Managing Editor Jon Wood is in Oslo visiting the Age of Conan developers at Funcom where he has learned that the 14 Age of Conan classes have been folded down to 12 as four classes are merged into two.

Managing Editor Jon Wood has been in Oslo, Norway taking part in an Age of Conan Press Event. While there, he learned that the planned 14 classes for the upcoming MMORPG have been folded down into 12.

The two classes in question were known as the Lich, and the Stormcaller.

The Stormcaller has been merged with the Scion of Seth class to create a new class called, The Tempest of Seth. This new class will maintain most of the abilites of both the Stormcaller and the Tempest.

The Lich class was a perfect fit to fold into the Necromancer class, with the undead nature of the Lich. Necromancers will now have the ability to turn themselves into a Lich and while the core feeling of the Lich has remained, being folded into the Necromancer class makes them casters rather than the melee class that they were previously.

A number of other interesting tidbits on Age of Conan came out during the trip, and you can read all about them on Monday and Tuesday of this week, so don't forget to drop by MMORPG.com and take a look.

Read it all here.

Well that's somewhat disappointing. I was looking forward to Funcom's version of the Lich, rather than your standard Necromancer found in most games. Oh well, I guess we will just have to see how this turns out. Guess I'll be making another necromancer

This might be disappointing to some, however look further into this for live launch. What this will do is:

-Reduce work loads of balancing/fixing classes for launch or post launch, even by reducing 2 classes you can focus time on others that need it more.

Yes, I have played necromancers in almost every game that has had them. However, I've NEVER been satisfied with how necromancers were portrayed (most notibley was the uselessness of a pet decaying over a very short time like in GW, to the point they are laughably and annoyingly funny. The fact there are no pet using necromancers in GW for pvp shows they are useless and aren't true necromancers).

However, at least to me, necromancers in Age of Conan will feel like true necromancers now. I was kind of concerned with the fact we REALLY haven't had any information pertaining to the specifics of the necromancer class yet. I was debating if I was going Lich or Necromancer for beta (when I get an invite) or retail, even though my decision has probably been made up for me now. I say this because my first MMO was UO (like a lot of the vet community), however my first TRUE modern MMO was EQ to which I bet a lot of you can guess what I played 3 different times to max level on 3 different servers . So it was going to feel kind of weird just summoning things and not looking.....necrorific? Did I mention I've played countless necromancers on DAOC...............perhaps I should should see a counselor .

In any case it's not all that bad of news for most. Just a refocusing of ideas to make retail a lot cleaner and crisp from refocused work. I just hope necromancers and the new Tempest of Seth, or w/e it's called, won't be all fumbly bumbly because they merged 4 classes down to two just 2months from launch.

-Moo

Wow, this seems like a huge move for a game so close to release.  I hope this doesn't mean that the game still has a lot of major issues to work out at this point.

Seems like they havn't gotten rid off those classes, just incorporated them into other classes. I do agree that the Necromancer class is alot better now. From what i know about lich's, they are incredibly powerful necromancers anyway, and so it only makes sense that the ability to become one, via necromancy, sould be a high lvl ability and not a given starter class/ability. It's like the jedi's in SWG. If everyone can be one right away, it makes it less impressive or important.

I havn't really followed the details of AoC, i'm just waiting for it to be released and i'll see what classes there are at the character creation screen, so im not too worried about this news.

It's "Tempest of Set", not Seth.

yup. my mistake. Changed.

i on the other hand am not going to play conan, its jsut going to be like every other MMO , boring, i was looking forward to a caster who used its abilities more like a tank

beh

Good new my optimist friend!

Herald of Xotli is the class for you!

http://aoc.wikia.com/wiki/Herald_of_Xotli

http://aoc.wikia.com/wiki/Spells/Herald_of_Xotli

better to fix this stuff before launch than 6months - 1 year after launch. 

Hell of a PR spin. They didnt "get rid" of two classes, they "FOLDED"  them into other classes.

I want to love this game, however things like this make me more and more suspect of how polished this game will be at launch. Cutting out classes? I recall Vanguard doing something similar to the inquisitor and berserker classes. Coincidence?

just the first of what will probably be many "announcements" of the compromises they are working on so that they don't have to delay yet again

probably the harbinger of more "news" of things that won't be in game at release - typical stuff

just look at "spellborn" - seems you don't get a news release without getting some tidbit about what will not be in game at release but will be added later - well, you'll get my money maybe "sometime after release"

Actually it make more sense that way. Turning into a Lich is one (powerful) aspect of Necromancy. So now you'll have one class which domain is Necromancy and it'll be up to you to specialize into one area or try to spread your knowledge.

They have made this move previously with soldiers and rogues archetype. In the soldier archetype you had 2 version of the conqueror, one DW with offensive buffs, and one 2hd with defensives buffs. It made no sense and was artificial. Now it's folded into one class which means (guessing) the player will be able to decide how he wants to specialize.

These moves sounds wise and it was the initial decision to split every aspect into artificial classes which was somehow silly (or advertising choice which always turn bad gameplay wise).

And it should means more feats choices and decisions which is an important part of customization and fun (cross fingers) 

As already mentioned,  there used to be a whole bunch of soldier and rogue classes like halbardier and such that they merged with each other. The only unexpected is the somewhat late date.

This is not promising news. This game is scheudled to launch in March and are still revamping professions?

AoC seemed to be so bold with something truly unique professions. Instead they are going to same old cookie cutter professions. Just say the game will have a fighter, rogue, priest and mage and be done with it.

Lol remember when Vangaurd "promised" its players they were going to have an Inquistor and Berserker? That soon went to "it will be released after launch". VG on the ropes now.

Good luck with the game

Originally posted by judgebeo

After taking a deeper look to classes I think this is a good think. Why? cause before almost all casters were "melee focused" with transformations, disciple and lich were almost the same but one in demonic form, and the other, undead form.

If you take a look now this will give classes more variety and deeper skills, so if you choose the necromancer you will get this one and the lich skills, more fun in this class, the same as storm of set (whatever its called).

 

So dont think the problem is they need to cut down classes to finish the game; seriously, sometimes I think some people is a bit "paranoic" and think that they doing nothing when, before the delay to change combat system, the game got already some info, do you think they did nothing in all this time..? there is lot of money on it and Im pretty sure that they are working hard, the problem is, perhaps, that the NDA dont permits to see how much work they already done.

think we already talk about this in other post

I foresee another delay.

Originally posted by TwwIX

I foresee another delay.

i guarantee another delay.

Funcom has been doing MMO's since 1996 (Anarchy Online dev startup) and are specialized in making these type of games. 25th of March for US Servers and 28th of March for EU servers. I can't wait!