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Cabalist Skills
From Hellgatewiki.com
Additional Cabalist Information
- Cabalist Overview
- Cabalist Skills
- Cabalist Classes
- Cabalist Screenshots
- Cabalist Concept Art
- Flagship's Official Cabalist Page
Contents |
Unused Cabalist Skills
The transformation skills were in the game for most of the development cycle and were displayed as recently as late 2006. They did not fit with the Evoker or Summoner characters though and will not be in the game at release. It is widely believed that when a third class of each faction is added some time after the game's release the third cabalist class will be some kind of Shape Shifter.
"Necro Shifting distorts a Cabalist's form into that of an unnamed walking dead. As Zombies, Cabalists may move unmolested through ranks of foolish Demons, circumventing potential dangers and providing themselves with better vantage points from which they can make surprise strikes.
This skill does not serve as a simple devilish cloak, however. Cabalists who force such dramatic change within themselves can also wield the very weapons of their foe. In the case of the Zombie, poisonous breath and unnaturally powerful claws become available. Both abilities can even be improved upon, leveled up to more powerful attacks so that when a Cabalist chooses to melt into the same form at a later time, he or she may capitalize off even deadlier assaults."
--Erich Schaefer, September 2006.
Necro Shift
The cabalist transforms into a Zombie, enabling him to pass by monsters unchallenged. Cabalists may attack while in zombie form, and there may be additional skills that only work while in zombie form. See this skill [in use here].
One such Cabalist Transformation ability is the Necro Shift. Necro Shifting distorts a Cabalist's form into that of an unnamed walking dead. As Zombies, Cabalists may move unmolested through ranks of foolish Demons, circumventing potential dangers and providing themselves with better vantage points from which they can make surprise strikes.
This skill does not serve as a simple devilish cloak, however. Cabalists who force such dramatic change within themselves can also wield the very weapons of their foe. In the case of the Zombie, poisonous breath and unnaturally powerful claws become available. Both abilities can even be improved upon, leveled up to more powerful attacks so that when a Cabalist chooses to melt into the same form at a later time, he or she may capitalize off even deadlier assaults.
Ivan Sulic commented on the shape shifting in an interview in September 2006.
Does the transformation skill for the Cabalist (if it is still in) really change their looks, or does it simply give them special abilities from demons?
Ivan Sulic: Transformation really does change a Cabalist's looks, yes. We even have full Zombie, Fetid Hulk and Imp Shaman transformations in right now.
As of September 2006 Necro shift was in the game as a Cabalist skill, and it simply turned the character into a zombie, using the same zombie graphics. Other monsters would ignore you while in zombie form, but there weren't a lot of powerful attacks while in the form; it was mostly a novelty at that early stage of development.
The cabalist transforms into a Diabolist, enabling him to pass by monsters unchallenged. Cabalists may attack while in monster form, and there may be additional skills that only work while in shaman form. Darkling shamans can cast their own spells, and it will be interesting to see if any of these make it to the transformed Cabalist.
Video of a Cabalist transforming into a Diabolist can be seen here.
A short range skill that can only be used while in undead form. It deals high poison damage.
"My current favorite way to take out a Demon is to transform my Cabalist into a Zombie, walk past a horde of protectors and get face to face with a leader or champion. I use the very short range – but very powerful – poison breath of the undead form I have assumed and eliminate my target in short order. Then, as the swarms of demons head towards me, I drop down my own army of Elementals that draw attention and open fire so I can scamper off to a safer range."
--Bill Roper, November 2006.
We don't even know if this is a skill, but in the first few screenshots of the Cabalist (but none more recently) a small green/golden dragon was visible flying over the Cabalist's head. What it was doing there and what happened to that spell since then is unknown. See all of the summoned dragon screenshots in the image gallery.
Mastery
These spells and skills allow the Cabalist to capture, control, and even train the minions of Hell. Properly invoked, these powers can be used to summon demons from the nether world and compel them to fight against their kindred.
We never bothered to try out any of these skills during our play time at E3 or in the Flagship offices in November 2006, since they were never necessary at lower levels. Why heal minions that can be recast just as easily? We assume that later in the game, minions will be powerful and unique enough that making an effort to keep them alive will be worth the trouble.
Skills and icons are still being developed and will surely change in the final game.
Sacrifice some of your health to partially heal all of your summoned creatures.
Exchange some of your health for power.
Hard to see the point of this skill at this point, with Drain Power easy to use, and Power potions readily-available. Things change during game balancing, though.
Your major summoned demons are filled with dark rage, growing bigger, stronger and faster for a short amount of time.
- Each additional skill level increases the enraged duration.
- Power cost: 25
This command causes demons surrounding the Cabalist to temporarily flee in terror.
- Power cost: 5
Evocation
These spells manipulate energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal massive amounts of damage.
Singling out a healthy foe, the Cabalist drains away its life to add to his or her own. Each additional skill level increases the amount of health gained by 25%
- Requires a Focus Item
- Power cost: Constant Drain of 2 Power per second.
Drain life fires out a reddish beam that locks onto a monster and damages it while stealing life for the Cabalist. This skill was phenomenally-powerful in early testing verisons, refilling a low level Cabalist's entire health in just a second or two.
