔴🔴♥♥
Available in Normal mode
Melee attack

Leviathan's Drift
♥♥♥♥ - ⚫🔴🔴🔴
Available in Normal mode
Ranged attack
-20% DMG mod
Freeze the target (100% chance at all ranks) Stunning it after its next attack (150/160/170/180/190% base)

Heal Me!
♥♥♥♥ - 🔵🔵🔵🔵
Available in Normal mode
Self:
6/7/8/9/10 HP healed by ally
+100% HP healed if at Death's Door
+50% effectiveness from healing skills bonuses.

Flaming Punch Fury Strike
♥♥♥♥ - 🔴🔴🔴⚫
Kratos leaps at an enemy and pummels it with his fists
Available in Rage mode
Melee attack
+40% DMG mod

Guardian's Bash Seething Earth
♥♥♥♥ - 🔴🔴♥♥
Kratos Hurls a boulder, dealing damage and stunning the enemy
Available in Rage mode
Ranged attack
-20% DMG mod
Stun (115/125/135/145/155% base)

Suffering Desire Raging Smash
♥♥♥♥ - 🔴+🔴+🔴⚫
Kratos Smashes the ground, damaging the front 3 ranks
Available in Rage mode
Melee attack
-20% DMG mod

I already got to work on this for myself, and I managed to change all the skills except Suffering Desire, for now. I'm no artist, however, so I can't change the animations

Thanks a lot for feedback!
Enrage is usually utilized via increased dmg buff (or debuff if it's on enemy), you can aslo stack multiple Enrages to increase dmg even further. All those additional buffs on skills are just a bonus.
As for low hp effects - they don't seem mostly weak to me? Punch gets +50% dmg on crits, since crits are always max dmg and skill has already a high crit chance. Bite can transfer dots to enemy, which is basically a cure + dot on a high damage skill (though, I can see chance of that transfer could be increased slightly, like +10%). Spartan Rage receives a significant stress heal. Bash has increased chance to stun, buff doesn't seem that big but you need to consider that the skill hits two enemies and multi target stuns are incredibly strong so it has to stay low to keep it balanced. Heal Me can Cure which is very useful especially on a strong healing skill.
The purpose of Suffering Desire is to help you get closer to hp threshold in a safe way and to cure two allies.
Making it a transformation class is an interesting concept but to be honest I prefer the current approach where he works more like a traditional class with 4 out of 7 skills selected.
Really like idea of Kratos hurling boulders and smashing ground but lack of animations is an issue, I'm not an artist as well, and AceroSteel (the artist who drew him and all his attacks) has retired from dd modding quite a while ago.
Thanks again for the feedback, I greatly appreciate it!

Well, the problems I had with Enrage was that on smaller monsters, the extra damage taken usually isn't very impactful, since they die to 2 attacks either way, and on larger enemies, the increase to the damage they deal is way too risky.

I haven't noticed Crits alwats doing max dmg. There is always a variance. minimum damage can also critically strike.
I feel like if I already got myself below 25%, the effect chance might as well be guaranteed. I'd change all the skill effect chances to 100% (transfer, freeze, etc...) By the way, the freeze effect is awesome!
The Stress Heal from Spartan Rage is good, that much is true. It's something I forgot to mention, I suppose. The problem is, when you're that low on HP, you don't wanna focus on Stress Healing.

IMHO, MarvinSeo's Seraph does a much better job of encouraging the player to keep the character at low HP.

The lack of artists is a shame. Many of the animations lack oomph, but not every mod can be MarvinSeo quality, I guess. Who did the two Axe animations? They are phenomenal.

I just realized that you updated the mod and I didn't make backup files for the changes I made. Dammit. I guess I'll redo it another time (I'm redoing it just for myself, btw. I don't plan on uploading it anywhere).
I'm a huge fan of God of War tbh. The Bounty Hunter skin was a godsend for me, and this class just hyped me up even more.

Originally posted by Dan:

Well, the problems I had with Enrage was that on smaller monsters, the extra damage taken usually isn't very impactful, since they die to 2 attacks either way, and on larger enemies, the increase to the damage they deal is way too risky.

Yeah, that happens and in these cases Enrage isn't impactful. Enraging a high dmg enemies is a bad idea indeed. Usually Kratos is the one who should be Enraged, increasing damage he receives helps to get below the hp threshold.

Originally posted by Dan:

I haven't noticed Crits alwats doing max dmg. There is always a variance. minimum damage can also critically strike.

Crits always do 150% of max dmg, there's no variance at all.