The Cabalist tortures a single enemy and gains power from its pain. Each additional skill level increases the amount of power gained by 25%
- Requires a Focus Item
- Power cost: None
Drain Life and Drain Power work identically; the Cabalist fires our a beam of energy that locks onto a target and deals damage, while leeching life or mana to the Cabalist. These skills worked almost too well in early testing, and each could take down a single target in just seconds, while completely refilling the Cabalist's life or mana bulb.
Unleashes a tendril of spectral energy against a single enemy. Each additional skill level reduces the Power drain of the Lash by 5 Power per second.
- Requires a Focus Item
- Power cost: constant drain of 30 Power per second.
Spectral Lash fires a stream of energy that behaves just like Drain Life or Mana, except it does damage without siphoning any to the Cabalist.
Fires a bolt of spectral energy that splits several times.
- Each additional skill level adds 25% extra damage to each bolt, but increases the cost by 2 Power.
- Requires a Focus Item
- Power cost: 11
Spectral Bolt is a great deal of fun to play with. It works a bit like the Necromancer's Teeth skill, except that the projectiles spread out more rapidly and move erratically. More than one of the spectral orbs launched forth can hit the same target, and for that reason this spell is light damage from a distance, but potentially devastating at point blank range.
Summoning
Summoning skills call forth monsters to fight for the Cabalist. Most of these spells do not require a target; the elemental or monster simply appears atop a summoning circle; no monster or corpse is required as a reagent.
- Creates a spectral light that attracts demons and damages them.
- Power Cost: 10
- Summons a Carnagor to fight for the caster. The demon is bound to serve until slain or released. The Carnagor gains an additional 20% health and damage per skill level.
- Power Cost: 66
Summons an elemental creature of physical force to fight for the caster. The demon is bound to serve until slain or released.
- Physical elementals do 10% additional damage and gain increased knockback ability per skill level.
- Power Cost: 15
Physical Elementals are essentially Necromancer golems from Diablo II. They tank for you, but aren't very tough. Carnagors are a big upgrade from these guys, at least at lower levels.
Summons an elemental creature of fire to fight for the caster. The demon is bound to serve until slain or release.
Fire Elementals do 20% additional damage per skill level.
Power Cost: 15
Fire elementals look like living lava dudes, and provide decent artillery support. They generally stay behind the action, hurling fireballs that streak through the air and straight at the targeted monster. They are not very powerful early on, but if you can get two or three of them throwing at the same monster, they get the job done.
We saw this skill listed, but did not get to try it out during our play session at Flagship in September 2006.
We saw this skill listed, but did not get to try it out during our play session at Flagship in September 2006.
We saw this skill listed, but didn't get to try it during our play session at Flagship in September 2006.
Summons a flying Shrieker demon to fight for you. The demon immediately targets a foe and sacrifices itself in a spectacular attack.
- Power Cost: 15
We don't even know if this is a skill, but in the first few screenshots of the Cabalist (but none more recently) a small green/golden dragon was visible flying over the Cabalist's head. What it was doing there and what happened to that spell since then is unknown. See all of the summoned dragon screenshots in our image gallery.
Other Skill Information
Q: Can the cabalist control multiple demons?
A: "Right now you can control quite a few. I had three Shriekers going, three Elementals and one Carnagor. There's no telling how that will change in the final, however."
--Ivan Sulic, Flagship Community Manager, April 2006
Q: Will the "transformation" Skills be permanent, so that the cabalists outer appearance will change within the game? In my opinion this would be a great feature.
A: "No, I don't believe they are permanent. As to the look of the Cabalist, please remember that the one you've seen is just one version of a general idea. Others look far more freakish and sinister. They're just not anywhere near done yet."
--Ivan Sulic, April 2006
"Cabalists can transform parts of their bodies into pieces from many different demons."
--Ivan Sulic, April 2006
Cabalist Skill Evolution
A partial record of changes over time, gleaned from press coverage and hands on play of the game during development.
May 2006
From a CGW Magazine Preview, May 2006, shortly after the Cabalist faction was announced.
- Summoning
- Can you start seeing the necromancer's heritage in the cabalist yet? You will once you start summoning allies to do you bidding. Carnagors, a personal favorite around the office, look like the bastard results of a shark in a mating frenzy with a pit bull. The shrieker is your basic bat out of hell; the fire elemental is, well, fire support; and the spectral lure is a demonic Roach Motel, luring enemies to their death.
- Spelling Trouble
- Most of the cabalist's projectile spells require a focus object. For those who remember the psi-orbs in System Shock 2, it's the same concept here. In fact, for our demos, we need to to find blue crystal balls of doom to get the job done. Cast bolts and energy whips, or just make your enemy explode like a satanic piñata. Fun for the whole family!
- Transformers
- These abilities aren't in the game yet, nor are the powers finalized. But the cabalist is able to take on demonic attributes. Improved melee combat merely scratches the evil surface. Imagine growing armor, a demonic claw, or some fiend's missile weapon.
Categories: Cabalist | Factions | Skills