Originally posted by Dan:

I feel like if I already got myself below 25%, the effect chance might as well be guaranteed. I'd change all the skill effect chances to 100% (transfer, freeze, etc...) By the way, the freeze effect is awesome!
The Stress Heal from Spartan Rage is good, that much is true. It's something I forgot to mention, I suppose. The problem is, when you're that low on HP, you don't wanna focus on Stress Healing.

Transfering dots would be incredibly strong if it had guaranteed chance. However I'm considering increasing the hp threshold to 30-35%

Originally posted by Dan:

IMHO, MarvinSeo's Seraph does a much better job of encouraging the player to keep the character at low HP.

I don't remember Seraph having any low hp interactions, but I've played a while ago, probably got an update.

Originally posted by Dan:

The lack of artists is a shame. Many of the animations lack oomph, but not every mod can be MarvinSeo quality, I guess. Who did the two Axe animations? They are phenomenal.

The main reason why animations aren't as good as they could be is that animation software used for dd (Spine Pro) costs $300. I did flying axe animation, but using an already existing animation. AceroSteel drew the melee axe animation, it's there in BH skin mod but just unused, and Anonymous Koala animated it. Anyway, check credits section on the mod page.

Originally posted by Dan:

I just realized that you updated the mod and I didn't make backup files for the changes I made. Dammit. I guess I'll redo it another time (I'm redoing it just for myself, btw. I don't plan on uploading it anywhere).

Yeah.. you aren't supposed to edit mods inside workshop folder. You should copy mod folder into you local folder (steamapps/darkestdungeon/mods/) and edit everything there.

Originally posted by Dan:

I'm a huge fan of God of War tbh. The Bounty Hunter skin was a godsend for me, and this class just hyped me up even more.

I do love GoW and bh skin as well, and that's why I decided to make the ashen warrior class mod!

My biggest issue is the trinkets. They seem quite weak. So far I have only found the Symbol of the Sharp Wolf +8% Crit -15% Damage and the Symbol of the White Bear +2 Speed -8 Dodge. Maybe these are not representative, but it seems to me that they probably do more harm than good. I look at them and I hesitate to even use them for this reason. I just do not see them as in line with other trinkets in the game.

So my suggestion would be to take a quick balance check on your trinkets to make sure they are in line with other trinkets in the game.

My other suggestion would be to look for something to make this class a bit more unique or filling a needed slot that other classes don't. At the moment the class is a bit blah. Maybe loose the heal and then have some attacks a bit over powered but take some HP while others are a bit under powered but heal a little HP? This would give the class a bit of a balancing act feel?

I had a thought... we could use more interactions in this game, in my opinion. So maybe still lose the heal, but have it so that if you hit something that has a target or, say blight, you hit harder but it costs HP. However, if you hit something that has Stun or bleeding you hit less hard but it heals you. This way you might be able to consciously play the risk/reward game with the below 33% mechanic. You would also add interesting interactions with other classes.

Something like that might make the class more interesting and unique. I have to admit you would have far less control with this option than with my earlier idea of just having some attacks hit harder but cost HP and some hit less hard but heal HP. That is why I would want to have enough interactions that you would, hopefully, have options.

I think it would be especially cool if you could have it so that if the target had, say stun or bleed AND Target or Blight it would not cancel out but maybe give you the harder hit AND the heal. Now that would be cool. In my opinion.

Just thoughts. I understand this may not fit your class concept as I have not played God of War... but still... maybe it will help with a little inspiration.

Thanks for feedback!

Originally posted by CharterOak:

My biggest issue is the trinkets. They seem quite weak. So far I have only found the Symbol of the Sharp Wolf +8% Crit -15% Damage and the Symbol of the White Bear +2 Speed -8 Dodge. Maybe these are not representative, but it seems to me that they probably do more harm than good. I look at them and I hesitate to even use them for this reason. I just do not see them as in line with other trinkets in the game.

These two trinkets have common and uncommon rarities so yeah they aren't that strong. White Bear trinket is basically free speed, as Ashen Warrior doesn't really want to dodge stuff anyway. Also you need to get hit to be able to reflect damage back, and to get to hp threshold faster. As for Sharp Wolf trinkets - 8% is pretty high crit chance, especially considering that his crit effect is dealing dmg to all other enemies.

Originally posted by CharterOak:

So my suggestion would be to take a quick balance check on your trinkets to make sure they are in line with other trinkets in the game.

Yeah, I'll check trinkets balance again for next update.

Originally posted by CharterOak:

My other suggestion would be to look for something to make this class a bit more unique or filling a needed slot that other classes don't. At the moment the class is a bit blah. Maybe loose the heal and then have some attacks a bit over powered but take some HP while others are a bit under powered but heal a little HP? This would give the class a bit of a balancing act feel?

I had a thought... we could use more interactions in this game, in my opinion. So maybe still lose the heal, but have it so that if you hit something that has a target or, say blight, you hit harder but it costs HP. However, if you hit something that has Stun or bleeding you hit less hard but it heals you. This way you might be able to consciously play the risk/reward game with the below 33% mechanic. You would also add interesting interactions with other classes.

Something like that might make the class more interesting and unique. I have to admit you would have far less control with this option than with my earlier idea of just having some attacks hit harder but cost HP and some hit less hard but heal HP. That is why I would want to have enough interactions that you would, hopefully, have options.

I think it would be especially cool if you could have it so that if the target had, say stun or bleed AND Target or Blight it would not cancel out but maybe give you the harder hit AND the heal. Now that would be cool. In my opinion.

Just thoughts. I understand this may not fit your class concept as I have not played God of War... but still... maybe it will help with a little inspiration.

That's an interesting concept but yeah I don't think it fits the class. Anyway, many thanks for feedback and the idea!

So your biggest argument for his most important skills is simply "dont use them, or dont do it"? im not trying to be rude here, but why bring the class at all then? i was reading Dans comment earlier and he made some excellent points. the damage buffs are too insignificant to be used on weaker enemies and too risky to be used on the harder ones, making the class pretty ineffective overall IMO. All his trinkets and skills seem to revolve around increasing damage and lowering defense and HP, so im guessing thats the overall play style that was intended for him? which just isn't a very effective strategy in a game where you dont want to be taking damage or risking deaths door. And no, im not saying he should be a completely overpowered character that can solo everything, however i do think Kratos God Of War should be a STRONG class that wont need to be baby sat. I liked the suggestion in the comments suggesting he have a transformation ability, to add some additional skills with less severe debuffs.

At max level it's +40% damage received how's it "insignificant"?
Yes, lowering defense for higher Damage Reflection is definitely one of intended ways of playing him. I don't think being low hp is too risky - as long as you have some hp you can't die, thanks to death's door. I personally think it's a very powerful class once you understand how and when to use his debuffs, I'd even nerf him a bit.
As for transformation concept by Dan it removes all his unique mechanics and instead adds boring skills (some of them are also overpowered). While overall it's an interesting concept, but it will be a huge downgrade to the class.

edit:

Originally posted by true_shadow64:

So your biggest argument for his most important skills is simply "dont use them, or dont do it"? im not trying to be rude here, but why bring the class at all then?

And no, it's not "dont use them, or dont do it", it's more like "don't use it if you don't like it, as you aren't forced to". Use it when you are sure that nothing can go wrong, buff his max hp/healing received and you get a powerful class with no risk involved. Again, low hp bonuses are bonuses - you don't have to always keep him at low hp, but when he is at low hp, you get some nice additions to all skills.

Anyway, thanks a lot for feedback, I will consider buffing low hp mechanics to make it more accessible for more players.

Originally posted by O'Nightmare!:

Anyway, thanks a lot for feedback, I will consider buffing low hp mechanics to make it more accessible for more players.

thanks for at least hearing me out, i appreciate all the hard work that go's into making a character class mod like this and i imagine its a real challenge to make a fun yet not over powered class.

im going to play him some more and try your advice raising his hp and healing received and see how that plays out. thanks for the tip.

I really like Ashen Warrior. He is one of my favorite hero. Art and animation fits perfectly and his unique style is very interesting. I don't think he is very powerful, instead he feels very risky and sometimes underpowered if I refuse to take the risk, but still Ashen Warrior is very fun and challenging character.

Here's my issue, though - Spartan Rage tooltip says it has 1 round cooldown (and I assume it is supposed to remain whole round?) but effect actually lasts for 3 turns. I think it's too short.

And, if Spartan Rage is meant to make Ashen Warrior enraged for whole round, I think there should be a skill that clears Spartan Rage's effect and return Ashen Warrior to 'normal', risk-less condition. Maybe Suffering Desire could be the one.

I read this thread, so I understand that there won't be any art or animation update, which means skills have to remain their form. These are just my hopeful opinion.

Thank you again for great class mode, and I hope my English was good enough for you to not have trouble understanding.

BTW, did you know some players are using Ashen Warrior as a safe, rear row debuffer? Personally I cannot withstand "Kratos" standing at back line, but it seems more powerful (and much less risky) than 'normal' method, and actually kinda creative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qroooxCRUh8&feature=youtu.be

Check this out.

Hello, thanks for you feedback!

Spartan Rage cooldown lasts for 1 turn, so that he can't use it two turns in a row
Enrage lasts for 2 turns, same duration as dmg reflection buff.

Can't make a clear enrage thing due to technical limitations unfortunately.

Back row debuff is fine strat, not going to nerf it for sure, instead i might something else to make his regular style more appealing

Again, thanks for the feedback